Introduction to the France -Atlanta 2014 seminar about digital learning held at Georgia Tech, October 20-21 2014

1. Digital Learning in the 21st century
A Franco-American Perspective
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014
Université Pierre
et Marie Curie,
Paris
www.upmc.fr
Yves Epelboin
Professor Emeritus
Yves.Epelboin@impmc.upmc.fr

2. Agenda
• The French HE organization
• Digital learning?
• MOOCs and online learning
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014
•Conclusion

3. The French
HE organization
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

4. The Bologna declaration
• June 1999: A European Higher Education Area in which
students and graduates could move freely between countries
• In France, since 2002:
– Bachelor (licence): 6 semesters
– Master: 4 semesters
– PhD (Doctorat): 3 years
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

5. The French HE system
Universities Grandes Ecoles IUT
(Technology colleges)
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014
Years
PhD 8
Master Grande Ecole
5
Bachelor 3
High School Technological studies
2
training

6. HE organization
• Universities:
– National diploma: curses must be approved
– Tuition fees very low and controlled
– No selection at entrance in universities
• Grandes Ecoles:
– More freedom for tuition and diploma
– Very selective
– Tuition fees vary
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

7. University cooperation: OER
• UNT (Universités Numériques Thématiques): a national initiative
about Open Educational Resources since 2004
• per discipline
• Peer reviewed
• With national grants
• FUN-MOOC: a national MOOC consortium
• http://www.france-universite-numerique.fr
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

8. University cooperation: UNR
• Universités numériques en région: Regional digital universities
• Regional cooperation between universities:
– Portals
– WiFi networks
– Students smart ID cards…
2003 2008
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

9. University cooperation: digital
• Access to Student Information Systems: timetables, grades,
diploma,...,
• Information & communication: email, forums, ..., desktop
services,
• Access to LMS,
• Library & Documentation,
• Podcast, video,
23%
8%
10%
5% 9%
45%
L1
L2
L3
M1
M2
Divers
7%
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014
23%
22%
17%
10%
21% Santé-sport
Sciences sociales
Droit
Sciences fondamentales
Economie-gestion
Divers
level study taught disciplines

10. Digital learning?
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

11. A cultural approach
• US and France: a different approach
– US: a technological culture and a faith in technology
– France: a Cartesian approach: from concepts to practice
Thus:
France: a cautious approach to the use of technology in
teaching and learning (valid for teachers as well as for
students)
US: jumping into technology?
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

12. Technology and teaching
• Most French universities use a LMS (Moodle 90%)
• Main uses:
– Documents storage
– Exchanges between teachers and students
• Except for the minority of pioneers, the pedagogical use has
started with the MOOCs
Really different in the US?
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

13. LMS use: teachers at UPMC
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

14. LMS use: students at UPMC
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

15. MOOC and online
learning
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

16. It’s changing: MOOCs in Europe
http://www.openeducationeuropa.eu/en/european_scoreboard_moocs
3/09/2014
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

17. MOOC: an impulse towards online
learning
• Distance learning: an old tradition in France
• New means: SPOC
– Change in learning: flipped classes
– Remedial courses
– Distance learning
• MOOC: mostly another use of SPOC
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

18. Communities and technology
• Students use Web 2.0 tools in their private life
• Faint interest in using university tools but growing
– Few students live on campus: dormitories not managed by
universities?
– No sense of the university community?
• Must be educated in using Internet and collaborative tools
– C2I: Certificat Informatique et Internet (Computer and
Internet certification)
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

19. Certification and diplomation
• In France diploma are delivered under state control
– Portable ECTS (European Credit Transfer System)
– Recognition by industry
– Possibility to move from an institution to another
• Assessments and online teaching
– Automatic assessments mainly in Medicine
– Online assessments?
• Certification for distance learning
– Value of online distance certification
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

20. Conclusion?
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

21. Conclusion: an irreversible change
• MOOCs have given the impulse for online learning
• Rapid growth of blended learning
• Flipped learning: students must also be convinced!
But:
• How to cover the expense with fixed tuition fees and
revenues?
– A 6 weeks course: 30 000 – 60 000 €
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

22. Discussion
Yves.Epelboin@impmc.upmc.fr
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014

23. http://www.dunod.com/loisirs-scientifiques-techniques/ouvrages-generaux-dictionnaires/les-mooc
Y. Epelboin Digital learning…, Atlanta 20-21 October 2014
Everything you need to know
about MOOCs (in French) to
be published in English