[Slide 1] - Opening SlideOpening slide

The Drivers for Technology Enhanced

Learning in Higher Education

Ben Scobleb.scoble@staffs.ac.uk

@benscoble

[Slide 2] - Disruptive Technology  “One of the most disruptive and transformative innovations we have ever witnessed.” Nigel Shadbot, HEFCE/NUS, 2010Quote: Student perspectives on technology – demand, perceptions and training needs. Report to HEFCE by NUS, 2010http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2010/rd1810/rd18_10.pdf  This quote reflects the paradigm shift that has occurred over the last 15 years.  The WWW and the Internet have been disruptive technologies, changing various aspects of our society and how we live our daily lives.

“One of the most disruptive and transformative

innovations we have ever witnessed.” Nigel Shadbot, HEFCE/NUS, 2010

[Slide 3] - The Hype Cycle  Although this ‘Hype cycle’ view of technology adoption is much criticised, it does reflect an underlying principle that various internet technologies have been developed, tried, rejected or adopted by mainstream society.  Some worry about technological determinism, but I like to see it as technology meeting the hype, being useful and removing the barriers to adoption, such as cost, usability and reliability. Whilst many early adopters have embraced new ‘emerging technologies’, truly ‘disruptive’ technologies are those adopted by the majority of mainstream users in society, where the potential benefits of using the innovation have been realised and proved useful.  ‘Disruptive’ technologies are ultimately those innovations which change how we work and engage in society, forever.

Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gartner_Hype_Cycle.svg

Are we here?

Internet communications technology adoptionGartner’s ‘Hype Cycle’

[Slide 4] - A Connected Society These statistics indicate that we are a connected society, but also an increasingly connecting via wireless and mobile devices.

Data Source: Internet Access - Households and Individuals - Tables, 2011 (Excel sheet 156Kb) Office for National Statisticshttp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit2/internet-access---households-and-individuals/2011/stb-internet-access-2011.html

77% UK Households with Internet access

(93% Broadband)

Source: Office for National Statistics, 2011

45% of the UK population

connect online with

mobile phone

Use of WIFI hotspots

doubled in 12 months

[Slide 5] - What We Are Doing Online  What we are doing is from 2010/11 These statistics identify that the digital revolution has been disruptive. Key ‘disruptions’ that have happened as a response to the rise of digital media and communications are; •the decline of traditional physical media industries like newspapers, photography and music •the growth of online services, including retail, banking and utilities•the growth of new communication services like social networking and how we access information•the growth of digital radio, film and television services, that are increasingly online•growth of user generated media and free production tools to allows us to be creative

Data Source: Table 4: Internet activities by age group and sex, 2011Office for National Statisticshttp://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit2/internet-access---households-and-individuals/2011/stb-internet-access-2011.html

Data Source: *TeleScope: A focus on the nation’s viewing habits from TV Licensing, 2010http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/resources/library/BBC/MEDIA_CENTRE/TeleScope_report.pdf

What the UK population is doing online

Source: Office for National Statistics, 2011 / *tvlicensing.co.uk report, 2010

[Slide 6] - Education Shares Common Foundations “The internet and the educational sector share common foundations of knowledge and communication”Sue Watling, 2009Quote source: Sue Watling ‘Technology Enhanced Learning: A New Digital Divide’, 2009, in Bell, Les (Editor); Stevenson, Howard (Editor); Neary, Michael (Editor). Future of Higher Education : Policy, Pedagogy and the Student Experience.London, GBR: Continuum International Publishing, 2009. p 108. This quote points to the idea the education will or should be disrupted by mainstream Internet communications, as knowledge and communication is our business. Students, particularly those 16-24, will have grown up using and living with digital technology. Their experiences and expectations will be driving what the Technology Enhanced Learning landscape will look like.  The themes from research about student expectations of technology enhanced learning will reflect technology use in wider society, almost as a ‘baseline’ expectation. There is much discussion about whether new students are Digital Natives or Residents; however, their perceptions of how well an institution is meeting their technology needs will be reflected in module evaluations or the NSS.

“The internet and the educational

sector share common foundations

of knowledge and communication”

Sue Watling, 2009

[Slide 7] - Institutional Perspectives on the Drivers The UCISA 2010 Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for Higher Education in the UK identified these 4 key drivers.

Information source: UCISA Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for higher education in the UK, 2010 http://www.ucisa.ac.uk/~/media/groups/ssg/surveys/TEL%20survey%202010_FINAL

Institutional Drivers, UCISA, 2010

1. Enhancing the quality of learning and teaching

2. Meeting student expectations

3. Improving access to students off campus

4. Library and learning resources provision

[Slide 8] – 1st Key Driver: Enhancing the quality of learning and teaching “This is not an automated version of what we can do in face-to-face teaching, but something that simply could not happen any other way”JISC, 2010Quote source: JISC Effective Practice in a Digital Age, 2010http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/effectivepracticedigitalage.pdf  This quote points to Technology Enhanced Learning responding to recent contemporary technology affordances.  A key driver has been the availability of technology that can enrich or enhance the traditional learning experience.  Enhancement, through better presentation software like PowerPoint, online video, whiteboards or clickers, which either provide active participation during sessions or offer a high quality resources post-teaching, via the VLE. Enrichment, through having services that offer something new, like recording a live session for reliving the experience later or online discussion environments that extend the classroom-based discussion.  

“This is not an automated version of what we

can do in face-to-face teaching, but something

that simply could not happen any other way”JISC, 2010

[Slide 9] – Student Views of TEL “Students want academic staff to develop their teaching styles to be more engaging, interactive and use technology and props to make the subject more accessible and interesting”NUS, Student Experience Research, 2012Quote source: NUS Student Experience Research, 2012http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/Student-Experience-Research-2012-Part-1.pdf  

.

“Students want academic staff to

develop their teaching styles to be

more engaging, interactive and

use technology and props to make

the subject more accessible and

interesting”NUS, Student Experience Research, 2012

[Slide 10] - 2nd Key Driver: Meeting student expectations “primary driver for technology enhanced learning is to ‘meet students' expectations”Richard Walker, UCISA, 2010Quote source: UCISA Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for higher education in the UK, 2010 http://www.ucisa.ac.uk/~/media/groups/ssg/surveys/TEL%20survey%202010_FINAL  Student expectations are wide ranging and varied, as students themselves are a diverse group. There has been a lot research conducted around this driver and institutions have responded by focussing on some key areas, such as;  •Developing online assessment processes that have improved feedback, •Better tools to help manage the learning process,•Or more online dialogic tools that enhance the learning experience.

“primary driver for technology

enhanced learning is to ‘meet

students' expectations”Richard Walker, UCISA, 2010

[Slide 11] – Provision of centrally supported tools  High on the list is plagiarism tools, like Turnitin®UK, that can deter and spot plagiarism but also promote academic integrity. eSubmission tools are popular as these can allow students to submit work remotely and in a digital form. eAssessment tools, like automated marking of tests are popular as they can improve feedback. Blogs and Wikis reflect new affordances of Web 2.0 technologies, such as co-creation and editing, that can be used for group work, reflection or discussion. ePortfolios have been implemented to support the management of Personal Development Planning assets. Podcasting reflects a drive to enhance or enrich learning through the creation of multimedia. The last 2, although not widely centrally supported, identifies the need to support resource discovery, sharing and social learning.

Data source: UCISA 2010 Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for higher education in the UKhttp://www.ucisa.ac.uk/~/media/groups/ssg/surveys/TEL%20survey%202010_FINAL

Provision of Technology Enhanced Learning tools

Source: Survey of Technology Enhanced Learning for higher education in the UK, 2010

[Slide 12] 3rd Key Driver: Improving access to learning for students off campus (inc. part-time). “…wireless access to the network by faculty and students has the potential to facilitate communication inside and outside the classroom”Raymond Boggs and Paul Arabasz, 2002Quote source: Raymond Boggs and Paul Arabasz, 2002, ‘The Move to Wireless Networking in Higher Education’ http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB0207.pdf  One of the benefits of modern communications technology has been the opportunity to allow student to access their learning off campus or remotely.  VLEs are a common technology for supporting this  But increasingly the development of WIFI and mobile technologies means Technology Enhanced Learning will need to adapt to allow student to access and increasingly actively participate with, their learning in a variety of contexts.

“…wireless access to the network by

faculty and students has the

potential to facilitate

communication inside and outside

the classroom”Raymond Boggs and Paul Arabasz, 2002

[Slide 13] – 4th Key Driver: Access to Library and learning resources  “Forty-three per cent of prospective HE students preferred to use a combination of both printed and electronic resources for their studies”NUS ‘Technology in Higher Education’ Charter, 2010Quote source: NUS charter on Technology in Higher Educationhttp://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/6010/2489/  A key driver for institutions has been improving access to Library and learning resources. Digital resources have many benefits for learning. For example using the search function in PDFs to save time finding content or the use of screencasts to revisit lectures in your own time. As indicated by the quote, there is a significant demand for a mixture of resource types, and perhaps beyond traditional text.

“Forty-three per cent of prospective HE

students preferred to use a

combination of both printed and

electronic resources for their studies”NUS ‘Technology in Higher Education’ Charter, 2010

[Slide 14] - NUS Charter on ‘Technology in Higher Education’ NUS Charter on ‘Technology in Higher Education’ is an important document and sets out some key areas they see as important for driving Technology Enhanced Learning development.  For example, the need for: •Digital technologies that enhance but not replace effective practice•Technology for administration and course management.

Image source: NUS charter on Technology in Higher Educationhttp://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/6010/2489/

[Slide 15] Digital Literacy “Digital literacy can be incorporated into the student experience as an aspect of professionalism, employability, citizenship and other core values and attributes of becoming a graduate”JISC, 2011Quote source: JISC Supporting Learners in a Digital Age Briefing paper, September 2011http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/briefingpaper/2011/JISC_SLIDA_FINAL_web.pdf  An increasingly important driver is the need to be distinctive, both for the student and the institution.  Students and university leaders understand that increased fees will raise the question of value for money and the relevance of the university experience.  There is a significant driver for institutions to provide learning experiences that are more authentic and can develop skills that are relevant to the world of work; such as digital literacy, creativity, critical thinking, inquiry, and team working. As highlighted in the NUS charter, equipping students with these kinds of digital literacy skills is increasingly important so they can operate effectively in this new digital landscape. This quote identifies digital literacy as an area where graduates can be distinctive.

“Digital literacy can be incorporated into

the student experience as an aspect of

professionalism, employability,

citizenship and other core values and

attributes of becoming a graduate”JISC, 2011

[Slide 16] - Technology improving the learning process  “Is the institution defining IT literacy based on today's tools (word-processing programs, spreadsheets) or on the activities they enable (communication, analysis)?”Diana Oblinger and Brian Hawkins, 2006Quote source: Diana G. Oblinger and Brian L. Hawkins, 2006, ‘The Myth about Student Competency: Our Students Are Technologically Competent’ http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/myth-about-student-competency  This quote reflects then the need to focus on providing appropriate technologies for learning. Identifying where the benefits are for learning and teaching, and also for individual subjects, is crucial for developing and driving Technology Enhanced Learning. 

“Is the institution defining IT literacy based

on today's tools (word-processing

programs, spreadsheets) or on the activities

they enable (communication, analysis)?”

Diana Oblinger and Brian Hawkins, 2006

[Slide 17] - Future drivers  “…research indicates that data-driven decision-making improves organizational output and productivity”Phillip D. Long and George Siemens, 2011 Quote source: Phillip D. Long and George Siemens, 2011, ‘Penetrating the Fog: Analytics in Learning and Education’http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/penetrating-fog-analytics-learning-and-education  This quote highlights that another key driver is the collecting and using of data available to universities.  This data will be supporting the themes and issues identified in the previous slides and is key to the following new developments: •Improved services that support the learning process, such as Learning analytics, new assessment practices and resource discovery - that are increasingly digital.•‘My Data’ services like personalised timetables, for students.•Finally the need for Universities to provide Key Information Sets (KIS) and Course related information (CRI) - so students can make informed choices 

“…research indicates that data-driven

decision-making improves

organizational output and productivity”Phillip D. Long and George Siemens, 2011

[Slide 18] End slide 4 main drivers of Technology Enhanced Learning at institutions, but there are many more identified in the UCISA report. Identifying which are key maybe down to individual institutions identifying which are important for them and reflecting these in their own strategies, policies and 5 year plans.

Enhancing the quality of learning and teaching

Meeting student expectations

Library and learning resource provision

Improving access to students off campus