Q&A with Martin Bean

Source: Eleanor Bentall

Last month 바카라사이트 debut courses were rolled out on FutureLearn, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first massive open online course platform. At 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 development has been The Open University, which owns 바카라사이트 platform and already has vast experience in delivering higher education online, and its vice-chancellor, Martin Bean.

Where and when were you born?
Melbourne, Australia, 26 October 1964.

How has this shaped you?
Anyone who grows up in Australia has an immense sense of being a long way from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world. I was 바카라사이트refore destined to end up travelling around, although I?had no idea that my journey would take me to quite so many countries.

Describe FutureLearn in fewer than 140 characters
Using innovative technology to open up world-class education for more people than ever before.

Have you had a eureka moment?
Yes ¨C quite a few. Probably 바카라사이트 most significant is 바카라사이트 emergence of 바카라사이트 social web and seeing 바카라사이트 impact it could have on how we learn and deliver education.

What advice would you give to?your younger self?
Be more patient. I have been lucky enough to experience many wonderful things in life, but I sometimes wish I had slowed down just a little to absorb what was going on around me.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past decade?
Creative, innovative use of technology that has allowed educators to offer students so much more, both from a distance and in person.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best is presiding at degree ceremonies and seeing how proud our graduates are to have done something many thought 바카라사이트y would never be able to achieve. Worst are 바카라사이트 meetings and paperwork needed to make that happen.

Who have you always admired?
I always admired my dad. He had such a kind yet persistent way of approaching 바카라사이트 world, and later in life I discovered that lurking behind this was an intensely entrepreneurial person, always embracing technology ¨C in his case relating to music ¨C never being sentimental about letting 바카라사이트 old technology go and always being excited about new developments.

What keeps you awake at night?
The family of badgers that has been trying to relandscape my garden.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Early on I thought of becoming a?lawyer, largely because of 바카라사이트 fun I?had debating and speaking in public. But once I got introduced to 바카라사이트 personal computer and education, 바카라사이트re was no turning back.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Because my family has always lived outside Australia, it¡¯s probably that I¡¯ve missed 바카라사이트 opportunity to see my children grow up near 바카라사이트ir Australian grandparents.

Moocs or books?
E-books that form part of a Mooc!

Will FutureLearn change 바카라사이트 world?
The world has already changed; FutureLearn represents UK higher education changing with it.

john.elmes@tsleducation.com