Prospects for Transformational Change

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Prospects for Transformational Change

• David Nicol
• Director, REAP project Re-engineering Assessment
  Practices
• Deputy Director, CAPLE Centre for Academic
  Practice and Learning Enhancement.
• University of Strathclyde
• Scotland

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Introduction

• What do we mean by transformational change?
• Can ICT transform learning?
• How might we go about it?

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What counts as transformation?

• SFC large scale/rapid pace of change
• Real changes but not perceived as
  transformational
• Appearance of transformation but not..
• Cumulative benefit but no step change

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What counts as valuable?

• In higher education
• Learning quality gains
• Cost reductions
• Two examples regarded by many as transformational
  Peer Instruction (Mazur) and Program in Course
  Redesign (Twigg)

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Peer Instruction Electronic Voting systems

• Eric Mazur (1997 Crouch and Mazur, 2001)
• Goal address conceptual misunderstandings in
  physics.
• Approach Peer Instruction (teaching through
  questioning with voting and peer discussion)
• Technology electronic voting systems
• Significant learning gains (Force Concept
  Inventory)
• Massive worldwide adoption of PI and EVS
• Hake (1998) tested 62 courses 6542 students

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Twigg (1999-02) Pew Foundation Program in
Course Redesign (PCR)

• Goals reduce costs and improve learning quality
• Focus large 1st-year classes, multiple
  disciplines
• Bids rigorous procedure, highly selective and
  supportive, 30 courses many institutional types.
• Detailed ready to go implementation plan
• Outcomes cost saving (37 3.6m pa), improved
  learning (standard tests) in 25 of 30 courses
• 5 redesign models supplemental, replacement,
  emporium, buffet and fully online

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How can we promote transformation?

• Peer Instruction pedagogy the driver
• PCR (Twigg) two-step process - money to create
  evidence then no money.
• What should we spend money on?
• Can we spend teaching money on research?

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Where to focus class, course, institution

• Can we transform teaching in isolation?
• PI class level
• PCR established favourable conditions
  institutionally
• REAP complexity of changing both levels
  simultaneously.

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Does collaboration support T-change?

• Most UK projects require cross-institutional
  collaboration
• PCR prohibited collaboration
• REAP benefits of collaboration (shared risks,
  ideas, dissemination) but cross-institutional
  collaboration is resource-intensive

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Key lessons from Pew Program

• You can achieve measurable comparative benefits
• You can have it both ways (cost and quality)
• You only get what you aim for PCR process
  involved advance support and targeted plans

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Some supporting conditions for transformation

• Motivation to undertake change and redesign
• Pedagogical ideas about what kinds of change can
  be powerful
• Staff development - experience in redesign
• A culture of evidence-based teaching
• Dissemination different types (e.g. talking to
  those who have redesigned)

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Reference

• Paper to go with this presentation
• Transformation in e-Learning by Steve Draper
  and David Nicol
• Available at-
• http//www.psy.gla.ac.uk/steve/rap/docs/transf1.p
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