Joint Information Systems Committee 07/04/2015 | | Slide 1 Learners’ experiences of e-learning Rhona Sharpe Project Director, Support & Synthesis project Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Oxford Brooes University With Helen Beetham Greg Benfield Eta de Cicco Ellen Lessner Findings

Joint Information Systems Committee In their own words

Joint Information Systems Committee

Phase 2 Projects LEaD University of Edinburgh Learner Experiences across the Disciplines BLUPs Warwick and Northumbria Students' Blending Learning User Patterns PB-LXP The Open University Learners’ experiences of blended learning environments in a practice-based context LExDis University of Southampton Disabled Learners’ Experiences of e-learning THEMA Oxford University Exploring the experiences of Master’s students in technology rich environments STROLL Hertfordshire and Hertford Regional College Student Reflections on Lifelong e.Learning E4L University of Northampton, Northampton College, Norths Adult and Community Learning e-Learning for Learners

Joint Information Systems Committee Key messages 07/04/2015 | slide 5

Joint Information Systems Committee Learners have access to, and expect to use, a great deal of personal technology

Joint Information Systems Committee 07/04/2015 | slide 7 Personal technology There is high ownership and access to personal technology, but note institutional differences Where access or ownership is lacking, students feel disadvantaged Most students are not sure how to use personal technology to aid study, My whole life is on my laptop: pictures, music, every Word document I’ve created since high school is on here. (Thema)

Joint Information Systems Committee Learners are living complex lives and need to be connected

Joint Information Systems Committee 07/04/2015 | slide 9 Flexibility, reliability, convenience Learners are living complex lives. Learners are positive about VLEs where they provide easy access to everything they need High expectations for robust, visible, ubiquitous services. Time is a constraint, and a persistent worry for disabled learners My favourite piece of technology is “my phone, because I record lectures... I am more likely to watch what I have recorded than to log on the [VLE] and to go through the long procedure of finding something…” (E4L)

Joint Information Systems Committee Learners make extensive use of peer support networks

Joint Information Systems Committee 07/04/2015 | slide 11 Working with others Extensive use of social networking sites – for recreational use Extensive use of peers for support, especially technical support Technologies used to support the process of groupwork Social networking used where they have a cohort identity “University I don’t really use for people at University, I usually use texting, Facebook or MSN. If they’re on-line, on MSN, I know hopefully they’ll respond straightaway. You can get an immediate response with phones and Messenger.” (E4L)

Joint Information Systems Committee ‘Digital natives’ are not necessarily digitally literate

Joint Information Systems Committee 07/04/2015 | slide 13 Study habits and strategies New learners are conservative in their study habits and approaches Influenced initially by prior educational experience, and later by their tutors Disabled learners are agile technology users who understand the affordances of technology Learn skills from each other “Well firstly if I want to look anything up… I will usually Google it... Then I would fire up MSN… Finally [the VLE] and all the resources the University makes available online.” (STROLL)

Joint Information Systems Committee 07/04/2015 | slide 14 Learner differences There are many differences between learners; which may be due to, prior experience, discipline, and context Learners show evidence of maturing, in use of online resources, and organising themselves. Some learners are more digital than others, and there is still a small minority who prefer not to engage with technology

Joint Information Systems Committee 07/04/2015 | slide 15 1.to allow access to learning flexibly to fit in with their busy lives (flexibility in time and location) 2.to maintain social connections and support networks 3.for entertainment and leisure activities 4.to access information and resources efficiently and drawing on a wide pool 5.careful, strategic uses to meet identified needs (e.g. discipline specific or personal) Learners’ uses of technology

Joint Information Systems Committee Learners have much to contribute

Joint Information Systems Committee Effective e-learners? I kind of trust Wikipedia when the article is not a stub, and as regards Google, it depends on the results I am given, of course. If the websites look too personal and not trustworthy and scientific enough, I try to find a better source or at least another source which supports the facts provided by the non-reviewed resource. (Madeline, Thema) I had to learn Excel the other day for a directed activity. I found the lecture hard to follow so I went on You Tube and found a video on setting up a formula. (Lottie, LeXDis). If there was a question I couldn’t do and found no useful material on I used windows Live Messenger to discuss that particular question with friends. (STROLL) 07/04/2015 | slide 17

Joint Information Systems Committee Effective e-learners? Had a phone tutorial with my supervisor referring to a support document he ed to me – I digitally recorded the tutorial and saved it as a digital file on my laptop. This has then been playing while I make the adjustments to the document. (BLUPS) One of the group members was not able to make it today so what we did we were connected by using MSN Messenger so we were discussing notes. We were feeding back to the other person. (STROLL) I’m kind of an internet maniac because I don’t feel safe if I can’t get online … I moved three times since I came here and on the first night I really cannot get the internet at first. And then I just feel so empty (Liling, Thema) 07/04/2015 | slide 18

Joint Information Systems Committee Want to know more? 07/04/2015 | slide 19

Joint Information Systems Committee The learner’s journey –Most (not all) arrive confident, positive and enthusiastic about use of technology –Increase in technology use over time, especially to access online information and discipline specific software –Development in information seeking and handling skills –Becoming more independent and organisational skills 07/04/2015 | slide 20