Stephen Murgatroyd

University of Alberta | UAlberta · Department of Educational Policy Studies

This is a working draft of the second edition of a book focused on describing renaissance leadership and the renaissance way. It will be revised and then published.

The explicit intention of governments in making investments in micro-credentials in Canada was to respond to a growing skills gap in the human capital market. Employers complained that they were unable to find potential employees with the skills needed. Given the challenges faced by colleges and universities and the challenges within the Canadian e...

This is heavily revised 2nd edition of the book Renaissance Leadership with a substantial amount of new material. It explores the context in which leaders now operate, the characteristics of renaissance leadership, the nature of the renaissance way of being and provides resources for those seeking to strengthen their leadership capabilities.

This paper explores the difference between the transformation idea and the reality of how colleges and universities leverage technologies for teaching, learning and assessment. We seek to understand why a structural and operational transformation of these institutions rarely happens and offer an understanding of the structural, operational, financi...

This research note explores the challenge of leading and governing a university in an age of AI and related change. It looks at the need to move beyond new public management towards a more anticipatory form of governance. It looks at the need to shift from ego-driven institutions towards a more eco-system view and looks at the challenges of leading...

Our current education systems continue to foster and enable inequality and injustice. Education is designed for a different age and continues to be an instrument of human capital and social engineering. Reforming education to focus on equity, inclusion, and social justice is a growing imperative in complex, fast-changing societies. Using the princi...

This is the quick ideas for the beginning of a panel session on 29th August at the Mauritius conference - Rethinking Leadership in the Digital Era. I build on the ideas explored in the keynote and challenge the participants to understand the interregnum.

Keynote address Rethinking Leadership in the Digital Era - A Practice-Based Approach explores the dimensions and challenges of leadership in an age in which most technology transformations fail. What does leadership need to look like now?

This paper explores the in-between time for colleges and universities - as an old paradigm for how they do business changes and new ones emerge but the new ones are still forming and remain uncertain and unclear. These transitions require new forms of governance - more anticipatory and decentralized and imaginative - which requires a shift from the...

This paper explores the difference between the transformation idea and the reality of how colleges and universities leverage technologies for teaching, learning and assessment. We seek to understand why a structural and operational transformation of these institutions rarely happens and offer an understanding of the structural, operational, financi...

This is a DRAFT chapter focused on leadership in health systems at a time of disruption and change - the VUCA world. It explores the challenges for leaders related to truth, trust and equity and explores the work of the leader as coach.

Minerva University is a pioneering educational institution established in 2012 with the goal of redefining liberal arts education for the twenty-first century. Addressing widespread concerns about the effectiveness of traditional higher education, Minerva adopts first principles thinking in its pedagogy, emphasizing practical knowledge, active lear...

We desperately need more leaders who are committed to courageous, wholehearted leadership and who are self-aware enough to lead from their hearts, rather than unevolved leaders who lead from hurt and fear." Brené Brown Dare to Lead (2018). This draft book chapter uses Bob Kegan's developmental model to explore the challenges of leadership in health...

This invited chapter explores the future of open and mega universities using scenarios. Based on an analysis of the strategic plans of 40 of these, this chapter looks at common focal points, significant challenges and issues of strategic direction.

Navigating the challenges of Micro-Credentials in 2024

Exploring the 10 big questions about hybrid learning

Many engaged in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) see education as a potential market for sales. They predict that AI will transform teaching, learning and assessment. In describing just how this will occur, AI advocates suggest a combination of individualized learning, adaptive and engaged assessment, and personal support for the lea...

Exploring some patterns and trends which will impact higher education in Canada in 2024 and beyond.

What impact will technologies (especially AI) have on higher education in Canada? Will it be transformative (no), will it challenge existing practices and business models (yes) will it lead to significant cost reductions and increased access (probably not). How will we understand the coming technology challenges?

Our current education systems continue to foster and enable inequality and injustice. Education is designed for a different age and continues to be an instrument of human capital and social engineering. Reforming education to focus on equity, inclusion, and social justice is a growing imperative in complex, fast-changing societies. Using the princi...

Many engaged in the development of AI see education as a potential market for sales. They predict that AI will transform teaching, learning and assessment. In describing just how this will occur, AI advocates suggest a combination of individualized learning, adaptive and engaged assessment, and personal support for the learners' journey will be the...

What could Canada do to close the skills gap? What should it do and what is likely to happen>

What is happening with micro-credentials in Canada, what are the challenges and what will happen next?

The emergence of powerful natural language Artificial Intelligence systems, such as ChatGPT 4.0, has created a new dynamic in schools, colleges and universities. Some see the present moment as a turning point in our thinking about teaching, learning and assessment, with new approaches and practices suddenly becoming possible. Others are concerned t...

What do colleges and universities need to do to respond to emerging AI opportunities?

Explores different archetypes of anticipatory leadership focused on school leaders.

Reaction to the arrival of ChatGPT3 and its deployment have been mixed. Many are fearful, some concerned about the threat to their work and others are beginning to realize that the challenge AI poses is not to academic integrity, but to the business model of the college and university. This paper explores issues and suggests opportunities related t...

Looking at the potential of the Apple Vision Pro headset computer

The emergence of powerful natural language AI systems, such as ChatGPT 4.0, has created a new dynamic in schools, colleges and universities. Some see the present moment as a turning point in our thinking about teaching, learning and assessment, with new approaches and practices suddenly becoming possible. Others are concerned that unleashing powerf...

An exploration of possible and probable futures for online learning in Canada.

How can CHatGPT be used to enable students to develop capabilities and purpose?

A description of the eight characteristics of renaissance leadership as displayed by renaissance pathfinders.

This is a 10 item checklist to be used before a college, polytechnic or university signs off on a new micro-credential. Based on an extensive review of the protocols, policies and extant literature.

One focus for the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has been the assessment and testing of students. Significant investments have been made in AI assessment tools and development, with US$166 million invested in 2022 alone. Over 15% of EdTech companies are focused on testing and assessment. Here we summarise cu...

Exploring assessment-based credentials and gap-based learning

Anticipatory studies suggest that our current school system is no longer fit for purpose. Not only is it failing in its human capital mission, but it is also failing in its core mission of enabling active and engaged citizenship. It is time for a major rethink. This paper suggest a framework for such a rethink-regenerative design for sustainable de...

What will online learning look like post-COVID?

In response to a worsening global skills shortage that is already disrupting economies, governments and institutions have embraced micro-credentials. Intended as short (hour and weeks rather than months and years), competency-based driven by the skills needed by employers, the market is now awash with short courses claiming to be micro-credentials....

The future of colleges and universities in the post-pandemic world is a matter of much speculation and debate. UNESCO has suggested a framework for the future which, while focused, does not fully reflect the realities faced by these institutions-declining public investment, declining public trust, challenges to integrity and free speech and growing...

In response to a worsening global skills shortage which is already disrupting economies, governments and institutions have embraced microcredentials. Intended as short (hour and weeks rather than months and years), competency-based driven by the skills needed by employers, the market is now awash with short courses claiming to be microcredentials....

As universities and colleges begin to contemplate the post-COVID reality and their strategic intentions, new realities are emerging which will change both the policy and financial landscape in which they operate. Facing reduced revenues, enveloped funding and demanding performance measures, higher education institutions will look to educational tec...

I was asked to explore what impact online learning has had on the pursuit of equity. The paper (more of a note) points out that education is important for individuals and their families, but cannot of itself be seen as a "solution" to inequality. Explores meritocracy a little.

Some observations about why learning from failure is important

It is becoming difficult to go back in time to think about the emerging patterns of online teaching and learning before COVID-19. For over a year schools, colleges and universities have been working with students virtually to develop their knowledge, skills and capabilities using methods with which many were unfamiliar. There have been many account...

As colleges and universities start rolling out micro-credentials, 10 key actions must be taken to ensure these credentials meet the needs of both learners and employers. Otherwise, higher education risks missing out on opportunities to achieve meaningful outcomes and help people secure skills-based employment. Micro-credentials are a key component...

This is the published version of the article I shared yesterday (March 1) - amended with new material.

World futures day is March 1st (also St. David's Day) - I was asked to write about the future of higher education. This is my working draft.

As universities develop their own digital competencies, what has started as a short-term response to a crisis will likely become an enduring digital transformation of higher education." Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera 2020, Inside HigherEd. Abstract As universities and colleges begin to contemplate the post-COVID reality and their strategic inte...

10 suggestions for what needs to happen before the next pandemic - focused on Canada.

Some speculations and observations about what ODL might be like and what we need to focus on in 2021

What are the implications for the future of universities, colleges and polytechnics resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic? Will higher education systems change significantly as a result of the social, economic and political impact of the changes which the response to the pandemic will lead to? This futures question is explored in the c...

In the summer of 2020, despite the coronavirus pandemic, we taught a course focused on futures literacy and leadership in education at both the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta. This brief paper describes this work.

Will the shift to remote teaching lead to a massive growth of online learning in higher education? No!

Will edTech transform higher education - no!

A quick review of the deployment of chatbots and AI in higher education

Five reasons why the transformation conversation is misguided and five benefits of technology in higher education.

This has been submitted to a Journal in Paraguay at their request.

A short op ed for Online Learnng News (Ontario) - a working draft

A working draft of a chapter for a forthcoming edited collection.

A draft in progress of a chapter to appear in a book edited by Sylvie Alberta and to be published by Routledge. This is v1. Comments welcome

Exploring context and the future for colleges and universities and the process by which they can define their future.

What are the implications of COVID-19 for online learning? Will it spur growth?

The Government of Ontario's decision to require all high school students to complete four credits through online learning challenges us to reflect on the nature of learning-the experience, the challenge, the opportunity-and to ask questions about "what matters" in this experience. Though a big change, it is also a big opportunity to rethink the exp...

What are the major issues facing public education today? This paper explores some of these and provides a set of contexts.

Global change dynamics require a refocusing of educational policy and practice so that there is a relentless focus on building a sustainable society and circular economy focused on equity. This paper explores nine dynamics of global change and the implications of these dynamics for education, especially education beyond school. It will look at the...

In this paper, we explore the need for more applied psychology. We wish to open a dialogue with colleagues by offering some proposals for consideration. In the spirit of being bold, we want to challenge ourselves and others to engage with the current dilemmas of the day and move the profession forward. It is time to unleash a ‘pandemic of psycholog...

A key design challenge for any online course or program relates to the ways in which students will be able to assess their own learning (assessment for learning) and faculty are able to assess the students’ learning (assessment of learning). Recent developments in both practice and technology are enabling new approaches to design and assessment, wh...

The skills agenda dominates the thinking of many governments faced with economic and social challenges related to the changing nature of work. A new agenda for skills development and lifelong skill renewal is emerging from governments around the world. Online learning and assessments of capabilities and skills are now playing a growing role in skil...

This chapter explores the current context of higher education, identifying six patterns which impact decision-making and either enable, inhibit or require innovation. Technological developments likely to have an impact on higher education are reviewed, and a model of innovation is introduced. It is suggested that, while some developments are occurr...

Policy makers are challenged to improve educational outcomes, manage scarce resources and secure public acceptance of their initiatives to provide quality, relevant and effective education. In making decisions they are pulled between competing ideologies about the process and purposes of schooling. This paper explores these ideologies and suggests...

This is a critical response to a paper by Jensen, Taylor and Fisher (2010)

As communities respond to challenges, threats and opportunities, organisations are changing in significant ways — new organisational designs, new communities of practice, new skills and new forms of human capital are sought. Yet K-12 school systems appear to be permanently failing organisations, not changing despite being shrouded by the rhetoric o...