Presented at ALT Conference 2021, 9th September 2021 Video available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDQtSdUhLqg&t=136s

1. Changing the structure of an EdTech team
Altogether now
James Dunbar, Kiran Gawali, Moira Sarsfield, Helen Walkey
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Imperial College London

2. Our aim is to encourage attendees to think about their own
ways of working and the wider purpose of the edtech function.
Aim of the session

3. How it started How it’s going
September 2018 September 2021
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4. Our context
Faculty of Natural Sciences
• 5 departments
• 100 programmes
• 700 staff
• 4000 students
• Initially in 2018…
• 3 Learning Technology staff
• Support for delivery (BAU)
• Some innovation
4

5. Challenge 1 – Pedagogic transformation
2018 – New college Learning and
Teaching Strategy launched
• review our curriculum and create
space for innovation in education
• make our teaching more
interactive and evidence-based
• foster an inclusive and diverse
community
• develop online and digital
enhancements
EdTech Team
Transformation
Review &
maintenance
Insight and
Evaluation
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6. Structure 1 – Highlights and issues
• Tightly defined areas of
responsibility
• Established effective ways of
working in review & maintenance
• Sense of belonging in subteams
• Subteams worked separately
• Not everyone able to gain
experience with core tools
• Bespoke solutions not easy to roll-
out further
EdTech Team
Transformation
Review &
maintenance
Insight and
Evaluation
6

7. Challenge 2 – Coping with COVID
2020 - Emergency changes
• Developing new teaching, learning
and assessment techniques
• Preparing online support materials
and documentation
• Sharing and showcasing
activities/approaches
• Providing training and drop-in help
sessions
• Finding the gaps (where is more
support needed?)
EdTech Team
Whole team working together
to meet the immediate needs
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8. Structure 2 – Highlights and issues
• Action Teams got positive
feedback
• Working on a project through its
lifecycle was satisfying
• Uncertainity around work
internally and externally
EdTech Team
Whole team working together
to meet the immediate needs
8

9. Challenge 3 – Post-emergency online learning
• 2021 – Ongoing uncertainty and
two new online programmes
• Support for multimode teaching
• How to transform the team
structure for future success?
• Evaluate where we are
• Consider benefits and drawbacks of
previous structures
• Consult the literature
• Seek advice from management, HR,
learning & development team
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10. Challenge 3 – Learning from the literature
Wasson (2007)
• Initially the team comprised
two separate sub-teams:
• Transformation – Design
• Review & Maintenance – Use
• And one team member tasked
with Evaluation
• Key structural change proposed – Add an Implementation function
• EdTech Tools and Systems

11. Challenge 3 – Learning from the literature
Goodyear &
Dimitriadis
(2013)
• Key structural change proposed – Staff to work across functional areas
• Key process change – develop a more holistic, forward-looking approach to design 11

12. Learning
design
EdTech Delivery
EdTech Tools
and Systems
Pete Lynn
Dorian
Chiandra
Recruit B
Recruit A
Liza
Recruit C
EdTech Tools and Systems
Automation/streamlining of existing processes
Development of new tech products
Computational teaching/assessments
EdTech Delivery
Ongoing delivery of existing programmes
Updating of online programmes
Staff training and support
Learning design
Developing online programmes
Transformation of existing modules
Production of media assets
Media
production
Evaluation and insights
Analysis and review
EdTech Tools
and Systems
Learning
Design
EdTech
Delivery
Evaluation
Insights
Structure 3 – Functional areas
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13. Learning
design
EdTech Delivery
EdTech Tools
and Systems
Pete Lynn
Dorian
Chiandra
Recruit B
Recruit A
Liza
Recruit C
EdTech Tools and Systems
Automation/streamlining of existing processes
Development of new tech products
Computational teaching/assessments
EdTech Delivery
Ongoing delivery of existing programmes
Updating of online programmes
Staff training and support
Learning design
Developing online programmes
Transformation of existing modules
Production of media assets
Media
production
Evaluation and insights
Analysis and review
EdTech Tools
and Systems
Learning
Design
EdTech
Delivery
Evaluation
Insights
Staff work across
arcs of activity
Structure 3 – Arcs of activity
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14. Structure 3 – Highlights and issues
Highlights
• Some evidence and positive feedback on the widened scope for
activities that can be supported – online exams, new online
programmes
• Collating and responding to feedback is helping us implement a cycle
of continuous improvement
• Using MS Teams – advantages for team work
• Planner boarding used for workload and project management
• One mailbox for support requests
• Helps staff to have visibility of work and knowledge
• Team Demos to build skills and knowledge across areas
Ongoing Process
• How to keep distinct areas of expertise but a convenient and
straightforward user experience for staff
• Ongoing process - HR consultation on our review
• Community feedback through upcoming ALT conference
• Well-functioning Remote team to Hybrid Team 14
6
18
6
6
23
41
6
18
13
8
53
88
64
81
69
The tech solution was fit for purpose
The solution was delivered on time
The Ed Tech team provided useful
pedagogical advice
The Ed Tech team provided useful
technical support
The Ed Tech team provided useful
evaluation advice or support
Mostly disagree Neither agree nor disagree Mostly agree Definitely agree
%

15. Forward-looking design in action – example
ePortfolios for reflection on feedback
• Design for configuration Learning Design
• Design for orchestration EdTech Delivery
• Design for reflection Evaluation
• Design for redesign EdTech Tools & Systems
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16. Over to you!
Please post details of your team structure at:
https://padlet.com/msars/TeamStructure
and questions or thoughts in the Comments area
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17. References
• Wasson, B. (2007). Design and Use of Collaborative Network Learning Scenarios:
The DoCTA Experience. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 10, pp. 3-16.
• Dimitriadis, Y., and Goodyear, P. (2013). Forward-oriented design for learning: illustrating the
approach. Research in Learning Technology, 21. https://doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v21i0.20290
• Goodyear, P., and Dimitriadis, Y. (2013). In medias res: reframing design for learning. Research in Learning
Technology, 21. https://doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v21i0.19909
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