Professor Mark Brown gave a presentation titled "Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture: Exploring the Question of Quality" at Talis Insight 2015 in Birmingham. He discussed three key topics: 1) different definitions of quality, 2) three "flavors" or metaphors for thinking about quality, and 3) tools for enhancing quality by developing a culture of quality rather than relying solely on compliance. Overall, Brown argued that technology-enhanced learning initiatives will only be transformative if the right institutional culture is developed to support quality in teaching.

1. Professor Mark Brown
Talis Insight 2015
Birmingham
15th April 2015
Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture:
Exploring the Question of Quality

2. Officially launched 28th November, 2013 by Ruairi Quinn, Minister for
Education and Skills, and Lord David Putnam, Ireland’s Digital
Ambassador.
http://www.dcu.ie/nidl

3. Innovation Quality
Access
Golden
TEL
Triangle

4. Innovation Quality
Access
Golden
TEL
Triangle

5. The inconvenient truth is…

6. Most technology-enhanced learning initiatives
reinforce traditional outcomes…
The inconvenient truth is…

7. And the ‘pump, pump,
dump’ model of digital
learning still dominates teaching
practice.
Most technology-enhanced learning initiatives
reinforce traditional outcomes…
The inconvenient truth is…

8. 1. What’s your flavour?
2. Three flavours of quality
3. Tools for enhancing the flavour
Outline…
Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture:
Exploring the Question of Quality

9. Keep it simple stupid!

10. 1. What’s your flavour?

11. 1. What’s your flavour?

12. If this picture is the answer, then what is the
question?
1. What’s your flavour?

13. 1. What’s your flavour?
What is the most popular flavour of ice cream?

14. If this picture is the answer, then what is the
question?
1. What’s your flavour?

15. Do you prefer ice cream in a cone or bowl?
1. What’s your flavour?

16. If this picture is the answer, then what is the
question?
1. What’s your flavour?

17. 1. What’s your flavour?
What is the flavour of New Zealand’s iconic
ice-cream?

18. 1. What’s your flavour?
According to Google…

19. 1. What’s your flavour?
BONUS QUESTION: What was Albert Einstein’s
favourite ice cream?

20. 1. What’s your flavour?
BONUS QUESTION: What was Albert Einstein’s
favourite ice cream?

21. “All generalizations are
dangerous, even this one”
(Alexandre Dumas)
1. What’s your flavour?

22. 2. Three flavours of quality…

23. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Quality is Standardized
(i) Mass production metaphor…

24. 2. Three flavours of quality…
(ii) Boutique craft metaphor…
Quality is Unique

25. 2. Three flavours of quality…
High Quality Milk
Quality depends on the raw ingredients

26. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Quality is NOT to Everyone’s Taste
And…

27. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Who defines quality?
… and for what purpose?

28. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Quality standards are important…
…but they are not a proxy for innovation!

29. 2. Three flavours of quality…
(iii) Personal ethos metaphor…
Quality is a Relative Concept

30. 2. Three flavours of quality…
• Complex
• Contestable
• Multi-layered
• Context bound
• Discipline specific
• Is a moving target
• Involves an X factor
In sum…

31. 2. Three flavours of quality…

32. 2. Three flavours of quality…
“Not everything that can be counted
counts, not everything that counts can
be counted”.
Albert Einstein

33. 3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

34. 3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…
Delivery
Institution
Clear standards
External requirements
Central quality police
Quality compliance
Service
Individual
Creative flair
Internal commitments
Local responsibility
Quality culture

35. 3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

36. 3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

37. 3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

38. 3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…
• Understanding people matter most
• Winning the hearts and minds of people
• Promoting a high level of professional trust
• Giving responsibility for quality back to teachers
• Building distributed leadership at the module and
programme level
A quality culture involves…

39. Help lecturers learn how to make their
own unique ice cream that students can truly savor!
3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…

40. Conclusion…

41. Conclusion…
Technology-enhanced learning can be transformative, but…

42. Conclusion…
Technology-enhanced learning can be transformative, but…

43. Conclusion…
Without the right institutional culture…

44. Conclusion…
…your efforts might end up looking like this!
Without the right institutional culture…

45. Conclusion…

46. Thank
You!

47. Contact Details
mark.brown@dcu.ie
@mbrownz
http://www4.dcu.ie/nidl
http://www.slideshare.net/mbrownz