Technology enhanced learning

Or TEL for short.  Yes, I’m into that and in my current post I’m the TEL champion which means I’m supposed to encourage my colleagues to use “technology” in their teaching. The broad interpretation of this is that everyone should be doing whizzy things with computers. The day to day reality is that I’m often asked to explain the mechanics of Blackboard, our Virtual Learning Environment or trouble-shoot problems with Turnitin, the platform through which our students submit their work

TEL champions want to drop the ‘T’

We recently had a day when a group of TEL champions worked together. In the first half we were give a presentation on the newest features of Blackboard. In the second half we worked in groups, discussed certain matters and then wrote ideas on post-it notes that we attached to flip-chart sheets which we pinned to the wall.  Not a computer in sight and very few people looking at their phones, tablets or lap-tops. It was still a “technology” however. Sitting round a table talking quietly to a small group of people is also a technology.

The impact of email on the staff / student relationship

I used to be a high school teacher but I left doing that full time before the use of email became widespread. A lifelong friend who was still in mainline teaching by the time we’d all started using email told me it had become a bit of a nightmare. Yet I emphasize to my students that they should check their university email and Virtual Learning Environment regularly so I’m adding to the culture of us using it a lot.  

Remote working dilutes the effect of snow and volcanoes

As I write it’s snowing steadily outside. It doesn’t look as if it’s sticking though all the promises are that it will. It’s the last day before the Easter break. Assignments are due in. Classes have been thinly attended this week anyway. Many students will want to travel  today, and with things as they are, they’ll probably want to do that before nightfall.

My workshop group has sent no work and it’s possible they won’t show up. I don’t relish the walk between the two campuses. I have office hours this morning. I’ve suggested to one whole group that they come in if they want to discuss their work. One student wants to see me anyway. I could cancel and offer to phone individuals who want to speak to me.

I could suggest to my workshop group that they send work electronically. They’ve actually said that they find the electronic feedback better than what they get in the classroom.

I’m undecided and have to make up my mind in the next forty minutes.

A senior member of staff said the other day that what makes us distinctive is our ability to work remotely. Well, I did deliver a class very successfully form Cyprus when I was stuck there because of the volcano in Iceland. Even though the broadband was distinctly dodgy. A student told me the other day that she didn’t come to class because the material I supplied via our Virtual Learning Environment was good enough. The Open University is, of course, excellent at distance teaching.  

I think what makes us distinctive at the institution where I work is actually the care and attention we give to students. Will that help me to make my decision?             

And maybe some of the excellent remote working systems we have set up are part of that care and attention. They may come in useful today.  

Using Virtual Learning Environments and their effect on attendance

Moving from Blackboard 8 to 9

At the HE institution where I work we have recently changed our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) from Blackboard 8 to Blackboard 9. Version 9 does have some features that are superior to those in 8 but it also has a few that are not so good – for instance, we can no longer easily see what the students see. We turned the move also into an opportunity to revamp our sites and make our students more reliant on the VLE than on paper-produced resources. Blackboard should be the default place that they got to find out information about their course.

The module template

We were provided with a template for the minimum requirements for our sites. Recently we have monitored how well these templates have been adhered to. The sites that were audited were given a score. Frankly, though, I could not see that much difference in quality between the lowest scoring and the highest scoring and the one I deemed the most useful to students did not score the most points. Nevertheless, the information was useful.

Some general good practice

Content areas should be clearly labelled and easy to navigate.

Each site should be generically similar though the content will be different.

Good use of the Announcement facility keeps students engaged.

The bottom line is the question “How will this empower the student to do what they need to do?”    

In the Learning Materials section, not only should there be a plethora of useful information, put is should be linked to week by week sessions. It should also be possible for any student who has missed a session to catch up by going to their VLE.

Students use the sites more if they are updated regularly.

The VLE and attendance

We don’t have compulsory attendance here for all sorts of reasons but we worry when attendance is poor. It may be a sign that students are not engaged. Also, more often than not, good attendance is reflected in better marks, though not always.

A problem might be if it’s all on Blackboard anyway, why would they attend? After all, if they work from home they don’t need to do battle with the snow or early morning traffic. The live class must bring some value-added.          

Is the VLE a step towards distance learning being the norm? I hardly think so. Even the veteran of this, The Open University, uses blended learning, providing several opportunities for face to face sessions. The VLE can do some things for us, taking that burden away from our live sessions which can then concentrate on what they do best.