Hrissi K. Karapanagioti's awarded paper on open education and the future of physical sciences higher education inspired also by the University of Patras' Library & Information Services' innovative open online continuous professional development initiative ‘Open Workshop’. Abstract: In Academia the key-parameters of open learning are asynchronous activities, project-based modules, educational multi-media material, and a relaxed real-time interaction with the instructor.

1. Open Education 2030
Call for Vision Papers
Higher Education
(Open Academia of Physical Sciences) 1
(Hrissi K. Karapanagioti)
Open Academia of Physical Sciences
Hrissi K. Karapanagioti
In Academia the key-parameters of open learning are asynchronous activities, project-based
modules, educational multi-media material, and a relaxed real-time interaction with the
instructor.
Open higher education in 2030 is expected to depend heavily on technology as a tool.
Technology will free education from different dilemmas such as “Is the teacher or the
educational material the main component of learning?” or “The student started studying
Physics but he enjoys Chemistry more, should he change his degree and how?”.
Technology could provide the student with:
• An intelligent network system that can a) inform him about the best on-line instructors in
Europe as well as the available laboratory and field training classes close to him, b)
translate the student’s work to credit units, and c) keep track of the student activities and
determining the topic he is actually studying.
• Lectures, educational material, and simulations developed accordingly by the instructors.
• Communication with the instructor in a relaxed setting.
In September 2030, Alejandro who is 25 years old wants to join Academia to study
Environmental Science. He fluently speaks English and he contacts Academia to get more
information.
- What does Open Academia of Physical Sciences offer?
Academia offers studying programs accredited throughout Europe. These are programs with
approved ranges of credit units for each classical subject e.g. an Environmental Science
program should include 20-30 credit units in Ecology, 20-40 credit units in Management, 20-
40 credit units in Environmental Engineering, 10-20 credit units in Environmental Chemistry,
etc. This is still based on a traditional approach used in 2000.
- How are these credit units collected?
Academia offers small modules based on problem solving that worth mixed credit units from
the classical subjects of Sciences, e.g. the module “measuring pH in a lake”, can provide 1
credit unit in Ecology, 1 credit unit in Environmental Chemistry, 1 credit unit in Statistics, etc.
The student selects the modules that he is interested in or based on a career plan and his credit
units are added.
- This sounds a bit complicated!
Yes, it is complicated but Academia has this intelligent networking system electronic platform
(Figure 1) that keeps track of the student’s choices and the instructors’ offers. The student
can choose from existing modules offered throughout Europe. The student should be able to
describe the topic that he wants to work on and the system gives him options of modules
offered next month and related to his program. Towards the end of his study the student is
informed by the system on the credit unit requirements that are left to be fulfilled. The system
gives the student options of problem solving topics that fulfil the requirements in credits.
(This in 2013 was done by http://www.elearners.com for complete programs, Figure 2). Once
the student completes the credit units of one subject e.g. 20 credits in Environmental
Chemistry, he can take exams on this subject in one of the exam centers of Academia that is

2. Open Education 2030
Call for Vision Papers
Higher Education
(Open Academia of Physical Sciences) 2
(Hrissi K. Karapanagioti)
located close to him. Usually since the modules are interdisciplinary, the student completes
the credit units of the subjects towards the end of his study.
Figure 1 Intelligent networking electronic platform
Figure 2 A window presenting the 3rd
option given by http://www.elearners.com when
searching for a Bachelor program on Environmental Sciences in 2013
- Can you give me more information on the format of the modules?
The modules are short in order to be able to finish them quickly and thus, keep the student
interested. For example, the module “measuring pH in a lake” lasts for 4 weeks. It includes
a) week A: theory on what pH means with the necessary reading materials, exercises,
software, tests, etc., (1 credit unit in Ecology) b) week B: measurement tools with the
necessary project e.g. internet search to determine available tools, evaluate them, understand
the principles of operation, specifications, etc., c) week C: actual measurements with
simulations of field study or by providing the necessary tools to the student to perform the
fieldwork himself, etc. (1 credit unit in Environmental Chemistry), d) week D: comparison of
tools and elucidation of possible problems, etc. Each of these weeks is connected with
another module that could expand the knowledge of this specific topic. For example, week A
could be expanded by another module called “aquatic chemistry” or “acid dissolution in

3. Open Education 2030
Call for Vision Papers
Higher Education
(Open Academia of Physical Sciences) 3
(Hrissi K. Karapanagioti)
water”, week B could be expanded by another module called “pH indicators”, etc. The
student can decide if he wants to expand his knowledge on each of these additional topics or if
he just wants to have this specific skill and finish with this topic (e.g. measuring the pH in a
lake). The module network selected should be discussed periodically in a real time meeting
with the student advisor that can be one of the Academia instructors. Of course the student
can revisit his decisions later in his studies or every time he finds the same module e.g.
“aquatic chemistry” as expansion of another small module e.g. “nitrogen cycle”, etc.
-How is learning achieved through these small modules?
The modules include introductory lectures, skill building software and exercises, simulations,
and real-time forums to discuss problems and socialize with the instructor and the other
students.
Introductory lectures are short and informative using bullet points such as e.g. “10 points to
know about pH in a lake”. They can be either real time or asynchronous. The student can
choose if he will attend or not attend the real-time lecture. He can always watch the video of
the lecture including questions and comments from other students, later. Virtual reality
classrooms such as Second Life are ideal for this first approach of the student by the instructor
(Figure 3). Students can use real-time chat or asynchronous email or the instructor’s platform
to communicate questions to instructors.
Figure 3 Lecturing in a virtual reality classroom in 2013. This is me, or more precisely my
avatar, lecturing about lab safety to literature and education major students that were
interested to learn more about quantitative research methods.
Since students have different learning styles multiple educational resources are provided.
Educational material is prepared through the instructor guidance and includes a) skill building
software that are different exercises for assessment with increasing difficulty, b) simulations
that are similar to active video games that require body involvement (Figure 4) or virtual
reality tests that require avatar movement (It all depends how far the technology would have
progress). There are self-assessment activities to help the student practicing. However, there
are required assessment activities that are used to open the activities of the next topic of the
module. The student has to finalize these required activities within a week.

4. Open Education 2030
Call for Vision Papers
Higher Education
(Open Academia of Physical Sciences) 4
(Hrissi K. Karapanagioti)
Figure 4 Example of active video games in 2013
The third component of the module is the real-time Forum and is the only activity that
requires real-time presence from the student and the instructor. It is a chance for the student
to meet the instructor and, in an informal setting, ask questions raised by performing the
activities, reading the materials, or taking the assessment tests, etc. This Forum is the reason
that this Open University is named “Open Academia”. This Forum facilitates extra-
curriculum discussions that lead to the development of both the student and the instructor
(Figure 5). It is also a good chance for the instructor to test new techniques and to promote
group activities related to this specific week topic.
Figure 5 In one of Star Trek episodes in 1990s, Data, the android, meets with physics greatest
minds to play poker. It seems that in order to accept knowledge, one has to undrestand people
first. “It is proved to be most illuminating“

5. Open Education 2030
Call for Vision Papers
Higher Education
(Open Academia of Physical Sciences) 5
(Hrissi K. Karapanagioti)
-Sounds interesting! Where do the instructors come from?
They are usually professors from conventional and open European universities and experts on
this particular topic that are called to teach in Academia for one hour (plus one hour in the
Forum) every month depending on the demand for their module.
-But what will happen if I want to study a topic that requires laboratory skills (e.g. BOD
measurements) or field experience (e.g. coastal hydrogeology)?
Simulations that are similar to active video games or virtual reality experiments will bring you
up to a certain level on such skills. Then, you can acquire the necessary advanced skills that
cannot be obtained through simulations, from monthly laboratory and field courses offered
during the summer by conventional and open European universities close to your area.
-In order to summarize what is the flow of the study and what are the requirements to fulfil a
program?
You should be informed of the available programs and their requirements. Then, you should
get an idea of all available modules in the area that you want to study based on your interest
and your career plan. You choose the first module and start studying the material. Once you
perform the necessary activities you get access to next week material and so on until you
complete the necessary weeks for the certain module. At the end of the required weeks you
get a week free to finalize the project related to the module that will be graded by the
instructors and to decide which will be the next module. By finalizing modules you collect
credit units on certain subjects. Once you collect the necessary number of credit units on a
subject of your program, you can be examined on this subject. You finish your program once
you have collected the necessary credit units and have been successfully examined on all the
subjects necessary for your program. Exams are also project based such as modules but are
necessary to assure the identity of the person examined. Exams are taken in universities close
to your area and are graded by instructors of the program. The student needs to be well
informed and should have an idea of what he wants to become. However, if you change your
mind, an advisor will help you take advantage of what you learned so far and add new
modules that would lead you to the appropriate program.
-So as I understand Open Academia is organized by technological means and heavily
collaborates with other conventional universities for personnel and infrastructure. The key-
parameters of open learning are asynchronous activities, project-based modules, educational
multi-media material, and a relaxed real-time interaction with the instructor.