Enabling Flexible Distributed Learning FDL at Oxford Brookes University

1
Enabling Flexible Distributed Learning (FDL) at
Oxford Brookes University

• George Roberts
• Development Director
• Off-campus e-Learning
• Oxford Brookes University
• Scottish QAA Seminar
• 06/12/2004

2
Beyond Flexibility Enabling Flexible Distributed
Learning

• 1) Background
• Personal
• Policy
• 2) Strategic Definitions Flexibility
• Agenda(s)
• 3) Brookes context
• Institutions and structures
• Values
• Criteria
• Examples
• 4) Frameworks, Standards, Quality
• Pedagogical Pragmatism

3
Life before and around Brookes

• Education
• 1968 - DEC PDP8 FORTRAN
• 1972 - BA (English Lit)
• 1986 - MPhil (Historical Comparative
  Linguistics)
• 2001 - MA (Education w/Open and Distance
  Education)
• 2004 - PhD study at U of Southampton
• The extent to which beliefs (ideologies) about
  learning and teaching are embedded in the
  artefacts of learning technology
• Work Related
• 1987 PEP Preparatory Education Project
• 1988 ACE adult community continuing education
  tutor
• 1989 College of Petroleum and Energy Studies
• 2000 Brookes
• 2003 Open University
• ALT
• Writing

4
Role at Brookes

• Identify opportunities for off-campus e-learning
  development
• Undertake research on e-learning nationally and
  internationally
• Advise SMT on
• potential and actual partnerships in e-learning
• feasibility of specific off-campus developments
• resource requirements to underpin off-campus
  developments
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships
  with actual and potential partners
• Stimulate internal development of e-learning for
  external use and application
• Advise and work with
• academic staff preparing and delivering off
  campus e-learning
• admin staff on adaptation of systems to support
  off-campus e-learning
• Facilitate sharing and dissemination of best
  practice across boundaries
• Ensure off-campus and on-campus developments are
  complementary and co-ordinated

5
Policy the Big Picture

• Globalisation
• Liberalisation
• Participation
• Innovation
• the Code is based on the key principlethat
  collaborative and FDL provision,wherever and
  however organised,should widen learning
  opportunities
• Education and training policy replaces industrial
  policy as the means by which governments seek to
  make regions economically competitive

6
Whats happening, then? Chips with e-verything

• e-Society ICT is becoming
• Everywhere Ubiquitous
• Background Ambient
• Personal Adaptive and Aware
• Fast High-speed
• Mobile Wireless (wifi and telephony)
• Merging Convergent (TV, radio,
  learning, work, leisure)
• Multi/multiple media All Connected, Always on

7
A 21st century education system
Learners Empowered
Flexible Provision
Professional Workforce
Better Value for Learners
Creativity Innovation
Objectives of Current DfES Strategies Raising
Standards Improving quality Removing
Barriers Preparing for employment skills
Widening Participation early years Primary
Secondary 14-19 Skills
Post-16 HE
Contributions from e-Learning Personalised
support, Online communities, Flexible
Study Virtual Environments, Individualised Study,
Collaborative Learning, Tools for Innovation,
Quality at Scale
Strategic Actions Leading Sustainable e-Learning,
Supporting pedagogical innovation, Staff
development, Unifying Learner support, Aligning
assessment, Building a better market, Assuring
tech and quality standards
8
Widening participation

• Widening participation policies are focused in
  two conflicting directions
• emancipatory and empowering for the individual
  stimulate the growth of autonomous,
  entrepreneurial, IT-literate, multi-skilled
  individuals capable of creating and taking
  advantage of the opportunities inherent in a post
  fordist economy
• ensuring a supply of appropriately skilled
  workers for industry create a compliant
  low-expectation labour force inured to the
  demands of flexibilisation in order to attract
  inward investment not on the basis of high skills
  available but on the basis of low costs

9
Covert Curricula

• The less obvious--but more important
  curriculum--is the covert curriculum, which is
  composed of the skills and characteristics the
  student develops as a result of successfully
  completing the overt curriculum. (Appleby)
• http//www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_59.asp
  
• Industrial era
• Overt
• 3 Rs reading, riting and rithmatic
• Covert
• punctuality, subordination, repetition
• Postmodern era
• Overt
• flexibility, community, personalisation
• Covert
• piecework, normalisation, surveillance
• see Roberts (2004) http//www.shef.ac.uk/nlc2004/P
  roceedings/Individual_Papers/Roberts.htm

10
Quick discussion

• What is flexibility?

11
Learning Technology Affordances

• Flexibility with respect to time
• Time shifting
• Flexibility with respect to place
• Location shifting
• Flexibility with respect to sequence
• Tutor directed learning
• Student directed learning
• Enhanced communication
• Distributed collaboration
• Access to resources
• Simulations

12
Strategic definitions

• Flexible Distributed Learning
• Code of practice for the assurance of academic
  quality and standards in higher education,
  Section 2 Collaborative provision and flexible
  and distributed learning (including e-learning) -
  September 2004
• http//www.qaa.ac.uk/public/COP/cprovis/contents.
  htm
• The term 'e-learning' will be used here to refer
  to modes of learning that are ICT-based
• Flexible and distributed learning (FDL) denotes
  educational provision leading to an award, or to
  specific credit toward an award, of an awarding
  institution delivered and/or supported and/or
  assessed through means which generally do not
  require the student to attend particular classes
  or events at particular times and particular
  locations.

13
DfES e-Learning Consultation

• Broad and inclusive
• If someone is learning in a way that uses
  information and communication technologies ICTs,
  they are using e-learning playing an
  interactive game, collaborating using the
  Internet, watching an animated diagram,
  taking a driving theory test online - it all
  counts as e-learning.
• (DfES Consultation, Towards a Unified e-Learning
  Strategy, July 2003)

14
Axes of Flexible Learning

• Individual

• Organisation

• Identity

• Culture

• Technology

• Standards

15
Blended learning

• The variety of approaches represented by FDL in
  the UK and elsewhere is now considerable,and
  embraces a continuum of pedagogical
  opportunities.
• 3-C matrix
• collocationlow/high (face-to-face vs. distance
  learning)
• collaborationlow/high (individualised vs.
  collaborative learning)
• computerisationlow/high (e-learning vs.
  traditional print and communication technologies)

16
Blended learning 3-C
hi collocation hi collaboration
traditional laboratory lo computerisation
hi collocation whiteboards in
classrooms hi collaboration virtual field
trips hi computerisation
lo collocation CACL, online forums hi
collaboration Learning to teach online hi
computerisation
hi collocation lo collaboration video link
lecture hi computerisation
lo collocation lo collaboration traditional
OU DL lo computerisation
lo collocation lo collaboration CBT
training hi computerisation
17
Techniques

• Large class teaching
• Personal response systems
• Prior reading fewer plenary lectures
• Formative assessment
• CAA
• Simulations
• Distrubuted (online) discussion forums
• Work-based learning
• International / distributed cohorts
• Multi-professional learning
• Collaborative working
• Reflective learning
• Blogging
• ePDP/ ePortfolio

18
VLE/MLE
http//www.jisc.ac.uk/mle/reps/briefings/bp1.html
19
Thinking Outside the Slots

• More or less off-campus more or less most of the
  time http//www.brookes.ac.uk/research/odl/taocp_
  home.html
• and/or Semester Calendar
• and/or Room slotting
• and/or Modular degree
• BUT Systems issues embed certain (traditional?)
  practices
• Workload planning
• unit of academic resource expressed as ratio
  of time in classroom time in preparation
• Resource allocation model
• DL does not use Library Learning Resources
• but.. Learning Resources also Computer
  Services (VLE, eJournals, etc)

20
Flexibility Multiple Learning and Teaching Styles

• Contingent
• Inherent
• Relative
• Political

21
Contingent Flexibility

• Organised
• Managed
• Funded
• Directed
• Accredited
• Bureaucratised
• Wired Infrastructure
• Wired-in, connected
• Networked

22
Inherent Flexibility

• Latent
• Potential Kinetic
• Emergent Evolutionary
• Located in domains
• Disciplined
• Sectored
• Nationalised
• Symbolic Capital
• Personal, Social, Cultural
• Experienced, Phenomenal
• Prior Learning
• Cognitive
• Modelled Theorised
• Taught Learned

23
Relative Flexibility

• zero sum
• worth asking if an increased flexibility in one
  part of a system will result in decreased
  flexibility (inflexibility) in another
• digital/analogue particle/wave
• granular (objectified)
• modular / linear
• lifelong continuing
• genetic/mimetic
• inherited
• preventable/unstoppable
• recreational/re-creational

24
Political Flexibility

• Work-related
• Valued (high/low)
• Classified (Property)
• Controlled
• Democratic or not
• Pragmatic
• Global
• Shapable
• Standardised
• Assured
• Necessary?

One of the cavaliers, those Bonny Princes,
said If I have freedom in my love and in my
heart am free,then Angels who dwell in heaven
aboveshall know no such liberty.
25
Brookes Context

• 16,000 students (12,000 fte)
• 1,600 DL (all part time 0.4 fte)
• More or less off campus more or less most of the
  time
• Outside UMP, semester calendar and slotting
  system
• Increasingly Blended
• Funding
• Self
• Employer
• TTA/NHS
• Other
• Full price
• Financial models problematic
• Economics embeds practice RAM PWP

26
Archaeology

• Modular Programme
• RBL
• IT Term (the Hypothetical)
• LTTF
• Brookes Virtual
• Brookes Online
• e-Learning at Brookes

Mists of time
Today
27
Institutional Structure
Partners
Board of Governors
Students Union
Academic Development including C4eL
New Project-Based Management Approach
Executive Board
Academic Board
Schools
Schools
Schools
Learning and Teaching Committee
Research Committee
Resources and Planning Committee
Directorates
Directorates
Directorates
Directorates
Undergraduate Forum
e-Learning Forum
Postgraduate Forum
Widening Participation
CPD Forum
28
Networks and Critical Distance
Vice Chancellor
Deputy Vice Chancellor
Deputy Vice Chancellor
Pro Vice Chancellor
Pro Vice Chancellor
Registrar
29
Networks of Influence Flexibility Inherent

• Structure
• Leadership
• Responsibility
• Budgets
• Authority
• All derive from institutional utility based on
  knowledge, experience and information.
• Chaos model of management allows individuals to
  gain influence on the basis of charisma and
  hermeneutic approaches.

30
Institutional Structure Networks
Centres for e-Learning?
University
School
Department
Admin Support
Polity
Social
31
Institutional Structure
Institutional Structure Networks
Partners
Board of Governors
Students Union
Academic Development including C4eL
New Project-Based Management Approach
Executive Board
Academic Board
Schools
Schools
Schools
Learning and Teaching Committee
Research Committee
Resources and Planning Committee
Directorates
Directorates
Directorates
Directorates
Undergraduate Forum
e-Learning Forum
Postgraduate Forum
Widening Participation
CPD Forum
32
Why e-Learning? (Brookes e-L Strategy
2002-04)

• to encourage active learning in all domains
• to support and develop independent, reflective
  learners
• to maintain high levels of support and guidance
  to a diversity of learners
• to develop key transferable skills
• IT, teamwork, self-management, learning, problem
  solving and communications

33
University e-Learning Strategy 2002 - 03

• 1. Provide a Managed Learning Environment
• 2. Personal computer ownership and
  connectivity for all
• 3. Library development and support
• 4. Develop and provide of learner support
  resources
• 5. School support for the development of
  e-learning
• 6. Stimulate e-learning and provide a
  University framework for development of
  e-learning
• 7. Create Centre for Higher Education e-Learning
  Development

34
Centre for e-Learning

• support for the achievement of the Academic Plan
• leadership in all aspects of learning technology
  guide the Universitys vision of the future for
  e-learning
• ensure that the e-learning strategy is coherent,
  focussed and in-line with national policy
  recommendations
• determine central e-learning strategy and take
  responsibility for cross-University decisions
  relating to e-learning
• steer and advise on the balance between
  innovative developments in e-learning and
  practical applications support for e-learning
• co-ordinate, conduct and disseminate research
  into e-learning and commission, or undertake as
  appropriate, research and development projects in
  e-learning
• co-ordinate and steer ongoing staff development
  and evaluation of the impact of e-Learning on the
  University community

35
E-Learning at Brookes
aims to apply Learning Technology to the
provision of flexible, active, collaborative and
professionally authentic learning
with these underpinning values
E-Learning at Brookes values innovation,
enterprise, equality, scholarship and social
responsibility
and 5 key projects
Improving and expanding environments for
elearning
Researching and evaluating elearning
Supporting elearning through curriculum design
and development
Developing, enabling and valuing eLearning
practitioners
Widening participation and creating effective
elearning partnerships
36
Good learning

• based on
• reciprocity
• authenticity
• credibility
• independent of the mode of engagement

37
Good teaching

• sets ground rules
• provides alternative modes of participation
• exemplifies models of engagement
• gives access to the experience of the instructor
• (cf. Brookfield 2001, Jones 1999)
• independent of the mode of engagement

38
Good practice

• encourage student-tutor contact
• encourage student-student co-operation
• encourage active learning
• give prompt feedback
• emphasise time on task
• have and communicate high expectations
• respect diverse talents and ways of learning
• independent of the mode of engagement

39
Good design

• Permeability multiple pathways
• Variety multiple learning teaching
  styles/preferences
• Legibility multiple literacies, modes and
  systems of meaning
• Robustness
• Visual appropriateness
• Richness complexity at scale
• Personalisation
• independent of the mode of engagement

40
Modes of Engagement
Mode 1 baseline admin and support
Mode 2 Blended Learning
Mode 3 FDL
41
Approaches in the Schools
42
Quality Reflections Frameworks Standards

• Process/outcomes
• Frameworks
• Standards Standardisation
• Beliefs

43
FDL Precepts

• Overall, the revision may be characterised as
  moving from the 'process-based' style of the
  earlier version to a more 'outcome-based'
  approach.
• The focus now is on ends rather than means.
  Institutions will see that the basics remain in
  the content of the revised version but will, it
  is hoped, appreciate the flexibility now offered
  by the greater attention to outcomes.
• Flexibility has become an epi-phenomenon, part of
  the meta-curriculum

44
Learning Technology Support Architecture
Embedded in systems architectures
(source IEEE LTSA)
45
Source Bill Olivier, CETIS, 2003-04
46
and, Conditioned by beliefs

• positivism knowledge is out there,
  categorical
• objective-led (behaviourist) pedagogies of
  external motivations such as enquiry-based
  learning, physical simulation and experiment
• social perspective knowledge emergent,
  constructed
• dominant approaches are exploratory learning and
  constructivism
• tacit communitarianism common-sense
  normalisation
• knowledge engineering, and computational
  approaches such as organisational learning and
  intelligent systems
• new critical cognitive disconnect in LT
  practice
• project and problem-based learning, applied and
  action research are characteristic

47
Final thought

• Flexibility is not an end in itself
• Contingent
• Inherent
• Relative
• Political
• Questions/Comments/Discussion

48

• Thank you!

George Roberts Development Director, Off-campus
E-learning Oxford Brookes University groberts_at_bro
okes.ac.uk 44 (0) 1865 484871 44 (0) 7711
698465 http//www.brookes.ac.uk/virtual/ http//ww
w.alt.ac.uk/altc2004/