Digital transitions in higher education: European dimension

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National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine

Institute of Higher Education

Digital transitions in higher education: European dimension

Zh. Talanova,

O. Kushchenko

Kyiv, Ukraine

Abstract

In the article, the trends and approaches to digital transitions in higher education in the context of quality assurance are revealed based on the analysis and synthesis of the strategies of the global and European dimension, presented in the documents of the UN and the European Commission, as well as in the analytical and guiding documents of the EHEA. The global social development goals of the UN and the European Education Area are agreed primarily in terms of equal access to quality higher education for vulnerable populations, modernization of higher education institutions to create an inclusive educational environment, and are required the introduction of digitalization in higher education in order to achieve them. A trend towards the spread of digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) in the EHEA covering both the traditional format of providing higher education and distance education has been revealed.

The main approaches to providing digital higher education have been determined. A partnership approach to assuring high-quality and inclusive digital higher education requires the consolidation of public efforts based on the partnership of various stakeholders, and national policies and legislation should provide for such partnership and mechanisms for its implementation. The investment approach to financing the resource provision of quality digital higher education involves attracting appropriate investments in connectivity, equipment, and organizational potential and skills for successful digital transition in higher education. Digitally competency approach to the development of professional standards for University teachers and their professional development, re-training and professional excellence in the context of digital transition.

An open approach to creating digital courses on platforms available for obtaining degree qualifications, partial qualifications and micro-credentials. A systematic approach to the creation and development of digital study programmes, which provides for high-quality educational content and quality assurance of digital higher education, in particular digital teaching, learning and assessment. It is emphasized that national strategic and other documents in higher education should be harmonized with international documents and strategies regarding digital transition in higher education to effectively introduce high-quality digital higher education in Ukraine and overcome the challenges of the state of war.

Keywords: digital transitions, higher education, Quality Assurance, e-assessment, e-learning, strategy

Анотація

Цифрові трансформації у вищій освіті: європейський вимір

Results

Strategic documents of the European dimension regarding the higher education quality assurance in the context of digital transitions are based on studies devoted to the investigation of various aspects of the specified problem, which are carried out by groups of experts of a number of EHEA organizations, in particular: the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (hereinafter - ENQA), European University Association (hereinafter - EUA), European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (hereinafter - EADTU).

Strategic documents of the global dimension of the United Nations are considered as a benchmark for the development of strategic documents and policies in the EHEA. Key documents among them are The Sustainable Development Goals 2030 that define strategic directions aimed at economic growth and meeting social needs, including education, health, social protection and employment opportunities, and provide a framework for recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and, currently, its consequences military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Goal 4 Quality Education includes provisions, the achievement of which by 2030 requires the introduction of digitalization in education. Among them: ensuring equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children, who are in a vulnerable position; creation and modernization of education institutions taking into account the interests of children, youth, persons with disabilities and gender, which will provide a safe, non -violent, inclusive environment for effective learning for all; a significant increase in the supply of qualified teachers, including international cooperation for teacher training.

Pandemic has brought new challenges to the agenda of the global community, so in order to ensure access to lifelong learning in 2020, UNESCO launched the COVID-19 Global

Education Coalition - a partnership between the UN, civil society organizations, media and IT partners for the development and implementation of innovative solutions. The coalition helps countries address gaps in content and connectivity, engagement, and opportunities for inclusive learning in a time of unprecedented disruption to education. In particular, the Global Education Coalition assists countries in mobilizing resources and implementing innovative and contextually appropriate solutions for the delivery of distance education using high -tech, low- tech and non-technological approaches. Therefore, the principle of equal access and an inclusive approach to education remain priorities on a global scale, and it is obvious that digitalization will contribute to the provision of these priorities, and non -academic organizations are involved in their implementation.

Sharing the strategic vision of the UN regarding the development of digital education, in 2020 the European Commission approved the updated Digital Education Action Plan 2021 - 2027 as a political initiative that defines a common vision of high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe and is aimed at supporting the adaptation of the education systems of the EU member states to the digital era. Also, the Digital Education Action Plan will contribute to the achievement of the relevant goals of the European Skills Agenda and the document 2030 Digital Compass: the European way for the Digital Decade, and it is also a key as a means of realizing the vision of the European Education Area (EEA) until 2025. The EEA will include six dimensions: quality of education and training, inclusiveness and gender equality, green and digital transitions, teachers and trainers, higher education and the geopolitical dimension. The EU Digital Education Action Plan defines two strategic priorities: promoting the development of a highly effective digital education ecosystem and improving digital competences for digital transitions, as well as appropriate measures to support them. The document formulates leading principles regarding the development of digital education, including the following.

• High-quality and inclusive digital education that respects the protection of personal data and ethics should become a strategic goal for all institutions operating in the field of education. Before the COVID-19 pandemic and the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, digital education was often the responsibility of units in education institutions and ministries. So far, the crises caused by COVID-19 and especially the war in Ukraine have demonstrated that digital education is not a secondary issue, but a key component of learning, teaching and assessment.

• Transforming education for the digital age is a societal challenge that involves partnerships between educators, the private sector, researchers and authorities to assure quality, accessible and inclusive digital education. Fulfillment of the specified criteria for digital education must be supported by relevant evidence and data to monitor results and improve understanding of the challenges and opportunities of digital transitions in education. Therefore, national policies and legislation should provide for such a partnership and mechanisms for its implementation for the sake of high -quality, accessible and inclusive digital higher education.

• Adequate investment in communication, equipment and organizational capacity and skills should ensure access to digital education. Education is a fundamental human right and access to it must be guaranteed, regardless of the medium in which it is provided - physical, digital or a combination of both. Thus, financing the resource provision of high - quality digital higher education should become a state priority.

• Digital education must play a key role in ensuring equality and inclusiveness. Digital skills are needed to be able to develop and deploy digitally accessible and inclusive systems. After all, the lack of digital skills and the availability of communication, equipment, etc. led to the fact that many vulnerable groups of the population, students, teachers could not continue high-quality teaching and learning during the quarantine and, especially, in the conditions of war in Ukraine.

• Digital competence should be key for all educators and should be embedded in all areas of teacher professional development. It is obvious that the professional standard should include digital competence and be a reference point for improving the qualifications and professional excellence of University teachers.

* High-quality educational content is necessary to increase the relevance, quality and inclusiveness of European education. Higher education institutions play an increasingly important role as providers of lifelong learning. Digital technologies should be used to create flexible and accessible learning opportunities, digital educational content, tools and platforms, in particular for the introduction of microcredentials, which record the results of training in short-term courses. A strategic objective for the modern state is the creation of open digital courses on platforms available for obtaining qualifications, partial qualifications and microcredentials. Such courses can be components of modules within the degree programmes. digital transformation quality higher education

In general, the Digital Education Action Plan for 2021-2027 is integrated into the system of European Union strategies and is aimed at achieving global goals defined by a number of strategic documents, in particular the European Skills Agenda, 2030Digital Compass: the European way for the Digital Decade, Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles.

A significant contribution to the development of principles and joint approaches to digitalization of higher education and assuring the quality of digital education was made by the European University Association, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities.

European Association of Universities (EUA) published the outcomes of a study on the state of implementation of E-learning in European higher education Institutions. Already at that time, almost all higher education institutions in Europe began to implement e-learning, the vast majority of them implements both in a blended format via integrating electronic and traditional learning, as well as in online format. There was a growing offer for joint inter - institutional cooperation and online degree programmes. Trend towards wider use of online exams for all students in all or the most areas of education within study programmes in a traditional format intensified. It was noted that in addition to pedagogical and economic motives, institutions of higher education were motivated to introduce e-learning by the need for better use of resources and the growing demand for education with flexibility in time and place of learning. In order to ensure successful teaching and learning, higher education institutions create a reliable educational infrastructure, as well as support for students and staff. Institutions use digital study programmes, e-repositories of educational materials, tools and management systems for content development and course management, student portals. Almost all institutions provide students with e-mail accounts, access to Wi-Fi, computer labs and an online library, provide campus licensed software, repositories for courses and study materials, online course catalogs, and use social networks for communication. According to the findings of the EUA study, quality assurance in e-learning was not given much attention at the time, but quality issues were already beginning to be discussed at both institutional and systemic levels. And since e-learning can take very different forms, depending on the approach, education areas, and involved external partners (other institutions or non-university partners), the problem of quality assurance deserves further research. Such a phenomenon as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) did not go unnoticed by EUA. The relevant EUA's reviews showed that MOOC are a hot topic in Europe, and a large number of European universities, especially technical ones, offer MOOC or are going to develop them. Among the advantages of MOOC implementation, the following are highlighted: international visibility to attract students; using MOOC as a laboratory for the development of innovative teaching methods, introducing and testing of pedagogical methods and educational content; providing students with opportunities for more flexible learning; establishment of partnerships with other higher education institutions. Reducing costs and obtaining income are not considered by institutions as advantages. It should be noted that over the last ten years, a number of platforms of non-academic providers, often in partnership with universities, offer MOOC (Coursera, edX, Udemy, Udacity, Futurelearn, etc.), which significantly expands the accessibility and possibilities of digital higher education.

In 2021 EUA conducted comprehensive studies on the development of digitalization in higher education «Digitally Enhanced Learning and Teaching in European Higher Education Institutions» and «Developing a High-Performance Digital Education Ecosystem: Institutional Self-Assessment Instruments», which demonstrated the dynamics of the development of this phenomenon in the seven years that have passed since the above-mentioned EUA study 2014. Therefore, Digitally Enhanced Learning and Teaching (hereinafter DELT) was further spread in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The general perception of this phenomenon has increased - 57% of higher education institutions widely use DELT. The blended learning format continues to be the most popular and is becoming more widespread: 75% of EHEA higher education institutions use it. Mainly in response to the challenges of COVID-19, some higher education institutions have also started to implement hybrid learning and teaching, i.e. providing courses that can be attended both physically and virtually. The number of institutions offering MOOC has also increased (36%). An innovation is the introduction of virtual mobility for students (2 %), and the majority of institutions includes in their study programmes training for the development of general and subject digital competences, as well as ethical competences, data and security skills. An important aspect of institutional approaches to DELT is their systemic and strategic nature: 88% of universities have a DELT strategy integrated into the institution's development strategy. Also, the researchers note, there is a positive trend regarding internal DELT quality assurance, however, about half of institutions have not yet implemented internal DELT quality assurance processes. The study presented classifications of 20 tools designed for self-assessment of DELT in higher education institutions. These 20 tools aim to support the development of DELT, but in different ways: assessment tools that can be completed to match an answer, get a score or measure their institutional performance; framework tools, the main purpose of which is to define some principles, establish standards or exemplary indicators and provide guidelines, methodological recommendations; a combination of two categories from multiple tools based on a specific framework / multiple frameworks that come with a specific tool. In the table 1 presents the classification of tools that best corresponds to the description of each tool.

The main provisions of the two specified instruments in the table 1: the ENQA: Quality Assurance of E-learning Provision and the Excellence: Quality Assessment for E-learning: a

Table 1

Classification of self-assessment tools Digitally Enhanced Learning Teaching (DELT)

Source: EUA Developing a High-Performance Digital Education Ecosystem: Institutional Self-Assessment Instruments, 2021.

Benchmarking Approach (European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, EADTU) are worth considering.

It should be noted that the problem of assuring the quality of electronic (digital) learning has been in the focus of ENQA since 2010, when the outcomes of the study «Quality Assurance of E-learning» were presented. The study considered the quality of e-learning in the context of the Standards and Recommendations for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and approaches to evaluating the quality of e-learning in higher education institutions are defined. In the analytical review «Considerations for Quality Assurance of E-Learning Provision» (2018) proposed e-learning specific terminology, recommendations for internal and external e-learning quality assurance for higher education institutions and quality assurance agencies. The document is based on the structure and approaches of the Standards and Recommendations for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, providing relevant clarifications on quality assurance taking into account the specifics of study programmes in the digital format. Later, the Framework for the Quality Assurance of e-Assessment (2019) was prepared. The Framework states that assessment is a key aspect of the teaching and learning process in both online and blended formats. The methods used for assessment are of primary pedagogical importance because they are directly related to both the organization of teaching and learning and the student experience. They should be planned and aligned with the expected learning outcomes of study programmes and integrated into the quality assurance procedures used by institutions to improve the quality of e-learning. The Framework defines standards, relevant indicators and minimum evidence requirements for quality assurance of e-assessment. The mentioned standards, relevant indicators and minimum evidence requirements cover various aspects of higher education institution activities in the context of e-assessment: policies, structures and processes to assure the quality of e-assessment, learning assessment; authenticity, transparency and authorship; infrastructure and resources; student support; academic staff; training analytics; public information.

The European Association of Distance Learning Universities (EADTU) takes care of various areas of implementation and development of distance learning, in particular e-learning, which is an integral part of digital education. In 2016, EADTU together with its partners and in cooperation with ENQA prepared the third edition of the manual «E-xcellence: Quality Assessment for E-learning: a Benchmarking Approach», which describes in detail the methodology and resources for assure the quality of e-learning in higher education. The main purpose of this guide, as defined in the publication, is to provide a set of benchmarks, quality criteria and guidelines against which e-learning programmes and their support systems can be evaluated and reviewed. Also, the manual includes a glossary of basic concepts and terms, which significantly helps to understand their meaning and differences, as well as detailed recommendations for assure the quality of e-learning. Some key concepts with their definitions proposed in the mentioned manual are presented below.

Curriculum - academic and subject requirements, as well as processes of organization and management of teaching and learning. Therefore, the curriculum in the understanding of EADTU experts and its partners has a broader interpretation than in Ukrainian realities.

Programme - a sequential set of courses or modules, representing the general requirements for a student's education and usually leading to the award of a corresponding degree (higher education qualification) upon successful completion of studies. This definition corresponds to the content of the concept provided in the legislation of Ukraine.

Electronic learning (E-learning) - learning provided with the help of information and communication technologies and includes such aspects as hardware (computers, mobile phones, digital cameras, etc.), digital resources (Internet, materials presented via virtual educational environments, online libraries, etc.), software (manuals, office suites, etc.), and online communication tools (email, chat, forums, etc.). Currently, there is no normative definition of the concept of e-learning in the Ukrainian education area.

The guide is therefore useful for academic staff involved in the design, development, teaching and learning, evaluation and maintenance of e-learning programmes. Accordingly, the document covers the following components of the higher education institution's activities regarding the provision of e-learning: strategic management, development of a study programme and curriculum, course design, course implementation, academic staff support, student support.

Conclusions

Based on the analysis and synthesis of the data and strategies of the European dimension, presented in the documents of the European Commission, as well as strategic, analytical and guiding documents of the UN and the EHEA, the following trends and approaches to digital transitions in higher education in the context of assuring its quality have been identified.

The global goals of social development of the UN and the European Education Area are agreed primarily in terms of equal access to quality higher education for vulnerable groups of the population, including people with disabilities, modernization of higher education institutions to create an inclusive educational environment taking into account the interests of people with disabilities and require the introduction digitization in higher education to achieve them.

There is the trend towards the spread of digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) in the European Higher Education Area, that covering both traditional and distance higher education formats.

The partnership approach to ensure high-quality and inclusive digital higher education that respects personal data protection and ethics requires the consolidation of public efforts based on the partnership of various stakeholders, and national policies and legislation should provide for such partnership and its implementation mechanisms for quality, accessible and inclusive digital higher education.

The investment approach to financing the resource provision of quality digital higher education involves attracting appropriate investments in communication, equipment and organizational potential and skills for successful digital transitions in higher education and should become a state priority.

The digitization-competency approach to the development of professional standards for University teachers and their professional development and professional excellence in the context of digital transitions.

The open approach to creating digital courses on available platforms for degree qualifications, partial qualifications and microcredentials. Such courses can be components of courses/modules within the study programmes of higher education institutions.

The systematic approach to the creation and development of digital study programmes, which provides for high-quality educational content, is necessary for increasing the relevance, quality and inclusiveness of education, assuring the quality of digital higher education, including special technical and other procedures regarding the organization and planning of the educational process in the digital environment, training and support academic staff regarding the quality of digital teaching, learning and assessment, development of digital materials/resources, support of students in obtaining digital higher education.

National strategic documents that have been approved or are under development must be harmonized with international trends and strategies regarding digital transitions in higher education in order to effectively introduce high-quality digital higher education in Ukraine. Among such documents, it is necessary to note, first of all: the draft of the Ukraine Recovery Plan: materials of the working groups «Education and Science» and «Digitalization» (2022); Higher Education Development Strategy 2022-2032 (2022); Conceptual and Reference Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (2021); Professional Standard for the group of professions «Teachers of higher education institutions» (2021), as well as relevant documents on accreditation, taking into account European approaches to assuring the quality of digital study programmes.

Among the promising areas of further research on digital transitions in higher education, the following can be distinguished: standardization of digital higher education, assuring and improving the quality of digital higher education, development of digital higher education and its quality assurance systems in Ukraine.

Бібліографічні посилання

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2. Bykov, V.Y., & Shyshkina, M.P. (2018). The conceptual basis of the university cloud-based learning and research environment formation and development in view of the open science priorities. Information Technologies and Learning Tools, 68(6), 1-19.

3. Coskun, Y.D. (2015). Promoting Digital Change In Higher Education: Evaluating The Curriculum Digitalisation. Journal of International Education Research (JIER), 11(3), 197-204.

4. European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). Lifelong learning and the EHEA agenda. (2018). EADTU position paper on the Bologna Process and EHEA Bologna Policy Forum, Paris, 24th May 2018.

5. European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). Lifelong learning and the EHEA agenda Contribution of the European MOOC Consortium. (2018).

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7. ENQA. Josep Grifoll, Esther Huertas, Anna Prades, Sebastian Rodriguez, Yuri Rubin, Fred Mulder, Ebba Ossiannilsson. (2010). Quality Assurance of E-learning.

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12. Supporting Quality in E-Learning European Networks. SEQUENT.

13. The Sustainable Development Goals. UN. Goal 4. Quality Education. (2020).

References (Translated and Transliterated)

1. Vorobiova, O.P. (2018). Zabezpechennia yakosti elektronnoho navchannia v yevropeiskomu prostori vyshchoi osvity [Quality assurance of e-learning in the european higher education area]. Informatsiini tekhnolohii i zasoby navchannia, 64(2), 245-252.

2. Bykov, V.Y., & Shyshkina, M.P. (2018). The conceptual basis of the university cloud-based learning and research environment formation and development in view of the open science priorities. Information Technologies and Learning Tools, 68(6), 1-19.

3. Coskun, Y.D. (2015). Promoting Digital Change In Higher Education: Evaluating The Curriculum Digitalisation. Journal of International Education Research (JIER), 11(3), 197-204.

4. European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). Lifelong learning and the EHEA agenda. (2018). EADTU position paper on the Bologna Process and EHEA Bologna Policy Forum, Paris, 24th May 2018

5. European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). Lifelong learning and the EHEA agenda Contribution of the European MOOC Consortium. (2018).

6. European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU). Quality Assessment for E-learning: a Benchmarking Approach. Third Edition. (2016).

7. ENQA. Josep Grifoll, Esther Huertas, Anna Prades, Sebastian Rodriguez, Yuri Rubin, Fred Mulder, Ebba Ossiannilsson. (2010). Quality Assurance of E-learning.

8. EUA. Gaebel Michael, Kupriyanova Veronika, Morais Rita, Colucci Elizabeth. (2014). E-Learning in European Higher Education Institutions.

9. EUA. Gaebel Michael, Zhang Therese, Stoeber Henriette and Morrisroe Alison. (2021). Digitally enhanced learning and teaching in European higher education institutions. Survey report.

10. EUA. Gaebel Michael. (2013). MOOCs Massive Open Online Courses.

11. European Commission. (2020). Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027. Reseffing education and training for the digital age.

12. The Sustainable Development Goals. UN. Goal 4. Quality Education.

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