Kirsteen Macdonald - Lead Academic Developer Alex Chapman - Head of Technology Enhanced Learning Centre for Academic Practice Enhancement – Middlesex University Institutional Change - A Driver for Transforming Learning and Teaching
Middlesex University 40,000 students One campus in north London and campuses in Dubai, Mauritius & Malta Academic partnerships across the world Art and Design, Business, Health & Education, Law, Media & Performing Arts and Science & Technology, Work Based Learning. Mauritius Dubai N. London Our worldwide campuses Malta
Centre for Academic Practice Enhancement Central Service Hub and Spoke Academic Developers and Educational Technologist
Project Background Blackboard Vista for 12 years 18 month scoping exercise Moodle chosen September 2012 Tender process (hosted solution & consultancy services) Moodlerooms selected March 2013 Live –June 2013 – Staff –September Students
Project Scoping Scoping (over 18 months) Future VLE scoping report Future learning technologies blog Staff Interviews & focus groups Questionnaire E-assessment project.
Project Background
Project Plan The Project ran over 2 academic years Year 1 – Phase 1: –new programmes for September 2013 –Programmes revalidated / reviewed in 2012/13 Year 2 - Phase 2: –new programmes for September 2014 –all remaining programmes –CPD / Short courses
Project Plan - Aims an excellent experience of learning, teaching and assessment to all Middlesex University students worldwide staff to transform student learning by interactively and collaboratively developing excellent learning, teaching and assessment experiences.
Project Structure and Resources Seven Project Teams – One for each School and WBL. A Team consists of –Team Leader (CAPE) –School Programme Leaders / LTSL –Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) –Library Liaison Manager –Overseas Campus Representative Organisational Readiness Group
Project Structure and Resources Project accountable to a Project Board chaired by a member of Executive Membership includes: –Dean or Deputy Dean from each School / WBL –Other Academic representation –Directors of IT, Library and Student Support, Academic Partnerships
Scale 936 Courses for Courses for Other Courses 5175 Staff Students Enrolments Groups Group enrolments
Translating the Aims Moving to a new platform How to sell ‘transformation’ One size fits all?
The Local Context Needed to encourage rather than discourage Keen to collaborate and consult Partnership role – academics and programme teams leading Finding a hook - Your Top 3…
The Practice 50% of programmes validated Awareness raising during preparation phase Meetings and endless demo’s Local support Training programme
Results 180 staff/25 training sessions ‘Just in time’ training for majority Feedback – “All fine”, “starting to use [Moodle] as a teaching tool”
Keys to Success Communicate Align to validation process Business partnering Cooperation between academic community and all learning & teaching support
Five Key Learnings Define and prioritise the requirements Effective team and working relationships within the University Shared and well communicated plan Reliable hosted environment (storage, backup, DR, regular software upgrade) Accuracy and effective management of data, courses, enrolments and etc.
Where Next? Transformation is ongoing process Momentum dipping– Staff fatigue, Moodled Out Use the same approach in future projects - reinforce idea of ongoing transformation
Any Questions
The Presenters Kirsteen Macdonald Lead Academic Developer Alex Chapman Head of Technology Enhanced Learning