Robert Griffiths is the Director of Digital Scholarship for the Office of Distance Education and eLearning. Dr. Griffiths has significant knowledge in deploying technology-empowered learning experiences, including spearheading the ODEE Impact Grant program in an effort to study how using technology can engage students, increase instructor efficiency, and support anytime/anyplace learning. He also oversees Ohio State’s effort for Massively Open Online Courses. Additionally, Griffiths’ team supports the online general education initiative for autumn 2014 through providing instructional design leadership to teaching faculty involved with the project.
Q: How do you see the creation of online courses, specifically those designed to be available to a wide audience through general education, as key in the present and immediate future of the Ohio State University?
Griffiths: There is a confluence of pressures on higher education. At almost every turn, decisions are being made on how to reduce cost, reduce time to degree, and accept a wider-range of qualifying activities as credits while at the same time institutions are being asked to use technology and data to prove learning effectiveness and better educate a society requiring advanced degrees to meet a changing work environment. In many ways, right now higher education is the calm between disruptive storms, but that storm is quickly approaching.
The creation of online courses, specifically those available to a wide audience, affords Ohio State an opportunity to be at the table and decide how we can meet the mission of our institution. It is an opportunity for scaled yet individualized education that allows for flexibility and greater opportunities to engage in the community.
Think of your daily experience. How often, today, do you feel tethered to the radio hoping you can hear your favorite song? How often do you purchase an entire CD just to hear one song? How often are you required to wait for the exact rerun of Seinfeld you’re hoping to watch? How often are you sitting on the front porch at 6am waiting to read yesterday’s news? Probably never.
It’s our time for students to have a premier education that meets the expectations and lifestyle they are already enjoying in other facets of their lives. We are developing the capability to do so via distance education and in a way that promotes the hallmarks of OSU’s quality and prestige.
