Learning Technology Research Professor Robin Mason Institute of Educational Technology The Open University

Learning Technology research focuses on the inter-dependencies between learning and technology

1. Re-usability We need standards and metadata to render resources re-usable, but we need research to understand what and how to re-use teaching material

2. Legacy systems We need to understand the interaction between new learning opportunities and existing systems

3. Mass Delivery and Personalisation What personalisation approaches really improve learning?

4. Globalisation We lack understanding of what constitutes a global curriculum, of how to design courses for a global student body and of the impact of various technologies in different cultures

5. Disparity of Opportunity We need to consolidate disparate research into what technologies support disadvantage and disability

6. Retention We need to pull together what is known about how technology can help with retaining students

7. Assessment We need rigorous research into the triple challenge of online assessment: i fairness ii affordability iii rigour

8. Costs What course models are both pedagogically effective AND financially viable?

9. Student-directed Learning How can technology help to embed a student- centred approach to teaching?

10. Informal Learning How do we exploit the benefits of informal learning at higher education level?

Examples Institutional Reusability Studies E-portfolios Longitudinal Studies

Recommendations 1. More overview articles 2. Learning Technology as a research discipline 3. More interplay between researchers, developers and practitioners 4. Training for practitioner researchers 5. Coordinated evaluations