Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age

Sue WatlingFestival of Teaching and Learning

June 2014

Digital Education Plan

• The University will…– ‘……promote the wider and more creative

use of the VLE and other technologies for enhancing and enriching students’ education.’

– Promote OER– Develop digital literacies

Educational Development and Enhancement Unit - EDEU –Continuity of support for Blackboard–Extension of support for content and

activity development on Blackboard –Support for online communication

through Blackboard Collaborate –Opportunities for digital teacher

education and continuing and professional development

Myth of technological determinisme-learning will:• cut costs• increase efficiency• do more for less• be intuitive• user friendly • enhance learning • transform education

Not everyone…

• has a smart phone • uses track changes• manages their email• knows about html view• optimises images• chats online• uses a webcam• works with wikis• blogs …or tweets…

Image from http://edutech4teachers.edublogs.org/files/2012/07/digital-footprint-1beuk2c.png

SCONUL

• Seven Pillars of information literacy through a digital lens http://www.sconul.ac.uk/publication/digital-literacy-lens

• Criteria to Identify, Scope, Plan, Gather, Evaluate, Manage and Present digital information.

JISC Developing Digital Literacies• http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/digital-literacies/

Myth of the Digital Native

Image from http://babyurl.net/names/baby-domain-name/establishing-a-babys-digital-identity-by-registering-their-domain-name

Digital literacies

• CIBER research into the information behaviour of young peoplehttp://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/reppres/gg_final_keynote_11012008.pdf

• e-learning • e-teaching

Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age(TELEDA)

• 30 credit Postgraduate short course • Emerged from Embedding OER Practice; HEA

Change Academy programme oer.lincoln.ac.uk

• Learning Blocks include online design, communication, collaboration, assessment, feedback and intro to open ed

• Encourages critical reflection on practice through Blackboard Journal tool

• Assessment by eportfolio

After TELEDA – EDEU futures

• TELEDA 2: social media and e-resources approved • Both courses to be validated as PG Cert in Digital

Education • TELEDA led to development of online workshops• Unaccredited, typically lasting 3 weeks• Include: discussion forums, journals, working with

wikis and introducing OER and MOOC• Stress on developing digital literacies and

pedagogic practice

don’t

Advantages

• Experiential learning• Repositioning staff as students• Research informed and engaged • Situated within wider sphere of social impact of

the internet on higher education • Introduces pedagogical concepts like ABC Model

(Activity Based Content)• Includes eportfolios• Promotes holistic digital literacies • Accreditation

Disadvantages

• Doesn’t reach everyone• Digitally shy less likely to join in online • Can reinforce existing prejudices • Can produce resistance • Can create a community of dislike for elearning

in general and Blackboard in particular • Requires time and commitment • Digital engagement not currently rewarded

don’t

• am finding that doing this course online is useful in enabling me to identify with the way students navigate information on blackboard

• I think I need to simplify some of my blackboard information and make more use of announcements and site links to show students where to find information

• . I think adopting the role of student is a useful experience as it reminds me of the pressures involved in studentship and enables greater empathy to students and their experiences.

• I have not used sign up before with my students and think this might be a useful tool in the future to get students into self selected groups.

• I have largely used [Blackboard] as a ‘read only’ site and have not really designed online interactive activities. However, I can see through my experiences on the TELEDA course that there is some value in utilizing Blackboard in a more interactive way.

• Pedagogy of Uncertainty• Recognition of E teaching alongside E learning• ABC Model – Activity Based Content• Myths of digital competence

Myths of digital competence

• Digital Natives Digital Immigrants outdated • Divide between techies and teachers• Techies work with the technology • Teachers are subject experts not technicians • Myths …. based on assumptions • MEE Model• Digital shyness to digital confidence

Sue WatlingEducational Development and Enhancement Unit (EDEU)swatling@lincoln.ac.uk http://suewatling.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk @suewatling on twitter

Achieving the vision…• Professional support for producing learning

experiences …• Technological expertise underpinned by a

sound understanding of pedagogy….• Developing the digital literacies to enable the

full benefits of technology to be realised….• Promoting and rewarding engagement with the

philosophy and practice of flexible delivery and the use and reuse of OER…

• Promoting and supporting principles of inclusive design…