Associate Professor Sakai reported on the current approaches taken at Kyoto University and their future prospects. He described individual approaches, such as OCW, MOOC, LMS,* and MOST* (online FD support system), and stated that each approach was connected in a versatile manner for effective educational improvements. In a report on MOOCs, Associate Professor Sakai described courses currently offered and the ripple effects observed after course publication. As an actual example of ripple effects, he mentioned the invitation of foreign students to Kyoto University through MOOCs and the use of MOOCs in educational practices, such as the flipped classroom. Moreover, in a report on SPOCs, he outlined Kyoto University's SPOC system, KoALA, and described how the service was provided. Additionally, as future prospects and challenges, he mentioned development of well-designed courses and coordination with other educational support tools and systems used at Kyoto University.

* Click here to know about PandA, an LMS at Kyoto University.

In her lecture, Associate Professor Taguchi described teaching improvement efforts made at Kyoto University utilizing ICT. She said that the Center for the Promotion of Excellence in Higher Education had continuously taken various approaches through trial and error, such as open classes and reviews thereof, provision of the online FD support system MOST, and construction of CONNECT (this website) with the aim of making educational practices visible and sharable. Then, she provided a tangible description of a flipped classroom and interactive teaching in the form of a major lecture to demonstrate recent ICT-enhanced educational practices at Kyoto University.

In his lecture, Professor Iiyoshi envisioned higher education for 2025. He predicted an "era of Ps" for higher education in the 2020s, represented by keywords such as personalization, preference (personal preferences), prediction (various predictions based on big data and data analytics), and proactive. As examples, he mentioned Global Freshman Academy, a first-year educational program using MOOCs offered at Arizona State University, and micro-credential, which are like mini-degrees or certifications in a specific topic area. He continued by predicting that in 2025, higher education will probably see modularized and low-cost subjects and courses responding to learners' demand, reduced spatial and temporal restrictions, diversification of available certificates of completion, and personalization based on a wealth of data.

* If you are interested in a concrete example of micro-credentials, click here to read detailed information about MicroMasters, a micro-credential using MOOC.

The lecture by Professor Li began with his achievements as the head of the MOOC taskforce at Peking University, offering over 100 courses, including his own MOOC courses. He then narrated Peking University's efforts to promote blended education and approaches taken to construct and provide a platform that instructors at other universities could use. Professor Li said that for wider use of blended education, it is necessary to provide more MOOCs. To this end, he said, social recognition of MOOCs should be enhanced, and open public education should be promoted.

Professor Lim reported on Seoul National University's ICT-enhanced teaching and learning and blended learning approach. More specifically, he described the development and promotion of MOOCs and LMS (eTL); flipped classroom implementation, support, and assessment; and development of an on-campus online learning environment (SNUON: SNU Open educatioN). As priority goals for future blended learning at Seoul National University, Professor Lim mentioned: (1) Development of blended educational curricula tailored to individual students and based on learning analytics, (2) Encouragement of student participation, (3) Fostering of instructors' teaching skills by providing instructor training programs and forming instructor communities, (4) Enhancement of flipped classrooms using educational materials and the MOOCs of other higher-education institutions, and (5) Technical and organizational support from IR(institutional research) and consultation designed for students and instructors.

Professor Pong first outlined recent changes observed in higher education on a global scale, and reported on MOOC and blended learning approaches taken at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The examples he presented included: (1) Use of learning analytics and bulletin boards with the MOOC "Introduction to Computing with Java," (2) Flipped classrooms using MOOCs, (3) Blended experiential learning, and (4) Virtual Exchange, a study abroad program made possible by university collaborations using MOOCs.

In the following panel discussion regarding the information presented by the keynote and special lecturers, the panelists discussed trends in higher education in Japan and abroad, as well as approaches taken at universities. In response to questions raised by the audience, the panelists also discussed how they should view the sustainability of ICT-enhanced teaching and learning against the backdrop of university budget cutbacks and desirable forms of instructor training (professional development), as well as what methods should be used for assessment in the blended education approach.