The use of role play and VLEs in teaching Environmental Management Juliette Pavey Danny Donoghue University of Durham 18 th November 2003

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 The Exercise Role play exercise designed to show how a Planning Process might address a conflict between Nature conservation and an industrial development The students work within designated guidelines to research the issues and develop a good knowledge of their assumed organisations remit

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Objectives To promote group discussion Students to reflect on issues and the views of others To gain an understanding of the Legislation Application of knowledge to a given problem To expose the students to an alternative learning situation

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Adoption of Learning Environment Group function Discussion boards Access to online info sources Enhance tutor to student and student to student interaction

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Implementation 100 students into groups of 10 Each group assigned a particular role Encouraged to informally assign roles themselves within their groups Discussion forums and web pages within the VLE formed basis of role-play activity

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Implementation Web pages provided information to enable students to formulate ideas/opinions Encouraged to contribute to discussion board to share info with other group members After 2 weeks of collaborative online work the groups assembled face to face in 3 rd week. Groups members nominated to present their case to an independent assessor

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 eLearning activity 1 Delivery through Blackboard Rationale: Students had previous experience Emphasis on first stage of Gilly Salmons five stage model access and motivation From a monitoring perspective more apparent who had/hadnt taken part Archive of discussion

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Group instructions

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 eLearning activity 2 Access to online materials Students actively encouraged to access web based in addition to paper based materials Rationale: Focus on student-centred learning, encouraged to broaden knowledge through online materials Students to share their information and knowledge through asynchronous chat or in Blackboard

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 eLearning activity 3 Access to online interactive map Students directed to an interactive map showing a fictitious geographical site of the study area Rationale: Enabling students to form mental picture of study area To develop arguments in the context of this physical site

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Discussion boards

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 eLearning activity 4 Asynchronous discussion Within their groups students encourage to carry out 2 tasks over 2 weeks via the discussion board: 1. Share extra info they have collected via the web 2. Share ideas and begin to formulate arguments

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 eLearning activity 4 Rationale: Group size Enabled greater flexibility Alternative learning method Aim to promote deep learning – ability to access information at a later time

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Student Feedback Generally positive feedback when it all came together in the final session, it did work and was very interesting excellent resource, especially the group pages, very useful Some negative feedback Emerged mainly from the fact that they felt that it was a lot of work considering it was not an assessed piece of work Some felt that not all members contributed equally to the discussion: its quite hard to work as a group in discussion pages if some members dont participate

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Statistics % had explored the interactive map 80% accessed the discussion board (although not all contributed) 80% recommended that supporting materials should be developed as web pages similar to this in other modules.

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Changes following 2002 evaluation Self selection of groups More involvement from tutor as emoderator More information about etivities Encourage greater socialisation prior to exercise Encourage informal roles within groups

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Recommendations Provide rationale Facilitate interactivity: eg self selection of groups, assigning roles within groups Encourage participation/be responsive Provide direction Provide area for informal discussion Private group space can foster enthusiasm and ownership of materials Socialisation and familiarity important for discussion

LTSN GEES: VLEs18/11/03 Contact details Juliette Pavey, Learning Technolgies Team, University of Durham.