E-Learning - Opportunities for Access Strategies & activities at Warwick Dr Jay Dempster Mr Mark Childs Centre for Academic Practice

Drivers for e-development in HE Pressures facing UK HE:Pressures facing UK HE: –widening access and increasing flexibility –dealing with more diverse students –funding stretch –globalisation and threat from competitors –greater demand for accountability e-learning used by both distance and campus universities as a way of meeting the challengese-learning used by both distance and campus universities as a way of meeting the challenges

Impact of e-innovation on HE Most HEIs are:Most HEIs are: –using and developing their use of VLEs –developing support services for students through portals or middleware –struggling with the same e-learning change issues as we are –seeing a growing acceptance by lecturers of the value of e-learning as a teaching method Most HEIs have done little work on the impact on student learningMost HEIs have done little work on the impact on student learning

From context to concrete Organisational issuesOrganisational issues Staff engagementStaff engagement Learning interactionsLearning interactions Impact on practicesImpact on practices Framework of institutional structures & practices for embedding innovation Models for providing professional development opportunities Research-based learning as an example of e-strategy development An evaluation approach to teaching and learning development

Being strategic about e-learning From ‘innovation’ to ‘embedding’ of e-learning: Institutional issues

Institutional embedding? Once-novel practices becoming commonplaceOnce-novel practices becoming commonplace Contrast with ‘innovation’ - as a shift away from traditional practicesContrast with ‘innovation’ - as a shift away from traditional practices –Hannan & Silver, 2000 A variety of different interpretations by academicsA variety of different interpretations by academics –Harvey & Oliver, 2001 Common featuresCommon features –Variation in focus –Distinction with ‘disseminating’ practice –Oliver & Dempster, 2003

Framework for institutional review Organisation & Direction Response to InnovationInstitutionalThinking Support for Embedding Strategies Objectives Structures Engagement Investment Collaboration Evaluation Transfer Planning Staff development Support models Recognition & reward

Organisational context Consider: 1.What current mechanisms for embedding innovation into learning and teaching practices are working well for your institution? 2.How might you build on this individually?

INITIATIVE OR DEVELOPMENT Teaching staff L&T unit IT dept Library Academic schools Admin staff & committees Roles and linkages Partner institutions partnerships communication implementation planning ? ? ? collaboration

Strategic success factors Reviewing approaches & experiences of national projects and institutions FD

Two reviews LTSN funded surveyLTSN funded survey –Review of experiences of institutional embedding across 10 national projects (learning technology) TLTP3 transferability projectTLTP3 transferability project –Review of structures & practices in 8 universities: –Warwick, Oxford, Bristol, Sheffield Hallam, Coventry, Manchester, UMIST, Southampton Project teamProject team –Jay Dempster, Sue Band, Warwick –Frances Deepwell, Coventry University Innovation  embedding = TRANSFERABILITYInnovation  embedding = TRANSFERABILITY JD

Strategic success factors  Vision and personal credentials; individual, groups and relationships FD Academic freedom underpinned by good educational leadershipAcademic freedom underpinned by good educational leadership Transfer of knowledge from evaluation of projects & initiativesTransfer of knowledge from evaluation of projects & initiatives Retention of staff expertise & re-purposing of resourcesRetention of staff expertise & re-purposing of resources

Joined up approaches Utilising existing structures more effectivelyUtilising existing structures more effectively  Integration of e-learning within academic development Overlapping responsibilities can provide positive links if different roles are clearOverlapping responsibilities can provide positive links if different roles are clear Awareness raising and sharing practice is essentialAwareness raising and sharing practice is essential Senior level support & engaging schools/headsSenior level support & engaging schools/heads Strategic collaboration rather than simply good working relationsStrategic collaboration rather than simply good working relations Involving students in the exploratory/development processInvolving students in the exploratory/development process  Effective forums for debate & consultation  Policy & strategy reinforced by incentives & rewards (time, recognition and money) FD

Evaluation of practice Emergent & evolutionaryEmergent & evolutionary Awareness & capacity buildingAwareness & capacity building Knowledge from L&T evaluation (R&D) informing decision-makingKnowledge from L&T evaluation (R&D) informing decision-making Systematic approach rather than ad hocSystematic approach rather than ad hoc

Capacity to evaluate One might consider, at individual, school or institutional level:  Which evaluation mechanisms are used most effectively in your institution to improve L&T and e-learning practice (i.e. how do you/your institution know that the changes are improving practice)?