through the eyes of the learner key findings and thoughts on the learners use and perceptions about...
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Through the eyes of the learner
Key findings and thoughts on the learners’ use and perceptions about e-learning
Ellen Lessner, JISC Learner Experience Scoping Study 7 July 2006
JISC E-Learning and Pedagogy
Overall aim: to ensure that e-learning in the UK post-16 sector is:
‘pedagogically sound, learner-focused and accessible’
And the point is?
The learner experience is changing Formal and informal learning is taking place on the
www as well as in coffee bars
What do we know about this experience? Scoping study literature review (Sharpe et al,
2005) found that most research was teacher or institution based Outside of the classroom, not many people were
asking the individual learner about their experience of technology and learning
The situation:
This strand aims to:
The Learner
The Practitioner
The Developer
•The managers
•The design of buildings and
spaces
The studies hope to find out…
•How do learners experience ‘e-Learning?
•What makes for an effective e-learner?
•What aspects of the learner behaviour need closer scrutiny?
•What aspects of the learner experience are effective and can be built on?
3 JISC funded projects
Scoping, support and synthesis
Literature review of HE, FE and ACL found very little research from the learner’s point of view
Much of the literature is teacher focused or evaluated a specific course or technology
Concept maps and a report are available from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/elp_learneroutcomes.htm
LEX study structure – HE,FE,ACL
Start from the premise that learners are experts on their own experiences
Has completed 22 interviews and 6 focus groups to gather information – 55 learners
3 HE, 4 FE, 2 ACL Community based Work based LearnDirect Undergraduates and post graduates Adults learning online at home and at work
Emerging themes from the LEX study…
Personalisation of environment
Influence of/on family
Strategies/ways of coping
Motivation to use technology
Control & choices
Course design issues
Fitting learning around life
Expectations of technology
Time management
It’s complicated!
Findings from the draft of the LEX report:
Emergent themes were common across all sectors, ages and stages of learning
Few learners talked about ‘e-learning’. For most it was simply another method to help them learn
Effective learners were those who were confident, able to network through a variety of communication channels, highly effective time managers, and had the skill to integrate and balance learning with work, leisure and family commitmentsTechnology rates as a relatively minor factor
in the profiles of those who might describe themselves as effective learners!
The learner perspective (LEX) -
What factors influence what I do with my learning?
What factors influence how I feel about my learning?Control IdentityFeelingsRelationshipsAbilities
Learner XP project – Exploring subject differences - HE
IT, Medicine, Languages and Economics In conjunction with HE Academy subject
centres500 online surveys completed86 audio logs completed8 interviews to be completedIt’s not yet clear whether the use of e-
learning is discipline neutral (Conole)
Three interesting points
1. “There is a mismatch between an institution’s perception of the use of technology by learners and the actual use.” (Grainne Conole, 5/6/06)
2. “Analogue institutions in a digital world" Chris Yapp, Head of Public Sector Innovation, Microsoft, 5/6/06)
3. “There is an underworld of texting and messaging.” (Creanor, et al)
A word about research methods
Flexible to meet the widely differing situations of learners, capturing the learner voices through interviews, focus groups, audio files and questionnaires
Current methods of analysis of data need to be adopted, redefined, and tested….
‘Evolutionary’ (Creanor)
Time out !
Most of us are learners as well as teachers
Are you a digital immigrant or native?A bit of fun…
4. In a committee4. In a committee
3. MySpace3. MySpace
2. Public meetings 2. Public meetings
1. In the bar1. In the bar
Q1. Where did most of the action take place during the recent NUS elections?
No, not this time
Apparently not this time
Yes, and you are up to date or read the Guardian
When they are older this will be the right answer
For
fun
Source: Victor Keegan, Opinion, TechnologyGuardian, 1 June 2006
4. A social online community4. A social online community
3. A blog site3. A blog site
2. A bolt hole from work2. A bolt hole from work
1. A place to design a kitchen1. A place to design a kitchen
Q2. What is MySpace?
No, you probably don’t know anyone under 21.
No, not in this context
No, not really
Yes, well done! You probably know someone under 21.
For
fun
4. All of them4. All of them
3. Edinburgh3. Edinburgh
2. Leicester2. Leicester
1. Oxford1. Oxford
Q3. Which British University is experimenting with podcasting lectures?
Do they know what a podcast is?
Yes, 10 minutes which include a joke or rap
Maybe, but they weren’t in the news!
Probably in the not too distant future
For
fun
Source: The Guardian Education Higher Diary, 6 June 2006
4. It’s greek to me 4. It’s greek to me
3. A blog is private and a wiki isn’t3. A blog is private and a wiki isn’t
2. A wiki is private and a blog isn’t2. A wiki is private and a blog isn’t
1. A wiki is Hawaiian and a blog isn’t1. A wiki is Hawaiian and a blog isn’t
Q4. What is the difference between a wiki and a blog?
Wiki wiki is Hawaiian for ‘rapidly’
Yes, you can choose who you allow to access a wiki
No, you can search for blogs
You aren’t alone!For
fun
What’s your e-story?
An email from a colleague
The difference e-learning makes to some Deaf students
Video case studies – A day in the life of 5 learners and their use of technology to support their learning. A work in progress
For more information
JISC e-Learning and Pedagogy website: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/elearning_pedagogy.html
Sarah Knight, Programme Manager- Pedagogy and Innovation Strands of the JISC e-Learning Programme [email protected]
Ellen Lessner, Scoping, Support and Synthesis Group for the Learner Experience Projects, [email protected]