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ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Digital tools for blended learning
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
The context
Undergraduate degree programme
Education Studies
Childhood and Youth Studies
First year shared core module:
ICT and Learning in the 21st Century
15 credits, second semester
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
The students
Predominantly white middle class school leavers
2006-07: 92 students
2007-08: 92 students
85% female
Variation in ICT confidence/competence
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
The module
15 creditsBlended learningLecture series (12 weeks: 10 F2F + 2 online sessions)
Technologies for learning (informal and formal)Games and LearningVirtual worldsCollaborative e-learningE-world issuesPersonalised learning and digital technology
Post-lecture online discussions replaced face-to-face seminars
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Module assessment
25% - contribution to online discussions
75% - digital concept map on chosen theme from list of five
1st year modules: formative; progression only
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
The tools
WebCT course resources discussion groups blogs
Wiki
SMS messages (txttools.co.uk)
Concept mapping software (cmap.ihmc.us/)
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Initial survey
• Engage with the subject using ICT
• Entry point survey/ exit survey
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Don't Use
Use Sometimes
Use frequently
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Online Activity
• The two cohorts were mixed and grouped
• 16 groups of 5-6 students
• Weekly questions following from topic
• Discuss in small groups (online) and agree collective response
• Posted to forum and shared
• Commented and feedback
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Online responses
• Quality of the postings and responses was high
• Suggested word length of 150-250 words but many exceeded this
• References were included
• More than one question each week
• Students regularly sustained discussion well into subsequent weeks topic
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Diversity of posting
• Supported each other in the ‘Technical Topic’
• Assessment anxieties – Concept maps were new to almost all of the students
• Additional technologies introduced – collaborative spaces
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Use of Tools
• A number of groups explored using Wiki as a way of formulating a response
• Showed good use of collaborative tools (wiki includes a section for discussion)
• Connect wasn’t apparently adopted
• SMS & IM – may well have been used amongst each other – left to groups to organise their own communications
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Feedback on blended working
Benefit from ICT Module
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Collaboratewith others
Understandthe module
con
See thebenefits of ICT
i
Socialize in agroup of s
Improve myICT skills
Question
Res
ponden
ts
Helped a lot
Helped a little
Did not help
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Comments on working online
• A new learning experience. interesting to know others views on the discussion topic
• I thought it was good at allowing discussions among people who may not have contributed in seminars
• Very useful, helped to show a different way of working in discussions.
• Very helpful when reviewing the course and get the latest information
• Was really good for finding out what was going on if you were stuck
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Comments on working online
• When motivated it was extremely interesting and enjoyed commenting and writing opinions on WebCT, however I found it easy to forget because there was no face to face discussion
• Easy to use but unreliable dependent on internet connection and other students
• it took a while to work sometimes which was annoying but was interesting and fun
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Comments on working online
• I found this time consuming and frustrating when other group members did not contribute
• It was hard as a lot of people harly ever contributed so it was hard to get hold of them online
• I found there was often too much to follow on WebCT and I wasn't interested in using it
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Students views on feedback
Feedback from staff and students
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
tutor feedback student feedback
Was essential
Helped a lot
Helped a little
Did not help
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Concept maps• Helped me plan my work + think critically although
needed more tutor backup• Helpful to know that essays may be improved by using
them• Initially i was confused but i attended the workshop
which was really useful• I found concept maps the most interesting part of the
course
• I found the idea of concept mapping quite a challenge, being limited in ICT skills & patience! But the assignment proved easy enough to do.
• The positives were outweighed by the negatives - was not good as a form of assessment
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Concept maps
• Difficult to grasp concept at first. However, found very beneficial to my learning.
• Was an interesting way of putting ideas together-good change from essays.
• Found cmaps really easy to do after much concern. Think they will be useful in future.
• It was easy to use but didn't really see the point of it
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Attitudes to CMAP
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Learning Cmap Reflection-critical cmap
Self-evaluationcmap
Focus cmap
helped a lot
helped a little
didn't help
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
23 positiveit was helpful to be updated on when lectures and workshops were happeningvery useful - would like it for all subjectsI thought it was useful for alerting us as to changes in lecture times & when online discussions were up on WebCT
8 negativeI barely received any - those that I did were not useful pointless as I know my timetable
SMS Feedback
Strategic use next time
Alert students to question of the weekprior to lectureAlerts about topical TV and Radio programmesSpecific follow up questions arising fromthe topic of the week
ESCalate seminar, Swansea Metropolitan University 3 June 2008
Thoughts at this stage
• Majority of students appreciate new experiences but some find them difficult
• Impressive quality of students’ analysis and reflection facilitated by the online environment
• How to we engage with the ‘refuseniks’?• Tutor overload meant text tools used for logistics rather
than teaching – plan to be more proactive next year (Technical problems with implementation of voting tool)
• Tutor time! May be related to structure of WebCT – rather rigid for students. Elgg?