Through the eyes of the learner

1. Through the eyes of the learner Key findings and thoughts on the learners’ use and perceptions about e-learning Ellen Lessner, JISC Learner Experience Scoping Study 7 July 2006

2. JISC E-Learning and Pedagogy • Overall aim: to ensure that e-learning in the UK post-16 sector is: ‘pedagogically sound, learner-focused and accessible’

3. And the point is? • The learner experience is changing • Formal and informal learning is taking place on the www as well as in coffee bars • What do we know about this experience? • Scoping study literature review (Sharpe et al, 2005) found that most research was teacher or institution based • Outside of the classroom, not many people were asking the individual learner about their experience of technology and learning

4. The situation:

5. This strand aims to: • The managers • The design of buildings and spaces The Learner The Practitioner The Developer

6. The studies hope to find out… • How do learners experience ‘e-Learning? • What makes for an effective e-learner? • What aspects of the learner behaviour need closer scrutiny? • What aspects of the learner experience are effective and can be built on?

7. 3 JISC funded projects

8. Scoping, support and synthesis • Literature review of HE, FE and ACL found very little research from the learner’s point of view • Much of the literature is teacher focused or evaluated a specific course or technology • Concept maps and a report are available from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/elp_learneroutcomes.htm

9. LEX study structure – HE,FE,ACL • Start from the premise that learners are experts on their own experiences • Has completed 22 interviews and 6 focus groups to gather information – 55 learners • 3 HE, 4 FE, 2 ACL • Community based • Work based • LearnDirect • Undergraduates and post graduates • Adults learning online at home and at work

10. Emerging themes from the LEX study… Fitting learning around life Control & choices Expectations of technology Strategies/ways of coping Personalisation of environment Influence of/on family Motivation to use technology Course design issues Time management

11. It’s complicated!

12. Findings from the draft of the LEX report: • Emergent themes were common across all sectors, ages and stages of learning • Few learners talked about ‘e-learning’. For most it was simply another method to help them learn • Effective learners were those who were confident, able to network through a variety of communication channels, highly effective time managers, and had the skill to integrate and balance learning with work, leisure and family commitments • Technology rates as a relatively minor factor in the profiles of those who might describe themselves as effective learners!

13. The learner perspective (LEX) - • What factors influence what I do with my learning? • What factors influence how I feel about my learning? • Control • Identity • Feelings • Relationships • Abilities

14. Learner XP project – Exploring subject differences - HE • IT, Medicine, Languages and Economics • In conjunction with HE Academy subject centres • 500 online surveys completed • 86 audio logs completed • 8 interviews to be completed • It’s not yet clear whether the use of e-learning is discipline neutral (Conole)

15. Three interesting points • “There is a mismatch between an institution’s perception of the use of technology by learners and the actual use.” (Grainne Conole, 5/6/06) • “Analogue institutions in a digital world" Chris Yapp, Head of Public Sector Innovation, Microsoft, 5/6/06) • “There is an underworld of texting and messaging.” (Creanor, et al)

16. A word about research methods • Flexible to meet the widely differing situations of learners, capturing the learner voices through interviews, focus groups, audio files and questionnaires • Current methods of analysis of data need to be adopted, redefined, and tested…. • ‘Evolutionary’ (Creanor)

17. Time out ! • Most of us are learners as well as teachers • Are you a digital immigrant or native? • A bit of fun… ??????

18. Q1. Where did most of the action take placeduring the recent NUS elections?  No, not this time 1. In the bar  Apparently not this time 2. Public meetings For fun  Yes, and you are up to date or read the Guardian 3. MySpace  When they are older this will be the right answer 4. In a committee Source: Victor Keegan, Opinion, TechnologyGuardian, 1 June 2006

19. Q2. What is MySpace?  For fun No, you probably don’t know anyone under 21. 1. A place to design a kitchen  2. A bolt hole from work No, not in this context  No, not really 3. A blog site  Yes, well done! You probably know someone under 21. 4. A social online community

20. Q3. Which British University is experimenting with podcasting lectures?  Do they know what a podcast is? 1. Oxford  For fun 2. Leicester Yes, 10 minutes which include a joke or rap  Maybe, but they weren’t in the news! 3. Edinburgh  Probably in the not too distant future 4. All of them Source: The Guardian Education Higher Diary, 6 June 2006

21. Q4. What is the difference between a wiki and a blog?  For fun Wiki wiki is Hawaiian for ‘rapidly’ 1. A wiki is Hawaiian and a blog isn’t  2. A wiki is private and a blog isn’t Yes, you can choose who you allow to access a wiki  No, you can search for blogs 3. A blog is private and a wiki isn’t  4. It’s greek to me You aren’t alone!

22. What’s your e-story? • An email from a colleague • The difference e-learning makes to some Deaf students • Video case studies – A day in the life of 5 learners and their use of technology to support their learning. A work in progress

23. For more information • JISC e-Learning and Pedagogy website: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/elearning_pedagogy.html • Sarah Knight, Programme Manager- Pedagogy and Innovation Strands of the JISC e-Learning Programme sarah.knight@jisc.ac.uk • Ellen Lessner, Scoping, Support and Synthesis Group for the Learner Experience Projects, ellen.lessner@abingdon-witney.ac.uk