Australia’s Griffith and Deakin universities have co-created a research MOOC to increase efficiencies across both institutions and increase exposure to international students as the learning landscape begins to change.
Why Research Matters, launched on learning platform FutureLearn, seeks to highlight the importance of research in addressing global issues and provide students with methodologies to identify and undertake their own research.
Importantly, however, the collaboration is being touted as the first in a series of online courses between the universities in a bid to increase their competitiveness as students’ learning preferences begin to turn globally towards online.
“The changing world of education increasingly points to a global online learner,” Griffith Online academic director Nick Barter said.
“Delivering to this type of learner requires the development of an excellent product [and] to do this effectively, the vast majority of universities in the world will need to explore efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness.”
“We hope to see more of our university partners and organisations working together in this way”
Speaking with The PIE News, Barter, who co-authored the MOOC, said the wide breadth of research methods within both universities meant the collaboration provided an opportunity for both to learn from each other and increase their effectiveness in teaching.
“Griffith and Deakin are similar universities with similar perspectives on education,” he said.
“As such, the opportunity to work together to explore the potential of developing joint courses and programs for the global learner is appropriate, especially given the way the education market is developing.”
FutureLearn’s director of partnerships development Mark Lester said he was pleased to see the collaboration in online delivery, adding he hoped further institutions would see the benefit of the approach.
“We hope to see more of our university partners and organisations working together in this way, where they are able to delve into and share insight from their respective knowledge bases so that learners can get a global view on research regardless of where they are in the world,” he said.
Institutions and non-education organisations have made several significant moves into the online realm this year, with Pan African University the latest to turn to virtual education.
