Altc2014 building a culture of flexible online learning one year on - james little

Building a culture of flexible
online learning
James Little @jimjamyahauk
University of Leeds
Peter Shanks BotheredByBees Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/botheredbybees/245215927/

Overview – Last Year
The 2013 session identified the journey in building a
culture of flexible learning from both a departmental,
learner and institutional perspective in order to deliver an
enhanced
‘Welcome to the University’ orientation for staff
and
build capacity for future developments.
Moyan Brenn Moyan_Brenn_BACK_FROM_ICELA Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/5849712695/

Overview – this
session
By returning to this project after a year the journey of learning to ride
and make use of new technologies in a specific context can be
shared. Often projects are often presented as a one-off - revisiting and
development of the project enables ideas and understanding to be more
fully shared.
1. What has now actually happened from a year ago?
2. What is the experience like?
3. Shows genuine iteration of process.
4. Review and Hands-On Time
Moyan Brenn Moyan_Brenn_BACK_FROM_ICELA Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/5849712695/

Need for change:
Enhancing accessibility
Better mobile device support (responsive)
Informal learning
Fees
Professionalisation of HE workforce
Redesign of accredited programmes
Policies: OER / Social Media
Meeting increasing demand
Drivers

• Drivers still the same but now demand and
quality can be met.
• High production values of MOOC provision
have raised the bar for online resources at the
University.
Drivers

Evaluating Current Platform
Current bespoke platform wasn’t able to meet
needs:
X Compatibility
X Lack of extendibility / needed features
X Usability for content creators

Evaluating
Current Platform
Platform (a bespoke website system) being
retired/replaced and online resources
migrated away.
Definitions provided to split content from
corporate website to SDDU Online.

Project Aims
• Identify an effective and customisable
technological solution to fulfill pedagogic
requirements, now and in the future.
• Empower educators to create engaging online
learning opportunities with minimal support.
• Foster a collaborative approach towards the
development of online learning provision.
• Increase learner engagement with
professional development.

Project Aims
Identify an effective and customisable
technological solution to fulfill pedagogic
requirements, now and in the future.
Empower educators to create engaging online
learning opportunities with minimal support.
Foster a collaborative approach towards the
development of online learning provision.
- Ongoing: Increase learner engagement with
professional development.

How to implement?
Carried out comparison of available platforms:
Images copyright respective holders (linked images used)

How to implement?
Chosen: WordPress
Already some use on campus
Flexibility of use/extendibility (plug-ins)
Support for modern responsive web standards
Supported by established global community

Implementation
Technical
Network of sites
Plug-ins (Security/Community/Collaboration/Social
Media/Assessment)
Access to content creation tools
Embedding of third party content
Instructional Advice
Accessibility
Usability
Pedagogical
Picture from: http://wpmu.org/wordpress-multisite-guide/

Implementation Complete
Technical
 Network of sites
 Plug-ins (Security/Community/Collaboration/Social
Media/Assessment)
 Access to content creation tools
Embedding of third party content
Instructional Advice
 Accessibility
 Usability
 Pedagogical
Picture from: http://wpmu.org/wordpress-multisite-guide/

Examples: VLE Training (before)

Future Directions
• 12 Months
– Launch of online CPD as separate from existing
departmental website
– Migration of existing content
– Collaborative spaces
• Long-term
– Badges for staff development / accreditation
– Links to other institutional systems
– Some resources OER’d
Image By Nepenthes (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Future Directions
• 12 Months
Launch of online CPD as separate from existing
departmental website
Migration of existing content
Collaborative spaces
• Long-term
– Badges for staff development / accreditation
Links to other institutional systems (AD sign in)
Some resources OER’d
Image By Nepenthes (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Thoughts on journey so far
 Starting small but planning for future aims
 Existing content refreshed
 Department given time to familiarise with new platform
 Underpinnings enable future options already waiting in
wings (BuddyPress)
 Testing and selection of plug-ins
 Network of sites enables large amount of potential features
to be available – but enabled as appropriate for each
resource.
 Content creators given access to high quality tools both
within WordPress and through laptop loaded with tools

Thoughts on
journey so far
 Starting small but planning for future aims
 Existing content refreshed
 Department given time to familiarise with new platform
 Underpinnings enable future options already waiting in
wings (BuddyPress)
 Testing and selection of plug-ins
 Network of sites enables large amount of potential features
to be available – but enabled as appropriate for each
resource.
 Content creators given access to high quality tools both
within WordPress and through laptop loaded with tools

The first steps to enabling a new approach to
delivering online self-directed professional
development and interaction is possible, which
may inspire educators to model best practice in
their own work.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/26498881@N06/4022897085/in/photostream/
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
What happened next?

1. Definitions/Workflow - two creation options:
1. Template (self directed/standard set of features):
www.sdduonline.leeds.ac.uk/template/
2. Bespoke Project
2. Support Site: www.sdduonline.leeds.ac.uk/getting-
started/
1. How to use the online template
2. Good practice in relation to online learning, accessibility,
mobile experience, copyright and other related issues.
3. Structure of the SDDU Online Homepage
4. 27 resources createdhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/26498881@N06/4022897085/in/photostream/
What happened next?

Workflow - Definitions

Workflow - Template

Produced after consultation of staff
needs by survey and meetings:
The resource template so far comes
with the ability to:
• Create pages of content with an
easy-to-use editor
• Accordions and Tabs for content
layout
• Organise pages and create
subpages forming a hierarchy of
content
• A menu which automatically
includes pages as they are created
• Ability to embed and/or upload
video, audio and Articulate
Presentations
• Add links to social media services
such as Twitter accounts
• Homepage with option for images
to introduce the resource
• Analytics of accesses to resource
and visitors
• Active-Directory Log-in
• Enable you to overall create a blog
or a mini-website
• Based upon quiz
• Quiz
Workflow - Template Options

Support Site

Guidance:
1. How to use the online template and included
suite of tools
2. Good practice in relation to online learning
3. Types of online resources/courses you could
develop
4. Mobile experience
5. Web Accessibility
6. Other legal Checklist to sign-off readiness to
publish on SDDU online
Support Site

Structure – Homepage

Structure – Homepage
Option (via BuddyPress)
to record your access to
areas and buld up a
portfolio of learning.

27 Resources Created
Each time a resource is
created it gets added to
your personalised list.

Progress slower than anticipated but this has enabled time
for:
• Existing resources to be evaluated and updated (October
2014 deadline)
• Robust support and options for the creation of resources
• Higher quality provision produced
• Satisfaction in staff getting to grips with the content
creation process – time for seminars and buy-in from senior
management
• New future options: Courseware / Blogs,wikis /
Collaborative writing / Reflections/notes during resource

• Initial feedback from staff using the resources
is positive in terms of access, content, ability
to access from personal mobile devices.
– Will assess with a survey and and interviews
• Each resource has analytics enabled –
currently collecting quantative data

What do you think / Playtime!
Ideas / Thoughts / Feedback
Template:
www.sdduonline.leeds.ac.uk/altc2014/wp-admin/
Username: sddut1 or sddut2 or sddut3 or
sddut4 or sddut5
Password: altc2014

Altc2014 building a culture of flexible online learning one year on - james little

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Altc2014 building a culture of flexible online learning one year on - james little

Similar to Altc2014 building a culture of flexible online learning one year on - james little (20)

More from James Little

More from James Little (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Altc2014 building a culture of flexible online learning one year on - james little

Editor's Notes