Balancing Commercial Pressure with Pedagogic Needs

John GordonOpuslearning

Commercial Pressure

• More with less• Fixed overheads, and reducing funding• Increased tech competence in learners• Increases in expectation for content

consumption• The rise of the immediate satisfaction

Pedagogic Needs

• Individual learning

• Constructivism vs classroom

Death of Instruction Manual

• 10 years ago: 30 page manual; disc; goodies

• Today – no manual; just the disc and cover

The Goal of eLearning

• 21st Century Pedagogy• Embedded in Learners Digital Life• Exploiting new media• Managing expectation• Keeping the students engaged

The problems

• Design• Tools• People• Maintenance• ->>>>>>>COSTS

Solution 1

• Standardise and simplify pedagogy• Reduce expectation of retention• Go massive– Spend on marketing not content– Be didactic let students go hang

• Worry about monetising.

Poor Design => Crash

"Any one else find it ironic that the Fundamentals in Online Education #coursera class fell apart after one week?"

Solution 2

• Standardise and simplify• Invest and continually improve• Focus on support for learning• Improve retention• Manager learning and learners

The Opus Approach

• Solution 2, but recognising cost implications and technology developments

• Opus Learning provides online education, so the usual problems– Tracking learning– Authentication– Identifying problems in learning– Recognising need for intervention

The Opus Solution

Learner interacting with content, leaving traces

Student interacts with content

Makes notes, responds to quiz, send messages, etc

Capture notesStore in MLE

Print off record of learning

Opus e-Players

• Moodle• E-reader• PDF• Tablet• PhoneAll the same/ All equivalent

The market

• Home• College• Distance• Work• Blend

Case Studies

• The product– Set of Turnkey HNDs– Structure – Fixed Framework, no options

• Fixed Technology Moodle 2.3• Standardised Quality Manual• Standardises Training and Consultancy

Working with partners

Two models1. UK centre with students abroad2. Centre Abroad, with local and

distance students

Model 1 Centre Abroad

Centre in South East Asia• History as examination centre• Part of network of 6th form schools• No significant VET delivery• No Accreditation by SQA

Proposal

• We proposed to do the following:– Carry out an Initial Investigation– Develop a roadmap, with our support– Deliver a Training Programme– Design the HND Programme– Support the acquisition of SQA accreditation

• Agreed September 2012

Project Plan

• Phase 1 Sign Partnership Agreement; Attain Centre Status

• Phase II Develop the PAI Platform; Train PAI Staff

• Phase III Testing of Platform; Recruit Tutors in UK

• Phase IV Recruitment of Students; Start Programme

Progress to date

• Partnership Agreement Signed 10th October• Quality Manual Completed December• Systems approval visit 14th December• Staff Training Jan – March 2013• Recruit Students March – May 2013• Planned Start Date end May 2013

Work Share

23%

5%

69%

3%

Work Balance SE Asia

Advertising Student Management Tutorial Support Systems Support

Revenue Share

3%

38%

23%

37%

SE Asia Centre

SQA Tutorial Support Opus Fees Contribution to centre

Model 2 UK Centre

Centre in England• History as FE/HE College• Extensive history of recruitment from

overseas• No significant distance or eLearning• Significant history of technology support for

learning• No Accreditation by SQA

Proposal

• We proposed to do the following:– Carry out an Initial Investigation– Develop a roadmap, with our support– Deliver a Training Programme– Design the HND Programme– Support the acquisition of SQA recognition

• Agreed October 2012

Project Plan

• Phase 1 Sign Partnership Agreement; Attain Centre Status

• Phase II Develop the Learning Platform; Train Staff

• Phase III Testing of Platform• Phase IV Recruitment of Students; Start

Programme

Progress to date

• Partnership Agreement Signed 6th December• Systems approval visit January 2013• Staff Training March 2013• Recruit Students March – May 2013• Planned Start Date May 2013

Work Share

20%

7%

68%

5%

English College

Advertising Student Management Tutorial Support Systems Support

Revenue Share

3%

23%

17%

57%

English Centre Revenue Share

SQA Tutorial Support Opus Fees Contribution to centre

Opus ProgrammesOpus is developing the following:

• Administration & IT• Management and Leadership• Business – with Accounting/IT/HRM/Marketing/Global Trade & Business• Computing • Electronic Engineering/Engineering Management• Financial Services• Hospitality Management• Retail Management• Supply Chain Management – Manufacturing/Non Manufacturing• Travel & Tourism• Sports Science• Health Studies• Education and Training

Thank You

• John Gordon• 07799895464• jg@opuslearning.com