Whose needs count? The University under Pressure to fulfil the National e-Learning Benchmarking Dr. Berenice Rivera Macías, INSPIRE, Anglia Ruskin University This presentation is based on the ‘VLE Review Report’ by the Web Review Team, Anglia Ruskin University, October 2008.

e-Learning Context A movement towards the development and implementation of e-learning and e-teaching Further and Higher Education Sector FE and HE Institutions Variations across pre- and post-92 universities Context-specific learning and teaching experience

UCISA ‘Technology Enhanced Learning’ (TEL) defined by UCISA as: Any online facility or system that directly supports learning and teaching. This may include a formal VLE, an institutional intranet that has a learning and teaching component, a system that has been developed in house or a particular suite of specific individual tools. (Browne, Hewitt, Jenkins and Walker 2008:2).

UCISA Two challenges: The HEA e-learning benchmarking programme The rapid rise of Web 2.0 The required subsequent support needs to concentrate mainly on staff development and strategies (Browne, Hewitt, Jenkins and Walker 2008:7-10). This should be informed by rigorous research on staff and students’ perspectives (Bennett, Maton and Kervin 2008:10).

JISC Projects: Distributed e-learning Programme HEFCE funded for 2004-06 Developed technologies and explored cultural and organisational issues around the use of technology to support lifelong learning e-Framework: explores ways to enable service-oriented education technologies and improve interoperability between systems Learners’ Perspectives on e-Learning

Selected JISC Recommendations Based on the Learner’s Perspective on e-Learning Issues & Constraints Learner’s Perspective Implications for Institutions Implications for Tutors Staff reluctance to engage Turn to informal networks (peers, family, work colleagues) Allow creative learning design based around VLEs [Avoid passive-learning use of VLE] Need to develop their own skills in using technologies Unawareness of social technology and other technology used by students Levels of information technology literacy vary Support for individual learners [attention to the digital divide] Responsible to be techno-knowledgeable and support students across the spectrum of the digital divide Missing the opportunity to use them in learning and teaching Urgent need to establishing a culture of listening to learners Improving choice and flexibility. Allow learners to personalise their learning technologies when this has clear benefits Development units should come in assistance

Becta Building e-maturity remains a challenge across the educational sector (Becta 2007:9) The Harnessing Technology Strategy (Becta 2007:2) recommended: Fit-for-purpose technology, systems and resources Capability and capacity of the workforce, providers and learners Efficiency, effectiveness and value for money across the system Improving learner and systems performance

e-Learning & e-Teaching at a Post-92 University Adoption of a new Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Investing in the necessary ICT infrastructure Development of an institution-wide strategies for flexible and distance learning Higher Skills @ Work (Employer Engagement)

The Students’ View: Advantages and Disadvantages in Technology Supported Learning Flexibility time and space, less paper work. Rigidity feelings of isolation, dependence on others, dependence on information to be uploaded. Access speed, through various time and space, to on-line communication, to other and diverse students to tutors, to and through resources and information, to and through technology, to up-to-date information. Issues with Access when systems are down and connection fails, when technology is insufficient, with peers’ slow communication, with tutors’ late feedback, by the lack of provided and available training to students and tutors, unreliable sources of information.

The Students’ View: Advantages and Disadvantages in Technology Supported Learning SUPPORTS AND ENHANCES LEARNING addresses different learning styles, encourages self-learning as well as peer- learning, wide raging stimuli. LITTLE SUPPORT THAT HINDERS LEARNING poor support related functions, inadequate technical help, inconsistent academic support, issues with self-motivation. ATTRACTS MATURE STUDENTS develops skills, improves confidence. INTIMIDATING FOR STUDENTS stressful where training has not been provided, expensive, unfairness when not owning a computer, ambiguity in clarity causing misinterpretations and sense of unreliability among users.

The Staff’s View: Strengths & Weaknesses in Current VLE Flexibility time and space, less paper work Rigidity unmanageable, difficult to use links expire, out-of-date material cannot be removed, little flexibility in discussion boards, old-fashioned interface and operability, restrictive, one-dimensional, not very engaging, tutor have to get permission to enrol students not an intuitive tool

The Staff’s View: Strengths & Weaknesses in Current VLE ACCESS through various time and space, to on-line communication with students and between students, to and through resources and information, to and through technology, is safe, private and confidential, independently ISSUES WITH ACCESS when systems are down and connection fails, system is unavailable at times, students and staff setting VLE up in off-site PCs insufficient training to students and tutors (not enough e-confidence to use the VLE) SUPPORTS AND ENHANCES TEACHING varied used of materials (repository, quizzes, discussion forums) easy to track assignment submission allows formative assessment addresses different learning styles, controlled by the tutor, student tracking LITTLE SUPPORT THAT HINDERS TEACHING Insufficient training to staff scarce learning technologists, tools are poor (discussion, chat), not practical for all courses (e.g. NHS), over-controlled by the tutor, students have not input

Selected References Becta (2007) ‘Harnessing Technology Review 2007: Progress and Impact of Technology in Education.’ Available online: http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=33980&page=1835. Accessed on: 17/09/2008. Becta (2008) ‘Harnessing Technology Next Generation Learning 2008-14. A Summary.’ Available online: http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=37346. Accessed on: 18/09/2008. Becta (2008) ‘Institutional e-maturity’. Available online: http://feandskills.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?page=1897. Accessed on: 11/12/08. Bennett, Sue, Maton, Karl, and Kervin, Lisa (2008) ‘The ‘Digital Natives’ Debate: A Critical Review of the Evidence.’ In British Journal of Educational Technology. Vol. 39, 5:775-786. Available online: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/120173667/PDFSTART. Accessed on: 22/09/2008. Browne, Tom, Hewitt, Roger, Jenkins, Martin, and Walker, Richard (2008) ‘UCISA Survey. 2008 Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for Higher Education in the UK.’ UCISA. Available online: http://www.ucisa.ac.uk/publications/tel_survey.aspx. Accessed on: 18/09/2008. JISC (2007a) ‘In Their Own Words. Exploring the Learner’s Perspective on e-Learning.’ Available online: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/elearningpedagogy/iowfinal.pdf. Accessed on: 18/09/2008. JISC (2007b) ‘Student Expectations Study. Findings from Preliminary Research.’ Available online: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/studentexpectationsbpv1.pdf. Accessed on: 23/09/2008. JISC (2008a) ‘Distributed e-Learning Programme.’ Available online: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/edistributed. Accessed on: 18/09/2008. JISC (2008b) ‘Distributed e-Learning Programme. Stories from the Regional Pilot Projects.’ Available online: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/distributedelearning/delpilotsbrochure.pdf. Accessed on: 18/09/2008. JISC (2008c) ‘The e-Framework. Briefing Paper.’ Version 2 (April). Available online: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/publications/bpeframeworkv2.aspx. Accessed on: 18/09/2008.