Online learning: Can a generic tutorial meet the disparate needs of researchers?

Online learning: Can a generic tutorial meet the disparate needs of

researchers?

Jenny CoombsUniversity of Nottingham

Overview

Project background

Content creation and authoring tool

Quick demo

Evaluation of pilot units

Future plans

Background

Aim to create online tutorials aimed at researchers

Reusable Re-purposable

Number of East Midlands Institutions interested

EMRSG Project consortium: Loughborough, Nottingham, Coventry, De Montfort Universities

Image by Ben Mills, used under a Creative Commons Licence, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:East-Midlands-Ambulance-Service-map.png

Schedule

Pilot module content

Authoring tool Xerte

• Open source

• Content can be re- used and repurposed

•Designed for non- techies

• Technical help

Quick look at a unit

Evaluation of pilot module, 2011

Conducted by a ‘neutral’ research associate Qualitative methods:

Focus groups (Nottingham, Loughborough & DMU) Observations (Coventry)

Recommendations aided editing and revisions

Differing levels of experience

Variety of disciplines

• Bias towards STM disciplines?

Approach

Success stories considered important:

Expectations of online material

Content of

video is more important

than aesthetics

Academic not smart enough

Distracted by background

Balancing activities

Conclusions

• Difficult to meet all needs of researchers– Level of content– Representing all disciplines– Getting the approach right– Meeting expectations for professional material– Balancing activities

The Future

Added to Jorum and Open Courseware to facilitate sharing

Dissemination of research outputs Future unit – reference management www.emrsg.org.uk

Contacts

Coventry UniversityChris Barkc.bark@coventry.ac.ukJudy Thompsonj.thompson@coventry.ac.uk

Loughborough UniversityHelen Youngh.young@lboro.ac.ukRuth Stubbingsr.e.stubbings@lboro.ac.uk

De Montfort UniversityLiz Martinemartin@dmu.ac.uk

University of NottinghamWendy Stantonwendy.stanton@nottingham.ac.ukJenny Coombsjenny.coombs@nottingham.ac.uk

Keep in touch with the project at: http://www.emrsg.org.uk

Questions?