Joined on 17 April 2013 at 11:30 Moderator (David Jennings): Hello everyone! We'll get under way at half past the hour (whatever the hour is where you are) Moderator (David Jennings): While we're waiting, please feel free to chat in the chat window, perhaps saying where you're from, plus any experiences of the course you'd like to share so far Jim Potts: @Dave... is that Crome? Jim Potts: @Dave, I'd better watch what I say then! Moderator (David Jennings) to Caroline Greves, Liz Masterman, David Jennings, Anna Davidge: Caroline, are you going to press Start, or do I? If me, what do I do, just start talking? Moderator (Caroline Greves) to Caroline Greves, Liz Masterman, David Jennings, Anna Davidge: Ready! Moderator (Caroline Greves): Audio has started, please post in chat if you can't hear and try the Audio set up wizard Kim Aling #2: Make sure layouts are unlocked first AliSheph #2: I listened to the recording last week as couldn't make the time slot Adam B: Not started this week's activities yet but have read them Emily - Hull College: Harder to find time for this week's activities as they need a PC with sound! Liz Kirrane: I haven't received my login details yet. I registered on Sunday afternoon. Liz Kirrane: Thank you! Much appreciated. AliSheph #2: I haven't tried the videos on my tablet - do they work does anyone know? Moderator (Caroline Greves) to Caroline Greves, Liz Masterman, David Jennings, Anna Davidge: No all fine Moderator (David Jennings): Ali, the videos are on youtube, so I imagine you should have no problem with them on your tablet AliSheph #2: ok, i'll experiment! Helen Beetham: Next week's webinar is all about students' needs and preferences - see you there! Moderator (David Jennings): Thanks, Helen, very kind of you to join us! SolentRoger: our feedback has moved very much to the quality and consistancy requirement Andy Turner: Sometimes inconsistency is good for them, the world is often inconsistent. If you want consistency, study pure maths Mat Jones: I'm not sure I agree about the idea that students want consistency. Soemtimes really idiosyncratic experiences go down well AliSheph #2: that's an interesting echo regarding resources from a presentation David White of University of Oxford gave at Leeds Uni last week Helen Beetham: @Mat it depends on the students, their confidence, their stage of study etc. Agree with Liz that there is a tension here. Elizabeth Charles in London: I agree that students are now giving preference to resources that are available digitally - if it is not in the VLE then it isn't important. AliSheph #2: some conflicting evidence regarding convenience of online resources vs perceived authority of books Helen Beetham: I think the safest thing to say is that students differ. Peter Hartley: Another issue with consistency - if all modules are making everything accessible online, where/how do students learn to become independent? SolentRoger: We have a "Solent Online Learning Standard" for our BL/DL/Online courses https://portal.solent.ac.uk/teaching-and-learning/technology-enhanced-learning/solent-online-learning-standard.aspx and are slowly rolling this out to all courses for the F2F VLE with a minimum requirement http://mycourse.solent.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/121187/mod_page/content/6/mycourse_minimum_content.pdf Andy Turner: Yep, everyone is different, so embrace diversity. Students at higher education level should be learning to question teaching practise. SolentRoger: I think we are talking about the baseline minimum info being consistant, the teaching should unconstrained Liz Kirrane: I do fear that standardisation and consistency may limit independence, creativity and the healthy differences that have always existed amongst students. Andy Turner: Well, we are often reminded of the importance of feedback at Leeds. Questioning is key to this... Helen Beetham: I have to be in another webinar now but will listen to the recording - sounds like next weeks' session will build on this one very nicely, thanks @liz Liz Kirrane: Also, whichever approach we adopt we will never please everyone all of the time! AliSheph #2: the original reason why I started to study learning theories was that I thought it was 'dangerous' to just experiment with the technologies without having a theoretical appreciation Elizabeth Charles in London: @Liz K - you will always find a number of students who would prefer a different approach Jim Potts: @SolentRoger: can you make the SOL Standard illustration open. Currently from your link you need to login SolentRoger: try this one https://portal.solent.ac.uk/support/support-with-it-media/learning-technologies/resources/sol-standard-may2010.pdf Jim Potts: It worked, thanks Moderator (David Jennings): In case anyone's not come across OER before, it's Open Educational Resources - learning materials that are freely available for others to use/reuse as they wish Elizabeth Charles in London: OER - Jorum is a good source of materials Peter Hartley: We will have a lot more to say about OER in week 4 and one of our guest speakers in the webinar is from JORUM SolentRoger: We were having a discussion earlier today about how we can better share our own resources internally (let alone external OERs) Jim Potts: See here for JISC OER toolkit https://openeducationalresources.pbworks.com/w/page/24836480/Home and here for finding OERs https://openeducationalresources.pbworks.com/w/page/27045418/Finding%20OERs Elizabeth Charles in London: @SolentRoger - yes there is that internal barrier to be overcome amongst academics, never mind suggesting use of unknown lecturers' materials. KAyla: Great - I'm interested in how we could (encourage academics to) make some/better use of OER in Executive Education - I'll look forward to week 4! Paul Norman: Thanks for the links - these are excellent (Solent and OERs) SolentRoger: In producing our own OER packages we also ran into the issue of getting permission to re-use our own stuff. eg content uploaded to youtube under youtube licence by ex-staff under personal accounts...*sigh* joint project content copyrighted to the other party now defunct...*hmm* Peter Hartley: If anyone wants to explore an 'alternative' approach to the VLE then have a look at the Dynamic Learning Maps initiative at Newcastle: https://learning-maps.ncl.ac.uk Sue Barnes: Transforming practice - this seems to fit with my big question - Is it the technology that enhances the learning or is it that in considering use of technology we are prompted to consider innovative approaches to learning and teaching that lead to enhancement? SolentRoger: Thanks @PeterHartley AliSheph #2: the first quote is pretty narrow - suggests a spoonfed approach and I think unrealistic - surely there are parallels and commonalities even in different disciplines?!?! Elizabeth Charles in London: Thanks Peter H Sue Barnes: Great presentation but a lot to take in in a short time. Will need to revist the recording! AliSheph #2: Hi @Sue Barnes I've been making frantic notes! Elizabeth Charles in London: Sue I agree - will have to watch the recording later. Moderator (David Jennings): Please start to think of questions for Liz Fergus: Yes, very interesting presentation, though I joined late. Lots of interestign points made especially on engaging staff and students! SolentRoger: The VLE should be at least the electronic baseroom...possibly no more, but again consistant starting point Fergus: 2. Yes, for me the pedagogy is all important - the technology is just the vehicle to deliver the correct pedagogical solution AliSheph #2: @Fergus I agree, but I think increasingly some of the techs are making pedagogical options available when they weren't feasible previously Megan Kime: @Fergus -I'd agree, but I think 'pedagogy' is broader than 'theory' - comes from experience too KAyla: I'm reminded of one of the big questions "how can we take the "T" out of "TEL"" so that it's about enhancing the learning - sorry I can't remember who asked that one! Andy Turner: Is there an increasing diversity of students in terms of their awareness and use of TEL? Probably yes, so getting to know the students on a course is key to running a course... Fergus: #2 Yes, I agree with both AliSheph and Megan Kime very interesting area - combining good pedagogical approaches, learning theory and practice! carolhowells: hi doug Sue Barnes: Consistent experience or consistent opportunities? SolentRoger: Q4 - I comes in from all directions: we had a computing student project present an alternative moble timetable app to ICT management this year, we have enthusiatic leturers trying all the latest toys and we have central LT team offering new tools and techniques Megan Kime: also consistency in basic layout helps across modules on same programme Sue Barnes: Should there be a basic requirement for all course/classe/modules? Peter Hartley: In another presentation a while ago Neil Witt suggested that students' onwership and use of technology are very different across different types of HEI. Do we know whether this is the case? Caroline Graham: @Sue, we are just about to roll out a Blackboard minimum standard template in our Faculty. Andy Turner: Agreed that users of tell do not want to learn a new user interface for each part of the course, but having a general awareness of what is on offer in the environment is perhaps more than what they can see or add themselves... SolentRoger: I think there also has to be a consistant tutor engagement, ie regular contact, realistc managed expectation (in both directions) Kim Aling #2: We are looking at threshold standards for course pages Elizabeth Charles in London: We have been trying to achieve that consistency over the last 3 years now. KAyla: We get a lot of requests for customisation of the VLE from lecturers who think their subject/course is special enough to have it's own set up... Adam B: Do baseline provision allow tutors to disengage from responsibility of considering what they do online, some courses might require higher baseline or different focus? Paul Norman: Baseline may be a hurdle + Baseline needs selling as something that does not stop further innovation & developments ( the 'subsidiarity issues) ' Kerr.63 1: Standards bodies such as Quality Matters encourage consistency in "look and feel" not only within online courses but also across the organization; branding, if you will. Kerr.63 1: Organizations LMS can provide much of that consistency, but each course can still have it's own identity and style Elizabeth Charles in London: We now have a mandate for minimum standards but even then it is a struggle for those academics who don't engage. Andy Turner: Exposure to the open web is a big issue. How many users are aware of how contained or otherwise their communication is? Sue Barnes: When we are thinking about what type of student's are we thinking about this in terms of what the student's are or what we would like them to be in terms of graduate attributes? etc. Sue Barnes: Are we confusing employability with educational outcomes? KAyla: The minimum requirements don't always work so well as tutors may feel they are being "criticised" for not meeting them and feeling that it is something they are forced to do... Student requests / NSS feedback more effective in encouraging change! Caroline Graham: Our Blackboard minimum standards is just that - a minimum - and staff will be free to add to and augment the site. SolentRoger: We have worked hard on removing the need for tutors providing basic admin stuff so they can get on with the teaching (eg unit descriptors) Elizabeth Charles in London: KAyla that is true and it is noticable that student pressure seems to have a much better effect than a top-down approach. Adam B: @Paul Norman I agree about the work needed on selling a baseline Elizabeth Charles in London: Caroline - we are now following up on the minimum with a what you can do to build on that. KAyla: @Elizabeth Charles - definitely SolentRoger: Our minimum standards list was developed in consultation with our students and acadmics Andy Turner: It can be empowering to learn that they can change things out there. But it is also good sometimes to give them secured places where they are less worried about their communications and the information they push from their computer... Barrie: I agree with KAyla and Eliz charles, their points are very much where we are as a School Sue Barnes: e.g. in terms of how you can use your mobile phone? Caroline Graham: @Elizabeth, yes, we plan to have an exemplary module with examples of what the VLE is capable of for those that want to go further than the minimum standards. AliSheph #2: For me, it would be nice if learning outcomes improved, but I don't think of it as being just about that. My rationales are to broaden out student experience, give them a flavour of the discipline and related resources via tech. and keep my interest and develop my practice! doug gowan: @Elizabeth Charles - yes - students can get resentful if they do not see an entitlement to online resources and activities being fulfilled KAyla: RE: Q3 - tutors seem to prefer their own resources as they feel they create them to meet the needs of their students and course - also an issue of what students expect in era of higher fees Elizabeth Charles in London: @doug gowan - student-staff exchange meetings can become very heated indeed. SolentRoger: Q3 but we need raise awareness of creative commons so any resourcves produces can be shared AliSheph #2: Q for Liz - did any of your staff interviewees refer to their own technological skills development, and benefits of getting involved in TEL from taht point of view Elizabeth Charles in London: Liz has there been a noticiable change in the awareness of TEL amongt academics during your time of research? KAyla: RE Q3 - do many HEIs have a policy of encouraging use/publication of OER... how effective is this? Fergus: Liz - how important is peer mentoring for academics to assist them taking up TEL? AliSheph #2: I do think that helps, Liz - you can empathise Adam B: @Liz do you have any experience from projects where students were in pedagogic decisions and design of courses/materials? Barrie: With technology always becomes issues related to platforms, do people bother the way that the systems used work across platforms. i.e Adobe Flash is a real problem with students with MAC's for example. SolentRoger: Most new tech takes 5-10 years to be embedded and 'normal working practice' in my experience (how long did you instituion take to get from the first email or powerpoint to the last memo or OHP?) - we need to be aware of the conservative human nature in the change of working practice, especially if the change is trigger by technology KAyla: Re Q4 - Faculty showcases where academics explain the impact / present case studies for TEL have been effective to share and promote ideas within related subjects Caroline Graham: Re Q5 - our Faculty runs 'Shared Approaches to Learning and Teaching' sessions where our Teaching Fellows and others showcase their teaching. Sue Barnes: I have lost sound - is it just me? Caroline Graham: @Sue, I have sound. Moderator (David Jennings): Sue, I can still hear SolentRoger: just you Sue Andy Turner (Laptop): Antagonising the skeptics is dangerous, especially if they have more seniority. Elizabeth Charles in London: Oh Andy how true that is - caution approach at all time! Sue Barnes: It has come back Fergus: Thank you Liz Andy Turner: Thank you KAyla: Thanks Liz Maggie Jensen: Thank you, Liz AliSheph #2: thanks - I've found this session very useful! Sue Barnes: Thanks LIz - Lots to think about SolentRoger: Many Thanks Liz Adam B: thank you Elizabeth Charles in London: Thank you Liz Liz Kirrane: Thank you, extremely interesting!