Connecting Transitions and Independent Learning Richard Hall (rhall1@dmu.ac.uk, @hallymk1) Heather Conboy (hconboy@dmu.ac.uk, @heaths123)

Some context In terms of your learners: Describe the journey they make into HE Describe the key issues that impact their transition into HE Describe how you manage these issues Do technologies have a role in these descriptions?

In terms of your learners:

Describe the journey they make into HE

Describe the key issues that impact their transition into HE

Describe how you manage these issues

Do technologies have a role in these descriptions?

e-learning rarely seen as separate or special mix of personal and institutional technologies advanced networking choice, access and control Complexity and blurred boundaries: an “underworld of communication and information sharing” Trying to understand the formal landscape

CoTIL project: headlines HEA e-Learning Research Observatory Challenges of transitions: adapting to cultural and academic expectations; socialisation; contact with significant others; moments in time The impact of read/write web technologies Expand pedagogic borders beyond the classroom, campus and VLEs; radical or progressive pedagogies Connectivism and personalisation - mentors rather than management

HEA e-Learning Research Observatory

Challenges of transitions: adapting to cultural and academic expectations; socialisation; contact with significant others; moments in time

The impact of read/write web technologies

Expand pedagogic borders beyond the classroom, campus and VLEs; radical or progressive pedagogies

Connectivism and personalisation - mentors rather than management

Ravensbourne, 2008

Enhancing transitions: mentoring As a programme leader or member of academic support you are considering peer-mentoring of “novice” learners. You believe that technologies could enhance your approach. What issues do you foresee in using technologies for peer-mentoring? In order to address these issues, what will staff need to do to enhance student transitions using these technologies?

As a programme leader or member of academic support you are considering peer-mentoring of “novice” learners.

You believe that technologies could enhance your approach.

What issues do you foresee in using technologies for peer-mentoring?

In order to address these issues, what will staff need to do to enhance student transitions using these technologies?

So, institutional or social tools? VLE = familiarity; ‘legitimate’ activity; administrative convenience. This preference related more to the mentors' intentions Social tools = chatty and informal; can be more critical. “ it was important that the mentees did not feel intimidated by the scheme, which was why we decided to use Facebook” No greater engagement from mentees using social tools. “ as time went by without contact we resorted to any methods available”

VLE = familiarity; ‘legitimate’ activity; administrative convenience.

This preference related more to the mentors' intentions

Social tools = chatty and informal; can be more critical.

“ it was important that the mentees did not feel intimidated by the scheme, which was why we decided to use Facebook”

No greater engagement from mentees using social tools.

“ as time went by without contact we resorted to any methods available”

Matters arising Social engagement and affective learning "it has been very rewarding for me, knowing that I have eased other peoples fears with regard to all aspects of the course.” Boundaries: mentors as stakeholders in an institutional scheme. However, being linked to the ‘institution’ might deter mentees from participating, and this impacted their selection of technologies. Mentors having to ‘push’ their services and expertise. There are critical moments in time – assessments - that need to be seized. More structured and earlier training, including on creating and maintaining communities, and emphasising the benefits for mentees.

Social engagement and affective learning

"it has been very rewarding for me, knowing that I have eased other peoples fears with regard to all aspects of the course.”

Boundaries: mentors as stakeholders in an institutional scheme. However, being linked to the ‘institution’ might deter mentees from participating, and this impacted their selection of technologies.

Mentors having to ‘push’ their services and expertise. There are critical moments in time – assessments - that need to be seized.

More structured and earlier training, including on creating and maintaining communities, and emphasising the benefits for mentees.

One final issue Do staff turn technologies into an unnecessary boundary for mentors and mentees to cross?

Do staff turn technologies into an unnecessary boundary for mentors and mentees to cross?

Some references: 1 Anagnostopoulou, K. and Parmar, D. (2008) Practical Guide: bringing together e-learning and student retention, Middlesex University & University of Ulster, http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/ Broad, J. (2006) ‘Interpretations of independent learning in further education’, Journal of Further and Higher Education 30(2), 119-43. Giroux, H. A. (2005) Border crossings: cultural workers and the politics of education (2 nd edn.) Oxon: Routledge. Glasgow Caledonian University (2008) Learning from Digital Natives Project, HEA, http://www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/ldn/

Anagnostopoulou, K. and Parmar, D. (2008) Practical Guide: bringing together e-learning and student retention, Middlesex University & University of Ulster, http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/

Broad, J. (2006) ‘Interpretations of independent learning in further education’, Journal of Further and Higher Education 30(2), 119-43.

Giroux, H. A. (2005) Border crossings: cultural workers and the politics of education (2 nd edn.) Oxon: Routledge.

Glasgow Caledonian University (2008) Learning from Digital Natives Project, HEA, http://www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/ldn/

Some references: 2 Green, H. & Hannon, C. (2007) Their space: Education for a digital generation. London: DEMOS. Ravensbourne (2008), Learner Integration : http://bit.ly/7o84r University of Ulster (2008) Student Transition And Retention Project. http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/index.htm Yorke, M and Longden, B. (2008) The first-year experience of higher education in the UK (Phase 2), HEA. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/publications/FYEFinalReport.pdf

Green, H. & Hannon, C. (2007) Their space: Education for a digital generation. London: DEMOS.

Ravensbourne (2008), Learner Integration : http://bit.ly/7o84r

University of Ulster (2008) Student Transition And Retention Project. http://www.ulster.ac.uk/star/index.htm

Yorke, M and Longden, B. (2008) The first-year experience of higher education in the UK (Phase 2), HEA. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/publications/FYEFinalReport.pdf

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