UCP Marjon Learning

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UCP MarjonLearning Teaching Conference1530,
HDC101, 11th April 2008 Creativityin the
curriculum

• David Benzie, Rob Brown, Tim Sayer Adam Read
• e-Learning Pathfinder Team

USB_B\Learning Teaching\LT conference
2008\Pathfinder LT conference session at UCP
Marjon 11th April 2008 (0.2)
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Overview

• Staff Student surveys (Autumn 2008)
• New e-Learning Strategy
• Examples to help you think creativelya)
  Creating on-line culturesb) Direct input
  podcasting lecturesc) Using Wikis on LS

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Staff Student surveys

• Some key messages
• Most staff regularly use ICT in their teaching
• butmostly for PowerPoint, resource provision and
  straight-forward communication (e.g. e-mail or
  making announcements)

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Staff Student surveys

• Some (more) key messages
• Staff student reactions to the Bb VLE differ
  markedly students more positive higher levels
  of use.
• VLE contains little-used functions students want
  staff to make more use of Bb
• Need major awareness, training and support
  programme for staff

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Developing an eLS

• E-Learning Strategy
• Development
• Informed by
• HEA Benchmarking Project
• Staff student surveys
• Staff Conference - Easter 2007
• Other institutional strategies

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Key perspective on learning

• Social constructivism is a common shorthand
• for the leading perspective on learning
• Learning is a social activity
• Learners actively construct new knowledge and
  understanding through collaborative activity with
  peers and knowledgeable others
• Diligent independent activity by learners is
  valued

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Alias-C Active Learners in a supportive community
Access to resources Flexible
learningopportunities Links to
othercommunities
ICT infrastructure Data reginfrastructure
Support from staff
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Full text of eLS action plan

• The full text of the new e-Learning Strategy and
  the associated action plan is in LSLSgtLS Staff
  Supportgte-Learning

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Examples

• Examples to help you think creatively
• Creating on-line cultures
• Direct input pod-casting lectures
• Using Wikis in LearningSpace

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Engaging students in eLearning

• Creating an on-line culture
• Make it part of the assessment
• Provide one question/discussion point per week
  that students have to contribute to
• Provide a blog space for students and get them
  to engage in reflective practice
• Useful for project work.
• Provide an space to build a knowledge base that
  students must contribute to

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Interactive Teaching Tools

• Engaging students in eLearning
• Provide content not necessarily directly related
  to their modules
• Empower students to be able to own the site or
  parts of the site
• Embed as much as possible within the page,
  minimizing downloads and minimizing clicks to
  access and participate

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Podcasts

• A digital story!...
• See http//www.ucpmarjon.ac.uk/research/pathfinder
  project/documents/
• Important
• Both podcasts and digital stories can be
  low-tech!
• This digital story used standard web/digital
  camera photos and audio recorded using a basic PC
  mic and some free software.

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Wikis

• A wiki is a piece of software that allows users
  to add and edit the content of a website.
• High profile example is Wikipedia an
  encyclopaedia wiki!
• Staff and students can use wikis in their study
  module or group areas on LearningSpace.

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Wikis

• Wikis can be used to encourage group
  collaboration (active users engaging content).
• Some possible uses are
• Student group work
• Student knowledge base
• Staff knowledge base
• FAQs
• Displaying course materials in more interactive
  way.

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Wikis

• Some techie info
• Each wiki page can be edited by members.
• Members can add or update content from any number
  of pages.
• Staff can control who the members are.
• Each time a page is saved, a new version is
  created.
• It is possible to look back over previous
  versions and roll back.
• Staff can keep track of student participation.
  Very important for group work!

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Wikis...

• Examples
• Adam student assignment, group work.
• Rob another example course documents and
  notes.
• Look out for
• Blackboard Sync a Facebook application to
  integrate LS course information into Facebook!