Effective learning & teaching using the VLE Janet Macdonald, OU in Scotland OU in Ireland Staff Development Conference 8-9 May 2009

Agenda... 1.Learning with technologies: past and present 2.Learning in a tutor group 3.Using VLE tools to support tutor group 4.Learning in wider communities 5.Tutor communities

1985

Access issues in 1985 “ The telephone I used was in a shop belonging to a friend and in addition to poor connexions I was constantly interrupted by customers shouting their orders.” I don’t use telephone tuition – I don’t think one can learn a great deal in a cold draughty phone box on a wet night

2000

2003

Text messages… “Text messaging from mobile phones was invented about 1995 and has become extremely popular in some circles because it is cheap, unobtrusive and private. Users enter messages pressing 2 once for ‘A’, twice for ‘B’, three times for ‘C’ and so on. Not all of us are comfortable with the medium…” 2003

2008 Grassroots Video Collaboration Webs Mobile Broadband Data Mashups Collective Intelligence Social Operating Systems 2007 User created content Social networking Mobile phones Virtual worlds New scholarship Multiplayer educational games 2009 Mobiles Cloud computing Geo-everything The personal web Semantic aware apps Smart objects

“We build on our strengths!”

Thinking about intentions…

2. Learning in a tutor group

Types of interaction Tutor with individual Tutor with group FormalAssignment feedbackTutorials InformalIndividual needsKeeping in touch Macdonald, 2006

Individual support: assignments In my feedback I wanted to raise her confidence in her own ability and point her in the direction of improving – particularly with analysis of the course materials.

Individual support: pastoral...Peter was asking me to be flexible about his TMA submissions since he’s been posted to Afghanistan – obviously I’ve said that I will be flexible but if he could try and let me know if any are going to be really late.

Group support: participation & engagement Saturday's tutorial was attended by 7 students, 2 of them first-timers. Now ing handouts to non-attendees. I feel guilty if I don't do this and rather resentful having to do it at all. Whether my efforts are as beneficial as I fondly imagine is hard to tell and takes us back to the question of what factors influence student learning.

Tutoring individuals and groups Individuals Assignment feedback yes, but…pastoral support also a significant part of tutoring Groups Yes in theory but…participation and engagement is problematic –Which students are we supporting? –What are we trying to achieve in tutorials? –Is there a case for better integration with course design? –Do online tools help?

3. Using VLE tools to support the tutor group For more go to:

Types of interaction Tutor with individual Tutor(s) with group CT/other unit designed activity Student with student FormalAssignment feedback Learning activities Collaborative projects & peer assmnt InformalIndividual needs Keeping in touch Course wide groups Peer support; social networking

Elluminate

An online book of good practice in tutor groups (wiki)

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 e-learning publications and conferences If you work in the school sector, you might be interested in a new publication by the UK's agency BECTa: Emerging technologies for learning (volume 2) […] However prospective H809'ers might also be wanting to take a step back to ask questions such as...  How strong is the evidence for claims?  Are alternative explanations possible? […] posted by James Aczel at 11:11 am 0 comments Keeping in touch (blog)

Sharing info with your group (portfolio)

Enhancing assignment feedback and feed forward (audio clips)

4. Learning in wider communities

A “running commentary” (course forum) Sunday: 38 messages / 9 threads: Three separate messages saying they wished they had found this site before!... Of course there are two elements – people surely need the help but could we cope if everybody actually came on? Monday: 41 messages / 6 threads I note that two of the threads are the same – in fact the same questions have been asked and answered already many times…that prompted me to set up a FAQ… (Jo Haycock, Diary of a moderator, PILS)

Help with some difficult concepts (quiz)

Revision and exam prep 8JrWBf7ghttp://kzx100studysupportrevising.pbwiki.com/?pwd=Dd 8JrWBf7g Revision support (wiki) F Harkes, TOP

Model answers (forum or wiki) Teacher: How would you answer this question? Students That’s tricky. Here’s my attempt That’s great. I might also have added…. (Macdonald, 2001)

Advice from alumni (wiki)

Library designed activities for searching resources (quiz etc)

Peer support (Facebook)

Peer mentoring (forum) “The fact that the mentors had been on the course recently was invaluable as was the fact that it was a Scottish group and I scheduled a date in my diary to log on and check it out as a way of easing myself into the first few weeks of study” Scottish Peer Support: DD100 & K101 (2007 and 2008)

5. Tutor communities..

Online tutor communities keep you sane.. “…a great way to get in touch with other [tutors], to keep in touch with the course team about things that we need advice about, or for us to give our own views and feedback. It’s also a great way to share a smile and a joke occasionally… many of us work in far flung places…so it’s good to feel part of a body of people from time to time.” (Macdonald & Hewling, 2008)

Use of blogging for tutor reflection in PET project Sharing experiences of tutoring (Promoting Effective Tutoring Project, )

Sharing examples of good practice

Sharing good practice on tutoring History (Macdonald & Black, in press)

Talking Point is coming soon…

Learning Development Team OU in Scotland