Engagement in educational technology What are (your) needs & preferred approaches for professional & curriculum development?

Models for staff development Formally accredited coursesFormally accredited courses Loosely-coupled workshopsLoosely-coupled workshops Funded projectsFunded projects Teaching fellowsTeaching fellows Collaboration (staff secondments & learning technologists)Collaboration (staff secondments & learning technologists) ConsultativeConsultative Informal learningInformal learning

Engaging lecturers, students & specialists with the development process The ANNIE Project as an example

Developing courses and capabilities ReviewingReviewing PlanningPlanning ImplementingImplementing SupportingSupporting EvaluatingEvaluating DisseminatingDisseminating TransferringTransferring Project development interweaved with staff development.

The ANNIE Project Description of activities

Accessing & Networking with National and International Expertise Linking together UK universities and outside experts Universities are Warwick, Kent, De Montfort, Exeter, Queens BelfastUniversities are Warwick, Kent, De Montfort, Exeter, Queens Belfast Experts in Kansas, Vancouver, Frankfurt and around UK (BBC, Blast Theory and universities listed above)Experts in Kansas, Vancouver, Frankfurt and around UK (BBC, Blast Theory and universities listed above)

ANNIE project: activities Provide access to experts for students of performance studies in various learning situations.Provide access to experts for students of performance studies in various learning situations. Evaluate the experience.Evaluate the experience. Determine good practiceDetermine good practice –using technology in learning and teaching –encouraging its implementation.

Case study scenarios The scenarios essentially involved three types of approach: accessing of expertise from outside of these institutions,accessing of expertise from outside of these institutions, delivery of expertise located within the institutions to students at a distance,delivery of expertise located within the institutions to students at a distance, use of distance learning mechanisms to deliver courses within the same institution.use of distance learning mechanisms to deliver courses within the same institution.

Formats used Synchronous communication Asynchronous communication External resource Visual Desktop and room- based video- conferencing Uploaded videos and image CD-ROMs Web sites Audio Audio- conferencing, Telephone (VoIP bulletin boards)(wav files) TextChat roomsFora, uploaded texts and essays, handouts, Web sites Books

ANNIE Project: approaches Engagement with academic staff

Pedagogical aims  to provide students with diversity of experience and information;  to enhance learning and teaching processes by incorporation of appropriate new technologies;  to reflect the changing nature of theatre.

Main considerations Which technology will best meet the pedagogical aims of the activity?Which technology will best meet the pedagogical aims of the activity? How can we use the technology to best meet the learning needs of the students?How can we use the technology to best meet the learning needs of the students? Will employing technology for this activity have a deleterious effect on the rest of the learning activities within the module?Will employing technology for this activity have a deleterious effect on the rest of the learning activities within the module? Is there any superfluous use of ICT?Is there any superfluous use of ICT?

Factors affecting choice of technology Should the engagement with technology be a discrete activity or underpin the entire course? (discrete/continuous)Should the engagement with technology be a discrete activity or underpin the entire course? (discrete/continuous) What is the nature of the students’ relationship with technology during the activity? (technology foregrounded/hidden)What is the nature of the students’ relationship with technology during the activity? (technology foregrounded/hidden) Is the ICT literacy expected of the students high or low?Is the ICT literacy expected of the students high or low?

Concerns regarding technology It may not be reliableIt may not be reliable It may not be able to implemented (e.g. through firewalls, correct plug-ins available)It may not be able to implemented (e.g. through firewalls, correct plug-ins available) It may be too difficult to implementIt may be too difficult to implement It may require too many additional resourcesIt may require too many additional resources

Concerns regarding technology -2 The amount of time spent on the activity is too much compared to its relative importance within the course.The amount of time spent on the activity is too much compared to its relative importance within the course. It may be inappropriate to expect theatre and performance studies students to acquire a high ICT literacy when this is not a required skill for their discipline (“they’ve come here to learn how to be a tree, not press buttons”)It may be inappropriate to expect theatre and performance studies students to acquire a high ICT literacy when this is not a required skill for their discipline (“they’ve come here to learn how to be a tree, not press buttons”)

The ANNIE Project Review of implementation

Strengths  Had involvement of a specific school  Academics set agenda  Few changes in working practices  Provided a manageable and easily implemented technology

Weaknesses  Central services gatekeepers but not stakeholders  No in-house technical support to continue work

Institutional changes IT support integrated into schoolsIT support integrated into schools Instigate service culture within service departmentsInstigate service culture within service departments Decentralise AV and IT resourcesDecentralise AV and IT resources Balance security and communicationBalance security and communication

Engaging with new learning technologies Consider the various starting points for lecturers, students and the institution (including support depts) as a wholeConsider the various starting points for lecturers, students and the institution (including support depts) as a whole Determine IT skills, resources & equipment requiredDetermine IT skills, resources & equipment required Spend time on (Sub-)Project managementSpend time on (Sub-)Project management Involve departmental participation not just individual innovatorsInvolve departmental participation not just individual innovators Evaluate and improvement continually not just at the endEvaluate and improvement continually not just at the end Identify opportunities to inform strategy and identify further support needsIdentify opportunities to inform strategy and identify further support needs Build on success!Build on success!