Wild Web
Education 2.0
Research lab to examine online learning, the changes it requires, and the challenges it brings
For some students, lecture halls are a thing of the past. Thanks to the plethora of online classes and Massive Open Online Courses available at UTA and other universities, students can earn degrees without ever leaving their homes. But what does this radical shift in educational practices mean for the future of learning?
That’s what a new lab at UT Arlington is investigating. The Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge Research Lab, or LINK lab, aims to enhance understanding of traditional universities’ roles in the online learning environment, explore alternative teaching and learning models, and examine the growing influence of data and analytics on higher education.
Opened earlier this year, the LINK lab is headed by digital learning innovator George Siemens. He and other organizers envision the lab as becoming “an intellectual and social springboard to engage faculty in advancing their field of study through research, development, and application to practice.”
Another goal is the development of a digital learning research network that includes collaborations with other organizations and institutions. Dr. Siemens and his team already have made progress in that effort, as the University hosted an important conference on Massive Open Online Courses in December 2013 that was sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.