Lost in transition? Helping students to adapt to new learning situations. CETL(NI) Institutional E-Learning Services Áine MacNeill, Alan Masson, Vilinda Ross elearning@cetl.ulster.ac.uk

Discussion Transition issues New learning situations

Transition issues

New learning situations

Learning Situations Increasing use of “learning in context” Problem based learning Enquiry based learning Work based learning Students focusing on outputs and struggling with process Need to communicate expectations accurately

Increasing use of “learning in context”

Problem based learning

Enquiry based learning

Work based learning

Students focusing on outputs and struggling with process

Need to communicate expectations accurately

Hybrid Learning Model 8 Learning Events Interdependent, complementary relationship Captures interactions and roles

8 Learning Events

Interdependent, complementary relationship

Captures interactions and roles

Initial evaluation of HLM Strong teacher agreement: Greater awareness of learner perspective Clearly articulates expectations for learner Provides structured view of their practice Follow-on learner evaluation Model elicited consistent reflection of roles and verbs Provision of similar models would promote and support their participation and engagement in independent learning activities

Strong teacher agreement:

Greater awareness of learner perspective

Clearly articulates expectations for learner

Provides structured view of their practice

Follow-on learner evaluation

Model elicited consistent reflection of roles and verbs

Provision of similar models would promote and support their participation and engagement in independent learning activities

Pilot Study Using prompts in the form of interactional styles (learning events) and verbs to help year 1 students to adapt to new learning situations Teacher developed model relayed to learners (animated walkthrough and printed grid) Nursing, Marketing, Politics, Computer Science

Using prompts in the form of interactional styles (learning events) and verbs to help year 1 students to adapt to new learning situations

Teacher developed model relayed to learners (animated walkthrough and printed grid)

Nursing, Marketing, Politics, Computer Science

Flash animation Animated lesson plan presented to the students Modelled activity: Portfolio compilation

Animated lesson plan presented to the students

Modelled activity: Portfolio compilation

Benefits for the Learner *(figures included indicate aggregated agreement / strong agreement to the statement) The modelled activity helped me to adapt to completing my portfolio 92% I would like other modules/learning activities to be modelled in this way to help them adapt to new learning situations 66% After seeing the modelled activity I did not need to contact my lecturer to find out more about compiling my portfolio 82% I am using the modelled activity in preparing my portfolio 78%

Usefulness of the model The top 5 statements selected by students: It provided an awareness of what is expected of me It provided a clear outline of what was expected It defined the role of us (the learners) It broke down the activity into understandable parts It simplified what we had to do

The top 5 statements selected by students:

It provided an awareness of what is expected of me

It provided a clear outline of what was expected

It defined the role of us (the learners)

It broke down the activity into understandable parts

It simplified what we had to do

Learner comments “ Something like this would be a positive help… especially the terminology and being able to focus your learning differently” “ It makes you structure your learning and expectations” “ The model would help “adapt to the expectation of what is going on” How students use the modelled activities “ I shall check my work against this model and tick off each section as I complete it’ ” “ Mainly as a checklist to see if the main points have been illustrated in my work” “ The model helps to keep me in track with what is expected of me when preparing the portfolio” “ T o help me bring everything together and know what is expected from me” “ Taking all points into consideration and using the advice to achieve the best marks”

“ Something like this would be a positive help… especially the terminology and being able to focus your learning differently”

“ It makes you structure your learning and expectations”

“ The model would help “adapt to the expectation of what is going on”

How students use the modelled activities

“ I shall check my work against this model and tick off each section as I complete it’ ”

“ Mainly as a checklist to see if the main points have been illustrated in my work”

“ The model helps to keep me in track with what is expected of me when preparing the portfolio”

“ T o help me bring everything together and know what is expected from me”

“ Taking all points into consideration and using the advice to achieve the best marks”

Academics’ comments “ This is invaluable for year 1 transition students” “ They now demonstrate a greater understanding of what is expected of them” “ The Model has been an invaluable tool in guiding the student to a better understanding of what is required of them for assessment purposes” “ It creates a logic in planning teaching…it provides a framework for evaluation” “ Prior, my design process was more adhoc. This is more structured”

“ This is invaluable for year 1 transition students”

“ They now demonstrate a greater understanding of what is expected of them”

“ The Model has been an invaluable tool in guiding the student to a better understanding of what is required of them for assessment purposes”

“ It creates a logic in planning teaching…it provides a framework for evaluation”

“ Prior, my design process was more adhoc. This is more structured”

Uses of Hybrid Learning Model To capture, record and disseminate good practice To promote and clarify expectations and teacher-learner interactions To assist in the design of online learning activities To provide an evaluation tool to elicit roles and interactions within learning activities To encourage learner centric practices To encourage learners to be independent To allow learners to make informed decisions about their learning

To capture, record and disseminate good practice

To promote and clarify expectations and teacher-learner interactions

To assist in the design of online learning activities

To provide an evaluation tool to elicit roles and interactions within learning activities

To encourage learner centric practices

To encourage learners to be independent

To allow learners to make informed decisions about their learning

Summing Up Supports learners to better adapt / participate in new learning scenarios Assists staff to better introduce / support learning scenarios Practitioners state that they are now more learner focused in their teaching Feedback to date - very positive from teachers and learners

Supports learners to better adapt / participate in new learning scenarios

Assists staff to better introduce / support learning scenarios

Practitioners state that they are now more learner focused in their teaching

Feedback to date - very positive from teachers and learners

How you can use the HLM If you are interested in implementing this with your students Instructions for use included in card packs Grid is available for download (URL on cards) Flash animations available on request (UU staff only) Support available ( [email_address] ) We will be interested in your feedback

If you are interested in implementing this with your students

Instructions for use included in card packs

Grid is available for download (URL on cards)

Flash animations available on request (UU staff only)

Support available ( [email_address] )

We will be interested in your feedback

References Bennett, S. (2005) University of Wollongong http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/ Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co. CETL(NI) Institutional E-Learning Services http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/ Leclercq, D. & Poumay, M. (2005) The 8 Learning Events Model and its principles. Release 2005-1. LabSET. University of Liège, available at http://www.labset.net/media/prod/8LEM.pdf Masson, A., MacNeill, A. & Murphy, C. (Botturi, L. and Stubbs, T. eds.) (2006) Case study - University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. Handbook of visual languages for instructional design: Theories and practices Idea Group , Hershey, PA Verpoorten, D., Poumay, M. & Leclercq, D. (2007) The eight learning events model: A pedagogic conceptual tool supporting diversification of learning methods. Interactive Learning Environments, Volume 15, Issue 2 August 2007 Available at http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a781052350&fulltext=713240928

Bennett, S. (2005) University of Wollongong http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/

Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co.

CETL(NI) Institutional E-Learning Services http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/

Leclercq, D. & Poumay, M. (2005) The 8 Learning Events Model and its principles. Release 2005-1. LabSET. University of Liège, available at http://www.labset.net/media/prod/8LEM.pdf

Masson, A., MacNeill, A. & Murphy, C. (Botturi, L. and Stubbs, T. eds.) (2006) Case study - University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. Handbook of visual languages for instructional design: Theories and practices Idea Group , Hershey, PA

Verpoorten, D., Poumay, M. & Leclercq, D. (2007) The eight learning events model: A pedagogic conceptual tool supporting diversification of learning methods. Interactive Learning Environments, Volume 15, Issue 2 August 2007 Available at http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a781052350&fulltext=713240928