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Executive Summary

1 Introduction

2 Context

3 Methodology

4 - 9 Findings, Analysis and Discussion

10 Summary of Findings

11 Discussion of Findings

12 References

13 Case Studies

Acknowledgments & Partners

Case Study Map 

Institution H3

8 Impact of networked learning on learning, teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning

The use of the VLE by academic staff has expanded considerably, although the way in which it is being used varies a lot from ‘filing cabinet/repository’ use through to interactive materials; the questionnaire responses indicate that there has been little or no change in the nature of work for most staff.

For some staff it has [changed the balance/nature of work] – by their choice; but current usage means that the balance/nature for most staff is only marginally changed – even though they may be working using different media. (H3I4 questionnaire)

[the students] do a critical analysis task online now where by they have to particularly appraise research papers and they have this as an online task and they submit their critical appraisal online so that their colleagues can read it and there's a bit more of a peer evaluation that would go on. So again, that is quite a difficult thing to do with students off line, because unless you've got this facility for them to upload [their work] into [a space where] they can all see [each others work], then making their own versions of work available to a whole group is quite difficult off line. (H3I3)

Work is going on to develop shared reusable learning objects (RLO) materials, but there is concern that the learning design might not always be relevant to the individual teacher, and that there is little support for such learning design.

… there are projects running within the university, the one that develops research methods objects would be an example, and it is their intention to develop a repository, a shared content management system… So in the future, there is much more potential for building objects that people can share. … That is helpful, but as practitioners of teaching and learning, these objects have to fit your personal style and agenda…. But I think having some of these smaller objects is important, but you've also got have the learning design to be able to integrate them appropriately. (H3I3)

The approaches used by academic staff vary enormously, as explained by one of the respondents.

… there are different approaches, depending on the subject, depending on the students. The ones who it’s working for are the ones who are adaptable, and the ones who are looking at the year and thinking, right this approach worked for my students last year, but its not working this year, how do I change it? What do I do to make them come along?... [At] the other end of [the scale] people are still just using it as a giant filing cabinet. They give their lecture, and once their lectures finished, they go away and put up their PowerPoint slides, and basically saying we photocopy enough for one per student at the lecture. (H3I2A)

But there is still considerable resistance to change as evidenced by the apocryphal story of the ‘Head of School’ told by two separate people.

I don’t get the major feeling that there has been an across the board paradigm shift as it were in the way that students are getting taught. In a way all these materials are just sort of “bolt on’s” to a standard learning experience. I don’t get the impression they’re doing much else. But I could be very wrong and maybe there are a few here and there, that are completely taught by the VLE but anecdotally I’ve heard a head of school say “I’m not that keen on this VLE because it means that students don’t go to lectures”. And I was thinking well hang on isn’t that the whole bloody point of all this? (H3I1)

One Head of School, who I won’t name, famously said something about, well we’ve given them this virtual learning environment and they’re stopping coming to the lectures now. I had to stop myself saying well maybe that tells you something about the lectures (H3I5A)

The references by four respondents about what needed to change suggest that as yet change is very limited. However, there are some references to discussion and to interaction suggesting that changes are starting, for example, facilitating student peer support.

I think certainly a quite a few of my colleagues use discussion groups. (H3I3)

… some staff are coming back and saying they’ve put up discussion boards within the VLE, and they’re encouraging students to post there, so the students posts a question. They’re saying instead of every student knocking on the door individually and ask that same question, the first student who posts it, the rest of them read it and read the answer, so they’ve only got to answer it once. And sometimes when a student posts a question, if they’ve not checked their VLE module for a day, because they’ve been off or whatever, they come in and discover that one students has posted a question, another student has answered it, somebody else has come up with another point, somebody else has come up with a different point, and they’ve helped themselves. (H3I2A)

Blended learning

There is a view that blended learning, where e learning is used to support and enhance traditional face to face learning, may be the best way forward. Blended learning was mentioned by two of those interviewed, who suggested e learning and be used to extend the student engagement, provide more personalised learning paths for students, and change the focus of face to face teaching.

I think the most popular uptake is from the real enthusiasts where they’ve got the blended learning… The enthusiasts have definitely changed how they’re doing things. They’ve realised how best to get their material into the VLE so the students still come to the lectures, but afterwards go away and use the VLE as a resource, so using them together – blended learning. (H3I2A)

I also am more of an enthusiast for blended situations than what you might call total distance learning… My own personal view [is that], there are very good distance learning courses out there, [which] for more mature learners that have the appropriate communication skills and all sorts of skills are very appropriate, I think there is still a role for people communicating on a face to face level. What it does enable you to do is need less face to face contact than you might have done and being able to gradually make more personalised learning paths for students so that a lot of activity are put on line but a lot of mentoring of the student goes on at the face to face, you've got time to mentor them more if you can have more appropriately designed courses. So for me, that's where the potential satisfaction in all this could be. (H3I3)

However, one respondent felt that although university policy is that e learning is there to support traditional study, students’ expectations (particularly those interested in CPD) might force a move in the opposite direction, towards more fully online courses.

I think our official policy is that we are a campus based university, and e learning is there as a support to traditional learning. I think it might move a little bit quicker than we are expecting, and that we might be obliged to move a little bit quicker than we are expecting to just at the moment… Well, if I were a student, and I was wanting to be a student, and if I now was wanting to enrol on some form of professional development, I would expect, I would look for something that gave me the ability to take the course because I didn’t have to stop what I am doing for six months, or three months, or whatever. (H3I2B)

Changing practices in assessment

A number of those interviewed spoke about staff use of the technology for formative assessment. This suggests that a number of staff are making use of the technology to change their assessment practices, for example to provide self test opportunities for students with enhanced feedback which is immediate and specific. One respondent noted that the students appear to view this as a positive change.

… if I think of colleagues in my own school that are using the learning environment I think a number … are using formative assessment online now and certainly from module evaluations students speak very positively of that… it can provide a very useful function for them so being able to put those tests online with feedback for them that they can work through at their own pace at the time they want to do it as well because sometimes students want to read through things and check their understanding. (H3I3)

I think mainly at the minute we’re using the VLE and assessment for a lot of self testing, … There’s one or two using it and putting quizzes on and using the selective release saying if you do this quiz and you get this mark, you get the next set of results, if you get under this mark you get some more recommended reading, take the quiz again and then go on. (H3I2A)

Student experience

Questionnaire responses show that the respondents feel that students now have a different learning experience; six felt that networked learning changed the students' learning experience, and their written comments indicate that the students feel the change is a positive one, as these examples show:

Many students comment favourably in module evaluations that it has assisted them with their studies. (H3I3 questionnaire)

Those students who have access to good e learning resources have been very appreciative (H3I2B questionnaire)

Students have increased choice and flexibility. They also receive services in forms more ‘in tune’ with their non university expectations. (H3I4 questionnaire)

There were similar references in some of the interviews.

I think where it has helped students who would have performed a lot less well unless they had access to those resources. So my personal take on this I get satisfaction out of it if I see that my students have had a better learning experience as a result of using it. (H3I3)

Summary

The use of a VLE by academic staff had expanded considerably, although the way in which it was being used varied a lot from ‘filing cabinet/repository’ use through to interactive materials. A number of staff are making use of the technology to develop and change their assessment practices to support student learning.

Reported changes to learning and teaching seemed to be minor, but some references in interviews to discussion and interaction suggest that changes were occurring, and respondents felt that students had a more positive learning experience.

There is a view that blended learning may be the best way forward, although one respondent felt that student pressure might be moving the university towards more fully online courses.