[jamesclay]

Last year I did a keynote to over a hundred delegates as part of the JISC Online Conference. One technique I used which worked very well was to have another person (and this could be a learner) to watch the chat and note interesting questions and comments. I would then pause my presentation and ask the “summariser” what was happening in the chat. This meant that the session flowed and there weren’t long pauses as I tried to reflect and look over what the delegates were saying. I would think similar techniques could work for remote lesson delivery with learners.

Another aspect of these kinds of technologies i s to remember that not everything has to happen on the platform and that activities can take place offline and asynchronously. One of the issues I find with “online learning” is a preoccupation with trying to do everything online on the one platform. This isn’t always the most effective way of doing things.

I was discussing the use of our college VLE with learners this week and one thing they said was not only how useful they found the VLE, but that they preferred using Facebook for discussion and chat via their smartphones over using a discussion forum on the VLE.

Should we mind that they are doing this? Using different tools for different things alongside the VLE. I don’t think so and this was very much my viewpoint in the infamous VLE is Dead debate.

[jamesclay]

Some more thoughts from my blog.

[jamesclay]

Thanks for responding and posting.

I have been for the past few years wary of the “lets encourage practitioners” approach as we’ve been doing it for years with little success.

The research about embedding TEL I have seen says that small scale projects work, but never scale or get embedded into mainstream practice (as a result of the project).

Where I do agree with is your statement “Both levels need to find ways of using technology effectively to increase retention and achievement and both are facing financial cuts so need to deliver more cost effectively and technology provides one way to do this.” this is certainly a good way to engage senior managers as it demonstrates how TEL can be used to solve problems or facilitate solutions.

Research from the LSDA back in the 1990s said that one way to increase retention, was to provide detailed information to learners about the structure of their course, show them what they had done, what they were doing and where they were going. Technologies such as the VLE and an e-portfolio can be used to provide that information quickly, efficiently and when a learner wants it.

In terms of But I don’t see why FE participants should feel in any way excluded would we need to change the language?

[jamesclay]

So here is a chance to reflect on the three questions from a UK FE perspective.

What can we tell about the range of experiences and preferences among ocTEL participants? Are the experience and preferences of those working in FE similar, or diverse? Are they different to those participants from HE or are they similar?

What challenges does this present for the course? With an HE focus can we transfer and apply the lessons from the course to an FE context?

In what ways is a MOOC well or poorly suited to these challenges? Would FE participants engage in this kind of MOOC?

[jamesclay]

Make sure your blog and blog RSS feed is in your profile and it should then be automatically picked up.

[jamesclay]

Yes FE is Further Education (from a UK perspective) and that is where I was coming from in forming a small group with other FE professionals.

I do appreciate that this is an international MOOC with participants from a wide range of places.

[jamesclay]

Just to add to the confusion, the FE sector in the UK usually don’t use the term TEL and are more likely to use the term ILT Information Learning Technology.

VLE – Virtual Learning Environment

LMS – Learning Management System

 

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