emerging technologies ou perspective on ict in skills delivery keith williams [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
The Open University in 2010• At 40+ officially middle aged
• Over 2 million students since 1971
• 200,000+ students each year
• 40,000 outside UK
• Network of over 300 UK study centres
• Part-time remote learners – modules:10–15 hours a week for 32 weeks
UK four nations presence• The University is funded in England and NI, Wales and Scotland
– centres in each nation plus 10 English regions.
– staffed by Director, student support and administrative staff
• Staff in these centres are responsible for:
– the practical support and advising of students: learning advisors, tutors
– the recruitment, training and supervision of 8,000 part-time Associate Lecturers (ALs)
– face-to-face tutorials, residential schools, examinations and events
The Open University in 2010• Distributed institution built on scaleability
• Changed Student Socio Demographic context
• Technological Legacy
• Changing markets, Changing competition
Scaleability in the OU
Tutor Team
Central Faculty
Reg Acad
Student
Design and develop course, set assessments exam and marking schemes
x20
Recruit, develop and performance monitor tutors
x75
Teach, support and assess students to standard procedures
x20
Distributed students study to same pattern and standards
Total 30,000 per faculty
Admin
Syst
Media Design+
Production
Scaleability – Mega-universities• Mega Universities
– Sir John Daniel circa ’95– Institutions teaching 100,000+– Invest heavily in
• Content Development• Administrative Systems• Distribution and Logistics
– Scaleability delivers high quality at low cost per individual
– Industrial scale teaching
Cost
Student Number
Conventional
Distance Learning
Changed Context and Markets
• Does the mass market still exist?
• Increased participation in HE reduces market for 2nd chancers
• Increased participation in HE increases market for graduate lifelong learners
Cost
Student Number
Conventional
Distance Learning
Changing Technologies• E technologies reduce costs
of – Content Development– Administrative Systems– Distribution and
Logistics• Cross over point at lower
student numbers• Convergence of
Conventional and Distance Learning
Cost
Student Number
Conventional
Distance Learning
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Systems stable
DL text led
Conv classroom led, some video classroom outreach
1st standalone PC use in OU course
1st online conferencing in OU course
WWW raises profile of text resources
1st Fully online OU course
Intro to WWW
11,000 studs pa
Distribution of course materials PDFs, quizes etc via VLEs reduces barriers of entry to distance learning for conventional univs
MIT Open course-ware launched
OU selectsMoodle VLE
Milestones to convergence ?
Openlearn
i-Tunes U
OU technology policyThe Vision:We lead the learning revolution taking innovation to the heart of learning and research. We continuously seek new and better ways to inspire and enable learning.
The reality:Knowledge Media Institute and Institute of Educational Technology lead technological and pedagogic research.Mainstream teaching exploits stable, domestically available technologies.
Dimensions of flexibility
Time
Place
Resources/Interactivity
Classroom teaching +ve
-ve
What’s needed in the skills and CPD market ?• HEFCE funded study of market potential for online CPD• Employer and Professional Body membership survey
– Small blocks of learning ( 20-30 hours max 2-3 credit)– Rapid availability, flexible study time– Work relevant and instantly applicable– Credit not essential but a nice to have extra– Acceptance of e-learning but limited experience– Access to HE academic staff
Centre for Professional Learning and Development• Seeks to meet employer demand for both generic and
custom programmes exploiting• OU course inventory • OU systems• OU networks
Who for? Practising professionals wishing to extend and update their skills with quality CPDMembers of professional bodies
that require CPD evidence
Staff in organisations which are pursuing organisational development
Promotion/job seekers who want to prove their CPD
Alumni who want post-qualification career-long
learning
Practising professionals wishing to extend and update their skills with quality CPDChallenges
Flexibility and availability
Short online modules
Relevance
Work based context and activities
Scalability
Scale up and down
Continuity
Routes to credit and qualification
Skills Coverage• Leadership Skills • People Management • Project and Programme
Management Skills • Analysis and Use of Evide
nce
• Financial Management Skills
• Strategic Thinking Skills
• Communications and Marketing Skills
• Creative and Problem Solving Skills
• Key Corporate Skills • Change Management
Skills • Ethical Practice Skills • IT Skills • Numeracy Skills
OU-Housing and Communities Academy
Transfer of a face to face workshop based course to online environment
Five days of collaborative workshops to be replaced by 5 workplace based sessions supported by remote online facilitator
Desktop based conferencing
Using the commercial Elluminate system, •multiple participants,
•Audio, video and online chat channels
•whiteboards,
•application sharing,
•breakout rooms etc
OU-Housing and Communities Academy
Trial with HCA and Stoke on Trent CouncilFacilitator led sessions during working hoursChallenges:
online use of rich picture techniquesdefaulted to text based post it techniquescorporate firewallsadvance planning and negotiation needed priority conflictif you’re in the office you can’t be on a course
The Executive Reading Group
90% of Professionals report “ Reading” as a Professional Development activity
50% report use of internet for discussion with fellow professionals
Exec Reading Group based around “must read” books
University Guru led
Trialled using Elluminate system, synchronous discussion, whiteboard slides as scene setters
Flexible in direction, follow on via blog
Returns University to academic roots, students at the e-feet of the professor
Working with Employers and SSCs• IT Professional Development Programme working with
e-skills and major employers– 6 modules leading to PG Certificate
• Certificate of Nuclear Professionalism, working with National Skills Academy –Nuclear and major employers– 7 industry defined modules– Accessed through company, university and other
providers– QCF registered qualification through OU Awarding
Body
Flexible user led developmentOpen Educational Resources
• OER movement provides flexible resources licenced under Creative Commons licencing to allow users to use, modify and share learning resources
• Open Learn– http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn
• i-Tunes U– http://www.open.ac.uk/itunes/
Openlearn
Openlearn
Openlearn
Conclusions• OU conservative but bold in its use of new technologies• The principles of scaleability are under challenge • Our resources and capable of supporting a range of
novel skill development models • We are a networked and networking institution.• Innovation is in our life blood