ten tales of transformation

Ten Tales of TransformationHelen BeethamGreenwich, 6 July 2011

tales around the campfire...

... while the building is burning?

Stable job market in specific vocations and professions

Unstable job market: adaptability & management of multiple roles to the fore

Increasing public investment in post-compulsory education

Decreasing public investment in post-compulsory education

Assumption of higher education as a public good Assumption of higher education as a private good

Support for innovation and excellence in learning and teaching

Return on investment a priority

Institutions share many elements of their core business model

Diverse institutions including private institutions with different business models

Teaching, accreditation, research, content production, innovation, BCE all linked

Core activities disaggregated: specialisation of roles as well as institutions

Universities offer a wide range of disciplines and subject areas (enlightenment, ‘liberal arts’ model)

Course portfolios reflect market demand

Established methods, based in disciplines Emerging and mixed methods, interdisciplinary problem spaces

Learners have space and time to study and get qualified

Learners are fitting learning into their lives; continuing professional development the norm

Elite institutions attract international students All universities are seeking to exploit the global market in education and the UK HE brand

Transformations we’re facing

the technology fix story

technology per se does not...

• create time

• create money

• create opportunity

• offer resilience in uncertain times

Transformations we’re leading

Campus experience Diverse study locations including workplaces and satellite campuses (which may be overseas)

We know, we teach you Learners' capabilities a resource for the institution

Development interventions tending to be remedial

Graduate attributes addressed across programmes of study

Programmes developed to meet academic norms, committee-dominated and paper-based processes

Agile, responsive curriculum development,Collaborative approach to educational design

Technologies introduced according to the requirements of the curriculum

Curriculum modified by the impacts of technology in the environment

Modular assessment: focus on achievement within clearly defined curriculum goals

Cross-modular assessment: focus on self-efficacy and integrating skills/know-how

Hidden curriculum’ Curriculum transparent, richly described Learners describing their own curriculum

Courses defined by content Content is open, free, shared in subject communities, and dissociated from specific courses

Learning about and for the ‘outside world’ Learning in the world: borderless universities

Personal resources for learning and study Shared knowledge resources, knowledge networks

1. Campus experience Diverse study locations, students fitting learning into their life

'[WBL] shifts the balance whereby the academic facilitates the learning in a very different way. OER allow us to continue that shift, because learners sitting wherever – in Wrigleys, in a cafe – can access a range of resources suited to his or her own workplace. It's about democratising education.'

reflective practice | professional practice | literaciesresearch methods | leadership | management

coaching | mentoring

2. We know, we teach you Learners' capabilities a resource for the institution

2. We know, we teach you Learners' capabilities a resource for the institution

A student-led and operated enterprise trading in tacit knowledge/know-how contained in the student body,

providing a range of services to the university, students and business.

* web 2.0 drop-in sessions for staff/students* student surveys and institutional research* presentations to business* creating podcasts, digital stories and videos

3. Programmes developed to meet academic norms: committee-dominated and paper-based processes

Agile, responsive curriculum development, facilitated by trusted course information

Supporting Responsive CurriculaCourse database xcri compatibleSingle trusted source of course informationCompetence mapping in four exemplar subject areasAgile, responsive design process Supporting student showcasing



The first-year undergraduate curriculum is now on-line, which is already providing benefits in terms of sharing good practice and identifying areas where further central support is required...The PARM standing panel approach has proved agile, streamlined and cost-effective. Quality has been maintained by providing much tighter guidance to programme teams on structure and documentation and by focusing the Panel process on academic issues.



* workshops on integrating competences into the curriculum* use of visual aids to describe curriculum in shared ways* involving learners and employers in meaningful dialogue* exploring critical elements of the curriculum e.g. induction, transition, timing of assessments


Collaborative approach to educational design, shared understanding

* workshops on integrating competences into the curriculum* use of visual aids to describe curriculum in shared ways* involving learners and employers in meaningful dialogue* exploring critical elements of the curriculum e.g. creativity, information/digital literacies, learning activities

Viewpoints

Helped focus on learning and teaching from a student viewpoint

Course committee’s aren’t well attended... it’s good to talk

[we came up with] a structure that the whole group could be happy with (Students’ Union)


Collaborative approach to educational design, shared understanding

At Oxford Brookes University, ‘Digital Literacy’ is one of five graduate attributes, described with seven categories (cf. SCONUL’s 7 pillars of information literacy)

4. Development interventions tend to be remedial




Digital literacy is embedded into the curriculum through a focus on blended learning course design in intensive development sessions



“The development of this postgraduate nursing programme is based upon the belief that eLearning offers accessible, flexible,

modern learning methods aligned with the demands and expectations of 21st century professionals”.

Atelier-D experimented with online design environment, social networking, use of virtual worlds, knowledge mapping, videoconferencing, per to peer assessments..

5. Technologies are introduced according to the requirements of the curriculum




The project has informed the creation of a radically new, online course, ‘Design Thinking’. This was first presented in February 2010 and recruited 400 students...



The real challenge for institutions is... for students, researchers and teachers to thrive and excel in a digitally-enabled world.

The programme is designed specifically to support the integration of digital capability into the core activities of

educational institutions

6. Modular assessment: focus on achievement within clearly defined curriculum goals

Cross-modular assessment: focus on learner development and integration

4.1 When constructing my assessmentsubmission I focus my effort on learning(i.e. linking concepts together) rather thanjust presenting information.

4.2 When I receive feedback on myassessment I look carefully at thecomments, advice and encouragementand do not just concentrate on mymark/grade.

4.3 I take the time to review my ownassessment (self assessment) before andafter I submit my work.

4.4 I make sure I identify the positive aspectsof my own work as well as areas forimprovement.

4.5 I ensure any misconceptions I have aboutmy learning are voiced.

How about YOU?The ways I use assessment to support mylearning include…

ESCAPE Project Funded by the

4. Focuses on student development

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ESCAPE projectprinciples of effective assessment applied to the internet age



ESCAPE projectprinciples of effective assessment applied to the internet age



‘We are seeing transformative changes to assessment practices in the modules that the ESCAPE team have worked with. There is a much greater emphasis on the application of assessment-for-learning approaches. The pedagogy is supported by the use of appropriate aligned technologies such as; use of student-produced videos, Podcasts, Blogs, electronic submission of coursework, use of StudyNet to support group work and the use of wikis.’

Student-facing representations

Open content

Student engagement

Capture of design discussions -

7. ‘Hidden curriculum’ Curriculum is transparent, richly describedLearners describe their own curriculum

Rich course handbooks: constructive alignment

Course tasters: meaningful choices

Accessible info e.g. on mobile

Reflection, evidence of educational rationale

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7. ‘Hidden curriculum’ Curriculum is transparent, richly described

T-SPARC

It is of the upmost importance that programme teams generate artefacts that emerge naturally from their design activity and that we avoid a situation whereby people are constructing evidence/artefacts for the sake of being seen to do so. ..our forthcoming ‘Rough Guide to Curriculum Design’ will reinforce this agenda.

7. ‘Hidden curriculum’ Learners describe their own curriculum

Dynamic Learning Maps can be used to increase transparency in the curriculum in an interactive and participative way that more closely matches the changing experience and expectations of learners. It also has the potential to address drivers for PDP, employability, personalisation and student involvement in the curriculum.

8. Courses defined by content: content associated with specific courses e.g. in the VLE

Content is open, free, shared in subject communities, and dissociated from specific courses

• sharing ‘bite-sized’ and ‘in progress’ teaching resources encourages openness and cross-disciplinary sharing.

• open content can support minority/threatened subject areas

• community repository approach with Web 2.0 features maximises engagement and identification

• humanities staff are eager to share but have anxieties about ‘inappropriate’ repurposing

• an open but turnstile community develops trust which encourages sharing and feedback as a natural extension of existing practice

8. Courses defined by content: content associated with specific courses e.g. in the VLE

Content is open, free, shared in subject communities, and dissociated from specific courses

MoRSE

• on placement

• in the field

• web 2.0 tech

• GIS mash-up

• collaborative mapping (twitter)

9. Personal resources for learning and study

Shared knowledge resources, knowledge networks

10. Learning about and for the ‘outside world’

Learning inside out and outside in

9. Personal resources for learning and study

Shared knowledge resources, knowledge networks

10. Learning about and for the ‘outside world’

Learning inside out and outside in

The mix of public and private tasks, and institutional and third party technologies, has been complex... all cohorts appreciated the role that personal technologies could play and there was enthusiastic engagement with the GIS collaborative mash-up.

learning is transformed by...

• Materials that fit learning into living (e.g. podcasts, e-books)

• Practice of authentic tasks in authentic contexts

• Tech-enhanced support for learning away from campus

• Virtual environments for collaboration, demonstration, peer review (e.g. atelier settings)

• Inquiry-based, case-based and problem-based learning

• Recording and making learning visible (e-portfolio, digital TV)

• Feedback/assessment that is timely, reviewed, clarifies expectations (e.g. audio feedback, links to online support)

curriculum processes are transformed by...

• Focusing on the learning experience holistically (graduate attributes, eportfolio, developing identities)

• Assumption of open content

• Trusted information with multiple representations

• Transparent processes with shared artefacts, collaborative tools

• Streamlined admin systems allowing...

• focus on educational conversations, which can be...

• captured and reflected on in meaningful ways

• QA/QE oriented on negotiated, iterative enhancement

institutions are transformed by...

• New relationships with learners and potential learners not (yet) enrolled

• Delivering learning beyond the campus

• Diversification of professional roles

• Developing sustainable dialogues with employers and professional bodies

• Addressing digital literacy across the institution

• The right ‘action poetry’

technology per se does not...

• create time

• create money

• create opportunity

• offer resilience in uncertain times

technology + educational (re)thinking + cultural change can...

• transform learning

• transform curriculum practices

• transform learning organisations

technology + educational (re)thinking + cultural change can...

‘The project was about changing the culture and it was this that took time and effort.

Similarly, using the technologies to respond to the three key project themes was less a question of the technology per se, but more to do with the ways in which it was used within the particular environment, with the pedagogy and the surrounding curriculum design.’ (INTEGRATE)

tales around the campfire...

ten tales of transformation

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