Strategies for renewing eLearning environments - Melbourne University

Strategies for renewing eLearning environments
Deborah Jones
LMS Academic Support
University of Melbourne
1

Current eLearning environment
LMS – Blackboard piloted 2005 – 2007, then University wide
Over 2,500 active subjects per semester, 36,000 students and 2,700 staff
Sakai@Melbourne supporting eResearch community: 400 sites, 3,200 users
Turnitin, Lectopia, Respondus, Learning Objects blogs and wikis
Local customisation, integration with UoM systems – Digital Repository, Handbook, Student Portal
Formal spaces and structured environment, but increasing interest in cloud based technologies

Time for renewal
Developing strategies and processes to approach renewal of learning environment
Diversity of use of LMS – pedagogical strategies, learning experiences, and use of tools
Keeping the formal core (LMS), but also providing students with contextual and flexible toolsets
Keeping student-centred learning as key criteria in renewal of eLearning environment

Renewal processes
Three main areas of renewal:
Enterprise Systems Review - LMS renewal
eLearning Strategy
eLearning (and LMS) Governance
Learning, Teaching and eResearch needs

LMS Renewal
LMS renewal process as part of Enterprise Systems Review (ESR):
Defines elements of ICT enabled learning system to support the distinctive Melbourne Experience
Considers issues of relevance, flexibility, feasibility, cost-benefit, interoperability, integration, security, risk
Selection criteria based on set of capabilities
Baseline customisation – before improvement

eLearning Strategy
Strategic plans in the area of eLearning informed by external eLearning review and stocktake on 4 levels:
Strategy, leadership and tracking
Resourcing and support
Quantitative/qualitative trend data
Impacts and outcomes
And deeper conversation with faculties and the centre, in working groups, forums, planning days…

Issues for managing eLearning
Develop institutional strategies for the deployment of e-learning
Academic policy
Allocation of resources
Tactical and operational oversight
Review and evaluation processes
Quality – benchmarking
Risk assessment
Pedagogical frameworks

LMS framework for subject presence
Administrative and procedural information
Information to support learning
Interactive and/or collaborative learning
Handbook entry
Discussion
Subject information
To avoid duplication of core subject information, and to assist with alignment between the handbook description and subject design and delivery.
To facilitate collaborative learning through discussion and debate among students, and between students and staff.
To provide students with an explanation of expectations in the subject, including details of assessment tasks.
Which may include: discussion boards; wikis; creative commons; synchronous video conferencing; etc.
Subject requirements and expectations, including learning objectives.
Explanation of the purpose of assessment tasks in terms of the learning objectives for the subject.
Details of assessment criteria, and standards (as appropriate).
Link to handbook entry (automatically created)
Subject information
Collaborative production
To facilitate collaborative learning through group projects and production.
To provide students with a complete and current description of subject administrative processes.
Which may include: group-based document sharing; creative commons; etc.
Names & contact details of teaching staff
Schedule of topics and activities
List of assessment tasks & due dates
Explanation of how the LMS will be used in the subject
Report of responses to student feedback from the previous student cohort
Readings and resources
To support students’ independent study through ready access to downloadable resources, reading lists, and/or other information sources.
Self-assessment
To provide opportunities for students to self-assess their knowledge and to test ideas through the use of interactive tools.
Which may include: lists of required readings; links to specific library resources; downloadable materials such as lecture notes and audio-recordings; additional readings; other audio-visual material; etc.
Which may include: simulations; self-assessment tools such as quizzes; interactive tutorials; etc.
Assignment submission
To facilitate assessment administration for students and staff.
Feedback - to and from peers
This involves: the online submission of assignments.
To provide structured opportunities for students to review and comment on one another’s work.
Feedback - from staff
Which may include: peer feedback tools such as PRAZE; etc.
To facilitate timely, explanatory feedback to students from staff.
Grades and student progress
To record assessment results for providing students with information regarding their individual progress, and for determing subject grades.
Reflective practice
Which may include: assignment submission with online feedback; etc.
To develop learning skills and self-awareness through reflection on learning.
Including: satisfactory completion of particular hurdle requirements; record of assessment submission; results for assessment tasks; overall grades; etc.
Which may include: learning portfolios; journals; blogs; etc.
Online, formal assessment
To enhance formal assessment through the use of online technologies, as appropriate.
Which may include: simulations, images etc incorporated into the assessment task; assessment tools such as quizzes; peer-feedback tools such as PRAZE; etc.
Version date: 10 April 2008

Integration /intersections
Quality management
Benchmarking, evaluation, reviews, frameworks, improvement processes
Governance and accountability
Operational
Systems, processes, resources, support services, reporting
Integration
Academic development
Student and staff engagement , pedagogies and environments for learning
Alignment
University strategies, University systems, budgets, IT infrastructure

eLearning environment - framework..
Provide a well resourced and supported advanced framework for a learning environment which enables access to a fluid range of web based technology solutions, and university sanctioned learning and teaching systems and functions.
Enables guided or scaffolded student choice
So what does that look like……

The PLE – the tool set
Wireless and Mobile access
Faculty T&L technologies
Enterprise T&L and Admin Systems
Program level communities
Personal profiling tools, Facebook
Learning System
Course information
Assessment
Grades
Resources
Blogs, Wikis,
Discussion boards,
Content system
Lectopia
Communication tools, Skype, Twitter,
Student organised project/worksites
Turnitin
Media creation and distribution tools, Flickr, Sharepoint, Youtube etc
Readings online
Web conferencing
Subject sites
ePortfolio
Bookmarking, tagging, GPS
Subject sites
Google apps/email
University Digital Repositories
Enterprise Support and Infrastructure

The PLE – includes University systems
Learning System
Course information
Assessment
Grades
Resources
Blogs, Wikis,
Discussion boards,
Content system
Core LMS functionality
Lectopia
Turnitin
Readings online
Web conferencing
Subject sites
ePortfolio
Subject sites
Google apps/email
University ‘sanctioned’ - integrated and supported local environment

The PLE – includes Web 2.0 tools
Learning System
Course information
Assessment
Grades
Resources
Blogs, Wikis,
Discussion boards,
Content system
Lectopia
Turnitin
Readings online
Web conferencing
Subject sites
ePortfolio
Subject sites
Google apps/email
Unsanctioned - accessible and encouraged web environment

The PLE – includes student spaces
Learning System
Course information
Assessment
Grades
Resources
Blogs, Wikis,
Discussion boards,
Content system
Lectopia
Turnitin
Readings online
Web conferencing
Subject sites
ePortfolio
Subject sites
Google apps/email

The PLE – integrated and flexible
Program level communites
Learning System
Course information
Assessment
Grades
Resources
Blogs, Wikis,
Discussion boards,
Content system
Lectopia
Turnitin
Readings online
Web conferencing
Subject sites
ePortfolio
Subject sites
Google apps/email

Getting there..
Examples of good practice
Encouraging peer review
Capacity building - coaching and support for staff engagement
Student ‘readiness’ for active learning
Alerting staff to most successful uses of technologies
Engaging decision makers (IT, academic, Exec)

Strategies for renewing eLearning environments - Melbourne University

by Mark Smithers on Jul 19, 2010

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