This session by Dr Alan Masson, University of Ulster.

Alan is the director of the Centre for Institutional E-Learning Services to Enhance the Learning Experience – the emphasis on the learning experience – see http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning

The group looked at using a ‘rubric’ approach, but decided this came across as ‘judgemental’ – do this, do that – which teachers would not take to. Instead decided to go for ‘modelling’ approach instead,

Quote from JISC (not sure where from) along the lines – teachers don’t posses vocabulary to describe their teaching practice/pedagogy.

Learning Design Issues:

• Benefits:
  • Provides a structure within which content and assessment can be placed
  • Formal schemas and vocabularies
• Drawbacks
  • Looks to include resources and assessment
  • LD tools not reflective in nature
  • UI of tools not yet mature

The Hybrid Learning Model brings together “8 Learning Events Model” (8LEM), from the University of Liege, and the “Closed set of learning verbs” by Sue Bennett from the University of Wollongong.

The 8 learning events are:

• Experiments
• Debates
• Creates
• Imitates
• Receives
• Explores
• Practices
• Meta-Learns

They found academics could relate to these, and divide their interactions with students into these categories.

The learning verbs force reflection on precise nature of interactions and approaches.

They run sessions with teaching staff (45mins – 1 hour), they use these tools to get them to reflect on their practice. This gets filled into a ‘grid’ – capturing different activities and categorising them the grid contains the columns:

• Activity/Task/Objective
• Learning Event (from 8LEM)
• Teacher’s Role (from verbs)
• Learner’s Role (from verbs)
• Learner prompts
• Tools, Resources and Comments (depending on activity – not always used)
• Portfolio Preparation issues (depending on activity – not always used)

The outputs from the modelling can be presented as:

• Text based grid
• Animated activity plan presented as a process walkthrough (for students) (swf format)
• Mindmap (for teachers)

Alan now demonstrating the animated activity plan animation. This is done as a shockwave/flash animation – would be interesting if this could be done via a tool like the SIMILE Timeline – define an XML and/or JSON format for the outcomes of the modelling exercise?

What is happening as a result of the modelling process:

People are formalising processes that they have not articulated before. But, more importantly, these models, that both formalise and challenge the processes.

So – what has been the experience of using HLM in practice? Gathering feedback from 51 staff – generally positive, and reflected that it encouraged the focus on the learner’s perspective.

HLM provided a conversation point to discuss and share expectations.

Also, gathered feedback from >100 learners. In general helped learners to complete portfolio, and wanted to see other activities modelled in this way. Notably reduced need to contact lecturers about how to build portfolio based on activity.

Some learner comments:

• “it makes you structure your learning and expectations”
• “I shall check my work against this model and tick off each section as I complete it” (‘checklist’ came up in several comments)
• “Taking all points into consideration and using the advice to achieve the best marks”

I find this a little worrying – considering the question at the end of Carsten’s talk about the students motivation to ‘just pass’ – this approach seems to encourage this approach “if I do all of these things, I will pass” – a checklist approach to learning, that doesn’t encourage broader engagement?

Alan says that the ‘high level’ conversational model that this approach provides can assist selection of right ‘tools’ to meet learning context (including accessibility adjustments)

To date HLM has provided as way of:

• Raising awareness of teaching and learning processes and in particular the learner perspective
• Reflecting on, evaluation and reviewing current practice
• Planning and designing course material / learning activities
• Providing a reference framework to assist in course administration functions e.g. course validation and peer observation
• Assisting students to adapt to new learning situations

Key benefits are cultural not technical.

Question: Missed this – sorry

Answer: Just got the end of this – students (and their expectations) are changing (new set every year), staff is static (generally) – this provides tools to help staff cope with this.

Question: (Me) Is there a standard format for information from the model so that can automatically build services on top of data

Answer: This is the next stage of the work. Also looking at online tool for tutors – but don’t want to lose facilitation of session

Question: (Me) Does the model encourage a ‘process’ driven approach to learning? Students think because they’ve ticked off all the points they have ‘learned’

Answer: Only one year in – got usability, need to see use, and assess impact