e-Learning trends in HE

1. RSC Conference – HE in FE & e-Learning solutions e-Learning trends in HE An overview of the Higher Education Academy and its role in supporting HE in FE Lawrence Hamburg Associate Director and Head of e-Learning Higher Education Academy

2. Some questions to answer • Where are we now with e-Learning in HE? • What are we trying to achieve? • What’s on the horizon • Where we are moving to in terms of learning • Personalised student learning • The role of the Higher Education Academy • What is the HE Academy doing to support HE in FE?

3. The state of e-learning in UK HE • What is e-learning? • Not a single entity • A development of educational processes driven by possibilities enabled by new technology • Perceived benefits, DfES, SHEFC, HEFCE e-learning strategies – ‘embedding’, ‘transformation’

4. Where are we (1)? • ICT as a communication tool is widely used by students and staff. • Tools such as the WWW and email are becoming common practice. • Numerous examples/case studies of staff using the WWW in their teaching to provide additional resources and support for their students.

5. Where are we (2)? • Institutional Learning and Teaching strategies increasingly make references to their chosen VLE (Virtual learning Environment) and MLE (Managed learning Environment) as the institutional VLE becomes more embedded • However, the use of ICT to deliver substantial proportions of course materials and to provide an integrated approach to student-teacher and student-student interactions is much less widely established.

6. Why isn’t it happening? • Management commitment and organisational structure – a lack of understanding?; • Willingness and ability to invest (what are the actual benefits – can we cost them?); • Competing resources – staff time and rewards (research –vs- teaching in HE) • Lack of skills in the emerging area of learning technology (those that can do, but what about the rest and what’s the motivation); • Lack of examples of appropriate models for using e-learning to improve campus-based learning; • Lack of affordable, reliable tools and technical infrastructure within universities; and • Uncertainty as to the pedagogic effectiveness of e-learning.

7. e-learning alternatives? Three broad approaches to e-learning: • At one end . . . wholly based e-learning primarily for students studying at a distance(?) – UKeU (e-Universities) model – web delivered • At the other end . . supportive e-learning - conventional face-to-face campus based teaching supplemented with additional electronic resources – web enabled • An ‘embedded’ approach - e-learning replaces some face-to-face teaching - this does not necessarily mean less staff/student contact, but requires reflection and consideration of the whole course/module design/delivery/assessment process – web facilitated

8. What does the future hold? • Next five years – more of the same, i.e. fairly predictable • 10 years time – all bets are off – we can guess, but think back (say) 15 years as to how HE teaching and learning has changed • How do we plan for something we can’t predict? • Move towards personalised student learning – removing institutional barriers to learning • Boundaries between HE and FE eroding?

9. ePortfolios – more than a P(VLE)? • Personalised student learning – P(VLE) and more • Blackboard, WebCT etc tools • Home grown & open source tools • Move away from institutional focus • Recognition of student as lifelong learner • Regional agenda • PDP – Personal Development Planning • ePortfolios • Reflection • Planning • Presentation • ePortfolios and assessment?

10. ePortfolios – examples • Three approaches to the technology • Commercial – e.g Blackboard – PVLE? • Open source – e.g. www.theospi.org, http://electronicportfolios.org • Home grown • Wolverhampton University – Personal Development Planning tool – reflective – http://pace.wlv.ac.uk • University of Denver – allows collaborative development, although focus on presentation

13. SFEFC/SHEFCScotland’s ‘transformational’ change agenda • Needs to happen at institutional level – need to build capacity and capability – not just about infrastructures • March 2004 Implementation of the SFEFC/SHEFC joint e-learning report • £3m for FE and £3m for HE over 2 yrs • Bidding process (single institution and collaborative) to support institutions in making the necessary step changes • Not focused on e-learning as a separate entity, but suggests bids that address specific needs, for example: • transition between FE and HE, • assessment • Student skills • Widening Participation • discipline specific approaches, e.g. mathematics

14. DfES and HEFCE e-learning strategies • DfES consultation results on website – over 50% in favour of identified areas. • A unified approach: “The achievement of their potential for all learners: An education workforce empowered to change”. • Blended learning approach favoured. • 5-year strategies (DfES and HEFCE) to be published end 2004/early 2005 • HEFCE working on their strategy: • Sounding board meetings • Higher Education Academy/JISC joint response

15. Higher Education Academy • The HE Academy is a new organisation (1 May 2004) which incorporates: • Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (ILTHE) • Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) – subject centres • National Co-ordination Team (NCT) • National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) 'The Higher Education Academy is concerned with every aspect of the student experience. It will provide coherence, added value, inclusivity and a powerful emphasis on the needs of stakeholders.‘ Paul Ramsden, Chief Executive

16. Higher Education Academy • Generic Themes: • The HE Academy has appointed Senior Advisers to work across a range of generic themes, for example: • e-Learning • Employability • Assessment • Widening Participation • HE in FE Senior Advisers are supported by Project Officers and work with subject centres and other organisations, e.g. in the area of e-Learning with the JISC, RSCs, ALT.

17. Academy 24 Subject Centres

18. Subject Centres - key purposes Through a discipline focus: • promoting and sharing good practices in learning, teaching and assessment • brokering the transfer and take-up of knowledge and practice between users, experts, developers and innovators • setting up, supporting and developing L&T networks

19. Information & resources on-line databases and resources publications,briefings and guides case studies questionbanks news feeds and online updates enquiry service journals and books Profile and awareness newsletters and e-bulletins surveys and needs analyses subject community events Subject Centre approaches (1)

20. Brokerage links with subject academics and professional bodies practitioner focus connecting expertise with needs consultancy & advice funding projects supporting Ped. Research harvesting good practices creating partnerships and collaborations facilitating key subject issues Engagement workshops, seminars and conferences department based activities awaydays and joint events benchmark clubs services - student surveys special interest groups regional groups & networks Departmental contacts Subject Centre approaches (2)

21. Subject Centres and and e-Learning • Subject Centre examples • Engineering • Medicine • English

22. Distributed elearning Programme Why are the JISC and Academy working together? • To foster a closer collaboration and strategic alliance between the JISC and Academy. • To address both pedagogic and technical issues • To explore issues associated with the sharing of e-learning resources • To engage with and help inform and develop the overall JISC framework. • To provide a mechanism for subject centres to discuss, share and develop their e-learning approaches and experiences.

23. Higher Education Academy3 year plan for supporting higher education delivered in further education colleges in England

24. Rationale and Funding • Given the current levels of participation, and the likely increase in the number HE students studying in the FE sector it is appropriate that the Higher Education Academy should support staff in this sector. • To this end, the Academy has received £500,000 over three years from HEFCE to establish a programme of support for enhancing HE learning and teaching provision in FE colleges from 2004-05 onwards.

25. Principles • A focus on enhancing the student experience • Recognise the distinctiveness and diversity of the further education sector, and the delivery of HE in FE • Responsive to the needs of colleges and practitioners in FECs • Be outcomes based, demonstrating impact • Collaborative whereby we work within existing support frameworks and infrastructures

26. Key Objectives • Provide an effective means for staff supporting HE in FECs to engage with the wider support infrastructure for improving student experiences in HE. • To share access to HE information and resources. • To share good practice and work with colleges to enhance management strategies and policies to improve all aspects of the HE student experience. • To combine efforts with key partners to deliver a coherent and integrated support infrastructure to enhance HE learning and teaching policies and practice in FECs • To promote professional and scholarly development to increase the professional standing and recognition of all staff supporting HE in FECs. • To develop a stronger evidence-base of effective practice to improve the quality of the student experience.

27. Key Outcomes • Improved access to and use of appropriate resources and materials by HE staff in FECs to enhance HE provision in FECs and the overall HE student experience. • Effective strategies and policies to enhance the student experience deployed in FECs. • Increased body of knowledge and evidence to inform HE policy and practices in FE colleges. • Professional development of staff teaching HE in FECs. • Coherent and integrated infrastructure of support and advice operated by the Academy and key partners. • An effective regional support infrastructure.

28. What the HE Academy will do • Promote means to share appropriate resources and materials • Promote and support professional and scholarly staff development • Promote recognition of HE staff in FECs • Facilitate research on key enhancement themes • Broker programmes of support on thematic areas concerning the HE student experience in FECs, which will be decided in collaboration with staff in the FE sector • Offer tools and approaches to assist senior managers to enhance HE student experience

29. How the HE Academy will do this (1) • Appoint a Senior Adviser for HE in FE • Dedicated web-site for FE based users, with links to appropriate resources and materials. • The production and distribution of hard copies of resources and materials to reach FE staff with limited computer/internet access. • Resources will be allocated to clusters of subject centres • relevant to the main subjects covered in FECs to deliver appropriate activity and resources. • to include training and networking events, the provision of specialist resources and possibly the secondment of FE staff. • Academy-central staff and in particular senior advisers for employability, assessment, widening participation and HE in FE (depending on when the appointment is made) will work with clusters of subject centres to develop appropriate action plans.

30. How the HE Academy will do this (2) • Support and develop existing regional infrastructures to facilitate reaching and supporting HE staff in FECs. • Work in partnership with key agencies already established in supporting FECs, particularly those working at a regional or sub-regional level – RSCs, LSDA, AoC, FDF, RDAs, QAA etc to deliver events, share resources and provide support and expertise. • Offer workshops and events, targeted at defined groups on specific themes, probably in partnership with others (above). • Establish a research programme and network to disseminate research findings. • Promote and support the scholarly development of HE in FE staff. • Develop our Registration and Accreditation functions to support staff development.