Sue Roberts Dean of Learning Services and Director of SOLSTICE, Centre for

1. Changing Faces: Changing Places Sue Roberts Dean of Learning Services and Director of SOLSTICE, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Edge Hill University (UK) and Margaret Weaver Head of Learning and Information Services and Change Academy St Martin’s College of HE (UK) Perspectives on leadership and the new ‘academic team’

2. Introduction and Overview Introduction and Overview The UK Higher Education Context Spaces and Places: challenges in blended learning Case studies: St Martin’s College and Edge Hill University: Approaches to the development of the new academic team Conditions for Learning: transferable principles

3. Background…

4. ‘Convergence’ HE policy – what is a university? ‘Widening participation’ Mission and Purpose Learning Environments/ Learner Support and Development Student (and others) expectations and needs/wants Learning and Teaching innovation Blended and flexible learning Strategic Drivers Technological possibilities Why is the new “academic team” emerging in UK HEIs ?

5. Challenges for libraries in ‘eLearning’ Challenges in ‘Blended Learning’ “New collaborations and partnerships between staff with different professional backgrounds are emerging… within the new ‘space’ for educational activity that has resulted from the convergence and rapid development of ICT.” (Levy and Roberts, 2005)

6. Importance of Spaces/Places Library as place/space… “The death-of-place prognostications simply do not square with the countless people I have interviewed, the focus groups I’ve observed, and the statistical research I’ve done. Place and community are more critical factors than ever before…the economy itself increasingly takes form around real concentrations of people in real places.” Richard Florida (2000) The Rise of the Creative Class and how it’s transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life.

7. Challenges for libraries in ‘eLearning’ Case Studies

8. The Learning Gateway: St Martin’s College Introduction and Overview the Learning Gateway is not just a building – but a metaphor for change and a driver of institutional academic and cultural development This outcome has not been brought about by accident, but by the purposeful juxtaposition of strategy, vision and leadership exhibited by staff The LG is not a library but a space-to-learn-in conceived by placing learners at the centre It is technology rich, affording new opportunities for social, informal and formal learning

9. Challenges for libraries in ‘eLearning’ Learning First Literature on Learner-centred environments Pedagogical Principles Collaborative Learning approaches SMART Learners Flexible, adaptable, accessible spaces Formal, informal and social learning Seamless integration of ICT Changing roles – tutors, students, supporters Emergent, complex and cultural change

10. Challenges for libraries in ‘eLearning’ Challenges in supporting ‘Blended Learning’ How can the space and facilities be a place where students can grow and develop? How can the space be made adaptable so that students and staff can learn from each other? Learning how to learn - how can the space can be used to support independent learning and new partnerships? SMC approach: Development of the new academic team The Change Academy View of the atrium showing the infiltration of light

11. Perspectives on Learning Introduction and Overview

12. Challenges for libraries in ‘eLearning’ The Change Academy “in matters of teaching and learning, we [librarians] are often Just out of peripheral vision and, in the case of online learning, we are not even in the picture.” (Peacock, 2005) “New collaborations and partnerships between staff with different professional backgrounds are emerging…within the new ‘space’ for educational activity that has resulted from the convergence and rapid development of ICT.” (Levy and Roberts, 2005)

13. The Student Journey – a rich picture Envision Co-create Contextualise Trust Intuition Belief What are the challenges of working in multi-professional teams?

14. Challenges for libraries in ‘eLearning’ FDL Framework – Leadership in Action “To engage all staff involved in academic delivery in a supportive process that encourages them to further examine flexible and distributed learning, including e-learning options and to embed them in their academic courses.” “ Academic Identity and Alignment: Stage 1 Faculties identify courses- linked to business expansion plans Developing Influence Boundary crossing Vision Stage 2 Planning – outcome, L&T approach, expertise Team building Risk taking Hybrid Skills and knowledge Stage 3 Partnership workshop; learning contract Pedagogy and Facilitation “blending the changes we want to promote in student learning with the support we must give staff to achieve it” Stage 4 Production of materials Validation process

15. SOLSTICE: Edge Hill University www.edgehill.ac.uk/solstice

16. Between ‘new academic teams’ -academics, learning and technology support roles, stakeholders etc. Constructively aligned design (learning – teaching – assessment – evaluation) Bespoke, tailored – alignment of purpose with audience to determine form Grounded in notions of active learning and social constructivist pedagogies SOLSTICE – an ‘intelligence informed dialogue’ Informed by, and generative of, research and scholarship Enhancement and dissemination focused Characterised by teaching and learning approaches - cognitive processing, interaction supported by technology Key features of SOLSTICE

17. New Academic Teams Our position A “vision of a multi-professional team of academics, learning technologists and information specialists creating a learning environment and learning experiences with the learner at the centre” “Intelligent deployment of technologies must be predicated upon multi-professional dialogue” Current thinking From hybrid individuals to hybrid teams Salad not soup

18. Examples of the teams in action

19. Developing Social Learning Spaces Learning Spaces

20. Multi-professional teams – current experiences What are your experiences of working in multi-professional teams on blended learning developments? What worked well/ what issues arose? What are the implications for leadership?

21. Conditions for working/learning together • Potential barriers • Professional silos • Role perceptions • Professional territoriality • Group norms, culture etc. • Pace of change • Lack of self-confidence • Lack of strategic • direction • Time! • Individualism • Short-termism re: projects • Institutional culture Partners in educational development Could “eliminate competition and turf protection within our organisations.” (Stoffle, 1996)

22. Conditions for working/learning together • Potential enablers • Focus on common purpose • Pedagogy at centre • Strategic direction/support • Leadership • Learning from each other • Pilot collaborations and • evaluation • Co-analysis, evaluation • and research • Climate of trust • Reward and recognition • Blended learning as • vehicle • The ‘right people’!

23. Conclusions: Implications for CPD Learning technologies • role analysis • - reflecting critically… • recognise where to get • support • exploring the ‘art of • the possible’ • knowing your • limitations • collaboration CPD Individual Team(s) • designing for learning • ‘instructional design’ • literacies for learning • leadership of teams • pedagogy central • Mix of strengths and • approaches • ‘building bridges’ Pedagogy

24. Common Lessons Learnt for Leadership Introduction and Overview Building Strong Central Services Gaining and using external recognition ‘Letting go’ and taking risks Breaking down silos Networks of support Nurturing potential

25. Further Resources Introduction and Overview See Bibliography Plus… See St Martin’s Learning Gateway http://www.ucsm.ac.uk/lis/learninggateway See Edge Hill’s SOLSTICE http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/solstice

26. Your Questions? Introduction and Overview