PhD Registration Stage Presentation 17/02/05

1. PhD Registration Stage Presentation17/02/05 Paul CatherallWeb / E-Learning developer, NEWI

2. 1. TitleWhat are the skills challenges faced by students in the use of educational technology?Perceptions of undergraduate students studying professional courses in a part-time, distributed study context. • Educational Technology Skills Skills facilitating educational activities in a digital context.Generic and subject-specific.Personal computer use, use of standard operating systems and software, use of subject-specific software and online applications (with reference to interpersonal, communication, collaborative, creative and study-management skills). • Undergraduate studentsEntry level study in Higher Education professional courses, e.g. nursing, education. • ChallengesShortfall between skills expectations and realisation of effective study. • PerceptionsSkills Requirements as perceptions... How defined? QAA? HEA? University?Student perspective within the skills requirements debate. • Part-TimeTrends towards part-time / low-contact study models. • DistributedConventional teaching alongside remote study via networked systems.

3. 2. Motivations for Research • Background • academic library user support • technical support • web development • e-learning (configuration/ development, training, liaison, user support.) • Not IT qualified, English Lit degree / LIS qualifications ! • Questioning Assumptions... "(The) uncritical approach to technology use improves education only to the extent that it improves access to learning... This represents a lost opportunity and constitutes an unsatisfactory state of affairs.“ (Chee 2002 p.13) • culture of buzz-words, hype, trends, many assumptions. • assumption that technology is a solution. • assumption that technology is functional and fit for purpose. • assumption that technology is intuitive and accessible. • assumption that technology is reliable and persistent.

4. 3. Some Terms • E-learning"Covering... Web based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms, and digital collaboration" (Erskine 2003 p.2). • VLE (Virtual Learning Environment)Typically Web based synthesis of communication, collaboration and content dissemination features. • Online LearningStudy via the medium of the Web, or the Internet generally. • Blended Learning (Distributed Learning)Study context facilitated both by learning technology and traditional teaching methods. • Ubiquitous Learning"The computer is an essential tool that must be available on demand and wherever we expect to support learners." (Skill and Young 2002 p.30). • Mobile LearningUse of hand-held Portable Digital Assistants, Pagers, Laptops and other devices in the context of WiLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) or Internet - via WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) .

5. 4. Background to Education Technology • Facet of educational experience for decades. • Grown from marginal to pervasive presence throughout 90s. • Remote study via networked facilities only recently realised with VLEs. • Possibility of distance learning via networked facilities. • Possibility for distributed model (conventional study supported by e-learning). • Characterised by remote study, web-based interface, online collaboration, online assessment & submission, online conferencing, online communities... • Other forms of Information Technology merging with e-learning via the Web (library management system, e-journals, commercial accounts, Student Records System, email). • Uncharted territory for pedagogy - relationships and processes in online learning.

6. 5. Other influences... • Government Impetus for widening participation, innovation in course delivery and accessibility (e.g. Dearing 1997, The Learning Age 1998). • Closer alignment to industry & professions (e.g. 21st Century Skills 2003, The Future of Higher Education 2004). • Market-led (or demand-led) impetus as opposed to 'the supply side' University. • Prevalence of home Internet access, growth in IT literacy, growing user expectations. • Growth of e-learning across education sector, e.g. UK E-University, World-Wide Universities Network, Open University, NKI University (Norway) and commercial examples (Thompson Net G). • Growth in Part-Time / Distance-Learning student uptake.

7. 6. Overview of Research • Provide Original Research • Contribute to existing research in the area of technology skills requirements, by examining students' perceptions of skills requirements for study. • To compare these perceptions with government, industry, sector and institutional views derived from the literature review and practical research elements. • Overview of Aims • Define generic, discipline-specific and context-based educational technology skills requirements. • Define the role and importance of educational technology training / assessment and continuous development. • Contribute to the development of a tool to query educational technology skills requirements within a distributed study context. • Practical Research Element • Conducted in the context of a Higher Education provider facilitating the UK Government widening participation agenda via innovative strategy, teaching and technology. • Part-time student groups selected across a range of professional-related disciplines.

8. 7. Objectives • Identify sector recommendations for educational technology skills requirements (e.g. within government agencies and professional bodies) across the Post-Compulsory Education, Information Technology and Information sectors. • Identify perceptions of education technology skills requirements for undergraduate professional-related courses within industry, including employer requirements and professional accredited courses. • Identify perceptions of educational technology skills within a demand-led Higher Education provider, including pre-entry requirements and expectations for skills development, also including perceptions of practitioners and support service staff. • Identify perceptions of educational technology skills requirements within a defined Higher Education provider amongst first year, part-time students undertaking undergraduate professional-related courses across differing disciplines and within a distributed study context (i.e. combining traditional class teaching with remote study via e-learning technology). • Identify existing matrices for assessment of educational technology skills requirements, establishing how far these could be applied to undergraduate students in a part-time, distributed study context. • Contribute to the development of a matrix for assessment of educational technology skills requirements. Depending on the outcome of Objective 5, either make recommendations for the modification of an existing matrix or recommendations for the design of a new matrix suitable for a part-time distributed study context. • Make recommendations for educational technology skills training and support (including in-course development and assessment) for undergraduate students in a part-time distributed study context, and for further research.

9. 8. Methodology • Literature review • Define formal prerequisites within official bodies (Objectives 1 and 2) and a selected Higher Education provider (Objective 3). • To assist in categorising educational technology skills to develop a skills assessment matrix (Objectives 5 and 6). • Student Questionnaires • 3-5 part-time, undergraduate student groups of 30-50 persons (Objective 4). • Across several professional disciplines (e.g. Education, Nursing). • Delivered at 3 key stages in academic year (enrolment, mid-year, end of year). • Staff Interviews (Semi-Structured) • 3-5 academic staff teaching the student survey groups, to investigate staff perceptions of educational study skills (Objective 3). • Open-ended comment. • Delivered at 3 key stages in academic year (enrolment, mid-year, end of year). • 8-10 support staff will also be selected for interviewing (Objective 3) at similar stages. • Pilot..for all questionnaires and interviews - used before deployment. • Synthesis • Using ‘Grounded theory' (Leedy and Ormond 2005). • To establish a theoretical framework for analysis based on trends in the primary data. • SPSS will be used for recording, analysis and presentation of findings.

10. 9. Action Plan

11. 10. Further Information: MMU Research Web Page http://draigweb.co.uk/elearning/ References • Catherall, P. (2004) Delivering E-Learning for Information Services in Higher Education Oxford: Chandos Publishing • Chee, Y. S. (2002) Refocusing learning on pedagogy in a connected world On the Horizon 10 (4), p.7-13 • Department for Education and Employment (1998) The Learning Age. March: http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/greenpaper • Erskine, J. (2003) Learning and Teaching Support Network. Resource Guide in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). October 2004: http://www.hlst.ltsn.ac.uk/projects/Specialists/erskine.pdf • Great Britain, Home Office (2003) 21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential. London: HMSO. • Great Britain, Home Office (2003) The Future of Higher Education. London: HMSO. • National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (1997) The Dearing Report. March: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/ncihe • Skill, D. and Young, A. (2002) Embracing the hybrid model: Working at the intersections of virtual and physical learning spaces New Directions for Teaching and Learning 2002 (92), p.23-32