A Problem Based Learning Journey Through the BA Learning Technology Research pathway

The BA Learning Technology Research »100% online (no face to face contact at all) »Work based (learners use their work as the context for three years of PBL) »The course is suitable for anyone in work, wishing to learn and research more about their profession and associated issues whilst developing graduate level research skills and a critical approach to uses of technology.

Current learners include »Teaching assistants »Nurses »Practice Managers and administration staff »Police officers »Parents »Carers »Designers »Office managers »Web designers »Lab Technicians »Librarians »Self employed

Real life problems »Unlike in traditional problem based learning with the BA LTR learners are in work and select problems or areas of their practice to research and improve. For these work based learners the problems are learner defined and not presented. » the issues may be familiar to the learners but using rigorous methods of research the learners re-examine the issues using different eyes - those of a research practitioner. »Researchers through scaffolding make sense of their real world messy issues for real improvement. »Problems emerge and change. The real world nature of the context means real things happen to change the situation as the learner is investigating.

Real life solutions »Through an action research approach to problem solving - learners really do implement actions in their work place to resolve issues. This is real world research and not a scenario. »The stakes are high.

Real World Impact »The impact of this real world approach to learning is clear in the comments of a recent graduate »“ The impact of my Action Enquiry research, especially in this final year, has not only had the impact of the children reading more than previously, but also has helped my school in our very recent OFSTED; the work that I carried out was recognised by the Inspector who made this comment within the 'Quality of provision' section of his report with regard to the 'Teaching and Learning' section. ”

And the theory … ? »The course has similarities with Feletti & Boud (2001) for example … »Start with problems rather than the “exposition of disciplinary knowledge” »Moves students to acquire knowledge »Eclectic methods »Sees the curriculums as bound in with professional practice »Students collaborate to resolve issues »Using stimulus material to aid discussion

Theory … ? »And differences from Feletti & Boud (2001) view of PBL »Problems are presented as a simulation (under the BA LTR course problems are real and not simulated) »Because there are so many professions working on different problems and issues collaboration is often process based - comparing the process of inquiry rather than the solution or subject specific issues. »Discussion is all remote and through technology. There is no face to face.

Technology »Learners are all work based and learn through their work. Technology is the mechanism to bring learners together in community. In an eclectic community of teaching assistants, police officers, carers, bursars, designers, admin officers, managers, parents and many many others people in different roles learn to research their issue of choice. »The technology enables the learning mix to occur. It links the distributed learners and facilitators.

What technology? »Online community of 200 learners (using First Class & Plone) »Resource web pages »Skype, ichat, MSN, »Individual Blogs »Blog of Blogs (an aggregator of learner and staff blogs) »Work uploading tool »Wiki (web pages which can be edited by all who visit) »Myspace, keep toolkit »The technology is underpinned by trust. »The trust is built from community.

Identifying needs »Learners identify their own learning needs and within the program there is the requirement that individuals address these. This is done through : »Discussion of need with peers and facilitators in the community. »The negotiation of module content »A reflective culture. »A planning culture. »Learners working with their own workplace to identify professional needs as well as personal ones.

Learners as researchers »On the BA LTR we have researchers not students. This has challenged what is accepted with HE. »This reflects the social constructivist pedagogy. »Learners have unique work based contexts - underlying the course then is a belief that the learners know their context better than any outsider looking in. As such they are best placed to research that situation. »Research is not used loosely - researchers are expected to develop their skills and knowledge as a researcher with a grasp of methodologies, methods and ethics.

What do researchers learn using this approach ? »Knowledge about their subject of research »Skills in and knowledge of research »Transferable graduate skills »To behave as reflective practitioners. »To work independently & autonomously. »To communicate in the planning process and reporting. »To use a wide range of technologies in process.

Review: part of the process »The research philosophy of the action research approach is closely linked to the reflective notion of plan - do - review »Reviewing is essential to both reflection and action research. »Review learning »Review changing values and beliefs of the researcher »Review impact »Review emerging learning needs »Review communication skills »Review technology use »Undertake meta-learning

It doesn’t end … »Action research is cyclical. »One improvement leads to new ideas, next steps and potential for further improvement. »Researchers make a change to practice for improvement, then they make further changes which are informed by the research completed.