Developing a culture of blended learning innovation Graham Galbraith & Jon Alltree, facilitated by Mark Russell Joint Information Systems Committee Supporting education and research

Session practice Text-chatting Elluminate layout Audio Whiteboard Technical problems Use the text-chat to engage with other delegates, presenter and moderators. You can send private text-chat messages e.g. to moderators or to individuals. You can change your Elluminate layout to “Wide layout” to make it easier to follow the text-chat (select “View … Layouts…Wide layout”). If you are distracted by the text-chat, you can “unlock” the Elluminate layout to enable you to adjust the size and position of the text-chat sub-window (uncheck “View…Layouts …Layout locked”) It is best to run the Audio Set-up Wizard to test your audio set-up each time you enter an Elluminate room (select “Tools…Audio… Audio setup wizard). You must use a headset/microphone if you want to ask a question in audio. Only use your microphone when guided by a moderator – click on the mic icon (bottom-left of screen) to turn it on and click on it again to turn it off. Only draw on the whiteboard if guided by a moderator. Send a private text-chat message to “moderators” and they will try to help. Joint Information Systems Committee

Professor Graham Galbraith Deputy Vice-Chancellor Presenters Professor Graham Galbraith Deputy Vice-Chancellor University of Hertfordshire Dr Jon Alltree Director of Learning and Teaching Dr Mark Russell Deputy Director, Blended Learning Unit Facilitator Joint Information Systems Committee

Developing a Culture of Blended Learning Innovation 5th International JISC Online conference Innovating e-learning 2010 Professor Graham Galbraith, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr Jon Alltree, Director of Learning and Teaching University of Hertfordshire

Response to the pre-conference discussion Innovation and embedding at UH Looking forwards and thinking the unthinkable

Leadership, management and balance... From the discussion forum Leadership, management and balance... Who should lead developments in students’ technology supported learning experience? Can we equate the student ‘output’ standards of the same programme where different modes of education are experienced (e-learning, blended, traditional)? What is the right balance between blended or e- learning delivery? In what ways is it subject and level dependent? Should base-line expectations be set across an institution?

A brief history of (our) time...

In what, if any, ways does this experience have parallels with your own institution? For example: A long term strategic vision? Scaling up local innovations? An institution-wide VLE? Please post your responses in the chat box

StudyNet The University of Hertfordshire Manage Learning Environment The backbone of our engagement with Blended Learning In-house development, based on Lotus Notes Drew on the VALE experience and expertise It had to be scaleable, therefore built on these principles: Efficient: Automated population of databases with students and staff MLE had to talk to MIS Easy to use: Technology brought to individuals not the other way round Mainly Do-It-Yourself not Do-It-For-Me Implemented strategically Top level support StudyNet Development group – ‘bottom-up’ input into functionality StudyNet pedagogic project group Champions Staff development Targets

VALE Collaboration with Ford Needs of distance learners Resources and collaboration facilities One of team moved to central unit

StudyNet rolled out in 2000 Needed to link to other systems Needed to be simple to use MIS also bespoke

StudyNet interface Simple Personalised and configurable New features added

Blended Learning Unit Educational provision where high quality e-learning opportunities and excellent campus based learning are combined or blended in coherent, reflective and innovative ways so that learning is enhanced and choice is increased UH CETL bid

Which is the optimum level at which to foster the development of Blended Learning for staff and student benefit? Informal self-sustaining networks School/Departmental approaches Faculty approaches Institutional approaches If ‘other’, please enter your thoughts in the chat box

Blended Learning Unit Reducing barriers Classroom spec review (supporting LIS) Laptops for all academics Wireless enabled classrooms Staff development Curriculum Design and Innovation Individual and group projects BLUSky funding CABLE (HEA Pathfinder Project) ESCAPE (JISC Curriculum Delivery Project) Campaigns eg Podcasts Video

Blended Learning Innovation Allowing people to experiment/innovate critical and a basis for the future

Success Factors for embedding Blended Learning at the University of Hertfordshire Office of the Vice-Chancellor support Targets driving StudyNet engagement Staff development to support engagement with targets Targeted funding for Blended Learning initiatives Ease of use of StudyNet Local champions promoting and supporting StudyNet and Blended Learning Bottom-up ownership of StudyNet Development Partnership initiatives (CABLE and ESCAPE)

Which of these would/do have the most impact in your institution? Office of the Vice-Chancellor support Targets driving MLE/VLE engagement Staff development to support engagement with targets Targeted funding for Blended Learning initiatives

Which of these would/do have the most impact in your institution? Ease of use of your MLE/VLE Local champions promoting and supporting VLE usage and Blended Learning Bottom-up ownership of VLE Development Partnership initiatives for change management

Next steps ... Allowing people to experiment/innovate critical and a basis for the future

Distance and flexible Learning Geographically remote learners Campus based learners Assessment and feedback EVS and Objective testing Reengineering of other assessment strategies

Distance and flexible learning 25% target by 2015 At least 10% remote learning (up from 3.8%) PVC project Business development At least 15% of our campus based students’ modules online plus classroom (50+% of a module’s structured learning activities online) Learning and Teaching Institute support Student experience Green agenda Champions and local targets

Objective testing and large scale approach to EVS EVS/Objective testing Each student has own handset available for all sessions Central support for Questionmark PerceptionTM mediated exams Pedagogic benefits Greater interactivity, engagement and inclusivity in class Regular low stakes testing Module feedback Efficiency savings Decreased marking time Fewer referrals Increased progression

Our future Challenges Technical Organisational Sectoral The relationship between the VLE and external services (iTunesU, YouTube, googledocs etc) Organisational Data accuracy (staff rather than students) Increased flexible learning Sectoral Published information and F2F contact

What are your future challenges? Please post your responses in the chat box

Recent events and drivers for change.... From the discussion forum Recent events and drivers for change.... Do the implementation of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the Government’s version of Browne create a new impetus for Technology Supported Learning? Is e-learning primarily about reducing the long term costs of mass education or is it about improving student experience or both? A key issue for the future will be transparency of student data. What is the best way of measuring student engagement with learning; and will publishing student ‘contact hours’ disincentivise e-learning developments? Will the anticipated growth in private providers force the existing universities to re-consider the role of technology in supporting learning?

Web image acknowledgements Apple.com Cellnet.org Facebook.com Hubpages.com Listserve.com Martini.com Oldcomputers.net P Brennan P Chatterton PC museum.com Turningtechnologies.co.uk YouTube.com