Facilitating reflective practice – experiences to date.

1. Facilitating reflective practice – experiences to date. Dr Alan Masson Director: CETL(NI) for Institutional E-learning Services (CIES), University of Ulster.

2. Overview of session • Introduction / background context • Overview of the Hybrid Learning Model • Experiences of using the Hybrid Learning Model with practitioners and learners • Opportunities and challenges of raising awareness and promoting discoverability of support resources • Summary / suggested questions • Supporting comments have been added in the form of notes throughout the presentation

3. CETL (NI): Institutional E-Learning Services (CIES) Aim: “promote, facilitate and reward the adoption of a “learner centred” reflective practice approach to the development of teaching and learning, in particular wrt the use of e-learning technologies” Cultural challenge: effecting changes in “teaching” practices - key to learning experience * CETL(NI): Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (Northern Ireland)

4. Conceptual model of CIES tools and services

5. Two dimensions to project • Prompts for reflection • Artifacts to initiate changes of practice • Promote supporting resources and services • Facilitate realisation of changes of practice • Discoverability and community

6. Prompts for reflection • People based (cohort profiles etc.) • Practice based (models of practiceand case studies) • Resource based (tools, technologies and resources) Agents to challenge and influence

7. Fundamental challenges • Describing practice* • Disseminating practice* • Ensuring the learner perspective is “core” * In a universal manner (across subjects / institutions) Use of rubrics for “effective practice” as a reference framework was included in the funding proposal. Review of this - look to use a modeling framework instead.

8. Hybrid Learning Model Bringing together (then) emerging work: 8LEM Model (Labset, University of Liege) 30 teaching verbs (Bennett, Wollongong University)

11. Hybrid Learning Model • Eight two sided flash cards (based on 8LEM) • Enriched with role specific Verbs (adapted from Bennett) • Resulting model further annotated with relevant context information (objectives, environment, tools etc.) • Captures interactions and roles

12. Modeling practice using the HLM An example of the HLM flash cards in use.

23. Practitioner evaluation of Hybrid Learning Model • Greater awareness of learner perspective • Clearly articulates expectations for learner • Provides structured view of their practice • Promotes reflection and debate

24. Practitioner comments Process and structure comments: • “It creates a logic in planning teaching…It provides a framework for evaluation” • “It allowed me to visualise the process in a simple manner” • “Prior, my design process was more adhoc. This is more structured”

25. Practitioner comments Learner perspective comments • “It made me consider how best to describe the [learner’s] activities that I require from them”; • “Looking at the learner perspective with fresh eyes”; • “Made me think of just how many different aspects there are to the learner’s role”; • “I tend to underestimate the learner’s efforts”; • Encouraged me to think about it from the learner’s perspective rather than just focusing on the teacher”; • “Made me think about balance of expectations vs balance of activities”.

26. Practitioner HLM Use Cases • Planning and designing course materials / learning activities; • Raising awareness of teaching and learning processes and in particular the learner perspective; • Reflecting on, evaluating, reviewing and sharing current practice; • Positioning technology within the context of practice • Model is a core component academic induction and a number of other educational development activities within the University of Ulster.

27. Example learner engagement with HLM • Animated activity plan* presented to the students in class (process walkthrough with discussion) to introduce a “new” learning activity. • Grid provided as a reference document • Resources also available online (VLE) *Example animation available: portfolio_ex.swf

28. Tagcloud: year one student comments on use of model to introduce a new learning activity Tagcloud generated by Wordle

29. HLM grid as a learner support tool

30. Learner focused HLM Use Cases • Assisting students to adapt to new learning situations by clarifying expectations and processes. • Seminars • Tutorials • Practicals • Portfolios • Assisting students to understand role of support services (i.e. Library, Careers) in the context of the above activities.

31. HLM artifacts as change agents Promoting reflection, discussion and sharing of practice • Internally (individual) • Among practitioners • Between practitioners and learners • Among learners • Among support services and clients

32. HLM: Future Developments • Fully on-line version of tool (UI challenge) • Include richer annotations (i.e. Laurillard’s Media Types) • Import / export functionality with IMS LD and LAMS • More use cases: • Student research capture tool

33. Promotion of supporting resources and services Creating connections to: • Facilitate realisation of changes of practice • Requires – a “gentle push” approach • Raise awareness and aid discoverability • Metadata and Semantics • Create Communities • Sharing and discussion

34. Raising awareness promoting discoverability • CETL approach: use simple educational information models across tools and resources • Use these data models to suggest contextual links across tools and services to users (concierge role) • Annotated demo provided (caselink.swf)

35. Joining up services: challenges identified • Reviewing the value and role of these services / assets • Formalising curation policies and practices • Positioning these assets in the context of other internal and external “collections” (integration / interoperability)

36. Summary • Visualisation tools like the HLM can have a significant impact on individuals. • Visual artifacts can inform and promote communication among stakeholders • Disseminating and sharing these artifacts effectively is an opportunity and a challenge.

37. Some questions….. • What other artifacts could effectively facilitate reflection? • How can we best raise awareness / enhance the discoverability of these artifacts? • How can we best facilitate conversations and community around these artifacts?

38. More info @: http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/ e-mail: aj.masson@ulster.ac.uk