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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 H4

8 Impact of networked learning on teaching, learning and assessment

An emphasis on learning and teaching in this university is suggested by the fact that a strategy for teaching and learning exists. The importance of e learning is demonstrated by the university’s long term plans and investment in the development of the infrastructure and staff to support networked learning.

Teaching

Only two respondents talked about ways in which teaching has changed, although in written responses to the questionnaires four respondents suggested that networked learning has had an impact on teaching. The main points made were that networked learning has provided an opportunity to reflect anew on the curriculum and the methods of delivery, but that academic staff are beginning to realise that it can be very challenging in terms of the time required to use e learning. In addition, the introduction of learning technologists has allowed for the production of some very high quality online learning materials.

Introducing networked learning to courses has allowed staff to “think afresh” about their teaching and has acted as a catalyst for course improvement. (H4I3 questionnaire)

… e-learning - a lot of staff find it very, very challenging once they start doing it and … [for example] one member of staff who was doing weekly tutorial questions and the first two ran fantastically well, he was very happy, he was getting lots of good diagnostic information back on how his students were progressing but he actually said I’m going to give this week a rest because I didn’t realise how much work was going into these things … (H4I3)

Now one of the things that we are doing, and again it goes back to this cascade thing, is we are building very high quality interactive material, which has got animations and everything in it. All of that material has been built with re usability in mind so we are building a library of learning objects. Any faculty member in the university will be able to go in there and pull off something and use it within their teaching…This approach to building material… the learning technologist [approach] has been really successful. That’s just had such a huge impact. (H4I4)

Blended learning

Blended learning was only mentioned in passing by one respondent.

I would like to see this university as being a model of the 21st century university in that we embrace best of breed on campus programmes and best of breed off campus programmes, with the sort of blended bit in the middle, so you’ve on campus, off campus and the bit in the middle. (H4I4)

Changing practices in assessment

There was little mention made of changes in assessment but there were suggestions from two respondents that some formative assessment takes place online, enabling more effective identification of students at risk of falling behind:

... some people [are] completing weekly tests… That has allowed students to focus on their work [on a] more regular basis than if they were been assessed twice a year, especially with large diverse groups. If a student falls behind and doesn’t realise they have fallen behind for three or four weeks, that’s a bigger mountain to climb than if we know they have fallen behind at week one. So quite a few people do a regular assessment. (H4I3)

… Question Mark Perception, that has taken off big time in the university as well and that is been used quite extensively for gathering marks. I don’t know to what extent we do that kind of thing within [the VLE]. (H4I5)

Student experience

Staff were more forthcoming about student experiences, suggesting that students were benefiting from networked learning but they accepted that their views were based on anecdotal evidence. However, as previously noted, students appear to have benefited from the introduction of a new online induction programme. Three respondents talked about the benefits to students in interviews and six respondents made written comments in their questionnaire responses. They suggest that students feel positive about using networked learning they are able to revisit materials at any time and there is an increase in collaborative activity.

… at the moment we don’t have any systematic information on this. It is obviously what we are trying to move towards but I haven’t heard any kind of negative comments. I think the development, as far as it has gone, has been quite successful. (H4I6)

… it was providing people [with] an opportunity to revisit the presentation and also to discuss around the topic if anyone had a question. There is also the issue about if someone misses something, especially the core activities in a course… The ability to revisit something for someone who missed that for valid reasons is a useful safety mechanism. (H4I3)

Internally, we are getting more collaboration, or starting to develop more collaboration between the students because they are now starting to work in groups much more. We have seen the informal groups, we have noticed that when they have been set assignments, we’ve noticed some of the postings they make on the message boards, they’d say I’m looking for a reference on so and so and I can’t find it, has anybody got one and you’ll see a message… (H4I4)

Summary

Networked learning has provided an opportunity to reflect anew on the curriculum and the methods of delivery, and the introduction of learning technologists has allowed for the production of some very high quality online learning materials.

Some formative assessment now takes place online possibly enabling more effective identification of students at risk of falling behind.

Staff suggested that students feel positive about using networked learning that they are able to revisit materials at any time and there is an increase in collaborative activity.