Joint Information Systems Committee Supporting Further and Higher Education Making Learning Effective – MLE? New Environments for Learning Tuesday 19 March

Supporting Further and Higher Education

Joint Information Systems Committee

Making Learning Effective –MLE?

New Environments for LearningTuesday 19 March 2002, Belfast Castle

Cathy Ellis, Director of Learning TechnologiesGuildford College of Further and Higher Education

[email protected]



Nov 2000

Jan-June 2001

March-June 2001

September 2001

Nov 2001

0 HITS

FULL IMPLEMENTATION

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

PILOT

150,000 HITS



1. Why have a VLE at all?

2. Getting started with a VLE

3. Embedding the VLE

4. Making Learning Effective



‘We wish to see a society within 10 years where ICT has permeated the entirety of education (as it will the rest of society) so that it is no longer a talking point but rather taken for granted - rather as electricity has come to be.’

Stevenson Report, June 1997




Commercialisation

New markets

Efficiency


BUSINESS DRIVERS



Higginson (1996)

Stevenson (1997)

Dearing (1997)

UFI (1999)

Curriculum 2000


CURRICULUMDRIVERS



Cultural saturation of www

Increased PC ownership

Internet


TECHNOLOGY DRIVERS



E learning is important because it:-

• Is popular

• Increases standards

• Improves retention

• Increases the impact of the learning experience

• Promotes inclusionJohn Harwood, CEO, Learning & Skills Council, October

2001





1. Research and viability audit

2. Technical and pedagogical issues

3. Experience of other users

4. Focus groups– staff and students




5. Proposal to Senior Management

6. Resource staff – time +PC access

7. Identification of key courses

8. Development of Courses




9. Release to students

10. Student feedback; staff reactions

11. Communicating with parents at all stages

12. Evaluation & recommendations



Negatives:-

Scepticism

Fear

Relevance to my teaching

Staff Initial Reactions



Positives:-

Guarded enthusiasm

Questioning

Possibilities for teaching & learning

Staff Initial Reactions



Turning Negatives to Positives

Use of the Enthused

Resourcing – Standards Fund

Feedback : staff,students,parents

Curriculum focus – not MIS or ‘techie’



Robust & Reliable

Economic

Easy to use


CURRICULUM TOOL

TO SUPPORT & EMPOWER LEARNERS



Functions & Tools

Tasks & Skills

Access


CURRICULUM TOOL

TO SUPPORT & EMPOWER LEARNERS



2. Getting started with a VLE- Staff Conclusions

Skills teachersChanges teaching practiceChanges learners Provides variation in learning (core &

extension)

SpontaneousMajor tool for assessment & trackingInforms teaching practice



2. Getting started with a VLE- Student Conclusions

Students contributing to VLE development

Students using the VLE regularly (engagement)

Discussion forum proving popular (communication)

Text messaging language - a challenge for staff

Students hosting content eg presentations, revision notes



•Course Development Issues

•Staff Development Issues




• Identification of key subjects with electronic resources

• Review of Scheme of Work

• Course creation & Validation

• Assessments

Course Development Issues



Staff Development Issues•Identification of core VLE activities

•Uploading materials

•Integration - Scheme of Work

•Managing the VLE interface

•Creating assessments

•Using the communication tools

•Managing users



Administration Issues

•Interoperability with MIS

•Verify MIS data

•Integration with online library catalogue

•Student tracking for independent study

•Access to data



Date Hits per Month May 2001 290 June 2001 3980 July 2001 4359 Aug 2001 893 Sept 2001 12572 Oct 2001 109071

Nov 2001 155042

HITS PER MONTH




• Students downloading lecture notes prior to lecture

• Focus of lecture changes to more interactive model

• Students like the 24/7 access to course materials, assessments etc




• On-line assessments with built-in tutor support & feedback

• The VLE is a tool for teaching and learning.

• The VLE is used as a supplement not a replacement for conventional teaching




• It provides a supportive environment for both reinforcement and extension activity

• Dealing with staff absence – planned and unexpected

• VLE data used for progress reports

• Students hosting revision notes etc on the VLE




•It enables routine testing to be conducted regularly – reducing admin time for marking whilst ensuring regular assessments/feedback


•Students can be informed more effectively about class/course information changes

•Students can be informed more effectively about class/course information changes



Nov 2000

Jan-June 2001

March-June 2001

September 2001

Nov 2001

0 HITS

FULL IMPLEMENTATION

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

PILOT

150,000 HITS



Making Learning Effective –MLE?

New Environments for LearningTuesday 19 March 2002, Belfast Castle

Cathy Ellis, Director of Learning TechnologiesGuildford College of Further and Higher Education

[email protected]

Documents

Joint Information Systems Committee Supporting Further and Higher Education Making Learning Effective – MLE? New Environments for Learning Tuesday 19 March