Mark Brown

Prof

Contact Details


Full Professor of Digital Learning
Institute of Education
School of Policy and Practice
St Patrick's Campus
T:01 700 6317

E:mark.brown@dcu.ie
W:https://www.dcu.ie/nidl/people/director.shtml

D108
T:Ext. 6317

E:Mark.Brown@dcu.ie
Profile Photo

Professor Mark Brown is Ireland's first Chair in Digital Learning and Director of the National Observatory for Digital Education (NODE). 

Background

Professor Mark Brown is Ireland's first Chair in Digital Learning and Director of the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL). He has over 30 years of experience working in Tertiary Education, with specific expertise in policy and practice supporting lifelong learning and new blended, online and digital (BOLD) education models.

Before taking up his current position, Mark was Director of the National Centre for Teaching and Learning at Massey University in New Zealand. He is a recipient of a National Award for Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching and remains a member of the New Zealand Academy of Tertiary Teaching Excellence. He is a Senior EDEN Fellow and was recognised in 2017 by the Commonwealth of Learning (CoL) as a world leader in Open, Online and Distance Learning. In 2019, Mark was Chair of the ICDE World Conference on Online Learning hosted in Dublin. Mark is an active researcher, a sought-after keynote speaker, and has a strong publication record, with over 100 academic journal articles. He serves on several journal editorial boards. 

Professional Contribution

Mark is a Vice-President and Management Board Member of EDEN Digital Learning Europe  He also serves on the Supervisory Board of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) and is a member of the Advisory Board for the U.S. based Online Learning Consortium's Research Center for Digital Learning and Leadership. In Ireland, Mark has previously served (2016-2018) as an Irish Universities Association representative on the Board of the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Mark is the past President of the New Zealand Association for Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (now FLANZ) and served as Treasurer as well as an Executive Committee member of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. ASCILITE is known as the peak professional body for blended, online and digital learning in Australia and New Zealand. Mark continues to have strong 'down under' links and served in 2019-2020 as the Vice-President of the Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia (OLDAA), which publishes the Q1 journal Distance Education.

More detailed biographical information, including a summary of Mark's journal editorial work and research outputs by year over the past 25 years, is available from his personal NODE webpage




Book Chapter

Year Publication
2024 Brown, Mark (2024) 'Quality assurance frameworks for digital education' In: How to use digital learning with confidence and creativity: A practical introduction. Cheltenham, United Kingdom : Edward Elgar Publishing. [Link]
2024 Brown, Mark (2024) 'Scenario-based learning' In: How to use digital learning with confidence and creativity: A practical introduction. Cheltenham, United Kingdom : Edward Elgar Publishing. [Link]
2022 Bozkurt, A., & Brown, M. (2022) 'Micro-credentials: Stackable, combinable or transferable qualifications' In: EdTechnica: The Open Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. United States : EdTechBooks.org. [Link] [DOI]
2022 Brown, M. (2022) 'Leading in changing times: Building a transformative culture' In: Handbook of Open, Distance and Digital Education. Singapore : Springer. [Link] https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0351-9_28-1
2021 Brown, M.; Keogh, D. (2021) 'A story of transformation: From digital in part to digital at heart' In: Beyond distance education: Cutting-edge perspectives on the future of global open universities. Beijing : Open University of China Press. [Link]
2021 Brown M. (2021) 'Foreword: Teaching beyond the shadows' In: #Openteach: professional development for open online educators. Switzerland : Zenodo. [Link] [DOI]
2021 Brown, M.; Nic Giolla Mhichíl, M. (2021) 'Micro-credentials untethered: A wolf in sheep’s clothing?' In: Ireland's Education Yearbook 2021. Ireland : Education Matters. [Link]
2021 Costello, E., Brown, M., Butler., D., Girme, P., Kaya, S., Kirwan, C., McLoughlin E. & O’Leary M. (2021) 'Transversal Skills in STEM: From policy to practice, digital and unplugged' In: The envisioning report for empowering universities. Maastricht, The Netherlands : EADTU. [Link]
2020 Butler, D., Leahy, M., Hallissy, M., & Brown, M. (2020) 'MOOCs, teacher professional learning and deep learning conversations' In: Encyclopedia of Education and Information Technologies. Switzerland : Springer. [Link] https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10576-1
2020 Brunton, J.; Brown, M. (2020) 'Learner success and digital technologies' In: Encyclopedia of Teacher Education. Singapore : Springer. [Link] [DOI]
2019 Stokes, J., Brown, M., Keegan, R., & James, A. (2019) 'Digitalization of higher degree research(HDR) and its benefits to postgraduate researchers' In: Enhancing the Role of ICT in Doctoral Research Processes. Hershey, PA, USA : IGI Global. [Link] [DOI]
2019 Brunton, J., Brown, M., Costello, E., & Walsh, E. (2019) 'Designing and developing a programme focused assessment strategy: A case study' In: Assessment in Open, Distance, and e-Learning Lessons from Practice. Oxon, UK : Routledge. [Link]
2017 Brown, M. (2017) 'Old debates, unanswered questions, better futures' In: Handbook on Digital Learning for K-12 Schools. Switzerland : Springer. [Link] https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33808-8
2016 Brown, M. (2016) 'MOOCs as social practice: a kaleidoscope of perspectives' In: From Books to MOOCs? Emerging Models of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. London: United Kingdom : Portland Press. [Link]
2015 Bossu, C.; Bull, D.; Brown, M. (2015) 'Enabling open education: A feasibility protocol for Australian higher education' In: MOOCs and Open Education Around the World. [Link] [DOI]
2015 Hartnett, M.; Brown, M.; Wilson, A. (2015) 'MOOCs down under: Insights from the open2study experience' In: MOOCs and Open Education Around the World. [Link] [DOI]
2015 Brown, M. (2015) 'Looking over the horizon: New learning platforms, old technology debates' In: Education matters: Shaping Ireland's education landscape. Galway : Education Matters. [Link]
2014 Hartnett, M., Anderson, A., & Brown, M. (2014) 'Learning in the digital age: How are the ways in which we are learning changing with digital technologies?' In: Facing the big questions in teaching: Purpose, power and learning. Melbourne, Australia : Cengage.
2012 Ryan, Y.; Brown, M. (2012) 'Quality assurance policies and guidelines for distance education in australia and new zealand' In: Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Distance Education and E-learning: Models, Policies and Research. [Link] [DOI]

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2023 Aras Bozkurt; Torunn Gjelsvik; Taskeen Adam; Tutaleni I. Asino; Javiera Atenas; Maha Bali; Constance Blomgren; Melissa Bond; Curtis J. Bonk; Mark Brown; Daniel Burgos; Dianne Conrad; Eamon Costello; Catherine Cronin; Laura Czerniewicz; Maren Deepwell; Markus Deimann; Helen J. DeWaard; Tonia A. Dousay; Martin Ebner; Robert Farrow; Inés Gil-Jaurena; Leo Havemann; Andreia Inamorato; Valerie Irvine; Shironica P. Karunanayaka; Michael Kerres; Sarah Lambert; Kyungmee Lee; Mpine Makoe; Victoria I. Marín; Alexander Mikroyannidis; Sanjaya Mishra; Som Naidu; Fabio Nascimbeni; Mark Nichols; Don Olcott, Jr; Ebba Ossiannilsson; Daniel Otto; Brenda Cecilia Padilla Rodriguez; Michael Paskevicius; Verena Roberts; Tooba Saleem; Robert Schuwer; Ramesh C. Sharma; Bonnie Stewart; Christian M. Stracke; Alan Tait; Ahmed Tlili; George Ubachs; Joshua Weidlich; Martin Weller; Junhong Xiao; Olaf Zawacki-Richter (2023) 'Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices'. Open Praxis, . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Brown, M.; McGreal, R.; Peters, M. (2023) 'A Strategic Institutional Response to Micro-Credentials: Key Questions for Educational Leaders'. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2023 . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Bozkurt, A., Xiao, J., Lambert, S., Pazurek, A., Crompton, H., Koseoglu, S., Farrow, R., Bond, M., Nerantzi, C., Honeychurch, S., Bali, M., Dron, J., Mir, K., Stewart, B., Costello, E., Mason, J., Stracke, C. M., Romero-Hall, E., Koutropoulos, A., Toquero, C. M., Singh, L Tlili, A., Lee, K., Nichols, M., Ossiannilsson, E., Brown, M., Irvine, V., Raffaghelli, J. E., Santos-Hermosa, G Farrell, O., Adam, T., Thong, Y. L., Sani-Bozkurt, S., Sharma, R. C., Hrastinski, S., & Jandrić, P. (2023) 'Speculative futures on ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence (AI): A collective reflection from the educational landscape'. Asian Journal of Distance Education, 18 (1):53-130. [Link] https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7636568
2023 Shao, Yinjuan; Zhang, Jingjing; Costello, Eamon; Brown, Mark (2023) 'Public perceptions towards MOOCs on social media: an alternative perspective to understand personal learning experiences of MOOCs'. Interactive Learning Environments, 31 (2). [DOI]
2022 Brown, M.; Nic-Giolla-Mhichil, M. (2022) 'Unboxing micro-credentials: an inside, upside and downside view (Descifrando las microcredenciales: en qué consisten, ventajas e inconvenientes)'. CULTURE AND EDUCATION, 34 . [Link] [DOI]
2020 Farrell, O.; Brunton, J.; Costello, E.; Delaney, L.; Brown, M.; Foley, C. (2020) 'This is two different worlds, you have the asylum world and you have the study world’: An exploration of refugee participation in online Irish higher education'. Research in Learning Technology, 28 . [Link] [DOI]
2020 Mac Lochlainn, C.; Nic Giolla Mhichíl, M.; Beirne, E.; Brown, M. (2020) 'The soul behind the screen: understanding cultural enrichment as a motivation of informal MOOC learning'. Distance Education, . [Link] [DOI]
2020 Donlon, Enda; Costello, Eamon; Brown, Mark (2020) 'Collaboration, collation, and competition: Crowdsourcing a directory of educational technology tools for teaching and learning'. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 36 (3). [DOI]
2020 Costello, E., Brown, M., Donlon, E., & Girme, P. (2020) '‘The Pandemic Will Not be on Zoom’: A Retrospective from the Year 2050'. Postdigital Science and Education, (2):619-627. [DOI]
2020 Delaney, L.; Brown, M. (2020) 'Many happy returns! An exploration of the socio-economic background and access experiences of those who (re)turn to part-time higher education'. Irish Educational Studies, 39 . [Link] [DOI]
2019 Brunton, James; Farrell, Orna; Costello, Eamon; Delaney, Lorraine; Foley, Colum; Brown, Mark (2019) 'Duelling identities in refugees learning through open, online higher education'. Open Praxis, 11 (4). [DOI]
2019 Costello, E.; Bolger, R.; Soverino, T.; Brown, M. (2019) 'Determining textbook cost, formats, and licensing with Google books API: A case study from an open textbook project'. Information Technology and Libraries, 38 . [Link] [DOI]
2019 Conchur Mac Lochlainn; Mairead Nic Giolla Mhichil; Elaine Beirne; Mark Brown (2019) 'Back to the Future, the Learner Strikes Back: Feedback and Reflection as Key Elements in MOOC re-Design'. EDEN Conference Proceedings, . [Link] [DOI]
2019 Costello, Eamon; Donlon, Enda; Brown, Mark (2019) 'Research Ethics of Twitter for MOOCs'. ONLINE LEARNING, 23 (3). [DOI]
2019 Brunton, James; Brown, Mark; Costello, Eamon; Farrell, Orna (2019) 'Pre-induction supports for flexible learners: The Head Start Online MOOC pilot'. Student Success, 10 (1). [DOI]
2018 Costello, E.; Brown, M.; Mhichíl, M.N.G.; Zhang, J. (2018) 'Big course small talk: twitter and MOOCs — a systematic review of research designs 2011–2017'. International Journal Of Educational Technology In Higher Education, 15 . [Link] [DOI]
2018 Costello, E.; Brunton, J.; Brown, M.; Daly, L. (2018) 'In MOOCs we trust: Learner perceptions of MOOC quality via trust and credibility'. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 13 . [Link] [DOI]
2018 Brunton, J.; Brown, M.; Costello, E.; Farrell, O. (2018) 'Head start online: flexibility, transitions and student success'. Educational Media International, 55 . [Link] [DOI]
2018 Delaney, L.; Brown, M. (2018) 'To walk invisible: distance students in a dual-mode university*'. Distance Education, 39 . [Link] [DOI]
2017 Butler, D.; Leahy, M.; Hallissy, M.; Brown, M. (2017) 'Different strokes for different folks: scaling a blended model of teacher professional learning'. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 14 . [Link] [DOI]
2016 Brunton, J.; Brown, M.; Costello, E.; Walsh, E. (2016) 'Designing and developing a programme-focused assessment strategy: a case study'. Open Learning, 31 . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Brown, Mark; Hughes, Helen; Keppell, Mike; Hard, Natasha; Smith, Liz (2015) 'Stories from Students in Their First Semester of Distance Learning'. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF RESEARCH IN OPEN AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING, 16 (4).
2015 Schuwer, Robert; Gil-Jaurena, Ines; Aydin, Cengiz Hakan; Costello, Eamon; Dalsgaard, Christian; Brown, Mark; Jansen, Darco; Teixeira, Antonio (2015) 'Opportunities and Threats of the MOOC Movement for Higher Education: The European Perspective'. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF RESEARCH IN OPEN AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING, 16 (6).
2015 Brown, M.; Costello, E.; Donlon, E.; Giolla-Mhichil, M.N. (2015) 'A Strategic response to MOOCs: How one European university is approaching the challenge'. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Brown, M.; Hughes, H.; Keppell, M.; Hard, N.; Smith, L. (2015) 'Stories from students in their first semester of distance learning'. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF RESEARCH IN OPEN AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING, 16 . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Schuwer, R.; Gil-Jaurena, I.; Aydin, C.H.; Costello, E.; Dalsgaard, C.; Brown, M.; Jansen, D.; Teixeira, A. (2015) 'Opportunities and threats of the MOOC movement for higher education: The European perspective'. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Brown, Mark; Costello, Eamon; Donlon, Enda; Giolla-Mhichil, Mairead Nic (2015) 'A strategic response to MOOCs: How one European university is approaching the challenge'. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF RESEARCH IN OPEN AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING, 16 (6).
2012 Shillington, S.; Brown, M.; MacKay, A.; Paewai, S.; Suddaby, G.; White, F. (2012) 'Avoiding the goulash: Closing gaps and bridging distances'. Open Learning, . [Link] [DOI]
2012 Bossu, C.; Bull, D.; Brown, M. (2012) 'Opening up Down Under: The role of open educational resources in promoting social inclusion in Australia'. Distance Education, . [Link] [DOI]
2005 Brown, M. (2005) 'The growth of enterprise pedagogy: How ICT policy is infected by neo-liberalism'. Australian Educational Computing, . [Link]
1992 Brown, M. (1992) 'An ecological perspective on research with computers in science education'. Research in Science Education, . [Link] [DOI]

Published Report

Year Publication
2023 Brown, M.; Duart, J. (2023) International standards, practices and supports for the quality assurance of micro-credentials: Final report. OECD, .
2023 Beskorsa, O., Mendel, I., Fasching, M., Otrel-Cass, K., Costello, E., Lyngdorf, N.E.R., & Brown, M. (2023) Hacking Innovative Pedagogy: Innovation and Digitisation to Rewild Higher Education. A Commented Atlas. University of Graz, . [Link] [DOI]
2022 Staring, F.; Brown, M.; Bacsich, P.; Ifenthaler, D. (2022) Digital higher education: Emerging quality standards, practices and supports. OECD, . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1787/f622f257-en

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2023 Brown, M. (2023) Invited keynote address at EdMedia + Innovate Conference Uncaging digital education: A talk on the wild side Vienna, Austria, .
2023 Brown, M. (2023) Invited keynote at Innovating Higher Education, IHE 2023, EADTU Conference The duality of micro-credentials: A Pushmi-Pullyu perspective Istanbul, Turkey, .
2023 Brown, M. (2023) Keynote presentation at HELMeTO 2023 Decoding micro-credentials: Learning unbundled or bundles of trouble Foggia, Italy, .
2023 Brown, M. (2023) Invited keynote presentation at International Innovative Teaching Conference, People, Environments Rewilding digital education: Innovation for our future’s sake University of Padova, Padova, Italy, .
2023 Brown, M. (2023) Invited keynote at the Conference of the Society for Information Technology in Teacher Education Rewilding digital education: Untethering teachers for future’s sake New Orleans, United States, .
2023 Brown, M. (2023) nvited keynote at Digiõppe Kvaliteedi, korraldab Eesti Hariduse Kvaliteediagentuur (HAKA) Quality assurance of digital teaching and learning: The challenge of mastering a difficult dance Estonia, .
2023 Brown, M. (2023) Invited keynote at Unlocking Professional Potential with Micro-credentials The magic of micro-credentials: Digital transformation or bundles of trouble? Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Invited keynote presentation [online] for MicroCredX Overview of micro-credential implementation: Running to catch a moving train Spain, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Keynote at Global Dialogue on Micro-Credentials Initiatives and Perspectives from around the World Global dialogue on micro-credentials: A conversation with many threads DAAD, Berlin, Germany, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Invited [online] keynote at Micro-credential Symposium. Australian Technology Network Beyond counting sheep: The (re)spinning of the micro-credential Australia, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Keynote presentation at The Third International Conference Innovative Education in an Era of Change Unboxing digital transformation: Reshaping Education for Better Futures Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Invited keynote presentation at MicroCredX Developing a strategic institutional response: What type of strategy, leadership and internal structures are required to develop and execute a micro-credential strategy Graz, Austria, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Invited keynote presentation for International Conference eLearning for Human Capability Development The growth of micro-credentials: Some introductory questions Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Invited keynote address for Micro-credential Forum: The Practitioner's Toolbox Making micro-credentials: Are we mixing oil and water? Ontario, Canada, .
2022 Brown, M. (2022) Invited keynote presentation at the 5th International Conference on Open and Distance Education The next big thing: Is this the year of the micro-credential? Eskişehir, Turkey, .

Conference Publication

Year Publication
2018 Costello, E.; Brown, M.; Brunton, J.; Bolger, R.; Soverino, T. (2018) Proceedings of the European Conference on e-Learning, ECEL Textbook costs and accessibility: Could open textbooks play a role? [Link]
2017 Costello, Eamon; Brown, Mark; Nair, Binesh; Mhichil, Mairead Nic Giolla; Zhang, Jingjing; Lynn, Theo (2017) #MOOC Friends and Followers: An Analysis of Twitter Hashtag Networks [DOI]
2017 Butler, D.; Leahy, M.; Hallissy, M.; Brown, M. (2017) Scaling a model of teacher professional learning – harnessing MOOCS to recreate deep learning conversations [Link] [DOI]
2016 Costello, E.; Zhang, J.; Lynn, T.; Nair, B.; Mhichíl, M.N.G.; Brown, M.; Donlon, E. (2016) ASCILITE 2016 - Conference Proceedings - 33rd International Conference of Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education: Show Me the Learning Social media #MoOC mentions: Lessons for MOOC research from analysis of twitter data [Link]
2016 Brown, M.; Costello, E.; Giolla-Mhichil, M.N. (2016) ASCILITE 2016 - Conference Proceedings - 33rd International Conference of Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education: Show Me the Learning A strategic response to MOOCs: What role should governments play? [Link]
2016 Butler, D.; Leahy, M.; Hallissy, M.; Brown, M. (2016) ASCILITE 2016 - Conference Proceedings - 33rd International Conference of Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education: Show Me the Learning Embedding classroom practice in a 21st Century Learning Design (21CLD) MOOC framework [Link]
2016 Brunton, J.; Cleary, A.; Gilligan, J.; Brown, M.; Delaney, L.; O’Regan, L.; Costello, E.; Fox, S.; Ward, J. (2016) ASCILITE 2016 - Conference Proceedings - 33rd International Conference of Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education: Show Me the Learning Staying the distance: Using digital readiness tools to support effective transitions into higher education for flexible learners [Link]
2016 Brunton, J.; Farrell, O.; Brown, M.; Mahon, C.; Costello, E. (2016) ASCILITE 2016 - Conference Proceedings - 33rd International Conference of Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education: Show Me the Learning Head start online: A MOOC for effectively supporting flexible learner transition into higher education [Link]
2016 Gormley, C.; Glynn, M.; Brown, M.; Doyle, J. (2016) Proceedings of the European Conference on e-Learning, ECEL Mobile learning spaces for a mobile generation: Redesigning the classroom [Link]
2016 Donlon, E.; Brown, M.; Costello, E. (2016) ASCILITE 2016 - Conference Proceedings - 33rd International Conference of Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education: Show Me the Learning The power of the crowd: Promise and potential of crowdsourcing for education [Link]
2016 O’Regan, L.; Maguire, M.; Munro, M.; Harding, N.; Brown, M. (2016) ASCILITE 2016 - Conference Proceedings - 33rd International Conference of Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education: Show Me the Learning Show me the feedback: A multi-institutional project exploring technology-enabled feedback approaches for first year [Link]
2016 Gormley, Clare; Glynn, Mark; Brown, Mark; Doyle, Justin (2016) PROCEEDINGS OF THE 15TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING (ECEL 2016) Mobile Learning Spaces for a Mobile Generation: Redesigning the Classroom
2014 Wilson, A.; Hartnett, M.; Brown, M.; Jamieson, A.; Symonds, S. (2014) Proceedings of ASCILITE 2014 - Annual Conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education An Open2Study MOOC experience from a staff perspective [Link]
2012 Symonds, S.; Hartnett, M.; Brown, M. (2012) ASCILITE 2012 - Annual conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education Flex and inflexibility: The impact of real-time collaborative technologies in highly customisable video-linked teaching spaces [Link]
2012 Bossu, C.; Brown, M.; Bull, D. (2012) ASCILITE 2012 - Annual conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education Abstractdo open educational resources represent additional challenges or advantages to the current climate of change in the australian higher education sector? [Link]
2012 Chaloux, B.N.; Brown, M.; Ragan, L.C. (2012) ASCILITE 2012 - Annual conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education Leadership in Online Learning: Developing the next Generation of Leaders [Link]
2012 Taipjutorus, W.; Hansen, S.; Brown, M. (2012) ASCILITE 2012 - Annual conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education Improving learners’ self-efficacy in a learner-controlled online learning environment: A correlational study [Link]
2012 Brown, M.; Keppell, M.; Hughes, H.; Hard, N.; Shillington, S.; Smith, L. (2012) ASCILITE 2012 - Annual conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education Living the new normal: Reflections on the experiences of first-time distance learners [Link]
2012 Minichiello, V.; James, R.; Albion, P.; Brown, M.; Harreveld, B.; Keppell, M. (2012) ASCILITE 2012 - Annual conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education DeHub: Examples of some projects and models for future collaboration [Link]
2012 Symonds, S.; Hartnett, M.; Butler, P.; Brown, M. (2012) ASCILITE 2012 - Annual conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education Video-linked teaching: Designing and evaluating technology-rich classrooms for real-time collaboration [Link]
2011 Sankey, M.; Brown, M.; Uys, P. (2011) ASCILITE 2011 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Do the ACODE benchmarks still cut the mustard or is eLearning maturity just a dream? there is light at the end of the tunnel [Link]
2011 Childs, M.; Keppell, M.; Brown, M.; Hunter, C.; Hard, N.; Hughes, H. (2011) ASCILITE 2011 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Fostering institutional change through learning leadership - A study of stories of adaptation in blended and flexible learning and distance education [Link]
2011 Walker, R.; Brown, M.; Moore, C.; Hughes, H. (2011) ASCILITE 2011 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education The move to Moodle: Perspective of academics in a college of business [Link]
2011 Brown, M.; Hughes, H.; Hard, N.; Keppell, M.; Shillington, S.; Smith, L. (2011) ASCILITE 2011 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Lights, camera, action: Gathering experiences of first time distance learners [Link]
2009 Downey, M.; Brown, M. (2009) ASCILITE 2009 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education The challenge of equivalence: Meshing food technology with blended learning across campuses and modes [Link]
2009 Roder, J.; Brown, M. (2009) ASCILITE 2009 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education What leading educators say about web 2.0, PLEs and e-portfolios in the future [Link]
2009 Brown, M.; Arnold, A.; Ronald, G.; White, D. (2009) ASCILITE 2009 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Thinking about a new LMS: Comparing different institutional models and approaches [Link]
2009 Brown, M.; Paewai, S.; Suddaby, G. (2009) 8th European Conference on eLearning 2009, ECEL 2009 Moodle as a trojan mouse: Policy, politics and pragmatism [Link]
2009 O'Hara, D.; Brown, M.; Day, I.; Downey, M.; Hill, M.; Jackson, W.; Jamieson, A.; Mckelvie, J.; Milne, J.; Symonds, S.; Suddaby, G. (2009) ASCILITE 2009 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education The quality challenge: Quick fix solutions or enduring cultural changes? [Link]
2009 Stewart, T.M.; Brown, M.E. (2009) ASCILITE 2009 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education To spray or not to spray? a scenario-based exercise for tertiary-level horticultural students [Link]
2008 Stewart, T.M.; Brown, M. (2008) Proceedings of the 7th European Conference on e-Learning, ECEL 2008 But surely it's harmless? Developing a multimedia ethical misadventure for web delivery [Link]
2008 Stewart, T.M.; Brown, M.E. (2008) ASCILITE 2008 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Developing interactive scenarios: The value of good planning, whiteboards and table-based schemas [Link]
2008 Brown, M.; Anderson, B.; Murray, F.; Simpson, M. (2008) MCCSIS'08 - IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems; Proceedings of e-Learning 2008 Patterns in e-learning policy (2000 to 2005): Lessons from a global analysis [Link]
2008 Brown, M. (2008) MCCSIS'08 - IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems; Proceedings of e-Learning 2008 An eportfolio in initial teacher education: Reflecting on the pillars of learning [Link]
2007 Brown, M.; Anderson, B.; Suddaby, G.; Simpson, M. (2007) ASCILITE 2007 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Showcasing mahara: A new open source eportfolio [Link]
2007 O'Hara, D.; Brown, M. (2007) ASCILITE 2007 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Switching them on and keeping them on: Online professional development for university teachers [Link]
2007 Brown, M.; Anderson, B.; Murray, F. (2007) ASCILITE 2007 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education E-learning policy issues: Global trends, themes and tensions [Link]

Other Publication

Year Publication
2023 Mhichíl, M.N.G.; Oliver, B.; Lochlainn, C.M.; Brown, M. (2023) A snapshot in time: the next new normal and micro-credentials. [Link] [DOI]
2021 Farrell, Orna; Brunton, James; Brown, Mark; Aceto, Stefania; Baldiris, Silvia (2021) The Current State of OER in Europe: Going Beyond Altruism The Current State of OER in Europe: Going Beyond Altruism ENCORE+ OER Policy and Strategy Position Paper No. 1 Coordinator of this work: Report Authors. [DOI]
2020 Brown, M., Nic Giolla Mhichil, M., Beirne, E., & Costello, E. (2020) Proceedings of the 2019 ICDE World Conference on Online Learning, Volume 2. Dublin: [Link] http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3804256
2020 Brown, M., Nic Giolla Mhichil, M., Beirne, E., & Costello, E. (2020) Proceedings of the 2019 ICDE World Conference on Online Learning, Volume 1. Dublin: [Link] http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3804014

Other Journal

Year Publication
2024 Brown, M., & Duart, J. (2024) 'Exploring gaps in the quality assurance of micro-credentials: A global mapping review of current practices' Journal of Open, Distance, and Digital Education, 1 (1) :1-16. [Link] [DOI]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
EDEN Digital Learning Europe Vice-President 01/06/2022 - 01/05/2024
European Association of Distance Teaching Universities Member of the Supervisory Board 01/10/2017 - 01/10/2024
International Council for Open and Distance Education Institutional Representative 01/03/2014 - 01/10/2024
Irish Learning Technology Association Member 01/01/2014 - 31/12/2024
Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia Vice-President 01/04/2019 - 01/04/2021
UK Association for Learning Technology Institutional Representative 01/04/2014 - 01/10/2024
European Distance and E-learning Network (EDEN) Member of Executive Committee 01/06/2016 - 21/06/2019
Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand President 01/01/2013 - 01/01/2014

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/06/2004 National Award for Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching Ako Aotearoa | New Zealand National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence.
01/06/2022 Senior EDEN Fellow EDEN Digital Learning Europe
01/01/2017 World Leader in Open, Online and Distance Learning Commonwealth of Learning
01/06/2017 EDEN Fellow EDEN UK
01/10/2020 Overall e-Learning Solution of the Year’ for FutureLearn course on "How to Teach Online" EdTech Breakthrough Awards
01/06/2019 Best of Ireland Award EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology
01/01/2017 Ambassador for the Global Advocacy of Open Educational Resources International Council for Open and Distance Education
01/11/2016 Effective Practice Award Online Learning Consortium
01/08/2015 Best Poster Award International Assessment in Higher Education Conference
01/11/2013 Prize for Innovation and Best Practice International Council for Open and Distance Education
01/07/2011 Highly Commended Award National University Technology Network
01/11/2012 Innovation and Excellence Award ASCILITE
01/06/2008 New Zealand Open Source Education Award Open Source Association
01/06/2007 IMS Global Award IMS
01/06/2006 Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award Massey University
01/01/1999 Apple Distinguished Educator Award Apple Computer Inc

Committees

Committee Function From / To
DCU’s Senior Executive Committee 01/05/2014 - 01/07/2020
Education Committee 01/02/2014 - 01/09/2024
Academic Council 01/02/2014 - 01/09/2023
Heads and Deans 01/02/2014 - 01/09/2023
ECIU Strategic Oversight Committee 01/03/2022 - 01/09/2024
University of Sanctuary Steering Committee 01/01/2019 - 01/10/2024
International Advisory Board for the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 01/02/2017 - 01/10/2024
Journal Editorial Board for European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning 01/01/2019 - 31/12/2024
Editorial Advisory Board for Asian Journal of Distance Education 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2024
Saudi Arabia National eLearning Advisory Board 01/01/2020 - 01/09/2024
Professional Development Advisory Board for the European School Education Platform 01/04/2022 - 31/03/2023
European Digital Education Hub Squad for AI in Education 01/02/2023 -
European Digital Education Hub Squad for Micro-credentials 01/03/2023 -
European Commission’s DigiEduHack Steering Group 01/01/2019 - 01/12/2022
European Commission’s High-Level Micro-credential Consultation Group 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2020
Steering Group for Thematic Quality Review of Digital Learning 01/11/2019 - 31/01/2022
Executive Committee of Irish National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 01/01/2016 - 01/07/2018
Student Management System Working Group 01/01/2018 - 31/12/2019
Teaching and Learning Committee for European Consortium of Innovative Universities 01/09/2014 - 01/10/2019
Ministry of Education, Tertiary eLearning Reference Group 01/01/2013 - 01/01/2014

Other Activities

Description
Active member and contributor to the EDEH.

Enterprise Engagement

Year Engagement Type Client Description
1998 Consultancy Enterprise Ireland EdTech Business Mentor Mentorship for Irish EdTech startups
2014 Continuous Professional Development/Training Online Learning Consortium Faculty Member of the Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL)

Outreach Activities

Year Engagement Type Organisation Description
2023 Advisory Work Union of Students in Ireland Member of VPAA Advisory Board on Digital Education
2023 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement EDEN Digital Learning Europe Co-Chair of EDEN Annual Conference
2019 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement International Council for Open and Distance Education Chair of the 2019 ICDE World Conference on Online Learning
1998 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education Programme Committee Member for Annual EdMedia and Innovate Learn Conference
2012 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCiLiTE) Chair of the 2012 Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCiLiTE) Annual Conference
2004 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Academy Ongoing member of the Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Academy as a recipient of a National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award.

Research Projects

Title Role Description Start date End date
International standards, practices and supports for the quality assurance of micro-credentials PI The study has three main parts: i) a focus on the external QA of micro-credentials, looking at the response of QA agencies; ii) a focus on the internal QA of micro-credentials, looking at the practices of a purposive sample of higher education institutions (HEIs); and iii) a focus on identifying some of the institutional supports available for the development of high-quality micro-credentials. The research, undertaken in Q1 of 2023, draws on a wider study on the QA of digital higher education recently undertaken by the OECD (Staring et al., 2022). This follow-up study was designed to investigate whether the OECD's QA principles developed for digital education can also be applied to micro-credentials and whether there are specific and/or additional QA considerations. The methodology involved desk research, follow-up interviews and informant conversations with key actors in QA agencies and early adopter HEIs to answer three main questions: i) how are national QA agencies in OECD member countries externally assuring the quality of micro-credentials?; ii) what internal QA practices have early adopter HEIs developed to implement micro-credentials?; and (iii) what institutional supports, resources, and infrastructures are available to develop high-quality micro-credentials? 23/01/2023 31/03/2023
The Provision of QA Guidelines for Fully Online Programmes DCU PI 27/04/2022 31/12/2022
Policy Options for Hungary to Quality Assure Digital Higher Education PI This research analyses Hungary’s higher education quality assurance (QA) system and its impact on the further development and the quality of digital teaching and learning in higher education. Specific attention is paid to the roles, responsibilities, standards and practices implemented by the four main actors involved in the QA of higher education in Hungary, namely: the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (MIT), the Educational Authority (OH), the Hungarian Accreditation Committee (MAB) and higher education institutions (HEIs) themselves. 01/07/2022 01/12/2022
Digital Higher Education: Emerging Quality Standards, Practices, and Supports PI This research addresses three questions related to ensuring quality digital higher education: 1. What are the different monitoring and evaluation frameworks, standards and procedures used by QA agencies and HEIs to ensure quality digital higher education? 2. What are the different types of enablers, supports and incentives that are being made available to HEIs, their staff and learners to ensure quality digital higher education? 3. What enablers, policy levers and strategic interventions can countries, QA agencies and HEIs apply from the international literature for ensuring quality digital higher education? 01/12/2021 01/07/2022
Hacking Innovative Pedagogies Team Member The project "Hacking Innovative Pedagogies - Digital Education Rewilded" aims to “rewild” higher education, focusing on just and fair pedagogies through the use of bottom up selected digital tools. We will apply sustainable and responsive principles to identify individuals and share practices and products. By “rewilding” higher education pedagogy we understand the rediscovery of ways that support the complexity of human learning, that take note of inequalities generated through human/digital technology relationships. 03/10/2022 01/10/2024
ATS-STEM Team Member Assessment of Transversal Skills in STEM is an innovative policy experimentation project being conducted across 8 EU countries and involving a partner network of 12 educational institutions. It aims to enhance digital assessment of second-level students’ transversal skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). 01/09/2019 01/08/2022
DigiTEL Pro: Professional Development in Digital Teaching and Learning Team Member DigiTeL Pro, led by EADTU, is about professional development for digital teaching and learning. The COVID-19 crisis has made universities switch to digital education and re-organize their campus. University staff experience this as a disruption, requiring an extreme workload to adapt to the situation. They need to reach out to relevant expertise in organising quality online education. This is where the DigiTeL Pro Strategic Partnership (Professional Development for Digital Teaching and Learning) comes in. It brings together experts from universities well-known for research and innovation in digital education and having developed good practices in digital solutions. 01/10/2021 31/03/2023
European Maturity model for Blended EDucation DCU PI 01/09/2017 31/08/2020

Current Postgraduate Students

Student Name Degree Supervision
Cloonan ,Lucia PhD-track Supervisor
Girme ,Prajakta PhD-track Supervisor
Gormley ,Clare Doctor of Education Supervisor
O Gorman ,Louise Doctor of Education Supervisor