Use of social software in an MSc in structural biology by distance learning Dr. Clare Sansom School of Crystallography, Birkbeck, University of London

Birkbeck’s Distance Learning MSc First Internet-only course launched 1995 Students study part-time in their own time Have come from 5 continents, age 20s-55+ MSc Structural Molecular Biology available since 2001 A modular course Part time over two or three years Modules may be studied independently as Postgraduate Certificates

First Internet-only course launched 1995

Students study part-time in their own time

Have come from 5 continents, age 20s-55+

MSc Structural Molecular Biology available since 2001

A modular course

Part time over two or three years

Modules may be studied independently as Postgraduate Certificates

Modular Course Structure Year 1 Year 2 - or - Plus a project module: literature or data based PPS TSMB PX Each taught module takes a typical student ~ 8-12 hours / week over one calendar year.

Widening Participation Course fees are still prohibitive in many countries outside the West Two schemes have provided bursaries Open Society Foundation (1998-9) 20 bursaries in each year Supporting students from central Europe pre- EU expansion: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Baltic states Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (2007-8) 6 scholarships for 2007, 8 for 2008 Supporting students from Commonwealth developing countries

Course fees are still prohibitive in many countries outside the West

Two schemes have provided bursaries

Open Society Foundation (1998-9)

20 bursaries in each year

Supporting students from central Europe pre- EU expansion: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Baltic states

Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (2007-8)

6 scholarships for 2007, 8 for 2008

Supporting students from Commonwealth developing countries

Web 2.0: Yesterday and Today Students and tutors meet and talk in real time using a MUD MUD = M ulti U ser D imension ~ Chat room “ Web 2.0” but 1980s technology An Internet environment in which participants move around and interact with each other Mostly text-based; Web interface popular Dedicated server at Birkbeck

Students and tutors meet and talk in real time using a MUD

MUD = M ulti U ser D imension ~ Chat room

“ Web 2.0” but 1980s technology

An Internet environment in which participants move around and interact with each other

Mostly text-based; Web interface popular

Dedicated server at Birkbeck

Introducing Social Software We have been exploring further Web 2.0 tools with the PPS students Blog Wiki Social bookmarking with: del.ico.us Instant Messenger Instead of or in addition to the existing MUD? Second Life Do they enhance our students’ learning? How? Which work best?

We have been exploring further Web 2.0 tools with the PPS students

Blog

Wiki

Social bookmarking with: del.ico.us

Instant Messenger

Instead of or in addition to the existing MUD?

Second Life

Do they enhance our students’ learning? How? Which work best?

The PPS Syllabus The Internet for biologists Primary and secondary structure of proteins Protein tertiary structure Protein biosynthesis Protein sequence analysis Molecular forces in proteins Examples of structure-function relationships including Proteins in the Immune System

The Internet for biologists

Primary and secondary structure of proteins

Protein tertiary structure

Protein biosynthesis

Protein sequence analysis

Molecular forces in proteins

Examples of structure-function relationships

including Proteins in the Immune System

Prior Social Software Experience Students’ prior experience surveyed November-December 2007: 27 replies (~90%) Percentages who “regularly” or “occasionally” use… Wikis 67% Instant Messenger 57% Social Networking 43% Blogs 38% Social Bookmarking 14% Immersive Virtual Worlds 5% Question: what do the students understand by “use” Particularly for blogs and wikis?

Students’ prior experience surveyed November-December 2007: 27 replies (~90%)

Percentages who “regularly” or “occasionally” use…

Wikis 67%

Instant Messenger 57%

Social Networking 43%

Blogs 38%

Social Bookmarking 14%

Immersive Virtual Worlds 5%

Question: what do the students understand by “use”

Particularly for blogs and wikis?

The PPS Blog Blog created using blogger Postings relate current research (from seminars and recently published papers) to the course Students and staff on the course encouraged to register to post Widely read by students Problems: Difficult to get students – and staff – to comment on posts, or to post When students comment on posts, it is by regular email http://principlesofproteinstructure.blogspot.com/

Blog created using blogger

Postings relate current research (from seminars and recently published papers) to the course

Students and staff on the course encouraged to register to post

Widely read by students

Problems:

Difficult to get students – and staff – to comment on posts, or to post

When students comment on posts, it is by regular email

A Wiki for Project Work Each student produces a Web based dissertation on an aspect of protein structure Students were asked to: Select 10-12 words or concepts related to their project topics Create a short “Wikipedia-like” entry describing each Students were encouraged to collaborate and contribute to each others’ definitions Work on the wiki will not be formally assessed

Each student produces a Web based dissertation on an aspect of protein structure

Students were asked to:

Select 10-12 words or concepts related to their project topics

Create a short “Wikipedia-like” entry describing each

Students were encouraged to collaborate and contribute to each others’ definitions

Work on the wiki will not be formally assessed

Instant Messenger vs. the MUD Advantages of IM Familiar to many students Contributors easily distinguished via colour coding Much faster Disadvantages of IM No “dedicated space” for the group Students have to be “invited” individually in turn Difficult to recover sessions after computer glitches Some students on old machines or slow lines find it difficult to access A dedicated IM server at Birkbeck may provide “the best of both worlds”

Advantages of IM

Familiar to many students

Contributors easily distinguished via colour coding

Much faster

Disadvantages of IM

No “dedicated space” for the group

Students have to be “invited” individually in turn

Difficult to recover sessions after computer glitches

Some students on old machines or slow lines find it difficult to access

A dedicated IM server at Birkbeck may provide “the best of both worlds”

Students taking PPS in 2008-9 spontaneously set up a Facebook group “ Principles of Protein Structure Group A group for students… associated with the PPS course… to ask questions and share ideas…” Relatively poor take-up 13 members including two ex-students and one tutor But fulfilling a useful service Deliberately kept student led Blog posts and course announcements copied to the group

Students taking PPS in 2008-9 spontaneously set up a Facebook group

“ Principles of Protein Structure Group

A group for students… associated with the PPS course… to ask questions and share ideas…”

Relatively poor take-up

13 members including two ex-students and one tutor

But fulfilling a useful service

Deliberately kept student led

Blog posts and course announcements copied to the group

… And Second Life? We have been testing Second Life with a “focus group” of past and present students… … including one Commonwealth Scholar, and one ex-student with Asperger’s syndrome) May be able to “walk through” molecules illustrating aspects of 3D structure Depends on state-of-the-art hardware and fast Internet lines May remain unusable by students in some countries / circumstances Should that prevent its adoption or modify the way we use it?

We have been testing Second Life with a “focus group” of past and present students…

… including one Commonwealth Scholar, and one ex-student with Asperger’s syndrome)

May be able to “walk through” molecules illustrating aspects of 3D structure

Depends on state-of-the-art hardware and fast Internet lines

May remain unusable by students in some countries / circumstances

Should that prevent its adoption or modify the way we use it?

End of Course Survey Students surveyed October 2008: 15 replies (~50%) All intend to complete the MSc (two are taking study breaks) All found the course “intellectually challenging” and “enjoyable”, and gained useful skills 7 preferred Instant Messenger; three the MUD; four had no preference; one would have preferred asynchronous conferencing Most found the blog “interesting”, “helpful” and “easy to understand” but fewer agreed that it helped them feel part of the Birkbeck community

Students surveyed October 2008: 15 replies (~50%)

All intend to complete the MSc (two are taking study breaks)

All found the course “intellectually challenging” and “enjoyable”, and gained useful skills

7 preferred Instant Messenger; three the MUD; four had no preference; one would have preferred asynchronous conferencing

Most found the blog “interesting”, “helpful” and “easy to understand” but fewer agreed that it helped them feel part of the Birkbeck community

Student Comments “ I found the software… very easy to use” “ Although each [MUD] session is designed for different time zones, they seemed to build on each other… it was better to attend both” “ IM was way better [than the MUD]” “ It was great to interact with course mates and tutors… in the scientific world” “ Crashing and throwing some members out was a problem” “ The PPS blog helped me appreciate the application of molecular biology in real life”

“ I found the software… very easy to use”

“ Although each [MUD] session is designed for different time zones, they seemed to build on each other… it was better to attend both”

“ IM was way better [than the MUD]”

“ It was great to interact with course mates and tutors… in the scientific world”

“ Crashing and throwing some members out was a problem”

“ The PPS blog helped me appreciate the application of molecular biology in real life”

Conclusions and Outcomes Social software does (seem to) enhance learning… It can be popular with students Passive use (“lurking”) is more popular than active participation Important to establish a definite use for each technology “ Pedagogy drives technology” rather than vice versa Conflict between sophisticated technologies that enrich learning for some students and simpler ones that can reach all Student use of social software can be spontaneous and unpredictable

Social software does (seem to) enhance learning…

It can be popular with students

Passive use (“lurking”) is more popular than active participation

Important to establish a definite use for each technology

“ Pedagogy drives technology” rather than vice versa

Conflict between sophisticated technologies that enrich learning for some students and simpler ones that can reach all

Student use of social software can be spontaneous and unpredictable

Acknowledgements David Moss, Peter Murray-Rust and Alan Mills, course pioneers John Walshaw, Christine Slingsby and many others for course material Dave Houldershaw, technical coordinator Centre for Distance Education, University of London

David Moss, Peter Murray-Rust and Alan Mills, course pioneers

John Walshaw, Christine Slingsby and many others for course material

Dave Houldershaw, technical coordinator

Centre for Distance Education, University of London