Joint Information Systems Committee Key messages 15/04/2014 | slide 1

Joint Information Systems Committee 15/04/2014 | slide 2 Flexibility, reliability, convenience Learners are living complex lives. Learners are positive about VLEs where they provide easy access to everything they need High expectations for robust, visible, ubiquitous services. Time is a constraint, and a persistent worry for disabled learners My favourite piece of technology is my phone, because I record lectures... I am more likely to watch what I have recorded than to log on the [VLE] and to go through the long procedure of finding something… (E4L)

Joint Information Systems Committee 15/04/2014 | slide 3 Personal technology There is high ownership and access to personal technology, but note institutional differences Where access or ownership is lacking, students feel disadvantaged Most students are not sure how to use personal technology to aid study, If we are required to be networked for a computer workshop, for example, there generally arent places you can plug in a laptop with assistive technology in. So, then you are reliant on whatever assistive technologies are available on the network. (LexDis)

Joint Information Systems Committee 15/04/2014 | slide 4 Study habits and strategies New learners are conservative in their study habits and approaches Influenced initially by prior educational experience, and later by their tutors Disabled learners are agile technology users who understand the affordances of technology Learn skills from each other Well firstly if I want to look anything up… I will usually Google it... Then I would fire up MSN… Finally [the VLE] and all the resources the University makes available online. (STROLL)

Joint Information Systems Committee 15/04/2014 | slide 5 Working with others Extensive use of social networking sites – for recreational use Extensive use of peers for support, especially technical support Technologies used to support the process of groupwork Social networking used where they have a cohort identity University I dont really use for people at University, I usually use texting, Facebook or MSN. If theyre on-line, on MSN, I know hopefully theyll respond straightaway. You can get an immediate response with phones and Messenger. (E4L)

Joint Information Systems Committee 15/04/2014 | slide 6 Enabling innovation Learners expectations of innovative use are limited by lack of academic experience. Tutors need to be proactive in helping students adopt new ways of learning. Learners who had used technology to overcome barriers, were often the most agile and innovative. Im not afraid to poke all the buttons and click all the settings and see what things do. I know Im not going to break it (LexDis)

Joint Information Systems Committee 15/04/2014 | slide 7 Advice for lecturers What advice would you give about how to respond to: 1.Student expectations for easy access to flexible study 2.The preference (requirement for some) for learners to use personal technology alongside institutional services 3.The need to support learners to develop effective study habits and digital literacies, 4.The need to support learners when making innovative, creative use of emerging technologies