presentation edd march 2012

8/2/2019 Presentation Edd March 2012

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STUDENTS EXPERIENCEOF VIRTUAL LEARNING

ENVIRONMENTSFOR BLENDEDLEARNING

Email: [email protected]

Microsite: http://ticheler.blogspot.com

Twitter: nvticheler


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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

New University, Institution-Wide Language Programme

Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese,

Portuguese and Spanish

1 module = 1 semester = 15 credits at undergraduate level

3 hours per week for 12 weeks, supplemented by self-study on the VLE

Constrained environment: institutional policies (blended learning, use of the VLE,systematic use of the Epack web-based materials before the introduction of the VLE,

culture / context of the institution


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RATIONALEAND CONTRIBUTIONTO KNOWLEDGE

Blended Learning policy at institutional level, Learning and Teaching Framework, e-learning policy,use of the Blackboard VLE (Weblearn)

No formal mechanism to collect students feedback on the VLE, apart from standard university module questionnaires

Quality of the students learning experience, student feedback

Need for informed and reflective practice for researcher and colleagues,monitoring and evaluation of programmes, sharing good practice, contribution to staff development, why choosingbeginners of French

Previous research: institutions, particular aspects of VLEs, technologies other than VLEs, different contexts such asdistance learning, other subjects. This research is about the Blackboard VLE for blended learning and ModernForeign Languages. Also, importance of researching languages in a globalised society

Research conducted by a practitioner, shared with practitioners and beyond, possibility to replicate of expand the study

Educational discourse, technology-enhanced learning, digital literacies, independent learning and autonomy /Findings of this research: students preference to be guided by lecturers, lecturers role

Implications for pedagogical practices, including staff development (currently and in the future, formally and informally)

Contribution to process of dissemination already engaged (presentations, publications and participation to staffdevelopment sessions


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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

How do beginners and post-beginners of French usethe VLE at the targetedinstitution? Why?

What is their attitude towards it? Why?

Do their level (beginners of post-beginners), status (undergraduate, post-graduate,external student etc...) or lecturer have an impact on their experience of the VLE?

Rationale for these questions


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THEORETICALCONSIDERATIONS

4 elements of research Crotty (2003:3)

epistemologya way of understanding and explaininghow we know what we know and thetheory of knowledge embedded in thetheoretical perspective and thereby inthe methodology

theoretical perspective

the philosophical stance informing themethodology

methodology

the strategy, action plan, process ordesign lying behind the choice ofparticular methods

methods or data collection tools

the techniques or procedures used togather and analyse data

My research

epistemology: constructionist principles

There is no objective truth waiting for us to discover it. Truth or meaningcomes into existence in and out of our engagement with the realities in ourworld [] in this understanding of the knowledge, it is clear that differentpeople may construct meaning in different ways, even in relation to thesame phenomenon(Crotty 2003: 8&9)

theoretical perspective

a combined interpretivist and post-positivist approach

methodologyphenomenology

A phenomenological study describes the meaning for several individuals oftheir lived experiences of a concept or a phenomenon. Phenomenologistsfocus on describing what all participants have in common as they

experience a phenomenon. (Creswell 2007:57)

methodsmixed-method approach combining a qualitative and quantitative treatmentof datastudent self-completion questionnaires (with closed and open questions),follow-up interviews (semi-directed)


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DATA COLLECTION TOOLSAND ANALYSIS

Sampling

All the beginners and post-beginners of French,

minus absentees and those who opted out

Data collection tools

96 self-completion questionnaires

(closed and open questions)

6 follow-up interviews

A clear focus on students

A mixed approach to research,

with a combined qualitative and

quantitative treatment of data

SPSS

Analysis of open questions and interview data

What worked / did not work


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EMERGING THEMES

Impact on pedagogical practices

Garrison & Anderson (2003) Garrison & Vaughan (2008) Garrison (2011)

Normalisation of technologies

Bax (2003, 2006 & 2011) Chambers & Bax (2006)

Notion of digital literacies in our daily lives, in formal learning contexts and students habits

Ellis & Goodyear (2010)

Models of learning / Need for progression in steps and for scaffolding

Five-stage framework (Salmon 2002) & Model of Teaching and Learning Online (Salmon 2011)

Developmental model of effective e-learning (Sharpe & Beetham 2010)

Laurillard (2002, 2008 & 2012)

Need to guide students

Ellis & Goodyear (2010) Littlejohn & Pegler (2007)

Tammelin et al (2008 & 2011) Walker et al (2010)

Students attitudes, views and behaviour but also lecturers beliefs, practices and

pedagogical skills .... + context of the study

More information on findings available on http://ticheler.blogspot.com


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presentation edd march 2012

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