E-learning and me Ruth Catlow, Miles Metcalfe, Roger Rees

E-learning and me Where we came from What that means Where we are going What that means Acknowledgements

Where we came from

What that means

Where we are going

What that means

Acknowledgements

Where we came from Elearning in the enterprise

In the beginning … Computers were expensive Owned by governments, businesses, and universities Senior decision-makers bought computers for their organisations IT staff enforced fair use

Computers were expensive

Owned by governments, businesses, and universities

Senior decision-makers bought computers for their organisations

IT staff enforced fair use

From the datacentre Drivers for computing: Reducing costs Increasing efficiency This is the computing of the “enterprise” Key themes are: processes, workflows, standards and standardisation

Drivers for computing:

Reducing costs

Increasing efficiency

This is the computing of the “enterprise”

Key themes are: processes, workflows, standards and standardisation

To the learning centre Technology supported learning inherits an “enterprise” mindset. Regulated Standardised Locked up Locked down

Technology supported learning inherits an “enterprise” mindset.

Regulated

Standardised

Locked up

Locked down

Welcome to Leeds, kids! http://campus.leeds.ac.uk/isms/information_security/index.htm

http://campus.leeds.ac.uk/isms/information_security/index.htm

And to the VLE The virtual learning environment is a panopticon for learning and teaching Typically bought by a committee Imposed as an institutional “solution” It supports standards you can’t pronounce, let alone ever need

The virtual learning environment is a panopticon for learning and teaching

Typically bought by a committee

Imposed as an institutional “solution”

It supports standards you can’t pronounce, let alone ever need

Where we are going Learning 2.0

In the present Laptops are given away with broadband deals Social networking and instant messaging are commonplace amongst students Most of their lecturers have a Facebook page The marketing department are running an ill-judged campaign on Bebo

Laptops are given away with broadband deals

Social networking and instant messaging are commonplace amongst students

Most of their lecturers have a Facebook page

The marketing department are running an ill-judged campaign on Bebo

The good Computers are no longer jealously-guarded scarce resources Many students and staff are empowered through computer use The prototypical computer use today is communication – email, IM, social networking Elearning innovation using social software

Computers are no longer jealously-guarded scarce resources

Many students and staff are empowered through computer use

The prototypical computer use today is communication – email, IM, social networking

Elearning innovation using social software

The not so good Technically, universities aren’t ready for user-owned technology The UKAMF shows that strategy is slow to catch up – and the enterprise abides The “dash to Facebook ” can neglect pedagogy for trendiness Hard problems with assessment remain hard

Technically, universities aren’t ready for user-owned technology

The UKAMF shows that strategy is slow to catch up – and the enterprise abides

The “dash to Facebook ” can neglect pedagogy for trendiness

Hard problems with assessment remain hard

Towards a solution Social tools are not for everyone Not all learners will generalise from MySpace to a course wiki Not everyone has the same access to technology Institutional policies can diminish the experience of the least well-equipped

Social tools are not for everyone

Not all learners will generalise from MySpace to a course wiki

Not everyone has the same access to technology

Institutional policies can diminish the experience of the least well-equipped

Look out for … OpenID if your institution supports it RSS or Atom feeds are a must It should be easy to get data out Data-portability a sensible minimum But – your data is your property!

OpenID if your institution supports it

RSS or Atom feeds are a must

It should be easy to get data out

Data-portability a sensible minimum

But – your data is your property!

The social stack A model for social software in education

A social stack After: http://www.headshift.com/archives/003389.cfm

Assessment A problem of scalability Institutional OpenID could help with oversight Life-stream services such as Friendfeed or Jaiku have potential for group aggregation Not complete solutions

A problem of scalability

Institutional OpenID could help with oversight

Life-stream services such as Friendfeed or Jaiku have potential for group aggregation

Not complete solutions

Challenges Develop a sophisticated view of “Web 2.0” software Choosing the right platforms, and supporting learners’ choices Platform personalisation Equality of access: wealth, inclination

Develop a sophisticated view of “Web 2.0” software

Choosing the right platforms, and supporting learners’ choices

Platform personalisation

Equality of access: wealth, inclination

Acknowledgements Credits and thanks

Funding from the JISC – D4L and user-owned technology demonstrators Andrew McAfee for Three Kinds of IT Headshift for the Social Stack University of Leeds for screen-grabs Apple for iPhone photos Jeff Kravitz for unearthing photos from the prehistory of computing Students and staff at Ravensbourne College Thanks for listening!

Funding from the JISC – D4L and user-owned technology demonstrators

Andrew McAfee for Three Kinds of IT

Headshift for the Social Stack

University of Leeds for screen-grabs

Apple for iPhone photos

Jeff Kravitz for unearthing photos from the prehistory of computing

Students and staff at Ravensbourne College

Thanks for listening!