Fostering a community of collaboration and discussion - Mark Andrews

Cambridge Judge Business School

Fostering a community of collaboration and discussion

Mark Andrews,Cambridge Judge Business School

Executive MBA

Overview1. Overview2. Moodle

developments3. Course Design4. Findings &

Discussion • 6 month project• Technology, procedural and educational

design developments• Aim to make the VLE offering more

aligned with the programmes objectives

Background & Context

Background & ExpectationsBeijingHong KongPhilippinesQatarNigeriaSydneyBrisbaneMexicoTexasLos AngelesTorontoMoscowTokyo

• A globally located and diverse cohort• Very wide range of educational experiences and technical

knowledge

Programme Ethos:

‘Transformative’

‘Practical, Personal, Relevant’

Harnessing ‘Collective Intelligence’

The Goal

A solution that underpins programme delivery and enforces educational ethos of the programme.

“”

A slice of Cambridge around the world

Form a seamless link across all environments

A little about the Programme structure

18 courses + Electives

Each course between 1‐4 cycles

20 month programme

Each cycle broken into elements

Pre‐study Visit Application

Moodle Developments

1. Overview2. Moodle

Developments3. Course Design4. Findings &

Discussion • Using the tendering process to find collaborative partners

• Prepared detailed specification: deliverables and ideas

• Working as a partnership rather than commissioning

• Teams across the school • Participants involvement –

tough balance

Moodle Developments



Discussion• Look, feel, homepage and course design• Programme sub-system• Announcements• Courses in progress• Bookmarking forum posts

Programme Sub-system

“A local plugin that means moodle understands more about our programme and each participants place in the programme”

Homepage & theme

Programme announcements

Programme/Cambridge background (random)

Calendar & upcoming events block

Courses in progress block

Google feed

Homepage & theme

Cambridge weather and time block

Homepage & theme

Course Layout

Introduction/ Overview

Section listing

Main course navigation

Space for course related image

VLE Course layout

Cycle status block(uses sub‐system)

Cycle video & intro

Chunking of activities

Stage in cycle

Announcements (Local Plugin)

Announcements (Local Plugin)

Clear separation between announcements and discussions• Visible on the homepage• Ability to target announcements• Read tracking• Not emailed out

Courses in Progress

At a glance view of courses that are currently in progress to the participant

Course name & cycle

Count of unread posts & activities

Courses in Progress

At a glance view of courses that are currently in progress to the participant

Preview of content & link

Details of post

Bookmarking forum posts

• Discussions scattered throughout the site• Bookmarking tool, to store interesting form posts

View video here: http://youtu.be/JUFooQUt81s

Bookmarking forum posts

• Discussions scattered throughout the site

Title search

Filter categories

Course Design



Discussion

A framework for course development, training, monitoring and evaluation

Course Development Environment

Supportive

Communicative

Quality led

Equipped

Safe

Clear


Supportive

Communicative

Quality led

Equipped

Safe

Clear

Feedback &

Evaluation

Clear points/timing


Supportive

Communicative

Quality led

Equipped

Safe

Clear

Feedback &

Evaluation

Community of good practice

Continual Improvement

Evidence Based

Clear points/timing

Course Design - Participants

Concrete experience(doing/having an experience)

Reflective Observation(Reviewing / reflecting on the

experience)

Abstract Conceptualisation

(Concluding / learning fromexperience)

Active Experimentation(Planning / trying out what you

have learned)

Sharing / Collaborating

Feedback / Discussion

Based on: Effective Practice with e‐Portfolio, JISC

Course Design - Participants

Pre‐study Visit Application

Scanning environment with course

‘lenses’ onGrasping core introductory concepts/

terminology

Defining initial learning goals

Potential applications of usePrior Experience

Knowledge

Context

Previous Courses

Go deeper

Analyse & Evaluate

‘Own the learning’ - personalise

Findings & discussion


Development3. Course Design4. Findings &

Discussion

• Joined Educational & technological drivers and strategies important

• Importance collaborative partners• Moodle has it’s limits – but these can be

mitigated to some degree• T&L lessons – 5 points• Next steps

Moodle limitation – Communication & Collaboration

• Moodle’s collaboration and commenting methods systems all work differently.

• Messaging, Forums, Comments, Blogs

• We selected to base all on forums, so as not to confuse workflows• Not all email out or have notifications• Different interfaces• Not cross searchable• Some can be graded some not

• Try to use integrations where possibleShould these mechanisms be joined together?‐ Interaction style‐ Notification‐ searchabilityAbility to add widgets and activities

Communication & Collaboration


• Messaging, Forums, Comments, Blogs

• We selected to base all on forums, so as not to confuse workflows• Not all email out or have notifications• Different interfaces• Not cross searchable• Some can be graded some not

• Try to use integrations where possibleShould these mechanisms be joined together?‐ Interaction style‐ Notification‐ SearchabilityAbility to add widgets and activitiesView video here: http://youtu.be/_W0WD‐jHD‐A

Communication & Collaboration


• Messaging• Forums• Comments• Blogs

• We selected to base all on forums, so as not to confuse workflows• Not all email out or have notifications• Different interfaces• Not cross searchable• Some can be graded some not Should these mechanisms be joined together?

‐ Interaction style‐ Notification‐ SearchabilityAbility to add widgets and activities

View video here: http://youtu.be/erghEKH0q2U

Participant Perception

• It’s an improvement, but• The platform feels dated, to some

• Particularly on forums• Not the way we interact online now• Issues with editor and some mobile display• Too many clicks not enough search tools

• Still getting lost in discussions – a feeling of disconnection• Like activity locking and completion

Could the forum tools learn more from other platforms and techniques?

Participant Perception - Response

• Lack of instruction and clarity of function, assumed SN paradigm• The VLE’s role within the programme • Setting participant learning expectations • Linking activities and discussions more explicitly• Clearer signposting of activities

More re‐enforcement of applications of use and direction


Modifying course layouts, additional internal linking


Discussions based on artefacts


Forums that look & act like blog posts

Lessons Learned – 5 Points

1. Discussions need to be framed2. All parties need inducting and constant guidance across

programme3. Build discussion into course design (like other online

interactions) 4. Student initiated discussions with facilitation work best5. Technology can’t make up for course design/strategy (technology

push)

Next Steps

• Using the VLE the ‘tell the story’ – programme narrative• Capturing and recording experiences outside and between formal

courses• More of a focus on activity design and less on technology

• Increased ‘in‐line debate’ ‐Moving debate into course activities• More interactive resources• E‐book delivery

• Possibly extending the uses of developed modules• Using more gamification techniques

Keen to collaborate and share

[email protected]

@mnandrews

Presentations & Public Speaking

Fostering a community of collaboration and discussion - Mark Andrews