The document discusses learner experiences with virtual and online learning. It covers several topics: - Learner needs for online activities including digital literacy, technology access and skills. Many students lack skills to use technology for study. - Student ownership of technology is high but institutional access differs. Those without access feel disadvantaged. - Students' study habits are initially influenced by prior education but tutors also have influence. Disabled students are skilled technology users. - Students extensively use social media recreationally and rely on peers for support, especially technical issues. Technologies support group work processes.

1. Learning virtually Rhona Sharpe Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Associate College Partnership 14 January 2011 Directorate of Human Resources

2. Learner Experiences of ICT JISC Learner Experiences of E-learning programme (Guide for Practitioners in your packs) JISC Supporting Learners in a Digital Age project (SLiDA) NUS/HEFCE Student Expectations of ICT report, October 2010

3. Digital and information literacy in Oxford Brookes Enhancing the Student Experience Strategy “ The functional access, skills and practices necessary to become a confident, agile adopter of a range of technologies for personal, academic and professional use.” “ To be able to use appropriate technology to search for high-quality information; critically to evaluate and engage with the information obtained; reflect on and record learning, and professional and personal development; and engage productively in relevant online communities.”

4. Two tasks: What do you, as learner, need to be able to do these online learning activities? (10 mins) To what extent do your learners have the access, skills, strategies and support necessary? (20 mins) Workshop plan

5. What is it like to learn virtually? Pick one of the tasks, image that you are working on it. Where are you? How does it feel? What do you need?

6. About your learners: a checklist Which questions do you find difficult to answer? Which will be important for your teaching? On your tables, how are your students similar and different ? Where are the gaps in what you know about your students? Choose one section of the checklist to discuss in more detail. Come and collect the student experience cards for this section. To what extent do your learners have the access, skills, strategies or support necessary?

7. Access and ownership T here is high ownership and access to personal technology, but note institutional differences Where access or ownership is lacking, students feel disadvantaged Most students are not sure how to use personal technology to aid study, 14/01/11 | slide “ If we are required to be networked for a computer workshop, for example, there generally aren’t places you can plug in a laptop with assistive technology in. So, then you are reliant on whatever assistive technologies are available on the network.” ( LexDis)

8. Study habits and strategies New learners are c onservative in their study habits and approaches I nfluenced initially by prior educational experience, and later by their tutors Disabled learners are agile technology users who understand the affordances of technology Learn skills from each other “ Well firstly if I want to look anything up… I will usually Google it... Then I would fire up MSN… Finally [the VLE] and all the resources the University makes available online.” (STROLL)

9. Communication strategies Extensive use of social networking sites – for recreational use Extensive use of peers for support, especially technical support Technologies used to support the process of groupwork Social networking used where they have a cohort identity 14/01/11 | slide “ University e-mail I don’t really use for people at University, I usually use texting, Facebook or MSN. If they’re on-line, on MSN, I know hopefully they’ll respond straightaway. You can get an immediate response with phones and Messenger.” (E4L)

10. Support LEXDIS SLIDA case studies DALLI case study

11. Support 14/01/11 | slide

12. Want to know more? 14/01/11 | slide