Working with VLEs being a strategic practitioner

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Working with VLEs-being a strategic practitioner

• Kathy Wiles
• kathy.wiles_at_ltsn.ac.uk

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Background

• The strategic context-HEFCE and DfES
• Working within an institutional strategy
• Being a strategic practitioner
• Moving beyond the VLE

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Foundation of DfES e-learning strategy

• e-Learning is one of the drivers of the knowledge
  economy
• e-Learning can reduce social exclusion (from
  education and the workforce)
• e-Learning must be successful because we have
  invested so much in it
• e-Learning should be pedagogically sound

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Consequences for education

• There will be greater investment in e-learning,
  especially in schools
• Knock-on effect students will be better equipped
  and make greater demands of technology and of us
• More research into whether e-learning is
  effective will be funded
• Pressure to be cost-effective and demonstrate
  enhancement will increase

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HEFCE e-learning strategy

• 7 strands
• Research, evaluation and strategic review
• Strategic and change management and funding for
  sustainability
• Curriculum design, development and pedagogy, and
  human resources
• Learning resources
• Collaboration, progression and student support
• Quality
• Infrastructure and standards

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Consequences for the practitioner

• You will be expected to be strategic
• You may find yourself contributing to
  institutional strategy
• You may be put under pressure to collaborate
• You will have to consider reuse and
  interoperability issues
• IPR will become very important to you
• You will be expected to carry out more
  research/evaluation
• There may be some recognition and reward

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A typical e-learning strategy c.2000

• We are one of the leading institutions in the
  use of ICT to support learning and teaching. To
  further develop our strategy every school will be
  required to put 20 of its modules online by 2005

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A typical e-learning strategy c.2000

• We are one of the leading institutions in the
  use of ICT to support learning and teaching. To
  further develop our strategy every school will be
  required to put 20 of its modules online by 2005

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A typical e-learning strategy c.2000
resources
student

• We are one of the leading institutions in the
  use of ICT to support learning and teaching. To
  further develop our strategy every school will be
  required to put 20 of its modules online by 2005

teacher
development
HR
LT
estates
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The new e-learning strategies

• Embedded within learning and teaching strategies
• Cost-benefit analysis- online courses are not for
  all
• Linking of VLE to systems or MLE
• Link to widening participation and student access

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BUT

• Focus still not on student learning/ achievement
• Development of staff not addressed
• Linking of strategies still missing
• Lacking vision- still wedded to traditional modes
  of delivery
• Focus only on VLE and not other technologies
• Managed through projects

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Being a strategic practitioner

• Exploring pedagogical issues
• Forming strategies for sustaining and embedding
  e-learning in our every day practice
• Tailoring what we do to meet student needs

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Exploring pedagogical issues

• Can the tools help you change your practice?
• What teaching methodologies are you using? Could
  you explore others?
• Are the students developing pedagogy? Are you
  comfortable with this?
• Record what you do- and share (LEAP)

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Sustaining and embedding

• To get return on investment of your time
• Must assess what impact it is likely to have on
  your teaching
• Share the development with other staff-use their
  expertise
• Reuse online resources
• Share your learning objects

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Meeting student needs

• Enjoyment and enhancement of student experience
• Facilitates mobility and flexibility of access
• Encourages students to choose own learning
  pathway/ adapt to own learning style
• Facilitates greater communication
• Equips students as lifelong learners
• Evaluates ALL of these things

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Beyond the VLE

• Greater technological engagement
• wireless and increased home ownership, more
  gadgets psi
• Working within the MLE
• is it happening, does it make a difference?
• Working with the student progress file
• integration?