Different paths to the finish line or running a separate race: Contrasting institution, staff, student and ‘expert’ perspectives on online learning Professor Barney Dalgarno Director uImagine Digital Learning Laboratory Charles Sturt University

Big question for this presentation Does the utopian future for technology enabled learning in higher education proposed by online learning visionaries align with the perspectives of institutional leaders, academic staff and students?

The Vision Deep student engagement with content, peers, teachers, the professions and the institution. Technologies affording enhanced engagement, flexibility and responsiveness to student learning needs.

Content engagement Learning designs for online engagement Media rich online resources, purpose built or best of breed OERs Online synchronous access to lectures with recordings for learner centred study Interactive learning resources (e.g. simulations) for immersive engagement with content and conceptual ideas Formative feedback through quizzes supporting self regulation

Content - Media rich online learning resources Resources designed for online Textual content supported by high quality images, videos, animations Scaffolded learning journeys with multiple pathways Embedded learning activities including web discovery, shared reflection, peer discussion Reuse and repurposing but with high production values

Content engagement Learning designs for online engagement Media rich online resources, purpose built or best of breed OERs Rethinking role of lectures for learner centred content engagement Interactive learning resources (e.g. simulations) for immersive engagement with content and conceptual ideas Formative feedback through quizzes supporting self regulation

Content - Thinking differently about lectures Flipped classroom models allowing individual self-paced engagement with content ahead of classes designed for rich discussion Live streaming of traditional lectures to enhance flexibility Lecture recording to allow learner centred study by those present or absent

Content engagement Learning designs for online engagement Media rich online resources, purpose built or best of breed OERs Rethinking role of lectures for learner centred content engagement Interactive learning resources for immersive engagement with content and conceptual ideas Formative feedback through quizzes supporting self regulation

Content – Interactive resources with embedded feedback Procedural simulations allowing practice in a safe environment Conceptual simulations allowing experimentation and visualisation Virtual worlds for exploration of professional contexts with peers Self-marking quizzes for regular formative feedback Automated content delivery for individualised support

Peer and teacher engagement Cooperative learning to maximise opportunities for knowledge construction and reconstruction with peer feedback Co-creation of authentic learning products and artefacts Mobile social media for 24/7 peer and teacher engagement

Peers - Cooperative and collaborative learning Value of cooperative learning well established empirically (e.g. Slavin; Johnson & Johnson) Opportunities for immediate and ongoing feedback on construction and articulation of knowledge representation (at scale) Collaboration as a highly valued graduate attribute, emerging online support for authentic co-construction Online support improving (e.g. social media, student created discussion threads, breakout rooms in web conferencing)

Peer and teacher engagement Cooperative learning to maximise opportunities for knowledge construction and reconstruction with peer feedback Co-creation of authentic learning products and artefacts Mobile social media for 24/7 peer and teacher engagement

Peers and teachers - Mobile social media Capture reflections and ideas as soon as they occur Immediate validation (likes) for shared ideas Notifications of new discussion threads or responses to own postings Somebody is always studying when you are (so you are never alone) Any time study in bite sized chunks (while acknowledging the need for deep engagement)

Engagement with the profession Simulations and role plays for early experience of practice Virtual visits to sites of practice during class using high definition video conferencing Shared reflection during practice with peer and teacher feedback using mobile social media Mobile enabled reporting for reduced administration and greater responsiveness

Institutional engagement Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems which ensure cohesive student interactions with academic and support staff Campuses designed for interactive learning experiences in learning spaces, study spaces and social spaces Provision of strong base of technology infrastructure and genuine support for BYO device

Flexibility: polysynchronous learning environments Synchronous remote access to lectures and workshops Tools for multiple streams of dialogue in all classes with seamless access to those present and online Recordings of synchronous sessions for asynchronous access and discussion forums for ongoing engagement Polls and online ‘clickers’ for group engagement with content whether present or online

Responsiveness: learning analytics for design, support and feedback Data informed decisions on admissions and alternative pathways Proactive support for those with known risk factors Just in time support for disengaged or ill focussed students Data informed learning designs and redesigns Responsiveness to cohort needs during teaching sessions (automated or teacher led)

Back to the question: Do the perspectives of institutional leaders, academic staff and students align with the utopian future for technology enabled learning in higher education proposed by online learning visionaries?

Institutional perspective Key concerns: Load (and connection to income) Staff and infrastructure costs Measures of quality (e.g. CEQ, UES) Attrition/retention Graduate employment Overall reputation/brand And in a deregulated market: Market value of courses So online learning strategies need to: Bring in new cohorts of students Reduce staff and infrastructure costs Improve quality in measurable ways Reduce attrition or maintain retention Increase graduate employability Align with institutional vision/brand Be marketable

Institutional perspective Strategies of interest: Campus based – online or blended courses (flexibility towards load) Blending face to face and online (quality, cost) Analytics strategies that identify students at risk (retention) Increased engagement with profession (employability) Efficiencies in enrolment, CRM, management of work placements, assessment and grading (cost) Need convincing of: Technologies affording changes in pedagogy Strategies leading to deeper learner engagement Analytics strategies that inform learning design decisions

Academic staff perspectives Results from a Survey completed by 178 CSU teaching staff members in 2014

Academic staff perspectives Diversity in perspectives: Research focussed teaching academics whose primary teaching aim is to achieve minimum outcomes with a manageable time commitment Committed teaching and research academics open to new teaching approaches but mindful of the impact on research time Innovative teaching focussed academics striving to achieve high quality learning outcomes

Research focussed academic staff perspective Value: Lectures (large group impact, reuse of prepared material) Exams (efficient marking, no expectation of feedback) Group assessment (reduced marking load) Need convincing: Technology afforded pedagogical approaches (extra work) Regular engagement with profession Flexibility for students (students should be expected to show up) Analytics dashboards (increased expectations for teaching staff) Institutional standards in pedagogy or technology (force unwanted change)

Committed teaching (and research) perspective Value Interactive learning resources but need help to create or locate Online teaching if sufficient workload, training and support Online peer engagement if supporting infrastructure provided Some engagement with profession Polysynchronous learning if training and support Analytics if easy to use Need convincing: Social media for 24/7 CRM Use of technologies beyond the institutional LMS

Innovators Value Interactive learning resources including OERs Online strategies for peer engagement Social media Polysynchronous learning Learning analytics Engagement with profession Need convincing: Institutional standards in pedagogy or technology (constrain innovation in technologies, tools and approaches)

Student perspectives From a survey completed in 2014 by 1576 CSU students Take home message is that most students value educational technology only for convenience – they don’t see it as changing the teaching and learning process

Student perspectives Diversity in perspectives, some classic examples: On campus school leaver achievement oriented On campus school leaver with surface learning disposition, busy social life, motivated to graduate but not passionate about discipline Online part-time mature age working professional with family commitments focused on graduating with clear ideas about own learning needs

Achievement oriented on campus student perspective Value Clarity of expectations Alignment between learning activities and assessment Quality materials and face to face content delivery Supplementary interactive resources Regular formative feedback Engagement with motivated peers online or face to face Engagement with profession Need convincing: Group work with with random peers (potential to reduce own grade) Polysynchronous learning (don’t experience a need for the extra flexibility, haven’t experienced other benefits) Analytics (not well understood)

Surface engagement school leaver Value Highly structured content with explicit links to assessment (‘spoon feeding’) Recording of lectures Informal engagement with peers (to get help when needed) Online discussion forums (as a catch up mechanism) Need convincing: Supplementary interactive resources Group assessment (constrains flexibility) Analytics (don’t like being targeted when appearing disengaged)

Online mature age professional Value Clarity of assessment and alignment with activities and resources Quality feedback on assessment Quality online resources Interactive resources with regular self assessment Optional asynchronous discussions Engagement with profession Recorded synchronous sessions Polysynchonous learning Need convincing: Group assessment tasks Compulsory synchronous online activities

Elements of visionInstitutionStaffStudent Interactive learning resources?? Online peer engagement??? CRM ? Polysynchronous learning ? Online engagement with profession ? Analytics ? ? = clear support, ? = needs convincing or mixed perspectives Summary

Conclusion The first steps towards achieving our vision are to: a)understand institutional goals, values and constraints; b)appreciate the differing perspectives of academic staff from research intensive to teaching focused; and c)acknowledge the diversity of students and student learning needs. Only from this understanding can we create a strategy that : a)Addresses the needs and perceived needs of the various stakeholders; and b)Moves us closer to our aspirational utopia of quality technology supported learning.