Perspectives: Simon Tindall
Channel: Center for Online Innovation in Learning
Date: 2016-01-26

In this video, COIL Co-Director Larry Ragan interviews Simon Tindall, Head of New Business at the Open University Worldwide.

Perspectives is a video interview series developed by the Center for Online Innovation in Learning at Penn State University exploring emerging trends and forces in higher education with thought leaders from the world of online innovations.

Throughout this series, we ask leading thinkers a set of three questions derived from COIL's regular environmental scanning efforts. The questions are intended to explore their thoughts related to online innovations and their impacts on learning. The questions asked in this video are:

1. What does the word retention mean to you in the context of online learning?
2. If you had no limits on time or money, what system would you build to enable students to maintain progress toward and achieve their educational goals?
3. Could you describe a good first step to building such a system and improving the retention rates for our students?

Having worked for many years for commercial organizations selling into higher education, Simon ‘switched sides’ in 2014, joining the Open University (OU) to generate new business propositions and partnerships with commercial, public and academic partners. From distance learning expertise through to large-scale projects for social good; from Smart City research, through to cancer sniffing dogs; his role focuses on finding new ways for the OU to do business. Previously, Simon worked for Sun Microsystems, Steelcase and Desire2Learn.

Visit http://coil.psu.edu/ to learn more.

This video is available in alternative media upon request. Please contact coil-accessibility@psu.edu with any accessibility requests and we will be happy to assist you.