Developing a vibrant digital learning culture: exploring the question of quality

Professor Mark Brown

Talis Insight 2015

Birmingham

15th April 2015

Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture:

Exploring the Question of Quality

Officially launched 28th November, 2013 by Ruairi Quinn, Minister for

Education and Skills, and Lord David Putnam, Ireland’s Digital

Ambassador.

http://www.dcu.ie/nidl

1. What’s your flavour?

2. Three flavours of quality

3. Tools for enhancing the

flavour

Outline…

Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture:

Exploring the Question of Quality

Keep it simple stupid!

1. What’s your flavour?

1. What’s your flavour?

If this picture is the answer, then what is the

question?

1. What’s your flavour?

1. What’s your flavour?

What is the most popular flavour of ice cream?

If this picture is the answer, then what is the

question?

1. What’s your flavour?

Do you prefer ice cream in a cone or bowl?

1. What’s your flavour?

If this picture is the answer, then what is the

question?

1. What’s your flavour?

1. What’s your flavour?

What is the flavour of New Zealand’s iconic

ice-cream?

1. What’s your flavour?

According to Google…

1. What’s your flavour?

BONUS QUESTION: What was Albert Einstein’s

favourite ice cream?

1. What’s your flavour?

BONUS QUESTION: What was Albert Einstein’s

favourite ice cream?

“All generalizations are

dangerous, even this one”

(Alexandre Dumas)

1. What’s your flavour?

2. Three flavours of quality…

2. Three flavours of quality…

Quality is Standardized

(i) Mass production metaphor…

2. Three flavours of quality…

(ii) Boutique craft metaphor…

Quality is Unique

2. Three flavours of quality…

High Quality Milk

Quality depends on the raw ingredients

2. Three flavours of quality…

Quality is NOT to Everyone’s

Taste

And…

2. Three flavours of quality…

Who defines quality?

… and for what purpose?

2. Three flavours of quality…

Quality standards are important…

…but they are not a proxy for innovation!

2. Three flavours of quality…

(iii) Personal ethos metaphor…

Quality is a Relative Concept

2. Three flavours of quality…

• Complex

• Contestable

• Multi-layered

• Context bound

• Discipline specific

• Is a moving target

• Involves an X factor

In sum…

2. Three flavours of quality…

Insert Video Here

Play Automatically

2. Three flavours of quality…

“Not everything that can be counted

counts, not everything that counts can

be counted”.

Albert Einstein

3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

Delivery

Institution

Clear standards

External requirements

Central quality police

Quality compliance

Service

Individual

Creative flair

Internal commitments

Local responsibility

Quality culture

Key Tensions

3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

• Understanding people matter most

• Winning the hearts and minds of people

• Promoting a high level of professional trust

• Giving responsibility for quality back to teachers

• Building distributed leadership at the module and

programme level

A quality culture involves…

Help lecturers learn how to make their

own unique ice cream that students can truly savor!

3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

Conclusion…

Conclusion…

Technology-enhanced learning can be transformative, but…

Conclusion…

Technology-enhanced learning can be transformative, but…

Conclusion…

Without the right institutional culture…

Conclusion…

…your efforts might end up looking like this!

Without the right institutional culture…

Conclusion…

Thank

You!

Contact Details

mark.brown@dcu.ie

@mbrownz

http://www4.dcu.ie/nidl

http://www.slideshare.net/mbrownz