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Innovation in EdTech: Hacking the Challenges of Digital Education

Explore how digital technologies are transforming education, and devise forward-thinking solutions to the challenges of EdTech.

1,200 enrolled on this course

Hackathon team-members high-fiving
  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Develop innovative ideas to improve the future of digital education

On this course, you’ll be introduced to emerging educational technologies, and explore how to solve issues around teaching with technology that educators and institutions are facing worldwide.

Tackle the challenges of technology in education

As you explore digital transformation in education, you’ll discover the problems that come with education in the digital age and reflect on the competencies required to create and deliver effective and engaging digital learning.

You’ll learn how to identify and build solutions to these challenges using design thinking techniques and tools.

Harness technology to enhance teaching and learning

This course is designed to prepare you to join other learners and experts in digital education in an online global hack to co-create, plan, prepare, and pitch ideas that will enable students to get the most from digital learning.

You’ll identify ideas for using technology in ways that empower learners and put them at the heart of the digital education revolution.

Pioneer the future of edtech

This course has been designed in tandem with DigiEduHack.

DigiEduHack is a series of online hackathons for innovators who want to solve the big problems facing edtech and digital education today.

This course will enable potential hackathon attendees to kickstart and develop their initial ideas and plans, and also allow those simply interested in exploring the future of digital education to learn more.

Skip to 0 minutes and 5 seconds Hi, my name is Line, and I’m pleased to welcome you to this course leading up to the did at your hack taking place on November 12th and 13th. 2020 the DigiEduHack is designed as one of many actions supporting the commission’s Digital Education Action Plan. An Action Plan that seeks to support the use of technology in learning and education and also the development of digital competencies across Europe.

Skip to 0 minutes and 35 seconds Digital transformation is one of the core priorities of the EU Commission’s flagship strategy. A Europe fit for the digital age. A digital transformation will help us to ensure a fair and inclusive society, a green transition as digital interventions will open up many more possibilities. I think you will all agree with me that education is one of the most powerful, transformative forces we have in society today. And when we then go digital, we give increased access to learning and trainings and flexibility for students and teachers across Europe.

Skip to 1 minute and 14 seconds This year, the Covid-19 lockdown has caused massive disruption to education as we know it. Millions of students and educators have been affected because of the social distancing requirements. They have had no other choice than to go digital. This has been a huge awakening for many, and it has accelerated the digital revolution. It has also spotlighted many issues that need to be addressed, such as how do we design and deliver quality education online with and make it an engaging experience for the participants. How do we make learning inclusive, including bridging the digital divide? How may we develop digital competencies both for learners and for educators and not the least?

Skip to 2 minutes and 2 seconds How can digital education help us support the development of a fair and sustainable future?

Skip to 2 minutes and 10 seconds This course we’ll start to explore these types of issues. But crucially, we will also help you to prepare for our collaborative hack running in November.

Skip to 2 minutes and 23 seconds Whatever your interests is, whether it’s schools on the job training, lifelong learning and or the higher education area, we hope that you will find that participating in this course and maybe even in the hackathon in November will help you not just be one of the people that are being swept away by the digital revolution, but actually taking active part in that revolution and influencing how we may improve teaching and learning to the benefit of all of us. Enjoy.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    The future of education in a digital age

    • What does the future of education look like?

      Education is being transformed by technological and societal factors. You now have the opportunity to re-imagine how teaching and learning will be designed, developed and delivered in a complex, uncertain and precarious world.

    • Emerging technologies

      There are a great many educational technologies and concepts coming onstream. Here we introduce some that you might like to reflect on, in terms of their relevance to your own practice.

    • Emerging pedagogies

      It may be tempting for educators to try to simply 'bolt-on' digital elements to their current practices, but many recognise that they may need to re-think their overall pedagogical approaches.

    • Emerging issues

      As with any type of revolution, the digital education revolution is sparking a series of issues that need to be addressed by educators and policy makers.

  • Week 2

    Tackling the challenges to education in a digital age

    • Identifying the challenges to education in a digital age

      Week 1 introduced some key challenges emerging from the digital transformation of education. In this first activity of week 2, we'd like you to start deciding which themes you might want to focus on for the DigiEduHack.

    • How can you help tackle the challenges facing the future of education?

      Instead of being swept along by the digital education revolution, we can help shape transformative change by hacking potential solutions to the challenges.

    • The role of DigiEduHacks in addressing these issues

      DigiEduHacks play a crucial part in producing ideas and concepts that have a high impact on society, as well as ready-to-be-developed solutions.

  • Week 3

    Tools and techniques for idea generation and development

    • Using design thinking for ideation

      In this activity, we explore how you can use design thinking techniques and tools during the DigiEduHack.

    • Get Ready to Pitch

      Once you have your solution, then you need to know how to 'sell it' to your audience. In this activity, we help you prepare to pitch your idea to the judging panel at Digieduhack 2020.

    • Getting ready to hack

      In this activity, we discuss how to prepare for the upcoming DigiEduHack 2020 and explore what kind of techniques can help you with your ideation.

  • Week 4

    Taking part in a DigiEduHack event

    • Countdown to the event day

      As the time fast approaches for the hack, we discuss some of the worries you may have and provide you with some useful tips to help you prepare.

    • How to have a great hack

      In this activity, we explain how to have a great hack and the process you will go through.

    • Beyond the hack

      In this final activity, we reflect on the previous weeks and explore beyond the hack.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe how digital transformation is affecting education, and explore the main issues that need to be tackled to future-proof education
  • Identify ways in which you can tackle some of the challenges affecting education, and help define the learning of the future
  • Apply design thinking techniques to help investigate solutions to a DigiEduHack challenge
  • Design and prepare a successful pitch for the DigiEduHack
  • Co-create with your team to discover solutions to challenges of digital education in the future
  • Understand the different stages of a DigiEducHack

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone who wants to learn more about technology and teaching, as well as the Digital Education Action Plan and Digital Education Challenge Areas.

This may include students, teachers and educators, researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and other education enthusiasts.

Participants who aim to join a DigiEduHack hackathon may enjoy this course as a precursor to the main event.

Who will you learn with?

I've worked in educational TV and digital learning for over 25 years, across higher education, further education, schools, lifelong learning, and training and development.

Learning Designer with EIT Climate-KIC Online Education Team. I have over
over 25 years designing and developing digital learning solutions.

Who developed the course?

EIT Climate-KIC

EIT Climate-KIC is a European knowledge and innovation community, working towards a prosperous, inclusive, climate-resilient society founded on a circular, zero-carbon economy.

EIT Climate-KIC creates digital courses and resources for the general public, and for its own blended programmes and those of its partners.

Aalto University

Aalto University is located in Espoo, Finland. The university is composed of six schools (four technical schools, school of business, and school of arts, design and architecture) with over 11,000 students, 4400 staff, and close to 400 professors.

Aalto University is a community of bold thinkers where science and art meet technology and business. We build a sustainable future by creating novel solutions to major global challenges. We value responsibility, courage, and collaboration.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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