From present findings to future agendas: communities and the Higher Education Academy Exchange Martin Oliver London Knowledge Lab & Higher Education Academy

…what happened to the Observatory? “The project formerly known as…” As of last week, it’s (currently) the Higher Education Academy Exchange No substantive change to purpose, form, timescale etc

“The project formerly known as…”

As of last week, it’s (currently) the Higher Education Academy Exchange

No substantive change to purpose, form, timescale etc

The Higher Education Academy Exchange A service promoting and exploring the use of practice- and research-based evidence to influence policy and practice in teaching and learning in Higher Education Tools to enable access to evidence and syntheses of this evidence (e.g. prototype repository and syndicated search, wiki) Spaces (real and virtual) to help communities explore evidence-based practice and its implications for students' learning

A service promoting and exploring the use of practice- and research-based evidence to influence policy and practice in teaching and learning in Higher Education

Tools to enable access to evidence and syntheses of this evidence (e.g. prototype repository and syndicated search, wiki)

Spaces (real and virtual) to help communities explore evidence-based practice and its implications for students' learning

Overview of development August 07 – July 08 – “Phase 0” Scoping the Observatory Landscaping report for e-learning (exemplar area) Generation of pilot resources and services Proof of concept piloted at Academy conference July 08 – June 09 – “Phase 1” Development phase Pilots focusing on community engagement Promoted at Academy conference July 09 July 09 – “Phases 2, 3, etc ” Adding functionality, broadening engagement, etc We’re here

August 07 – July 08 – “Phase 0”

Scoping the Observatory

Landscaping report for e-learning (exemplar area)

Generation of pilot resources and services

Proof of concept piloted at Academy conference

July 08 – June 09 – “Phase 1”

Development phase

Pilots focusing on community engagement

Promoted at Academy conference July 09

July 09 – “Phases 2, 3, etc ”

Adding functionality, broadening engagement, etc

Landscaping evidence use in e-learning Series of exploratory studies within e-learning Beetham, Sharpe & Benfield https://mw.brookes.ac.uk/display/hearoc ‘ Landscaping’ consultation Interviews with key informants Survey (116 responses) Follow-up interviews https://mw.brookes.ac.uk/display/hearoc/

Series of exploratory studies within e-learning

Beetham, Sharpe & Benfield

https://mw.brookes.ac.uk/display/hearoc

‘ Landscaping’ consultation

Interviews with key informants

Survey (116 responses)

Follow-up interviews

https://mw.brookes.ac.uk/display/hearoc/

A resounding “Yes, but…” Keen on single point of access; research reviewed, evaluated and synthesised After that, great variability “ The impossibility of categorising respondents as users, producers, policy makers or intermediaries for research is in itself is an important outcome.”

Keen on single point of access; research reviewed, evaluated and synthesised

After that, great variability

“ The impossibility of categorising respondents as users, producers, policy makers or intermediaries for research is in itself is an important outcome.”

Authority with the sector, not for it Variability reflects differing questions and practices within the sector Contrast with the dominant (caricatured) medical model Valuing qualitative research, reflective practice, etc Building of theories and narratives, rather than mathematical models Politics of quality control: who’s allowed to write to it? Evidence in e-learning of benefits arising from involving practitioners in research, rather than differentiating researchers from practitioners (the studied)

Variability reflects differing questions and practices within the sector

Contrast with the dominant (caricatured) medical model

Valuing qualitative research, reflective practice, etc

Building of theories and narratives, rather than mathematical models

Politics of quality control: who’s allowed to write to it?

Evidence in e-learning of benefits arising from involving practitioners in research, rather than differentiating researchers from practitioners (the studied)

The proposed approach A social model of knowledge production and use Expertise of the sector, not for the sector A scalable approach (people can develop as many topics as they’re interested in) A sustainable approach (not dependent on central budgets, subscriptions, administration and control, etc ) Sensitive to differences in evidence use, vocabulary, interest, etc . Strategic (spotting emergent topics, identifying gaps, informing decision making, etc .)

A social model of knowledge production and use

Expertise of the sector, not for the sector

A scalable approach (people can develop as many topics as they’re interested in)

A sustainable approach (not dependent on central budgets, subscriptions, administration and control, etc )

Sensitive to differences in evidence use, vocabulary, interest, etc .

Strategic (spotting emergent topics, identifying gaps, informing decision making, etc .)

A theorisation Wenger’s communities of practice model Practice and Reification as necessary but fundamentally different (experience and abstraction) Reifications received by communities and meaning negotiated in relation to practice A social account of acceptable (policed) interpretation This has implications for how we make sense of research How big are these communities of practice? Any overlap with disciplines, institutions, departments, special interest groups…?

Wenger’s communities of practice model

Practice and Reification as necessary but fundamentally different (experience and abstraction)

Reifications received by communities and meaning negotiated in relation to practice

A social account of acceptable (policed) interpretation

This has implications for how we make sense of research

How big are these communities of practice? Any overlap with disciplines, institutions, departments, special interest groups…?

Piloting community approaches How do people produce, share and use evidence? SIG site Expert review Community discussion of practice Open peer commentary on published research Review processes, to identify approaches that may have wider value Feed these back to inform the development of the whole observatory Currently, findings are mostly about problems…

How do people produce, share and use evidence?

SIG site

Expert review

Community discussion of practice

Open peer commentary on published research

Review processes, to identify approaches that may have wider value

Feed these back to inform the development of the whole observatory

Currently, findings are mostly about problems…

Building from this: e-Learning projects Small grants for research Historically: projects awarded, visited once, conclude by generating reports New model Projects awarded, brought together, given technical infrastructure (wiki, Ning) Are visited, encouraged to use Web2.0, brought together mid-project and again at end

Small grants for research

Historically: projects awarded, visited once, conclude by generating reports

New model

Projects awarded, brought together, given technical infrastructure (wiki, Ning)

Are visited, encouraged to use Web2.0, brought together mid-project and again at end

Wiki for Academy-funded projects (& others) www.academy-research-observatory.pbwiki.com

Understanding social use of evidence Success will depend on documenting and understanding communities’ use of evidence An evidence base for our work, as well as for others Working with pilot groups Special interest group, membership group focusing on professional role, etc . Further projects building capacity for this

Success will depend on documenting and understanding communities’ use of evidence

An evidence base for our work, as well as for others

Working with pilot groups

Special interest group, membership group focusing on professional role, etc .

Further projects building capacity for this

Longer term vision People can… Look to see if there’s relevant evidence about their problems Add their own evidence to existing reviews (community authoring) Find other people interested in these issues Form and support Special Interest Groups Support events, e.g. through centralised calendar, document store, space to develop shared interpretations Pose questions to the sector if they can’t find what they want, which might spur new work or groups

People can…

Look to see if there’s relevant evidence about their problems

Add their own evidence to existing reviews (community authoring)

Find other people interested in these issues

Form and support Special Interest Groups

Support events, e.g. through centralised calendar, document store, space to develop shared interpretations

Pose questions to the sector if they can’t find what they want, which might spur new work or groups

And it’s happening here… Centre for Distance Education “ From present findings to future agendas” event Research into practice publication An example of the kind of process we want to see happen more often How can this be sustained and built on?

Centre for Distance Education

“ From present findings to future agendas” event

Research into practice publication

An example of the kind of process we want to see happen more often

How can this be sustained and built on?

Towards 2012… What can you do in three years? One big project? Two small projects? One bit of development, implementation and evaluation? Set up, run and possibly wind down a special interest group? So… what’s the single issue you care about the most?

What can you do in three years?

One big project?

Two small projects?

One bit of development, implementation and evaluation?

Set up, run and possibly wind down a special interest group?

So… what’s the single issue you care about the most?

What are the priorities for the CDE that can inform our services to learners? (challenge from this morning) Understanding our students Describing what they do (e.g. mobile use in Africa, studies of vet use of images in CoMo) – or letting them do this Describing what they don’t do and why (e.g. ‘non-progressers’ and reasons for non-completion) Asking what they like … but not taking this at face value (e.g. didn’t take up study skills modules even if they needed them) Debunking “them and us” (e.g. “culture” as a proxy for variation) Understanding how peoples’ use of technology varies (e.g. the Proteins students: richness & enhancement vs. accessibility) Theorising what they need (Denise’s issue with feedback)

Understanding our students

Describing what they do (e.g. mobile use in Africa, studies of vet use of images in CoMo) – or letting them do this

Describing what they don’t do and why (e.g. ‘non-progressers’ and reasons for non-completion)

Asking what they like … but not taking this at face value (e.g. didn’t take up study skills modules even if they needed them)

Debunking “them and us” (e.g. “culture” as a proxy for variation)

Understanding how peoples’ use of technology varies (e.g. the Proteins students: richness & enhancement vs. accessibility)

Theorising what they need (Denise’s issue with feedback)

And… Teachers are learners too …in the most constructive sense! (So they also need understanding…) Giving time/space/support to relate this to practice Supporting comparative and exploratory work (what happens elsewhere, and what can we do with this stuff…?) as an opportunity for learning

Teachers are learners too

…in the most constructive sense! (So they also need understanding…)

Giving time/space/support to relate this to practice

Supporting comparative and exploratory work (what happens elsewhere, and what can we do with this stuff…?) as an opportunity for learning

Conclusions? The Exchange/Observatory: less about what we should look at, more about how we should look at it New round of project planned; emphasis on social processes What can be learnt from the work here? What can change our work with students? What connects to wider debates or the concerns of other communities? This will need support and encouragement: a few people will do it anyhow, but with the right environment, more will benefit

The Exchange/Observatory: less about what we should look at, more about how we should look at it

New round of project planned; emphasis on social processes

What can be learnt from the work here?

What can change our work with students?

What connects to wider debates or the concerns of other communities?

This will need support and encouragement: a few people will do it anyhow, but with the right environment, more will benefit

Thanks! Emails - [email_address] [email_address] [email_address] More information at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/research/observatory Piloting site: http://academy-research-observatory.pbwiki.com/

Emails

- [email_address]

[email_address]

[email_address]

More information at:

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/research/observatory

Piloting site:

http://academy-research-observatory.pbwiki.com/