The application of technology enhanced learning to enhance the ‘student learning journey’

Associate Professor Michael SankeyDirector, Learning Environments and Media

Presented at the University of South Africa, Tuesday 16 September 2014

Introduction

Establish a contextThe student learning journeyThe staff learning journeyCurrent trends with technologyStrategies in response

By M Glasgow: Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0) Available from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgows/105457650/

Largest DE provider in Qld

• Founded in 1967

• A distance-ed provider since 1977

• Fully online programs since 1997

• 2 Faculties: BELA & HES with 12 Schools (2x6)

• All Schools have external programs

• More than 200 under-grad and post-grad award programs

Our context

Student numbers

• All students 27,235

• On-campus 7,235

• External/online 20,000 (73%)

• International 5,824 (1,100 ONC)

The vast majority of USQ students access information services online

Most Students and Staff know what they’re getting themselves in for when they come to USQ

Academic Services

Academic Services

Learning and Teaching Services

Learning Environments and Media Library ICT Services

Administrative team

The wider landscape

Post-Bradley – Major themes: Widening Participation & Quality

Government’s 40/20 targets by 2020 40%, 25 – 34 year olds, bachelor or above 20%, HE enrolment from low SES background

A new single national regulator - TEQSA

Regional universities context

Year 12 completion rates 20% lower than those in capital cities

12% adults in regional communities have a degree compared with 27% of adults in capital cities

32% of regional Australians aspire to higher education compared to 62% in capital cities

6 universities in regional Australia (RUN) - UNE, USC, UB, CQU, SCU, USQ

Source: Perkins (2012)

USQ Website (Sitecore) the public facing site

Different layers

USQStudyDesk• Student Portal• All Course-

based activity_______________

• Repository

USQStaffDesk• Staff portal• Staff facing for

PD activities_______________

• Repository

USQOpenDesk• OER/OEP• Inter-institutional

activities_______________

• Repository

USQ ePortfolio (Mahara)

Technologies

Learning & teaching systems

group

Emerging technologies

Coretechnologies

Supportedtechnologies

Allowedtechnologies

The role of Mentors and Champions should not be underplayed

Threshold standards level playing field

New look-n-feel

http://saf-dev-t1.usq.edu.au/~w0083024/safmoodle-tst

Defined minimum standards1. An introductory message, posted before the start of

semester, which: welcomes students to the course; introduces the teaching team for the course; describes how the StudyDesk space will be used during the semester; explains how students may obtain support by appropriately directing

academic or technical. enquiries.

2. Checking of discussions and other student access areas on at least three [3] working days per week in order to: monitor and moderate comments and discussion by students; manage course operation by responding to student enquiries &

activities.

3. Student requests for clarification or assistance should be responded to as soon as possible, but certainly within 48 hours during the working week.

TEL PD modelStudents Staff

USQStaffDesk1. Staff Dev gateway2. PLAS & Induction3. Staff eLE4. Clover5. Linked to ePortfolio

USQStudyDesk1. Student Induction site2. Learning Centre site3. Student eLE4. Course based ass’nce5. Linked to ePortfolio

USQ Website

AskUSQ RightNow

Equella

Cross institutional planning

Academic Division

Academic Services

Students and Communities

Corporate Services

Research Division

Some current strategies

Every course has an online presence Every student has a named person to contact Minimum standards for all courses Threshold expectations – a common wireframe Learning Innovation & Teaching Enhancement

(LITE) teams Significant media enhancement available Strong focus on the Student Learning Journey

(SLJ) and personal learning environment (PLE) Increased emphasis on enabling staff

Some current trends

Print – Progressively reducing but still wanted by some - but will be gone by February 2015

Digital content – Increasingly more accessible & able to be used on mobile devices

CDs – popular for many years but will also be gone by February 2015

Physical spaces – Comfortable places to meet, study, eat, talk and recharge.

BYOD – Closed two computer labs

The Student Learning Journey (SLJ)

Accessing the Student Voice

Professor Geoff Scott in his report Accessing the Student Voice (2005) concluded that ‘it is the whole experience that matters to students. Students are not concerned about whether or not a particular interaction is academic or administrative, but they are concerned about the quality of the interaction. In this context, the quality of interactions in the pre-enrolment phase is just as important as the quality of face-to-face and/or virtual interactions in academic study or in completing study (including graduation ceremony and membership of the Alumni Network)’.

Discernable periods in SLJ

Student Learning Journey

Decision to enrol

Application & offer

Enrol

The early weeks

Experience of first semester

Continuing study

Unforseen events

Completing study

Graduation

Alumni

The SLJ is a series of interactions between students & the Uni. Identified 9 student groups with some 150 individual points of interaction.

SLJ Online ServicesENGAGE

•Enquiry Management (RightNow)•Future Student Website•Application• Information in 8 languages•Open Day & Info Evening Programs•Residential College Applications•Careers Resources•Scholarships & Application Forms•Disability Resources•Student Representation•Web Campaign pages•New International website•New program Guide•Chat for enquiries

ENROL

•Admission/Offer/Accept/Defer/Decline

•Course re/Enrol (add, swap, drop, edit)•View exemptions processing•Create/Amend Study Plan•View Class Enrolment•Enter/Update Personal details•Enter/Update/Request Support –Disability•Fee Invoicing, calculator & payments•Student ID Cards•Student Loans•Program Enrol (Cancel, Reinstate, Leave of Absence)

ORIENT & TRANSITION•Orientation on Moodle•Access to StudyDesk•Access to UConnect•UConnect Announcements & Alerts•UMail activation and passwords•Oncampus timetable•Personal SRO details•Student Services Videos•Tutorial Registration•Res College Invoicing & Pmts •Fee Acc. Enquiries & CAS Forms•Student Guild Website•Current students website•Online Forums – Clubs & Societies

LEARNING SUPPORT

•AWARE Program•ALS Online Resources (TLC)•Enquiry Management (RightNow)•Counselling Resources•Careers Counselling•Employment, WIL, Mentoring• Intern. Stud. Assistance Line•Digital Learning @USQ site•Wimba workshops in maths•Counselling & Health Promotion•Academic Intervention Form•Personal Counselling•Learning Centre web page update•TLC in other languages•Student Services CO Engagement

PROGRESS

•Check Study Package Status•View & Print Unofficial Transcripts•Exam Timetables•View & Update Exam Centres•Results•USQ Handbook•Policy Library•View & Update Statistical Data•Scholarships & Loans•Disability Support•Employer Speed-Networking •Student newspaper•CRM Retention Intervention

GRADUATE

•Academic Dress ordering•Ceremony Registration•Graduate Employment Resources•CareerHub Jobs Database•Graduation Ceremony Videos•Online Payment for Graduations & replacement Testamurs

• Send/Update Profile form• Alpha list of Alumni Profiles• Chapter listings• Chapter tool-kit• New Chapter EOI form

• e-Newsletter• Alumnus of the Year Awards• Personal, Professions and bus.dev. opportunity listings•CareerHub Mentoring

ALUMNI

Some key things

Student relationship officers (SROs) Academic learning support Peer assisted learning USQ Retention strategy Communities of Practice (CoPs) Graduate skills and capabilities ePortfolios Closing the loop

SRO Network

STUDENT MANAGEMENT DIVISION Recruitment & Admissions – prospective and new students USQ International – prospective and new students Student Support & Retention – current and continuing

students

FACULTIES Student Support staff in each Faculty based at Toowoomba

campus

CAMPUSES Discipline based SROs based at Springfield & Fraser Coast

campuses

Individual or specific support (individual students)

Specific or targeted support (specific students)

Must have (all students)

ADVICE

Available and common to specific student cohorts and/or individuals

Course and program advice, retention etc

EXPERTISE

Specific, individual advice and support

Individual academic advice, career or

personal counselling etc

SUPPORT

Available and common to all students and / or cohorts

Student support, recruitment and

retention etc

RELATIONSHIP FRAMEWORK

Proactive support Retention Management

Introduction Week 4 Week 6 Week 10 Week 15 Week18

Study Desk Inactivity

Intervention points USQStudyDesk (LMS) Inactivity Assignment Non-Submission Missed Exams

Dana

Shani

Damien

Scaffolding support

Year 1Basic interaction,

formative activities: discussions,

quizzes, interactive, structured content.

Year 2Ramp-up peer-

peerSummative online

activities

Year 3-4Self-directed,

Work-integrated, Problem-based,

Simulations

Start out reasonably basic and introduce complexity

Academic learning support

Online and face-to-face sessions for communication skills and maths:

Individual or small group consultations face to face phone email online chat

Workshops Meet-Up Course-based assistance

Pre-USQ

(Future student)

Commencing/

First Year (Current student)

Later Year

(Current student)

Graduate Ready (Current student)

Shaping

Aspirations

Admission &

Integration

Involvement & Retenti

on

Graduate

Transitions

Connects students

throughout student

academic journey

USQ Student

TargetsRetention/

engagement with single-entry access using CRM &

USQStudyDesk

USQ CRM & SRO Processes

Student Personalised Academic Road to Success (SPARS)

1. First Contact• Perso

nalised learning needs assessment & identification

2. Learning Plan

• Personalised action plan generated

3a.Preventive Interventions

• When no actions taken by students

• Early alerts

• Reminders

3b. Assertive Interventions

• ‘At risks’ students

• Flags to academics

4. Closing the Loop

• Feedback from student

• Surveys

Academic Support Learning Environment

TLC Resources

TLC Consults – F2f & virtual

TLC Work-shops

Meet-Up &

variations of student

peer support

USQ Open/ OERs

USQ Other Services

Resources e.g. Library, Counseling,

Career, SROs

ProgramsSchoolsCourses

OAC

Beyond USQ - MIT, iTunes U,

Other Universities,

Khan Academy,

Integratesacademic learning

resources and support

Source: Kek (2012))

SPARS in detail

What students see First contact - self-assessed

academic ‘problems’ Personalised learning plan –

targeted learning resources and support

Back end Pro-active & early warning interventions Closing the loop Multi-channel and mode communications Analytics for reporting and decision-making and

continuous improvements

Multiple entry points

Entry points

Entry points

Academic Success Planner

Academic Success Planner

Academic Success Planner

Academic Success Planner

Academic Success Planner

Academic Success Planner

Meet-Up

54 Meet-Up groups meeting Sessions are different from tutorials as they

are: led by students who have done the course,

responsive to their needs interactive, informal and fun they encourage discussion

and develop understanding of course content

concerned with how to learn as well as what to learn

supervised by qualified academic staff

Social networking

But

SLJ Online ServicesENGAGE

•Enquiry Management (RightNow)•Future Student Website•Application• Information in 8 languages•Open Day & Info Evening Programs•Residential College Applications•Careers Resources•Scholarships & Application Forms•Disability Resources•Student Representation•Web Campaign pages•New International website•New program Guide•Chat for enquiries

ENROL

•Admission/Offer/Accept/Defer/Decline

•Course re/Enrol (add, swap, drop, edit)•View exemptions processing•Create/Amend Study Plan•View Class Enrolment•Enter/Update Personal details•Enter/Update/Request Support –Disability•Fee Invoicing, calculator & payments•Student ID Cards•Student Loans•Program Enrol (Cancel, Reinstate, Leave of Absence)

ORIENT & TRANSITION•Orientation on Moodle•Access to StudyDesk•Access to UConnect•UConnect Announcements & Alerts•UMail activation and passwords•Oncampus timetable•Personal SRO details•Student Services Videos•Tutorial Registration•Res College Invoicing & Pmts •Fee Acc. Enquiries & CAS Forms•Student Guild Website•Current students website•Online Forums – Clubs & Societies

LEARNING SUPPORT

•AWARE Program•ALS Online Resources (TLC)•Enquiry Management (RightNow)•Counselling Resources•Careers Counselling•Employment, WIL, Mentoring• Intern. Stud. Assistance Line•Digital Learning @USQ site•Wimba workshops in maths•Counselling & Health Promotion•Academic Intervention Form•Personal Counselling•Learning Centre web page update•TLC in other languages•Student Services CO Engagement

PROGRESS

•Check Study Package Status•View & Print Unofficial Transcripts•Exam Timetables•View & Update Exam Centres•Results•USQ Handbook•Policy Library•View & Update Statistical Data•Scholarships & Loans•Disability Support•Employer Speed-Networking •Student newspaper•CRM Retention Intervention

GRADUATE

•Academic Dress ordering•Ceremony Registration•Graduate Employment Resources•CareerHub Jobs Database•Graduation Ceremony Videos•Online Payment for Graduations & replacement Testamurs

• Send/Update Profile form• Alpha list of Alumni Profiles• Chapter listings• Chapter tool-kit• New Chapter EOI form

• e-Newsletter• Alumnus of the Year Awards• Personal, Professions and bus.dev. opportunity listings•CareerHub Mentoring

ALUMNI

The Staff Learning Journey

USQ Website (Sitecore) the public facing site

Different layers

USQStudyDesk• Student Portal• All Course-

based activity_______________

• Repository

USQStaffDesk• Staff portal• Staff facing for

PD activities_______________

• Repository

USQOpenDesk• OER/OEP• Inter-institutional

activities_______________

• Repository

USQ ePortfolio (Mahara)

Staff Development Gateway

ICT online training site

The role of the teacher

They are our interface.

In most cases they want to...

but are not confident

and not overly aware of what others are doing

Staff are also on a learning journey! They need to be using the same tools they use to teach to also learn

Example short course

A Key: Get the staff using the same tools as the students (if it’s good enough to dish-up for the students it should be good enough for us)

Image accessed 24 February 2012 from: http://www.fusionhq.com/package/templates/0/eatingdogfood.jpg

Supporting the staff

Working Together

Staff portfolio

Professional portfolio

Evidence forpromotion

Teaching tool Interest group

interaction Linked with the

LMS 15,000 Portfolios – 47,000 pages

Communities of Practice

Groups of people who share a passion for something that they know how to do and who interact regularly to learn how to do it better. CoPs provide an opportunity to create a learning community around an area of interest or practice, to share and develop practice and build personal and professional knowledge and expertise.

21 + CoPs – e.g. CoP for Faculty technology mentors

Key trends with technology

Key eLearning trends

Many opportunities are emerging for HE that are closely aligned with educational technology:

Ongoing evolution of online, blended and collaborative learning

Growing ubiquity of social media (scaffolding towards a profession)

Open education practice (OEP) aligned with massive repositories open education resources (OERs), Open Badges, etc.

Rise of data-driven learning and assessment (using analytics)

Personalised learning and agile approaches to change (innovation)

Shift from students as consumers to students as creators (flexibility) Some Uni’s are capitalising on these opportunities, others are watching

closely, but being slow to commit.

Because “there be dragons in them there hills”

eLearning enablers Locally we are seeing:

A much greater emphasis on flipped classroom

More focus being paid to learning and educational analytics

Opportunities around, HTML5, App’s, 3D Printing

Some would say Games and Gamification. But I’m yet to be convinced – it’s a lot of work – not sustainable longer term – better

ways to spend our money

Notions of the Quantified Self Making it possible for students to link learning with their career to create a

professional social presence

Virtual assistants to help students at times when they are struggling

Linked with CRM and KM systems

The Library

From and To

The LMS

The Tutorial

The Lecture

The Student

Multimodal resources

+HTML5

LMS+ LTI+

Apps+

Cloud

E-Portfolio

The Library

+ OERs

The LectureTutorial

The socialspace

Challenges

The days of the LMS as ‘the monolithic system’ are numbered

Low digital fluency/literacy among Academic staff

Emerging TEQSA standards for e-Learning

Relative lack of rewards for teaching in the e-environment

Competition from new models of education – agility

Scaling of teaching innovations – limited innovation pipelines

Expanding access – it comes with a cost

Importantly; consistency, consistency, consistency

Taking the bull by the horns

To aspire to be flexible, collaborative, learner-centred, technology enabled and grounded in sound pedagogy

is a noble aspiration and very easy to say

but it’s much more than just being about the eLearning systems

It’s about having our whole house in order

That means ensuring we have a quality management framework in place

One predominantly built around the practice of distributed leadership

and the learning community (staff and students).

Establishing a quality framework

6EOLE Quality Management Framework

Resourcing

Evaluation

Organisationalstructure

Planning

Technologies

Governance

Planning

Implementation

EvaluationReview

Improvements

Building distributed leadership

Quality experiences &outcomes:

Aligning elements

Interacting formally & informally

Through & acrosshierarchies

Palmer, S., Holt, D., Gosper. M., Sankey, M., and Allan, G. (2013) Exploring distributed leadership for the quality management of online learning environments. European Journal of Open, Distance and e‐Learning, 16 (2). pp. 61-75

Moving to mobile

Why Mobile Devices?

Technology is constantly evolving at a phenomenal rate – especially true in the case of computing and mobile devices

Since the Australian release of Apple’s iPad (May 2010), the subsequent development, distribution and adoption of a plethora of different mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) using various platforms and operating systems, it has become essential for HE institutions to investigate, analyse and evaluate the ways in which these devices can be incorporated into Learning and Teaching to enhance student and staff learning

Key Technology Trends - Gartner 2013

By 2015: Smartphones will account for 80% of all mobile

phones sold (in well-established markets) Only 20% of these devices will use Windows 50% of all notebook purchases will be tablets The top operating systems will be:

1 Apple’s iOS2 Google’s Android3 Windows 8

Mobility @ USQ

This rapid development of technology has launched a global trend to enhance the ways in which we develop and deliver courses and L&T resources

Currently, USQ has implemented the following initiatives to facilitate access to USQ resources for staff and students from mobile devices:

USQ Mobile website USQ Library mobile website Moodle mobile skin for USQStudyDesk courses Institutional imaging of iPads for general student

lending in the Library (Toowoomba Campus) With increased internet coverage enabled almost ubiquitous

access, we have seen a huge increase in our websites being accessed by mobile devices

“I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WASTE”