Researching student mobility in a digital world Jeff Haywood

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Researching student mobility in a digital
worldJeff Haywood Denise Haywood, Edinburgh
University, UK, Sue Timmis, Angela Joyce
Jasper Tredgold, Bristol Univ., UK, Aune Valk,
Tartu University, Estonia, Cesare Zanca, Siena
University, Italy, Anthony Baldry, Pavia
University, Italy, Steven Verjans Nicola
Mrose, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, BE,
Isabel Perez, Granada University, Spain,
Louwarnoud van der Duim, Groningen University,
Netherlands,Matti Lappaleinen, Turku University,
Finland, Axelle Devaux, Coimbra Group, Brussels,
Belgium
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European Developments in Higher
EducationEducation Training 2010Bologna
ProcessEuropean Higher Education Area /
Research AreaECTSDiploma SupplementErasmus
Programme etc
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http//www.iupui.edu/icic/images/MOF20outside20
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• Existing digital university processes
• Learning and teaching with technology
• Digital libraries (e-journals, e-books, online
  databases help)
• Integration of digital databases holding staff,
  student and course records
• Portals as single channels of access to digital
  resources
• Email as the major/dominant channel of
  communications
• Single/reduced sign-on to authenticated systems
  (portal, email, library)
• Secure off-campus access to restricted digital
  resources (VPN, proxy)
• Websites as the major/dominant channel for
  information provision.

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The digital student

• Uses
• Laptop/PC/internet frequently from a variety of
  locations
• Lots of digital information sources, possibly
  preferentially to physical
• Chat, email, sms, social network software
  (friendster, myspace)
• Likes/expects
• Fast seamless services
• Universities to be online reliably accessible
• BUT!

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Sometimes its easier to get into a SL lecture
than to get access to a computer at your host
university
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• Interview fragment (when we can get the
  technology to work for us)

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• There is now also an increasing emphasis on
  virtual mobility in education (ie taking courses
  from another university (country) by distance
  learning methods, esp digital e-learning)
• eLearning Programme
• Development of existing instruments in
  particular those concerning virtual mobility as a
  complement and reinforcement for physical
  mobility (virtual Erasmus) recognition and
  validation schemes (based on ECTS) information
  and guidance services, and any other synergies
  between virtual and traditional models.

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physical mobility a proxy for virtual mobility

• Little virtual mobility at present in European
  traditional universities and so special cases
  special efforts
• Digital identities, access, facilities, services
  all affect most on-campus (traditional) students
• Transfer between universities raises challenges
  to universities to give visiting students fast
  automatic digital rights/routes/support
• If we do not (cannot) automate simplify our
  services to traditional visiting students,
  virtual mobility will be difficult to implement

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We need a great deal of operational fine-tuning
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Research methodology triangulation of sources

• Desk research and case studies - Find the right
  questions
• Student perspective
• Interviews ? Identify right issues
• Survey online, prizes to win ? 2400 responses
• University perspective
• Survey online, multiple people in 1 uni ? 55
  responses
• Staff interviews explore reasons for some of
  the findings
• Pilots testing some possible enhancements to the
  virtual experience, and their organisational
  consequences
• Seminars getting feedback on intermediate
  results

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Topics themes

• Before, during after exchange period
• Student perspective
• Access to digital services support
• IT (access to computers), library, e-learning
• Access to home services while abroad
• Continued access to host service when back home
• University perspective
• Libraries, ICT provisions, Student
  records/Registry, International Offices and
  e-learning
• Specific services for outgoing incoming
  students?

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Topics of pilots

• Quality of information about the host university
• Assessing and attenuating digital culture shock
• Exchanging and transferring e-learning materials
  between universities
• Feasibility of a European course information
  database
• Feasibility of using Shibboleth for digital
  identity sharing
• Providing advice and support to outgoing students

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Outcomes of research

• Research results published
• Recommendations formulated
• Practical checklists for all relevant
  stakeholders
• Published by www.scrolla.ac.uk (Summaries
  available)
• Available as (online) publication at
• http//www.victorious-project.org/

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The free moving student?
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Results from student perspective

• Digital culture shock moving between
• highly integrated online services
• less integrated online services
• None at all completely out of touch with modern
  technology! Everything was paper forms.
• The information online to which I have had
  access were all relative to the previous academic
  year, the most part of it were mistakes
• I did use them but only the last month when I
  finally got my account ?

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Results from student perspective

• Information provision is weak
• Hard to find Mainly in local language only
• Insufficient focus on needs of visiting students
• No or limited peer network for visitors
• Resourcefulness is needed
• Internet cafés for access to PC and Internet
• Use services of home university (library access,
  etc.)
• Sharing of passwords

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Results from university perspective

• Business processes directed at on-campus students
• Physical presence needed for many services
• Particularly libraries
• International offices not very concerned with
  digital services
• More services for incoming than for outgoing
  student
• Out of sight, out of mind?
• Access to distant learning materials not obvious
• Awareness is rising

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Recommendations

• For universities
• Providing good, structured, up-to-date info is
  easy
• Easier enrollment and registration needed
• Specific training and support for digital
  provisions
• Collaboration across bureaucratic borders
• For students and their associations
• More wide-thinking in planning visits / virtual
  participation
• Seriously consider everything that might go
  wrong (It will !)
• Collect and share experiences and solutions

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Recommendations

• For European, national regional agencies
• Provide single search for course/programme
  information
• Single digital identity system(s) for students /
  staff
• e.g. high-level (national) federations for
  Shibboleth
• Easier Internet access (e.. EduROAM)
• Help remove digital barriers

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Follow-up project http//vm-base.europace.org/
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• EXPECTED OUTPUTS
• Orientation guidelines for students
• Codes of good practice in designing pre-selection
  tests for students
• Blue print for preliminary courses for students
  preparing for a physical Erasmus exchange
• Guidelines on assessment and evaluation tools
• A study on a Virtual Alumni Association for
  Erasmus students
• A manual on good-practices in e-coaching
• A manual with validated procedures and
  recommendations for blended mobility activities
  at institutional, network and European level

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Lets try to make the (virtual) exchange visit
more agreeable and decrease the (digital) culture
shock
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Positive attitude may not solve all your
problems, but it will annoy enough people to make
it worth the effort.
Herm Albright
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• www.slideshare.net/sverjans
• http//www.victorious-project.org/