Supporting academics in the effective use of digital technologies for learning and teaching Diana Laurillard, IOE

OUTLINE Developing the 21stC learner Technology to support the learner Supporting the 21stC lecturer Teaching as a learning experience Teaching as a design science

The 21 st Century University Broader knowledge base and wider choice of subjects Critical thinking and problem-solving Creativity and innovation Independent learning Communication / language skills Global outlook Leadership and teamwork skills Entrepreneurship Cultural appreciation Social and national responsibility Healthy lifestyle and lifelong learning capability 4 More subject areas Skill mixes for all subjects Values perspectives for all subjects FlexibilityDiversityOptionality  All create pressure on staff time

Developing the 21 st learner Characteristics of the new undergraduate curriculum Enhanced communication skills Active learning Global learning experience Work-integrated learning 5 Online discussion forum - Practice in an asynchronous context User content generation tools – Multimedia presentation skills - Using technology? Digital libraries – Inquiry-based learning with online support Modelling tools – Understanding a system through experiment Online courses – Flexible study in time and place Language broker sites – Learning and teaching with a ‘friend’ Virtual environments – Role-play simulations of real-world decisions Mobile learning tools – Digitally-supported site-specific learning “The key picture that emerges is that students are appropriating technologies to meet their own personal, individual needs – mixing use of general ICT tools and resources, with official course or institutional tools and resources” [Student experiences of TEL Report, JISC, 2006]

OUTLINE Developing the 21stC learner Technology to support the learner Supporting the 21stC lecturer Teaching as a learning experience Teaching as a design science

7 Technologies for transforming teaching? They are good for Presentation Access to information Administration - powerpoint, whiteboards… - digital libraries, search engines… - data management systems… Technology tools are not optimised for teaching Technology tools are optimised for business They are not good for Guiding inquiry Structuring discussion Orchestrating collaboration Adapting learners’ practice Designing learning activities - still in the research labs - little commercial interest in develoment and rollout

5 reasons for lack of technology innovation [Laurillard, in Opening Up Education, 2008, MIT Press] 1)Digital technologies are too new, and they do everything 2)Education is a complex system of powerful, stable drivers, which do not embrace technology 3)Education leaders are not comfortable with technology as a component of strategy 4)Education is national, political, public service - not so subject to market forces, or investment in innovation 5)Lecturers have neither the power nor the means to innovate

New media and delivery technologies for education – Recent history Interactive computers Local drives & discs WIMP interfaces Internet Multimedia Worldwide Web Laptops Search engines Broadband 3G mobiles Blogs 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s - new medium for articulating ideas - local storage with the user - devices for ease of access to content - mass production / distribution of content - elaborated forms of content - wide access to extensive content - personal portable access to the medium - mass delivery of messages - easier access to extensive content - rich content / immediate communication - low-cost access to elaborate content - personal mass publishing

Writing Paper Indexes, paragraphs Printing Photos, sound, film Libraries Published books Postal services Bibliographies Television, phones Paperbacks Pamphlets s 1600s 1400s 1800s 1900s 1500s 1800s 1900s 1940s 1950s 1700s - new medium for articulating ideas - local storage with the user - devices for ease of access to content - mass production / distribution of content - elaborated forms of content - wide access to extensive content - personal portable access to the medium - mass delivery of messages - easier access to extensive content - rich content / immediate communication - low-cost access to elaborate content - personal mass publishing Old media and delivery technologies for education– Not so recent history

Writing Paper Indexes, paragraphs Printing Photos, sound, film Libraries Published books Postal services Bibliographies Television, phones Paperbacks Pamphlets s 1600s 1400s 1800s 1900s 1500s 1800s 1900s 1940s 1950s 1700s Interactive computers Local drives & discs WIMP interfaces Internet Multimedia Worldwide Web Laptops Search engines Broadband 3G mobiles Blogs 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Old media and delivery technologies against the new

Interactive computersLocal drives & discs WIMP interfaces Writing Paper Printing Published books Indexes, paragraphs Pamphlets Photos, sound, film Postal services Libraries Bibliographies Television, phones Paperbacks s 1500s 1600s 1700s 1800s 1900s 1940s 1950s Interactive computers Local drives & discs WIMP interfaces Internet Multimedia Worldwide Web Laptops Search engines Broadband 3G mobiles Blogs 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 30 years Old media and delivery technologies against the new 1970s 2000s

Harnessing Technology (Government Strategy for cross-sector transformation of learning, UK, 2005) Education leaders not using technology strategically Technology is fundamental to the ‘business’ of education - Research, administration, and teaching and learning Digital technology needs long-term strategic planning - It is complex, far-reaching, specific to education Education needs long-term investment in technology change - Technologies will continue to set new challenges Investment must be managed - To improve both quality and scale, and give clear ROI  Senior leadership must include e-learning expertise

Drivers Strategic plans Funding imperatives Learner needs Stakeholder demands Career opportunities Curriculum requirements Assessment requirements Quality standards What does it take to improve teaching? We need to address all these drivers = things you can’t ignore Drivers Teachers Leaders

We need to provide all these enablers Training and development Information & guidance Shareable resources Communities of practice Learning design support Resource modelling R&D on pedagogies ICT systems and services Rights and IPR advice Enablers = things you can’t do without What does it take to improve teaching? Teachers Leaders Drivers Enablers

Planning for e-learning – key elements Strategy – systemic, managed Curriculum reform Assessment reform Quality standards focus Resource planning for T&L improvement Career rewards Orientation to learner needs Funding – for adoption Support for teachers Engagement of teachers in design A community of practice for improvement Senior team Academic leaders Cross sector Senior team Academic leaders Academics Faculty leaders Central units Academic leaders [DfES. Harnessing Technology, 2005] “Strategies are becoming much more embedded, with the biggest change since 2005 being the rise to prominence of e-learning strategies” [UCISA Survey, 2008]

Strategic aimsImpact on staff time Increases How could all this be achievable without exploiting and managing the capability of digital technologies to improve both quality and efficiency? paradigm shift from “teaching” to “facilitating learning” wider use of blended-learning to enhance quality students will be provided with greater flexibility smooth implementation of the double cohort in 2012 Staff need for use of e-learning

18 Teachers have few resources to innovate To be adaptive to a changing environment, teachers need to be like researchers, discovering how best to support the 21 st C learner But teachers lack the resources to build on others’ work, re-design, experiment, share, reflect, and collaborate

OUTLINE Developing the 21stC learner Technology to support the learner Supporting the 21stC lecturer Teaching as a learning experience Teaching as a design science

fully trained through an apprenticeship program; highly knowledgeable in their specialist area; licensed to practice as practitioner and mentor to others; building on the work of others in their field; resourced to experiment, investigate and reflect on results; working in collaborative teams of respected peers; seeking new insights and ways of rethinking their field; disseminating findings for peer review and use by others Teachers as reflective practitioners? ? Researchers as reflective practitioners? With a 21 st C Teaching and Learning Strategy?

Can teachers ‘build on the work of others’? Biology: “achieve interconnective and synoptic understanding” Economics: “bring appropriate concepts and research findings to bear in developing solutions “ History: “understand how evidence is used in argument” (Entwistle, 2005) 21 Learning outcomes across disciplines 43 similar statements from Biology, Economics, History, Music, Media Studies and Engineering Academics from Maths, Philosophy, Cognitive science, Computer science, and Sociology, asked to classify as ‘relevant for their subject’  19 out of 43 were classed as ‘relevant’ for >66% of academics Study of academics’ shared outcomes

Can teachers ‘build on the work of others’? If lecturers share the same learning outcomes they could share the same learning designs 22

Can teachers ‘build on the work of others’? If lecturers share the same learning outcomes they could share the same learning designs 23 What support will this patient need when she goes home?

Can teachers ‘build on the work of others’? If lecturers share the same learning outcomes they can share and customise the same learning designs 24

25 A different model of teaching - building on the work of others – reuse, adapt, share - with support staff, and tools, to design new pedagogies - an opportunity to innovate and discover - collaborating to improve quality and scale - teaching as a learning experience

OUTLINE Developing the 21stC learner Technology to support the learner Supporting the 21stC lecturer Teaching as a learning experience Teaching as a design science

The context of formal learning design TEACHERS STUDENTS Aims Motivations Ambitions Credits Qualification Knowledge Skills Requirements Pre-requisites Approaches Learning needs Intended Learning Outcomes Topics Teaching Methods and Assessment Learning Activities Actual Learning Outcomes Policies Motivations Ambitions Logistics COURSE

The learner learning LC TC LP TP Thoughts Action plans Guidance OC OP Articulating ideas Others’ ideas Preparing Outputs Others’ Outputs Asking Questions Investigating Listening/ Reading Reflection Producing Revising Working to a goal Feedback LC LP Adaptation being supported,actingthinking, The Conversational Framework

Learning Outcomes  Learning Activities  Teaching Methods Learners learn 29 Acquisition Inquiry Practice Discussion Production through Learning Activities Lecture, book, video, podcast, website, mcq Library catalogue, web search engine Lab, field trip, virtual world, simulation Seminar, online forum, wiki, network Essay, design, blog, ppt, website, model using professionally-oriented education, global outlook, interest in local and international affairs, problem solving, critical and creative thinking, communication and interpersonal skills, sense of social and national responsibility, cultural appreciation, lifelong learning, biliteracy and trilingualism, entrepreneurship, teamwork and leadership professionally-oriented education, global outlook, interest in local and international affairs, problem solving, critical and creative thinking, communication and interpersonal skills, sense of social and national responsibility, cultural appreciation, lifelong learning, biliteracy and trilingualism, entrepreneurship, teamwork and leadership Collaboration Group project online forum, blog, ppt, website, model

30 Designing the quality learning experience Use the technology’s capability to give intrinsic feedback to promote student collaboration

Teacher’s Concepts Learner’s Concepts Picture of equipment Learner’s practice Select control Adapt actions Adapt Task practice environment Reflect New control Learning through practice with extrinsic feedback Sample design Picture of equipment Operate to produce goal X Click on control Correct – shows gauge Incorrect – nothing Try again Operate Reflect Wrong, try again

Teacher’s Concepts Learner’s Concepts Picture of equipment Learner’s practice Select control Adapt actions Adapt Task practice environment Reflect New control Feedback Learning through practice with intrinsic feedback Sample design Picture of equipment Operate to produce goal X Click on control Correct – shows gauge Incorrect – shows gauge Try again Operate Reflect Gauge result

Teacher’s Concepts Learner’s Concepts Video case studies Learner’s practice Interpretations Adapt actions Adapt Task practice environment Compare Reflect Other learner(s) Ideas Reflect Other learner(s) Adapt actions Draft outputs Outputs Learning through interpretation practice… Sample design: Video cases, observe, compare, interpret, submit Theory

Teacher’s Concepts Learner’s Concepts Video case studies Learner’s practice Interpretations Adapt actions Adapt Task practice environment Compare Reflect Other learner(s) Comments Reflect Other learner(s) Adapt actions Draft outputs Reflect Outputs Learning through collaboration… Sample design: Videos, observe, compare, interpret, share, comment, re-try, submit Re-Interpretations

The context of formal learning design TEACHERS STUDENTS Aims Motivations Ambitions Credits Qualification Knowledge Skills Requirements Pre-requisites Approaches Learning needs Intended Learning Outcomes Topics Teaching Methods and Assessment Learning Activities Actual Learning Outcomes Policies Motivations Ambitions Logistics COURSE

Productivity 36 Improving productivity means achieving: either the same quality for less resource or better quality for the same resource or better quality for less resource! Quality: optimal use of student time: across the full range of learning activities that cover the CF? a balance of personalised, social, standardised learning activities? Resource: measured in terms of Staff time for preparation of teaching Staff time for presentation: presence, real or virtual Productivity: optimise staff time to provide quality teaching.

Modelling learning designs 37 Select teaching methods Set learner groups size Allocate learner time for each method Outputs teacher time needed Outputs proportions of learning experience

Model 1: teacher time needed is 2410 hours = 3 fulltime staff for the half-year Modelling teaching time Conventional methods are assigned a maximum group size, and learner contact + study hours Assumptions about teacher preparation time, and contact time, could be edited

Model 2: teacher time needed is 1243 hrs = 1.5 fulltime staff for the half-year Shift lecture time to web tutorial to online project group to online marking to computer to halve the teaching time Modelling teaching time

Model 3: teacher time needed is 684 hrs <1 fulltime staff for the half-year Shift more lecture time to web more tutorial to online project group to online marking to computer to halve the teaching time Modelling teaching time

41 Doubling student numbers doubles staff costs on both models. However: shifting from conventional to blended is possible on same staff hours. Technology is used: to improve the fixed:variable costs for re-use for program feedback for peer feedback Conventional Blended Modelling teaching time

Teaching as a design science 42 We need to model the effects of all our learning designs on How learners use their time The true costs of staff time The cognitive learning experience The personal and social aspects of learning The effects on classroom usage to understand how best to use the technology – old and new Experiment, test, re-design, share, adapt – like a designer Build on the work of others – like a researcher The University as a’ learning organisation’

SUMMARY Developing the 21 st C learner Technology to support the learner Supporting the 21 st C lecturer Teaching as a learning experience Teaching as a design science - SUMMARY Developing the 21 st C learner - new skills for developing knowledge Technology to support the learner - quality, flexibility, productivity Supporting the 21 st C lecturer - investing for quality, flexibility, productivity Teaching as a learning experience - planning, collaborating, modelling Teaching as a design science - innovating, testing, publishing

44 Thank you for listening! Diana Laurillard, Professor of Learning with Digital Technologies Supporting academics in the effective use of digital technologies for learning and teaching