Outline of a session for the Open University TEL SIG

1. Learning Design for the
21st Century Campus
Supporting pedagogic change at scale
The Open University, 19 July 2017

2. Approx 350 programmes, over 2000 modules
Diverse teaching staff, diverse subjects, diverse students
1 custom designed campus...
What kind of learning experience should we create?
The challenge: transforming
lives + inspiring change

3. ….?

4. The programme is taught through student-
centred activities that support the development
of subject knowledge and understanding,
independent learning and digital fluency.
Our face-to-face teaching is facilitated in a
practical and collaborative manner, clearly
linked to learning activity outside the
classroom.
Opportunities are provided for students to
develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes
and employability skills.
Active Blended Learning (ABL)

5. A strategic approach to
leading change
Create a climate for
change
Be clear on the origins and
reasons for the change, and
how it will be supported
(Popovic and Plank, 2016)
Engage and enable
the organisation
Communicate the vision,
enable action, build
community, and motivate by
showing progress
Implement and
sustain the change
Consolidate and embed

6. A strategic approach to
leading change
Creating a climate for
change
Surfacing drivers:
• Pedagogic research
• Financial sustainability
• Future of work
Introducing new resources:
4 x Learning Designers

7. A strategic approach to
leading change
Engage and enable
the organisation
Communicate the vision, enable
action, build community, and
motivate by showing progress
Approaches include:
• Staff development: C@N-DO
• CAIeRO (course re-design)
• Supporting resources and
policies
• Funding research
‘grass roots’
(individual-focused)
faculty led
strategic
community
building
research
based

8. A strategic approach to
leading change
Implement and
sustain the change
Consolidate and embed
Approaches include:
• Recognition
• Dissemination
• Ongoing research and
tracking
• Ongoing staff development
• Recruitment

9. • Changing practice
• Sharing practice
• Communicating practice
Key Challenges:

10. Key Challenges
Changing Practice:
Understanding the value of active blended
learning
"The CAIeRO provided an opportunity to focus on
learning and teaching practice rather than subject
content. It reminded me to start from the student rather
than what I wanted them to know or what I felt they
needed to know."

11. Key Challenges
Sharing Practice:
Representing and personalising design
"I just want to see how other people are doing it…"

12. Key Challenges
Communicating Practice:
Making the model understood
”I understand the idea, and the research and so on. But I
still can’t quite picture it … I mean, what I am actually
doing in the classroom?"

13. • Key Challenges
Key Challenges
Communicating Practice
Pop quiz: name that film…

14. Thanks for sharing!
ABL and the Waterside project
For more on ABL and our approach to
teaching and learning:
http://bit.ly/ABL_ILT
For more on the new Waterside campus:
http://hellowaterside.northampton.ac.uk/
and http://bit.ly/Watersidebuild
For more on Learning Design at
Northampton:
http://bit.ly/SHED_LD
For more on CAIeRO:
http://bit.ly/CAIeRO
For more on student experiences of ABL:
http://bit.ly/ABL_Interim
Strategic change
For more information on strategic approaches
to change, see:
Popovic, C. and Plank, K. M. (2016) Managing
and leading change: Models and practices. In
Baume, D and Popovic, C. (eds.) Advancing
Practice in Academic Development. Abingdon
and New York: Routledge, pp.207-224.
For more information, get in touch:
Julie Usher
julie.usher@northampton.ac.uk
@jules_u
July 2017