Jesus College Principal Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt FRS FREng is leading a new review of the University of Oxford’s Digital Education Strategy (DES) which will help to shape the future of digital education at Oxford.

The DES, which was first published in 2016 by the University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), established a framework for engagement in digital education by setting out the structures, resources and approaches to enable Oxford to bring about the step change in its use of technology in teaching and learning.

In the intervening years, extraordinary progress has been made in the CTL’s online learning offer, with development dramatically accelerated over the past eighteen months due the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw nearly all teaching and study move to digital platforms.

Sir Nigel is now heading-up a working group to review and refresh the strategy – in particular considering how the University can capitalise and learn from the experience of the past year. The DES working group comprises representatives from colleges, the four Divisions and Continuing Education, representatives from Oxford SU and experts and innovators from the Oxford Internet Institute, Department of Education, Saïd Business School, Department of Computer Science, CTL and Education Policy Support.

 

Sir Nigel says, “The current pandemic has seen a rapid acceleration in the creation and use of digital streaming and education tools, and the embracing of new technologies, knowledge and skills by Oxford staff and students alike. There is now a fantastic opportunity to build on all that we have learnt, and to deliver a new plan for the future of digital education at the University.”

The group will review the experiences of teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic, with a view to making recommendations for which aspects have the potential to inform new ways of teaching, and feed into the New Ways of Working project. It will also identify areas where digital education has the potential to support the achievement of University and Divisional strategic goals. Sub-groups have already been established to look at four major areas:

1. Adapting flexible and inclusive teaching post pandemic
2. Understanding students’ digital experiences of Oxford
3. Sustaining and developing digital infrastructure
4. Demand for online courses.

In order to make the strategy development process as collaborative as possible, University members are being encouraged to contribute. The first phase of the project, launched today, is inviting them to take part in a consultation that aims to gather thoughts, opinions and ideas on what digital education might look like in the future.

Two open consultation events will be held in July and August. Sir Nigel explains, “At the events, the consultation team will provide an overview of the key questions being posed, and provide participants with the chance to contribute their opinions and raise any issues they think are important. We want to listen to and learn from people’s experiences of digital education, and use this vital feedback to inform the new strategy.”

An online portal – the Oxford Ideas platform – has also been created for colleagues to share ideas about the strategy.  The platform encourages participants to send in ideas and also to respond to three key review questions:

1. Where does digital education have the potential to enhanceOxford’s offer of an inclusive, personalised educational approach?
2. Where does digital education have the potential to extendOxford’s offer of an inclusive, personalised educational approach?

1. Are there more revolutionary ideas/capabilities/concepts you’re aware of in digital education that Oxford should be investing in now?

More information about the DES Review can be found here. Pending Council approval, it is hoped that the strategy will be implemented from Michaelmas term 2022.

Get involved

Attend a consultation event

Two open consultation events will be held:

Thursday 22 July, 2.30pm–4pm. Follow this link to register

Wednesday 8 September, 10am–11.30am. Follow this link to register

Please note: These events are the same and you only need to attend one.

 

Feed in through the Oxford Ideas platform

Login to the Oxford Ideas platform (powered by IdeasScale) with your SSO to submit your response/s to three questions in relation to the review of our Digital Education Strategy.