Pleasing most of the people most of the timeHow can technology help us meet the needs of a wider range of learners?

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Pleasing most of the people most of the timeJulia Taylor, Jisc Subject specialist - Accessibility and inclusion

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Too many hats?All students will need digital skills so the aim is independence

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More tools than everTechnology gives us the tools for digital diversity

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Making a differencePersonalisation: Everyone has different needs and styles of learning

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Meeting expectations…

>Personalise and customise the learning environment>Get text books in alternative formats>Find out about the access features of loan devices and

platforms>Get accessible course notes in advance of lectures>Use productivity tools and personal devices

everywhereand go beyond…

We encourage learners to check if they can:

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Changing practice“Usually I hate fieldwork. I’m disorganised, make illegible notes, can’t make sense of the data because we’ve only got little bits of the picture until the evening write up…

But this was easy – Google Forms. Twitter hashtags. Everything on the phone. To check a technique we scanned the QR code to watch the video. I felt like a proper biologist …not just a rubbish notetaker.”

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Changing practice“Because of my issues I would NEVER speak in a group…

but because we use the Text Wall most sessions I’ve become much more confident at contributing. I’ve also noticed that my points are among the better ones so that has boosted confidence hugely.”

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Changing practiceAs a dyslexic I thought “Me? A blogger? You’ve got to be kidding”. When they told me it was compulsory for this module I complained like mad.

Then I looked at the guidance where it said how to use voice recognition in GoogleDocs, and how to do podcasts and link them in.

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The accessible induction“What was brilliant was that I felt totally normal. Whenever we were shown how to use a university system they automatically showed us the accessibility options as if it was just a feature that anyone might use.”

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The accessible network“I can’t believe the browser plugins they’ve got. It’s like an Internet Swiss Army knife – voice recognition, text to speech, note taking... I wish I’d known about this for my A levels...”

“I love the “Free Productivity Tools” folder – I’ve downloaded several on my own laptop”

“The Speak button on the Quick Access Toolbar in Word is so cool! I never knew you could do that.”

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The accessible VLE“My course resources area is great – a really good mix of handouts, slides, video and audio clips.”

“We’ve got some long documents to download but they’re all structured so you get an instant overview in the Navigation pane.”

“My tutor’s presentations are great –simple thought-provoking images but all the info you need is there in the notes field.”02/05/20

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The accessible library“I was amazed when they showed me how much I can do just with my phone”

“So much of my reading list is available as e-books – it makes study much easier for me: I can do it even on bad days when I can hardly walk.”

“The guidance on ebook accessibility features has made my study so much more efficient.”

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How can technology help us meet the needs of a wider range of learners?Mike Sharples, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University

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Preparing for the future

http://careers2030.cst.org/jobs/

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Now more than ever we need open, global education, with people from many perspectives and backgrounds engaging in conversations for learning

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FutureLearn

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5.6 million learners

400 free courses

70 partner institutions

70% of learners from outside UK

61% female

22% without tertiary education

Learning as conversation

All human learning involves conversation

We converse with ourselves to reflect on experience

We converse with teachers to understand their expert knowledge

We converse with other learners to try and reach shared understanding

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Logical and Critical Thinking course

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University of Auckland

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Opportunity: blended learning

US DoE 2009 meta-study of comparisons of online and face to face teaching in higher education

On average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction

Bigger effect in studies that blended online and face-to-face

Blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions

Distinguish hype from reality

B. Means et al. (2009) Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. US Department of Education

Blended learning

Blending campus and onlineCampus students accessing MOOCs

Flipped classroomsEmbracing multiple cultures and languagesCombining new methods of teaching, learning and assessment

Distinguish hype from reality

Opportinity – Hybrid coursesOpen MOOC courses linked to a degree program

Campus students benefit from rich global discussion and online study

MOOC learners benefit from grounding in a university campus (e.g. sense of belonging, remote access to labs)

Opportunity to take modules for credit

Pay for additional services such as online tutoring

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New models of provision

Blended learning Flexibility of study – location, paceNew modes of learning (e.g. flipped classroom)

Hybrid courses Global access to higher education, including free courses

Global conversation and knowledge sharing

Credit transfer Broader curriculum

Disaggregation Affordable education – pay for use

Learning platform

Need for a new 21st century learning platform that:

● supports free (MOOC) and accredited courses (which a funnel of registration)● enables accreditation and credit transfer, as well as badging● is open source and modular, with a strong developer community● is responsive – accessible on mobile devices● supports a wide range of pedagogies: constructivist, social-constructivist,

instructivist, inquiry-led, problem-based● is based on interoperability standards, e.g. LTI, QTI● is cloud hosted● integrates with 3rd party services for tutoring, assessment, examining● integrates with social media● enables analytics for learning 29

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How can technology help us meet the demands of a wider range of learnersMike Snowden, Convenor: Universities Association for Life Long Learning: Flexible Pedagogies Network/Senior Lecturer Behavioural Sciences University of Huddersfield

How can technology help us meet the demands of a wider range of

learnersMike Snowden Convenor: Universities Association for Life Long Learning: Flexible

Pedagogies Network/Senior Lecturer Behavioural Sciences University of Huddersfield

Defining flexible learning

“Flexible learning concerns institutions constructing and continually evaluating infrastructure, policies and practices that offer the widest possible opportunity for successful student engagement and belonging of all stakeholders in higher education” p4 Davitt-Jones, et al (2017)

Key principles of flexible learning:

Barnett (2014)…The conceptualisation of flexible learning is diverse and needs to be recognised at four key levels: sector, institutional, pedagogical and learner flexibility…

Institutional agility to be able to proactively implement responsive infrastructure… which requires institutional systems and structures to be designed for flexibility rather than homogeneity

Pedagogies that contribute to learner empowerment should be integrated into everyday learning and teaching practice

Inclusive, equitable, personalised and contextualised approaches should underpin all flexible learning processes

Successful engagement does not begin at HE entry but occurs much earlier as part of a lifelong learning process and commitment

Mindful that access without support is not opportunity (Engstrom and Tinto (2008, p50)

Link to HEA framework - Barnet

The framework is both evidence-based and experience-informed and is aligned to the UK Professional Standards Framework. It can be adapted and applied to different disciplines, modes of study and institutional contexts by a wide range of users. The Framework recognises that successful flexible learning is student - centred and empowers students to become independent and autonomous, fostering graduate attributes that will enable them to manage the complexities of 21st century life (p.2).

What flexible learning embodies It requires the ability to embrace and lead disruptive thinking as a

positive force for change and this requires effective leadership to create confidence in this ability

Within flexible systems there needs to be preservation of some existing archetypes

A flexible learning ethos actively seeks out ongoing dialogue about the purpose of higher education in an evolving context. Organisations should embrace this dialogue as part of their normal everyday practices.

Flexible learning needs to be considered holistically: you cannot 'do' flexible learning partially or add it on…key areas for flexible learning: institutional systems and structures; technology enhanced learning; pedagogical approaches; employability.

Flexible learning at its best combines many collaborative networks and interconnectivities which can be multiple and, at times, overlapping

Flexible Learning is not…

It is not an approach driven purely for student consumption underpinned by the sovereignty of individual choice and one's ability to navigate such choices as part of a successful HE experience

It is not a marketing charter based on a set of transactional relationships between higher education providers and students

It is not driven primarily by delivery convenience, in which technology enhanced learning (TEL) becomes the default position for flexible learning

It cannot be 'added on' to a prevailing system

Some Implications and considerations: Adopters of a flexible learning ethos need to be prepared for

resistance. To develop flexible learning holistically staff will have to

unlearn some of their thinking and practices in order to become more effective facilitators of flexible learning in partnership with students

Flexible learning inevitably involves working in different ways and this necessitates relinquishing some aspects of power…this may lead you to challenge your own perceptions of professional identity and underlying assumptions

Awareness of the core values underpinning flexible learning is pivotal. There are many operational considerations and logistics involved in developing flexible learning concerning… how; what; where and when it is delivered…

Implication and consideration for institutions Demonstrating a commitment to flexible learning and implementing new ways

of working require considerable courage to go beyond maintaining the status quo;

It requires transdisciplinary ways of thinking in which different bodies of knowledge and ways of working are used to transcend hierarchy. This involves finding authentic working practices instead seeking collaborations and interconnectivity as productive forces for student success

Leadership for innovation in which a creative culture of managed risk-taking is encouraged, especially when supporting flexible learning innovators from within the institution

When building a flexible learning ethos institutionally, there will be challenges to a whole array of prevailing staff identities that need to be pre-empted by senior leaders and shared with all key stakeholders

Institutional flexibility necessitates working with wider communities and agencies in order to see the bigger context for any large-scale decision making

An example…Why….flexible, engage, creative empowered learners…

…develop flexible learners who are equipped to manage the complexities, uncertainties and challenges of 21st century life and work.

Vision…. Embrace the principles of self determined learning – heautogogy How, what, where and when to learn Solution focussed teaching and learning Mentor Assisted Learning

Key Feature…

Student as architect

How? Mentor Assisted Learning (including pre entry) Self defined learning contracts Negotiated learning and delivery Vle…social networking e.g. “yammer” (uni learn; facebook) Real world learning and teaching Collaborative learning Assessment - student centred and choice Teaching – 1/1; small group; lecture (recorded)

Success? Confident engaged learners Enhanced performance Employability (?) Enhanced satisfaction Empowered learners!

Challenge…

Resource extensive – (pre-entry preparation; preparation and planning teaching and assessment )

Academic culture (Institutional and individual)

Implications and consideration for practitionersIn considering the value of flexible learning at all levels, practitioners might wish to reflect on the following questions to aid decision-making: Can you align your own practice to the values underpinning flexible learning and how might

this be approached with others? How inclusive is your style of teaching and how does this translate into facilitation of

learning? For example, are you prepared to relinquish power to become more flexible? Can you draw upon evidence-informed approaches so that you can use well-considered risk

taking as part of a predictive scenarios process? For example, have you considered who your future students are likely to be from demographic and socio-economic perspectives and how this analysis fits with the overall strategic direction?

How can you create the necessary Conditions of Flexibility (Barnett, 2014) and the resultant types of relationship-building deemed essential for enhancing flexibility at all levels?

What are the challenges that might emerge when trying to reconcile conflict between practitioner and institutional aims for flexible learning?

What is your perceived identity and how might that change if practising more flexibly?

Flexible learning references and related resources Barnett, R. (2014) Conditions of Flexibility: Securing a more responsive higher education system York: Higher

Education Association. Beck, U. and Beck-Gernsheim, E. (2001) Individualization: Institutionalized Individualism and its Social and

Political Consequences London, Thousand Oaks and New Delhi: Sage Publications. Davitt Jones, S. Arnold, C. and Snowden M (2017) HEA Flexible Learning Practice Guide York, UK: Higher

Education Academy Engstrom, C. and Tinto, V. (2008) Access without support is not opportunity Change: The Magazine of Higher

Learning 40 (1): 46-50. Higher Education Academy (2015) Framework for Flexible Learning in Higher Education . Available from:

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/downloads/flexible-learning-inHE.pdf HEFCE (2011) Opportunity, Choice and Excellence in Higher Education . Report 22 Bristol: HEFCE. Johansen, B. (2009) Leaders make the future: ten new leadership skills for an uncertain world . San Francisco:

Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Ryan, A. and Tilbury. D. (2013) Flexible Pedagogies: new pedagogical ideas York: Higher Education Association. Scearce, D. and Fulton, K., (2004). What If? The Art of Scenario Thinking for Non - profits . Emeryville, California:

Global Business Network. Snowden, M (2016) “Heutogogy in an emerging curriculum. In: The Pedagogy of the Social Sciences Curriculum. :

Springer International Publishing. pp. 25-38. ISBN 978-3-319-33866-8 Stacey, R. (1996) Strategic Management and Organizational Dynamics . (2nd Ed.) London: Pitman.

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jisc.ac.uk

Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND

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Julia TaylorJisc Subject specialist, InclusionJulia.taylor@jisc.ac.uk

Pleasing most of the people, most of the time

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