Pedagogy supplants technology to bridge the digital divide. Mat Schencks Lisette Toetenel Institute of Educational Technology and Technology Enhanced Learning, The Open University, UK.

Literature Divide has traditionally been explained due to lack of practitioner's ability to utilise technology Teaching capability, technology and knowledge of pedagogy which often come second to a practitioner’s interest in a discipline (Simuth and Sarmany-Schuller, 2012) Students’ main aim is to improve their employment opportunities (Li et al., 2016), the practitioners focus on subject knowledge is almost directly opposite

Hypothesis The knowledge and use of technology by academics has little impact on their approach to teaching, whilst knowledge of pedagogy plays a much greater role in developing twenty first century learning materials.

Methodology – data collection 1.Survey was distributed in May 2016 to 15 academic staff members, N=11 2.Survey included multiple choice questions as well as descriptive statements, 3.Telephone and face-to-face follow up semi-structured interviews N=4

Methodology – data analyis 1.Electronic data collection, 2.Word clouds 3.Initial data presented during interviews 4.Transcription of interviews 5.Content analysis, coded as; Purpose Example Evidence Tool Barriers (not reported)

Findings - survey Which of the following technologies do you use more than once a week?

Findings - survey How have your scholarship projects positively impacted on your teaching? How confident are you in your ability to design high quality online learning experiences? Reasonably confident – 64% Very confident – 36%

Findings - survey

Findings - interviews Purpose (reasons for use of pedagogy and technology) Active learning Learning outcomes Keeping material up to date Appropriate, suitable and useful for teaching Student preferences Build rapport with students Develop social side of learning Students see how things work themselves Interactivity Academic skills that are transferable Relevance Effective

Findings - interviews Tool Technology Blogs, social media Quizzes Pedagogy Staff development and seminars

Findings - interviews Evidence Evaluation of those to see whether it does work Literature (Salmon, Biggs and York) Management metrics Information cascading through module teams and faculties about things that seem to work Informal evaluation

Findings - interviews Example Pedagogy Constructing knowledge through exploring an issue for themselves Learn better when learning is part of a group Set a puzzle and then go on to teach, those colleagues think it’s better for students, Technology Text books to lay foundations Navigation More variety online so it is harder to get a handle on it example use for quote

Discussion Lack of data from the survey meant that pedagogy could not be considered in relation to technology The term ‘student’ is mentioned when designing offline learning experiences but not online learning experiences Offline learning experiences descriptions are clear – online more generic – are we less clear what it should look like?

Discussion Purpose of both the use of technology and pedagogy depends on the needs of the students, informed by learning outcomes and students’ preferences and experience. Pedagogy is not mentioned often, knowledge is ‘implicit’ whilst technology is discussed more ‘explicit’ Role of the academic; subject expert or educator

Discussion Technology (explicit) Pedagogy (implicit) Learning Outcome s Effective learning experiences Previous experiences Evaluation Student preferences Technical barriers Comfort zone Literature Activity level LO (implicit)

Limitations Small sample size Bias in sample selection Feedback from participants suggested that not all answer options were clear.

Conclusions.. Lack of clarity as to what an online learning experience looks like The digital divide is not caused by lack of access to technology by teachers Pedagogy does not seem to be main reason either, more complex story Would perceived purpose or situated knowledge have something to do with it?

Further research Investigate the focus on subject-based scholarship and the need to share ‘good’ learning experiences with colleagues across the university Potential to extend sample size and consider a more in- depth study

Contact Technology Enhanced Learning Mat Schencks  Learning Design Team Lisette Toetenel 

References Li, N., Marsh, V., Rienties, B., Modeling and managing learner satisfaction: use of learner feedback to enhance blended and online learning experience. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, (in press). Simuth, J., Sarmany-Schuller, I., Principles for e- pedagogy. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46,