Exploring the Design Science Research Process as an approach to addressing Digital Fluency for Academic staff at Open University of Tanzania Brenda Mallinson 24-25 June 2014

Design Science Research explored - Research Paradigm in which a designer answers questions relevant to human problems via the creation of innovative artifacts, thereby contributing new knowledge to the body of scientific literature. The designed artifact/s are both useful and fundamental in understanding that problem. Principle: Knowledge and understanding of a design problem and its solution are acquired in the building and application of an artifact. Hevner & Chatterjee (2010)

People, Practices & Problems Artefact Problem Person People, Practices & Problems Johannesson & Perjons (2012) uses addresses Artefacts as Solutions to Problems in Practice Johannesson & Perjons (2012) Artefacts do not exist in isolation but are embedded in context perceives

DSRP Model Peffers et al (2006) Problem Identification Motivation Objectives of a Solution Respond to Requirements Design & Development Artifact Demonstration Proof of Concept Evaluation Collect Feedback Communication Publish output DSRP Model Peffers et al (2006) Problem centred approach Inference – what would a better artifact accomplish? Theory – course design and development – must aim at changing the real world ‘How to’ knowledge – use artifact to solve problem (pilot course) Metrics analysis knowledge – Observe how effective Disciplinary Knowledge – publish as OER & reflexive research

Problem Identification OER Africa support for Open Uni Tanzania (OUT) Aug 2013: took stock of progress & identified current needs Areas requiring support identified: Review and update of a variety of OUT institutional policies Further enhancement of the OUT Digital Library Portal Address challenges in moving from print based to digital culture with the ODL context Many academic staff at higher education institutions are experiencing pressure to engage with using ICTs to support and enhance their teaching and learning, research, and academic administration. In 2013, building on a relationship that commenced in 2008, OER Africa and OUT collaboratively took stock of progress and identified current needs: 1. Support for the review and update of a variety of OUT institutional policies. 2. Development of a new open course for Academic Staff on Digital Fluency, comprising five modules: General Digital Literacy, Academic Integrity, Virtual Storage & Access, Working with OERs, and Learning Design for Online Delivery. 3. Support for the further enhancement of the OUT Digital Library Portal by: O Mounting a selection of OUT Courses to be made openly available O Preparation for OER publication of selected OUT courses on the ACDE repository. Deepening the understanding of how OER practices can support transformation of teaching and learning at OUT and the wider African academic community will involve close collaboration with OUT departments and services beyond IEMT. These include the Quality Assurance Bureau, the Library Electronic Portal staff, and champions within the OUT academic staff community. Working closely with these champions will serve to embed institutionally, the innovative changes in practice that are envisaged as a result of the reflexive participatory action research process.

Solution Objectives Guidance / Capacity Development for Academic Staff Advancing General Digital Competencies Developing Specific Digital Competencies in a range of areas to be identified In order to facilitate: Guidance to students to access and use supplementary materials Enhancement of blended and online teaching and learning Promotion of student engagement and interaction in the Distance Education context Efficiencies in working with the new OUT administrative paperless environment Working with Open Educational Resources to change pedagogical practices In order to address this issue, OUT, in collaboration with Saide’s OER Africa initiative, has conceptualised a course on ‘Digital Fluency’ to be provided as an Open Educational Resource (OER) and made available for OdeL provision. The initial topics were crafted by eliciting requirements from OUT senior management and academic staff, in consultation with their Institute of Educational and Management Technologies (IEMT). Five constituent modules were identified: General Digital Literacy, Academic Integrity, Working with OERs, Learning Design for Online Provision, and Virtual Storage and Access.

Design and Development Artefact to be produced: ‘Digital Fluency’ course for Academics Five modules identified: Digital Literacy Fundamentals Academic Integrity Storage and Access of Digital Resources Working with OERs Learning Design and Development for Online Delivery How? Model shared educational beliefs in conceptualising, designing, developing, piloting and implementing the course Used Learning Design 7C’s OERs (UL & OU UK) to workshop the modules’ design A decision was taken to model shared educational beliefs in conceptualising, designing, developing, piloting, and implementing the course. This was evidenced by an inception ‘Learning Design in the Open’ workshop using the University of Leicester’s (2012) 7Cs OER Toolkit, facilitated by the OER Africa representative, at OUT in October 2013. The objectives in mind were threefold: firstly to explore the suitabiity of the methodology for the purpose of the Digital Fluency course design; secondly to workshop 2 draft modules (Virtual Storage and Access; General Digital Literacy) as examples in order to expand their concept and design; and thirdly to form the basis of a further draft module (Learning Design) by contextualising and adapting the methodology on the Moodle platform for propogation as an internal professional development workshop at OUT. With the shared vision of designing the course for wider access, further related activities include taking into account accessibility for hearing and visisually impaired learners, scalability, and exploring the use of open digital badges for providing modular credentials.

Regional Dissemination Internal to OUT Academics Wider propagation Regional Dissemination Internal to OUT Academics Internal to IEMT Demonstration The inception workshop was well received and inspired the local OUT team to adopt the 7Cs methodology for further institutional learning design. All three objectives were acheived and the activity provided a foundation from which to engage further with the remaining design and development of the Digital Fluency course. 3 objectives of design and development process: to explore the suitability of the methodology for the purpose of the Digital Fluency course design; to workshop 2 draft modules (Virtual Storage and Access; General Digital Literacy) as examples in order to expand their concept and design; to form the basis of a further draft module (Learning Design) by contextualising and adapting the methodology on the Moodle platform for propagation as an internal professional development workshop at OUT Had to satisfy all internal OUT course development regulations and go through standard processes – review & approval. Quality Review and process revision. Institute of Educational and Management Technologies (IEMT) Take up by the ACDE for possible MOOC - proposed Digital Fluency Course for Academics - expressed support for propagating its delivery across several higher education institutions on the African Continent.

Evaluation Communication For each module: Publish as an OER Set up Evaluation Metrics for pilots Gather & Analyse Feedback from Facilitators & Students Revise Communication Publish as an OER Release whole course & modules using CC license Disseminate via appropriate portals & fora Share reflexive research via scholarly open access publication The intention is to pilot the course modules in association with other regional institutions. Possibility of ACDE MOOC Have not yet progressed to these 2 process stges

References Hevner, A. and Chatterjee, S. (2010). Design research in Information Systems, Integrated Series in Information Systems 22 Johannesson, P. and Perjons, E. (2012). A Design Science Primer, CreateSpace Mallinson, B. (2013a). ‘OUT Next Steps Elaborated - September 2013’. OER Africa / Saide. Mallinson, B. (2013b). ‘OUT Trip Report - October 2013’. OER Africa / Saide. Mallinson, B. (2014). ‘Project plan for the OUT OER Digital Fluency course – April 2014’. OER Africa / Saide. Peffers, K., Tuunanen, T., Gengler, C., Rossi, M., Hui, W., Virtanen, V. and Bragge, J., (2006). ‘The Design Science Research Process: A Model for Producing and Presenting Information Systems Research’. In: Proceedings of the first international conference on design science research in information systems and technology. (DESRIST). Claremont, CA.: CGU, pp.83-106. University of Leicester (2012). ‘The 7Cs of Learning Design Toolkit’. Institute of Learning Innovation. [online] [Accessed 17 Apr. 2014]. Available at: http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/oer/oers/beyond-distance-research-alliance/7Cs-toolkit

Slideshare - http://www.slideshare.net/brenda6 Thank You! Brenda Mallinson brendam@saide.org.za Slideshare - http://www.slideshare.net/brenda6 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License.