1 Supported distance learning: moving from broadcast to interactive media at the Open University UK Dr Stephen Little, Senior Lecturer, Open University Business School, Open University Milton Keynes MK7 6AA UK

2 Open University First thoughts (1960s) “University of the Air” second chance for mature students small core staff commissioned courses provided by existing universities delivery by broadcast, assessed through correspondence assignments Open University founded 1969

3 Living on a Scottish island, with mail service from mainland interrupted by storms Notional OU Student

4 Original Model 1970s  Complete “course in a box” mailed to students –course guide and assignments –high quality course books –specially published text books –Broadcast programmes for each course  Television and radio early morning late evening

5 Walton Hall Campus Central academic staff developing courses –production staff producing learning materials university library for staff use BBC providing audio, video production graphic design and print production  Regional offices employing tutors –academics from other universities, practitioners –monitored & mentored by centre & regions

6 Distance SUPPORTED Learning  High Quality Course materials: book form and on CD-ROM  Face to Face –Students assigned to tutorial group for meetings close to home (1:16 1:20) –Day School to introduce each course –Summer School  <1 week on existing university campus following seminars and group work

7 Founded 1983Founded staff part-time tutors250 staff part-time tutors 25,000 students in 44 nations25,000 students in 44 nations 7,000 of these in MBA Programme introduced 19897,000 of these in MBA Programme introduced 1989 –20% UK enrolments (40% of UK distance MBAs) –54% based outside UK –10,119 holders of MBA (Jan 2002) Open University Business School

8 Distance Learning at OUBS Distributed Community of Practice –asynchronous electronic support conferencing, web-sites –synchronous electronic support on-line tutorials

9 Open University Worldwide Founded 1997 The international division of the Open University –200,000 students world wide Partnerships –Whole Course User Agreements –Presentation Partnerships –Licensing of courses with OU Validation Service. –Material Sales Partners in 2 way development and internationalisation

10 Media Switch One to Many –Broadcast media –Print –Face-2-Face tutorial, day school, residential school 1990-onwards Many to Many –interactive community –Print, audio cassette/CD, CD-ROM –On-line & F2F tutorial, –F2F day school, residential school

11 Emerging model  Move to alternative to traditional campus-based university including high school graduates  Move to partnerships  internationalisation of learning materials  two way learning for staff and students  Use of on-line support –110,000 OU students using computer conferencing –allows discussion in tutorial group and wider groups –remote access to university library –electronic monitoring of participation and assessment  KMI as development group

12 KMI: Knowledge Media Institute:  Blue-sky research into teaching and learning support technologies –asynchronous  D3E –synchronous  Lyceum

13 OU Library  On-line information literacy support  MOSAIC –Making Sense of Information in the Connected Age –  SAFARI –Skills in Accessing, Finding and Reviewing Information –

14 Points of Presence  Moor Park Community Centre, NE England  E-governance monitoring public transport performance

15 Computer Mediated Communication at the OU asynchronicity is key to OU distance learning but there’s also a role for intensive, real-time discussions –cf. phone conferencing especially. where visual representations are discussed/annotated –cf. tutorial flipcharts/OHPs etc

16 OU asynchronous media FirstClass – large scale text conferencing ETMA –electronic assignment submission and marking D3E –document-centered discussions over the Web – Working web sites –“ Virtual Journey” storytelling on the web –

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18 Document to be discussed Commentary and discussion D3E: Interactive document discussion interface generated from an HTML file

19 OU synchronous media Lyceum: internet voice groupware –Complementary to asynchronous media Voice: allows tutors and students to discuss issues in real time Groupware: Digital whiteboard, flipchart, concept mapping… (What You See Is What I See) –Standard: PCs ISPs Internet

20 Features of Lyceum Lyceum can be distributed via the web to any location It can function on moderate speed (28-32Kbaud) links A community of users share the following: –Voice connection –Back-up/supplementary text chat –Instant creation of break-out “rooms” for sub-groups –Shared whiteboards and concept maps –Screen-grabber for pre-existing images –Off-line working for pre-assembly of materials –On-line placement of materials for asynchronous viewing

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23 Social versus Technical Learning Academics’ role moving from passive monitoring of on-line conferences to more interactive facilitation: e-moderating –Salmon, G., (2000). E-moderating: the key to teaching and learning online. London, Kogan Page. 5 stages to on-line Mentoring

24 Access & Motivation Online socialisation Development Knowledge Construction Information giving & receiving

25 welcome, motivate, direct to help build bridges support task facilitate enable

26 Access Motivation

27 Setting up & accessing systems Sending & receiving messages, familiarising finding like minded others Introducing outside resources, supporting new comers Conferencing Online discussions & development of course materials Setting up, testing, offline practice with screen tools Online meetings postings & saving images & diagrams Personalising, undertaking group tasks Online creation of new learning materials by group Online meetings & discussions beyond initial group

28 Synergy between OU e-learning support tools ResourcesGroup Interaction Asynch- ronous Synch- ronous Lyceum FirstClass “Virtual Journey” Chat

29 Developing a “Course Memory” FirstClass –capture of knowledge resources from students, ALs and Course Team suggested in conferences &on-line SCR Lyceum –synchronous discussion & knowledge creation Web pages –Live links from student conferences –“Virtual journey” illustrates key issues richness of images to reveal implicit dimensions

30 URLs for Open University Sites Main Open University site Open University Business School site Open University Worldwide site  Lyceum presentation  Web Sites and Virtual Journeys