1. Designing and Implementing Learning Technology Projects – A Planned Approach Professor Mark Stiles and Dr Jenny Yorke Staffordshire University EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

2. Preamble eLearning challenges roles Most course design is “ad-hoc” Support professionals not integrated Rationale for development unclear EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

3. Why a planned approach? Some alternatives ‘Lone Ranger’ (Bates) –Why? Funding models, academic freedom, tradition, enthusiasts –Why not? Delivery late, different or fails. Workload. Unrealistic expectations, creeps. Monitored? Evaluation? Local benefit. EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

4. Why a planned approach? Academic team + support –Why? Acceptable to academics - retains freedom Academics freed from technological tasks Facilitates expertise development of support staff –Why not? Delivery late, different or fails Workload Unrealistic expectations, creeps Monitored? Evaluation? Local benefit Support staff not involved in whole process – expertise constrained EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

5. Why a planned approach? The ‘CAL’ approach (from ITTI etc) –Why? Experts with identified roles Possibly easier to manage –Why not? Isolation of roles Different cultures and languages Development of expertise constrained to team Lack of shared agenda EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

6. What is a Planned Approach? Integrative –People, processes, institutional context Focussed –Why? –Learner requirements Practical –What, Who, is involved? How? Learns –Evaluates, feeds back to all, improves EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

7. A Planned Approach – added value Better courses – more efficiently Ensures institution benefits Sustainable eLearning Better learning experiences EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

8. Analyse Analyse define ‘it’, who, what, needs, options Design Design match learners, outcomes, pedagogy, and technology to create course design Develop Develop learning activities, assessment methods, media…. Implement Implement ‘deliver’ to learners Evaluate Evaluate at all levels: learner, development team, institution A Simple Model - ADDIE EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

9. Feasibility Is it needed? Can it be done? Can we afford it? EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

10. Institutional Processes Need a clear view of: –Approval mechanisms for course developments –Requirements for validation –Quality assurance procedures –Support for development and delivery –Costing/charging models –Assessment regulations –Enrolment procedures –VLE administration and support –Procedures for course end –Procedures for academic monitoring and teaching quality EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

11. Learners Market? But who are they? –How prepared? Needs? Expectations? Learner autonomy –and eLearning –characteristics and levels EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

12. Learning Transitions, Context & "Culture" EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

13. Pedagogic Options Three factors – learner, tutor and learning strategies –What is the “position” of the learner? –What is the “position” of the learning outcomes? –What strategies will provide maximum progress across “transitions” EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

14. Pedagogic Options - examples Lectures – Homework – Exam Lectures – Assignments – Tutorials – Exam Problems – Groups – Mentoring – Assessed Question – Resource Guidance – Tutor Led Discussion - Assignment Question – Resource Guidance – Tutor Led Discussion – Peer Discussion – Reflection - Assignment Problems – Assessed EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

15. ‘Delivery options’ Review periodically to keep up to speed Blended? E? F2F? Blended choices –What mode, when, why E.g. f2f then E; f2f and E ‘Tools’ – what might you use? why? –Discussions, email, chat, whiteboard… –Finding resources –Group work – discussion? artefact? –Sharing resources –Feedback, assignments, testing EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

16. Ensuring Integration Ownership by all Right people - at the right time Right roles - shared context Right communications - institutional context Right management Right level of ownership EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

17. Producing an outline plan Purpose Purpose – institutional; Course rationale Scope Scope – bounds prevent ‘creep’ Phases Phases – staged development? Stage phases Timescale Timescales – imposed? external? Responsibilities Responsibilities – broad, + scale ‘Soft’ deliverables ‘Soft’ deliverables – e? or blended, pedagogic approach? Assumptions, risks, constraints Assumptions, risks, constraints EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

18. The Design Process An Output Driven Approach: –What is the point of the course? –Develop clear outcomes –What activities will help learners: Develop the outcomes, and/or Demonstrate the outcomes –What resourcing do the activities need? EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

19. The Design Process Output from course design should be: –Course structure –Activities –Assessments –Resources –Choices of tools and systems –Induction for learners – WHY as well as how Using this and the outline development plan, produce full plan with detailed components and scheduling EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

20. Development and Implementation Implementing the Plan! Developing the course Pre-planning – eases this stage, but… EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

21. Development and Implementation Monitor progress –On schedule? Right direction? Quality? Reality check –Did you get ‘it’ right? - Formative evaluation Record effort –What is actually involved? Real cost? Corrective action – justified –Restore direction? Or change it? EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

22. Development and Implementation Quality Requirements Support and information –Who, what, when, how, how long? Usability – ease of use –Accessible, clear, consistence, readable? Accessibility –Equity of access, participation, outcomes IPR clearance –Its got to be done! EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

23. Development and Implementation Preparing for Delivery –Staff development Online tutoring. Practice. Confidence –Support infrastructure, service levels Joined-up support, reporting mechanisms A traditional problem All committed? All understand? –Organisational procedures Enrolment? Quality? –Assessment How? Special procedures? What? Recording marks –Marketing Now. Or earlier? www opportunity EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

24. Implementation (Delivery) Reality Check –Ready to enrol? –Final Quality Assurance? –Support in place? –Deliverers in place? EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

25. Implementation (Delivery) The “Kick Off” –Enrol –Induct –Ensure Access –Late comers & Drop-outs EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

26. Implementation (Delivery) The Steady (!) State - Deliver Course –Manage group work –Set up and initiate activities –Feedback –Assessments –Monitoring, Supporting, Guiding and Mentoring EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

27. Collaborative & Group Working Collaborative with Individual Outputs Collaborative with Team Outputs Group with Individual Outputs Group with Team Outputs EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

28. Collaborative & Group Working Issues –Fairness –Passengers –Group Failure –Appropriateness –Learner Skills –Group Size EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

29. Set up & initiate activities make clear –your expectations –timescales –formative or summative –mode of submission –how feedback will be given EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

30. Feedback  Should have planned feedback for each activity at the design stage  Ensure “service levels” are adhered to EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

31. Assessment & Group Work –Peer Assessment - higher learner acceptance when used to mitigate tutor grades –Monitoring - if learners confident that tutors are monitoring as part of assessment, concerns are reduced –Formative/Staged Assessment - learners produce evidence at stages during activity - this will boost confidence. EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

32. Monitor, Support, Guide & Mentor Which are you doing? Why and what are you monitoring? How will you respond to individuals’ problems? How will you deal with difficult individuals? Peer support is a powerful tool EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003

33. Thank you m.j.stiles@staffs.ac.uk j.m.e.yorke@staffs.ac.uk EFFECTS/ELT Seminar – April 2003