EdTech Projects refer to all of the Office of Learning Technologies projects that are directly concerned with the technological evolution of the virtual campus environment.

The University’s overall goal is to expand access, increase communication and collaboration, provide more convenient shopping for courses, provide faculty development, foster collaborative development, lead in new learning technologies, reduce costs, manage distributed resources and centralize resources.

Some of UOC’s upcoming challenges are:

• An increase in older students will call for a highly usable virtual campus, one which does not require manuals or instructions.
• An increase in native students (those who grew up using technology) will have a strong impact in the metaphors used today to design the virtual campus environment. Native users have integrated technology into their daily lives.
• The convergence of all type of students will set a challenge for UOC. Continuous evaluation of the research methodologies used will be required to understand the needs for the different audiences.
• Ongoing User Centered Design will be required to guarantee a high level of quality, adjusting the virtual campus to the new trends, technologies and uses.
• An integration of newest technologies and standards will require maintenance.
• Adapting and adjusting to new technologies and user needs will call for an ongoing understanding of the impact of ICT in society.
• Understanding the evolution of UOC students, their frustrations and needs will help proposing innovative initiatives that the University will need to consider, even though it may mean changing some key strategic aspects of UOC.

For more information please contact Magí Almirall, malmirall@uoc.edu