This document summarizes an exploratory study conducted at the University of Geneva to inform the deployment of a techno-pedagogical staff learning environment (PLE). The study included surveys of students and staff to understand current IT practices and needs. Key findings were that students are equipped but not proactive in using external resources, while doctoral students showed more interest. The implementation plan involves a pedagogical axis for awareness, training and resource sharing, and a technological axis introducing a dashboard to aggregate formal and informal learning resources into a single access point. Further developments include expanding the PLE to other institutions.

1. An Exploratory Study for the Deployment of a Techno-pedagogical Staff Learning EnvironmentLaurent Moccozet, Omar Benkacem, BinetaNdiaye, VjollcaAhmeti, Patrick Roth, Pierre-Yves Burgi, University of Geneva, Switzerland

2. PlanContextMotivationsExploratorystudyStudyresultsImplementationFurtherdevelopmentsConclusion

3. ContextHow to introduce and implement PLE at an institution level such as the University of Geneva ?Various audiences (students, teaching staff, administrative and technical staff)A range of available e-learning systems (2 LMSs, CMS, Blog, Mediaserver, Portal my.unige, etc…)

4. MotivationLots of sound objectives: Encourage and develop learners autonomy in an institutional context.Provide an integrated access to formal and informal resources.Facilitate the development of collaborative learning networks among learners.But where are we starting from:  What are the current practices ?Don’t change practices, make them evolve

5. ExploratorystudyThree action linesQuantitative survey14000 students asked about their IT and Web 2.0 practices (from which 1400 answered). <1>Data collect and processingQualitative surveyInterviews with 7 members of the boards of students associations from different faculties. <2>Interviews with 10 teachers and techno-pedagogical experts. <3>

6. StudyResultsLocal resources:Personal resources (mainly available from the student’s personal equipments – laptop, smartphone, desktop…).Institutional resources:Resources available from the institution (mainly LMSs).External (cloud) resources:Resources available from the Web 2.0 ecosystem.

7. Studyresults

8. StudyresultsEquipment ? Definitely not a problem !Students are not proactive with web 2.0 resources and tools usage (no particular interest to “discover”).opportunistic with their usages of Web 2.0 resources and tools. usages are mainly evolving according to the evolution of the environment they know (ex : Facebook, google …)having informal learning/training usages of the Web 2.0 resources and tools (but they don’t know)

9. StudyresultsDoctoral students are identified as a potential “early adopters” audience for a PLE.Doctoral students are the one that are the more interested in accessing “external” resources.

10. ImplementationA global approach:Pedagogical axis associates technology watch, awareness and training.Technological axis introduces the PLE as a “pedagogical dashboard” to aggregate IT resources.

11. Implementation

12. Pedagogical axisAwareness  Dedicated blogWatch: Introduction of a collaborative tool for evaluating and sharing resources Training:Soft skills seminars for PhD students (digital & information literacy) Dedicated training modules (based on activities) Experimenting dashboard in pilot classes

13. Technological axisPedagogical dashboard :A «hub», a single entry point to access/manage formal and informal resources.Evolutive environment:Pre-integrated resources (no requirement to discover…)Open to new resources (… but you if you want/can anyway)

14. Technological axisGraaasp

15. Technological axis

16. Further developmentsExtend PLE with/to other institutions:Lausanne Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EuropeanprojectROLE) University of Fribourg University of LausanneUniversity of ZurichSWITCH members

17. ConclusionDesign and build an accurate global environment to stimulate new models of learning.

18. Your questions