1. 1 E-learning atÅbo Akademi University E-learning at Åbo Akademi University Japanese delegation, Febraury 2011 Tove Forslund, Learning Centre tove.forslund@abo.fitove.forslund@abo.fi, www.abo.fi/personal/en/larcentret (in English) www.abo.fi/personal/en/larcentret

2. 2 Topics  Åbo Akademi University  Learning Centre, Åbo  Why e-learning  Support for educational/course development –Staff training –Available technology –Moodle support  Production of eLearning courses  Production of audio and video material  Other Learning Centre projects

3. 3 The Learning Centre in Åbo  Learning Centre in Åbo –Established as a result of Finnish Virtual University project 2001- 2006, special funding from Ministry of Education –started as a Virtual Learning Centre on 1 September, 2003 - since 2010 in the ASA-building  Staff –Full-time staff: head of the Learning Centre, student counsellor, multimedia assistant, project leader for Alcuin (educational development), trainees –Part-time personnel: planning officer and IT-teacher –Cooperation with the library (two librarians) and computing centre (systems administrator)

4. 4  Main tasks of the Learning Centre –Taking initiatives for new routines, methods and software for teaching and learning –Supporting staff in developing their teaching and in councelling students –Supporting students in developing their transferable skills and academic study skills as well as supporting their study planning –Providing AV-equipment for teachers and students

5. 5  Support educational and course development at ÅAU –Organize staff training –Alcuin project for developing university teaching at ÅAU: develop the course planning processes, facilitation processes, course evaluation processes, learning outcomes Develop routines, prepare for decision making, write guide books  Current projects –Dealing with plagiarism Obligatory plagiarism control of all theses Software for plagiarism (tested 2009, now in use) –Electronic exam system (cooperation project with University of Turku)  Encourage and support e-learning  Organize courses in transferable skills for undergraduates  Support student councelling by producing web-based study orientation courses So what do we do at the Learning Centre?

6. 6 Why e-learning?

7. 7 Curriculum development –learning outcomes –E-learning courses vs. non-e-learning courses (?)

8. 8 Added value of web-based teaching and learning  The courses are more accessible for students and teachers –Multi-campus university –Adult students, open university students, students doing e.g. field practice –Teachers from outside the university, teachers living outside the university city –Less overlapping of courses, when students from several faculties –Less problems with students not attending classes

9. 9 Added value of web-based teaching and learning  More effective course administration –Course material more transparent (for students, for all teachers on a course, for new teacher taking over a course) –Cheaper and quicker distribution of course material –Easier to update course material –Continuous grading during the course available for each individual student

10. 10 Added value of web-based teaching and learning  Improved learning –Activating learning methods application of knowledge during the course new forms of examination, from final exams to continuous examination support reflection –Support different learning styles –More interactivity > more feedback and guidance students teachers students –Authentic and problem-based activities –Support collaboration –The students can easily take part of each others’ texts –Better structure of the learning process –No free-riders

11. 11 What contributes to a successful/less successful web-based course? Success  Simple and clear instructions  Varied, proceeds in suitable steps  Discussions feel useful and inspiring  All courses don’t have to be ”pakko social”!  Taking special features of students and subject into consideration  Individual feedback, the students feel that the teacher is present  Course participants get to know each other  Suitable group size  Participants’ motivation and study experience  Audio and video material Failure  Teaching / course structure is dull and monotonous  Learning platform/course environment is difficult to navigate, hard to find material you’re looking for  Too much content/too many activities  In discussions you must comment self-evident things or things somebody else has already said Cf various course evaluations + ”Verkkokurssin suunnittelu” /TY/Kulttuurituotannon ja maisemantuktimuksen laitos http://beta.wikiversity.org/wiki/Verkkokurssin_suunnittelu

12. 12 Support for educational/course development at ÅAU

13. 13 Support for educational/course development at ÅAU 1.Units, support people, steering groups and project groups 2.Regulations, directives etc 3.Staff training of many different forms and ”meeting places” for teaching staff 4.One-to-one support Above all for IT-applications, but also for pedagogical issues 5.Written support material and extensive web-sites: guide for (new) teaching staff, pedagogical guides, user guides for software etc. 6.Documented work processes 7.Access to software and equipment, multimedia room 8.Special financing for course design projects 9.Development projects

14. 14 1. Support units for e-learning  Computing Centre, Turku & Vasa: www.abo.fi/personal/en/datacentralen www.abo.fi/personal/en/datacentralen –Moodle administration  Learning Centre, Turku: www.abo.fi/personal/en/larcentret www.abo.fi/personal/en/larcentret –Courses for teachers & individual support –Production of user guides together with Computing centre  EduLab, Vasa: www.tritonia.fi/edulabwww.tritonia.fi/edulab –Courses for teachers & individual support

15. 15 Strategies and steering groups  Strategies for e-learning –Since 2001, now the third strategy for e- learning at ÅAU –Most faculties/department incl. language centre have their own strategies for e- learning (2007-2010)  A steering group for e-learning –Representatives for teachers and students

16. 16 2. Decree on University Degrees 2. Decree on University Degrees http://www.abo.fi/personal/en/exaforf  Bachelor’s Degree consists of 180 credits and Master’s Degree usually of 120 credits  The universities in Åbo are part of the European Credits Transfer System (ECTS), where a year of full-time study corresponds to 60 ECTS credits.  Teaching –§ 6: Expected amount of work per year for the students: 1600 h (60 sp/ECTS) > 25-27 h/sp –§ 26: language of instruction is Swedish –§ 41: lectures not obligatory  Who decides what about education planning (§ 40) –Vice rector: the structure of the degree programmes –Departmental council: programme plan (what the studies at each level – basic, intermediate, advanced – look like), which courses are offered which year –Examiner/head of the subject: content and method of courses (learning outcomes should be given)  Learning outcomes: What should the student know and be able to do after completing a course (the learning outcome is the threshold for pass)  § 71: Most courses are graded. Grading system runs from A (5) to E (1) with A (5) being the highest score and E (1) the lowest passing grade. Some courses are given on a pass/fail basis No specific regulations concerning e-learning

17. 17 3. Training for teaching staff  Staff training generally considered important  Generally about fees, time of day etc  Target groups: –mostly open seminars for all interesed staff –also courses aimed at specific target groups, –courses arranged at the departments are becoming more frequent –staff from several campuses (Åbo, Vasa) > distance courses

18. 18 Different forms of staff training  Training programmes –University pedagogic 12 ECTS (Fac. of Pedagogics) –”LIN 1 – Learning in Networks” 8-25 ECTS (Learning Centre Tritonia in Vasa) – online course + video seminars –Programme about guiding and supervising theses 2 ECTS  Short courses –Ope.fi-portfolio 2-10 ECTS  Participation for free on certain national conferences and seminars  Introductions for new staff (+ new teaching staff + new teacher tutors)  Lunch seminars –Demo of IT applications –Current topics among teachers (introductory presentations + ”problem solving” in group)  Yearly mini conference on teaching projects – teachers presenting cases for their colleagues  Courses ordered by the department, arranged at the department  One-to-one tuition (introduction or advanced tuition in softwares, problem-solving sessions)  Peer feedback

19. 19 Short coursesProductionsSelf evaluation Module 1 Planning web-based courses Module 2 Content production Module 3 Carrying out web-based courses Each module consists of a number of differens short courses Examples of the use of different technologies in your own teaching Survey of skills and needs for staff training. + Reflective report on your own skills Requirements: For each study point participation in 12 h of face-to-face teaching is required. Courses from each course module should be included. Requirements: Examples of the use of 2-3 technologies for each sp Requirements: Survey + report of around 500 words Ope.fi-portfolio 2-10 sp

20. 20 Moodle training and support  User guides for teachers (available in Moodle)  Courses in Moodle for teachers –In Åbo (Learning Centre): Moodle, part 1: Introduction (2 h) part 2: Designing activities (4 h) Part 3: Layout, groups and feedback (4 h) –In Vasa (EduLab/Computing Centre) workshop 1: Planning 2: Constructing a course in Moodle 3: Problem solving, evaluation www.tritonia.fi/?d=312&l=3  Individual support to get started or for specific parts of Moodle (1-2 h/person)  Support for students using Moodle –User guides for students (available on the Web)

21. 21 7. Available technology for teaching and learning  Electronic study plan, course database + course and exam registration (called ”MinPlan”)  ”Urkund” for detecting plagiarism  Software for electronic course evaluation  For web-based teaching –Course structure/’scaffolding’ Learning platform Moodle (also Blackboard until June 2009) –For communication och facilitation/web conferencing Adobe Connect –For production of audio and video material Adobe Presenter (sound and video to PowerPoint) Adobe Captivate (sound and video to ’moving’ screenshots) Adobe Connect (recording online-lectures; video to PowerPoint, web-sites) Wacom Cintiq ”pen-on-screen” Pinnacle Video cameras och digital dictaphones (for video och audio recording)

22. 22 Computers for students  Åbo: 13 computer rooms available for students (about 210 computers)  Vasa: 5 computer rooms (about 70 computers)  Computing Centre maintains the rooms & computers  Accessability

23. 23 Production of eLearning courses at Åbo Akademi University in Åbo

24. 24 Three stages in the lifecycle of a web- course  Planning –Administrative questions –Pedagogical planning –Planning of course material –Choice of medium –Creating tasks and assignments –Planning moderation –Technical production  Teaching –Face-to-face / group meetings –Moderation and feedback  Updating the course material, documentation of the course, storage  Payment

25. PlanningProductionStartCarrying outEvaluation & documentation Administrative questions Production of course material Handbook for production of digital material Registration of students on the course Introduction into the learning environment Course finishes Course evaluation Pedagogical planning Planning of activating methods and assignments Registration of students in learning platform (User names for course participants) Face-to-face teaching Choice of mediaPlanning of course facilitation and feedback Test of facilities, software and hardware FacilitationDocumentation, updating of material and further development of course Information about the course Learning environment & layout Course startExamination Evaluation of the course design 5. Written support material among others: Handbook for production of web-based courses

26. 2. STARTING POINTS FOR PLANNING - what is good learning? - why e-learning? 1. PRACTICAL QUESTIONS -financing -team -time-planning -support systems -technology and software 3. TARGET GROUP ANALYSIS 5. CONTENTS - aims - modules 4. COURSE DESIGN - medium - material - examination 6. DESIGNING ACTIVITIES 7.E-MODERATING 9.EVALUATION -work process -course 8. LEARNING PLATFORM /WEB ENVIRONMENT 6. An example of processes (process for course design) Based on Hely Lahtinen, TY 2001 9

27. Check-up of course plan + workload

28. Tool for planning

29. 29 Production of video and audio material

30. 30 Why audio/video material?  Variation  Supporting auditory learners  Giving the teacher a face  Repetition  Distance education –Lectures –”Rests” from class room lectures –Oral feedback on web-courses –Correct math assignments  Saving guest lectures for future use  Illustrating processes, demo  etc

31. 31 Adobe ConnctPro  Recorded session –Video (or only sound) to Ppt or webpages or other documents –One take – i.e. you cannot edit the lectures much –Purposes –”Welcome to this course” –Lectures –Oral feedback  Enables –Online meetings –Online lectures –Online facilitation and guidance –Online group work –The recording of lectures/meeting

33. Editing function: parts can be cropped Adobe Connect Pro

34. 34 Adobe Presenter  Sound or video to Ppt  Example: http://web.abo.fi/lc/natforelasning/ korpostrom/unipid14May09/ http://web.abo.fi/lc/natforelasning/ korpostrom/unipid14May09/  License to Adobe ConnectPro  Add-on to PowerPoint  Easy to use

35. Adobe Presenter

36. 36 Wacom Cintiq ”Pen-on-screen”  For example for recording audio lectures to hand- written mathematical formulas

37. 37 Recording audio or video with digital recorders  Dictaphones –Time efficient  Video cameras –A camera man is usually needed –Help with editing

38. 38 Other Learning Centre projects

39. 39 Dealing with plagiariasm  Cooperation project with Quality Assurance Unit and Computing Centret  Decisions by ÅAU Senate –procedures for handling plagiarism (summer 2008) –from 1.1.2010 obligatory plagiarism control of all theses (from Bachelor to Doctoral), using a software (autumn 2009)  Software for plagiarism since 2009 –Urkund www.urkund.sewww.urkund.se  Why a software: –Quality assurance: ÅAU needs to be able to show a system for detecting plagiarism A software enables systematic plagiarism detection A software makes the teachers’ work easier A software makes plagiarism detection more equal and fair University perspective – student perspective –A general belief that plagiarism is increasing  Information in English on the ÅA-web: www.abo.fi/student/en/etik_plagiatwww.abo.fi/student/en/etik_plagiat

40. 40 System for electronic exams  Cooperation project with Computing Centre/ÅAU and the University of Turku/Student Affairs and Computing Centre  Electronic exams/exam aquarium – a room where the students gets exam questions through a computer and write the exam answers on the computer, while being supervised by a video camera  Student initiative > now a cooperation project with the other universities in Turku –There are systems for electronic exams in quite a few other universitites in Finland  Electronic exams suitable for –individual exams of different type –summer exams –book exams –exams with quizzes/self-correcting questions –for students with certain forms of handicap

41. 41 Student support

42. 42  ”Academic Study Skills” 1-5 ECTS –Optional course once a year (20-50 students) –Acadmic Studies, Study Techniques, Quality Assurance, Information Literacy Basics, Information Literacy part II –Web-based course Moodle: forum, assignment, quizzes, poll Introductory ’lectures’ recorded in Adobe ConnectPro Recorded lectures in Adobe Presenter Web conference in Adobe Connect Pro (presentations in small groups) Students produce their own blogs (blogger or wordpress)

43. 43  IT-courses for 1st year students  Support for writing theses: ”Gradu Journey” – ”Gradu Road” – ”Gradu Club” http://www.abo.fi/lc/gradu/

44. 44 Individual or small group support according to individuals’s needs  Learning Clinic –For students with special needs –Small group meetings –Starting this autumn  One-to-one support in IT  Indiv. guidance for theses writing

45. 45

46. 46 What the teachers should to be able to do in Moodle  Add and move resources –Add a text page (Add a resource > Compose a web page) –Add a web link –Upload a file  Send messages through News forum  Give feedback (using gradebook, adding a text page, using forum)  Create or take part in forum discussions  Create an assignment

47. 47 + course leaders should be able to do the following things, too:  Adding students and teachers to the course  Change settings (course key, course availability etc)  Create scales in gradebook  Change the outlook of the course page (adding & removing blocks)  Adding information to calendar  Creating groups  etc

48. -No blocks you don’t need -Pictures that illustrate and makes it look nicer Clear headings – you know what you get!

49. - Very ’short’ modules (i.e. only headings) to give a good overview of the course on this first page in moodle - Very similar layout for each module - Descriptive topics for each assignment: what kind of task (”plan a guided tour”), on what topic (”around paintings from the early Renaissance”)

50. 50 Identical structure of instructions in all assignments in this course / for all courses within basis studies

51. 51  Purpose of ACP on this course: –This course should give participants experiences of various ways of online studies –Oral activity, practice presentation skills –Variation to text-based activities, opportunity for students to talk to/meet each other  Acitvity –Web lecture + reading material > written activity (time schedule in Word) > Presentation of time schedule & discussion on time management skills in small groups (2-6 students) in ACP –Following pods were used by participants: Camera&Voice, Chat, Share. –Oral feedback by course tutor (and other participants) –40-75 min./group Case: ACP for group presentations and discussions on ”Academic Study Skills” course

52. 52 Preparation  When course started –Poll in Moodle about web cameras and headsets –Information on where students can use web cams&headsets on ÅA computers –Doodle (www.doodle.com) for choosing suitable times for group meetingwww.doodle.com  A few days before meetings: e-mail about where to log in, group formations, ”don’t worry”!

53. 53 During the session...  the students were asked to log in 10 min. before session (or previously that week)  We checked that everyone managed to log in and that their cameras&headsets worked  Participants introduces themselves  Everyone preseted their assignment via Share-pod (My Computer Screen/Windows or Documents/Ppt)  Chance to comment on each other’s presentations  Evaluation/”debriefing”