Connecting distance learners in an online course Impacts on teaching, learning and Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions Anouk Janssens-Bevernage The Open Polytechnic of NZ Sue Dark Flexible Learning Network Ltd. eFest, September 2008

Bridging the gap between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 Open Polytechnic Bachelors of Business programme: From dual mode to blended From ‘old’ to ‘new’ e-learning Why? Frustrations with dual and ‘old’ (Web 1.0) Business education in the 21 st Century

Open Polytechnic Bachelors of Business programme:

From dual mode to blended

From ‘old’ to ‘new’ e-learning

Why?

Frustrations with dual and ‘old’ (Web 1.0)

Business education in the 21 st Century

Bridging the gap between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 How online learning – potentially - adds value to distance education: Offers ‘active learning’ possibilities and opportunities for interaction alignment with communication and negotiation skills needed in global business

How online learning – potentially - adds value to distance education:

Offers ‘active learning’ possibilities and opportunities for interaction

alignment with communication and negotiation skills needed in global business

Bridging the gap between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 Learning in teams prepares for the ‘work teams’ in real life Content focus not relevant in fast-changing knowledge economy The value of peer critique (missing in older distance education models) supporting critical thinking and deeper learning The value of applying what we learn

Let’s discuss… “ Individualised self-paced learning is enough for a business degree. Working with peers during the learning process adds nothing.” - what’s your view?

“ Individualised self-paced learning is enough for a business degree.

Working with peers during the learning process adds nothing.”

- what’s your view?

What needed to change? From ‘wrap around’ learning guides to ‘just-in-time’ content that supports learning activities From ‘discussion forum’ to ‘working space’ From ‘passive’ to ‘active’ learning From one-to-one ad hoc learner support to a shared ‘learning space’ From content approach to problem-based or activity-based approach

From ‘wrap around’ learning guides to ‘just-in-time’ content that supports learning activities

From ‘discussion forum’ to ‘working space’

From ‘passive’ to ‘active’ learning

From one-to-one ad hoc learner support to a shared ‘learning space’

From content approach to problem-based or activity-based approach

What needed to change? A new starting point in the learning design process: what should the student be able to do at the end of this course + real-life contexts with authentic problems to solve (individual and team activities) Emphasis on activity rather than content led to quite a different design

BUT: Top 6 excuses to avoid change Students don’t like collaborative work (yes they do, but it needs to be interesting) Collaborative work doesn’t work (yes it does, but it needs to be well designed) Collaborative work can’t be assessed (yes it can, but needs a smart approach)

Students don’t like collaborative work (yes they do, but it needs to be interesting)

Collaborative work doesn’t work (yes it does, but it needs to be well designed)

Collaborative work can’t be assessed (yes it can, but needs a smart approach)

Top 6 excuses to avoid change (contd) It’s more work (mmm… good design improves workload issues; supporting learners is indeed more work than administering courses) The students don’t need more teaching than what’s available in the text material (but what about application of knowledge?) No need to change a system that works (in the new world?)

It’s more work (mmm… good design improves workload issues; supporting learners is indeed more work than administering courses)

The students don’t need more teaching than what’s available in the text material (but what about application of knowledge?)

No need to change a system that works (in the new world?)

Let’s discuss… If you were in our shoes and you had to convince someone about the added value of online learning in a distance learning programme such as this what would you say?

Now what? Traditional ODL Faculty’s role in the print-based model: being on hand for any queries related to the ‘content’ and to grade papers New ODL Faculty’s role in the online/print blend: facilitating online activity-based learning (and in many cases be involved as subject matter expert in iterative design process)  a new skill for many staff

Traditional ODL

Faculty’s role in the print-based model: being on hand for any queries related to the ‘content’ and to grade papers

New ODL

Faculty’s role in the online/print blend: facilitating online activity-based learning (and in many cases be involved as subject matter expert in iterative design process)

 a new skill for many staff

Now what? Professional development: more focus on teaching and learning than on technology Being involved in the design helps to understand facilitation needs Need for ongoing support: looking at mentoring models? Instructional designers need additional training + should be involved in tutor mentoring to be exposed to how their designs affect learning and facilitation

Professional development: more focus on teaching and learning than on technology

Being involved in the design helps to understand facilitation needs

Need for ongoing support: looking at mentoring models?

Instructional designers need additional training + should be involved in tutor mentoring to be exposed to how their designs affect learning and facilitation

Now what? Students’ concerns: Issues of ‘ownership’: economies of scale versus motivation – collaboration: ‘structured’, time-based outputs – flexibility  how ‘open’ can we be?  how do we prepare the students? But initial feedback seems to be positive overall

Students’ concerns:

– collaboration: ‘structured’, time-based outputs

– flexibility

 how ‘open’ can we be?

 how do we prepare the students?

But initial feedback seems to be positive overall

So what? Philosophical and operational challenges Allocation of resources Senior management’s awareness Managing change: top-down and bottom-up New processes, roles and responsibilities

Philosophical and operational challenges

Allocation of resources

Senior management’s awareness

Managing change: top-down and bottom-up

New processes, roles and responsibilities

Let’s discuss… ( Sharpe, R. and Oliver, M. 2007, Designing courses for e-learning. In Beetham, H. and Sharpe, R. 2007 Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age: Designing and Delivering E-learning . Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, p. 49.0) E-learning is often talked about as a ‘Trojan mouse’, which teachers let into their practice without realising that it will require them to rethink not just how they use particular hardware or software, but all of what they do

( Sharpe, R. and Oliver, M. 2007, Designing courses for e-learning. In Beetham, H. and Sharpe, R. 2007 Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age: Designing and Delivering E-learning . Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, p. 49.0)

Conclusion The conversation about e-learning should be about teaching and learning processes Opinions about how e-learning adds value are different across the institution  this has impacted the perceived benefits of the blending of Bachelors of Business courses

The conversation about e-learning should be about teaching and learning processes

Opinions about how e-learning adds value are different across the institution  this has impacted the perceived benefits of the blending of Bachelors of Business courses

Thank you!

Thank you!