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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 H9

7 Impact of networked learning on staffing and collaboration

Networked learning brings about potential for changing and new roles and opportunities for collaboration; however, this may increase workloads and thus affect attitudes to this form of learning. In addition, the technology allows for new forms of collaboration and communication to emerge.

Staffing – changing nature of work and new staff

It was noted by some of the respondents that the nature of work had changed, others suggested this was not the case. New staff had been taken on to support the development of networked learning.

I have two roles within the university… I am seconded until the end of 2005 to the CLD and I am the teaching and learning coordinator… (H9I3)

Well we have used [the VLE] internally to put our procedures, our policies, the various things that people need to know about… so staff have a log in and we put diaries up there and you know all sorts of admin stuff which I know is not really how [the VLE] is meant to be used… (H9I2)

What has happened since, which also started to happen during the pilot year... we had five academic schools and two of those have their own... they initially had, they were going to call them web support people, they had their own technicians... who have now become [VLE] support. (H9I4)

There is thus evidence of a changing nature of work for some; however, this is not the case for all.

Not really [job changed] no, because only about 20% of my time is spent on VLE work. I am responsible normally for the desktops that the students and staff use... (H9I5)

New posts have also been created to support networked learning.

... we got two extra posts, one of which was a learning technologist post… (H9I4)

However, one respondent suggested that this might not be sufficient.

But it is... we do need another... person but only for cover as it were, so that there are two people rather than the one. If I am on holiday, for instance, and it falls over there is nobody to fix it, which has happened! (H9I5)

The development of networked learning is having an impact on the nature of work for some staff, there has been an increase in staffing but according to some that is not sufficient.

Staffing – workload

There was little mention of staff workloads in the interviews; however, there was a general sense that time and pressure of research was a problem in terms of getting some staff to engage with networked learning.

I think it takes a lot of time and we were also very pressed between our commitments to teaching and our research commitments and there never seemed to be enough time to say OK we’re going to... do [it]...I still think that one of the big problems is the time factor. (H9I6)

Interestingly, as is shown below the questionnaire responses suggested an increase in workload for most groups of staff. The issue of time is also noted in relation to staff attitudes as can be seen below.

Staff attitudes

Staff attitudes to new developments are likely to vary; however, the institution has tried to develop networked learning by supporting development with technical assistance and staff training and allowing the development to progress at different rates across the institution. There is some evidence though that this view is counteracted by the institutional demand that a minimum information and resources be available on the VLE for all modules across the university. Respondents commented on a wide variety of different attitudes.

... it was our strategic judgement it would be better… [to] get people feeling comfortable with the notion that this space... it’s like a lecture room, it’s not owned by somebody centrally, it’s owned by them and they are responsible for it , they have to run it, that was a deliberate strategy. The downside of it is, is that we don’t have much control over what they do... so the next stage is getting in there and trying to improve the quality of what we do… It’s a trade off isn’t it?… our vision is that at the end of the day the only way things like VLEs will work is if academics are running them like they used to run lecture rooms. They own it; they get in there... (H9I4)

Staff attitudes were seen as varied.

I think you have the enthusiasts for it but I also think you have probably got the people who are dead against it and dead against change. It wouldn’t have mattered whether it was [this VLE] or [another one]... there are people who will protest no matter... (H9I3)

I think it is probably different mindsets of different academics and subjects that have traditionally engaged in technology for whatever reason and subjects that didn’t. (H9I3)

A number of different reasons for negative attitudes to networked learning were suggested.

I think people who are a little bit frightened of it, they perceive they don’t have the technical skills, in fact they do, I think once they get started they can produce good stuff but it’s just the initial bit... (H9I2)

If I wanted to tell them about it they would say they haven’t got time, it’s not a priority… so it’s those levels of resistance, it’s not over... you do tend to get for instance within the School of [...] more response to problems than you get from somebody else... Anything that doesn’t quite go right... and it is a big problem… I guess you would categorise it as resistance or inertia, certainly inertia. (H9I4)

I had an interesting conversation with a colleague yesterday who said “I’m never going to be able to put all my material on it” and I said “well, why not” “I don’t have time, we need an administrator to do this”... (H9I3)

I mean there are areas where morale is... low... people just don’t want to know... people are just very troubled... very worried… It makes people unwilling to change... (H9I6)

Staff attitudes are thus seen as varied and a number of reasons for this variation are offered.

Research

Little mention was made of research with only one respondent commenting on this issue. This comment, included above in relation to workload mentioned the potential conflict between teaching and research commitments and the time required for development of online materials.

Collaboration

The development of networked learning potentially encourages collaboration both internally within the institution and also with other institutions or interested parties. The respondents were asked to comment on the extent to which collaboration had increased within their institution and from these respondents there was limited evidence of an increase in collaboration. One respondent argued it had but mainly at his own initiative.

... so some of it, I have had to elbow my way in and then it has been accepted, “OK yes of course you should be involved”… (H9I4)

The same respondent also suggested that informal collaboration had also increased.

… some of it has come about through the informal collaboration through working with colleagues in… and things like working with colleagues in information learning resources, like the library and learning resource centres... we have a good working relationship with them. (H9I4)

Another respondent suggested the following.

... I think it is coming... I wouldn’t say it’s happened yet but I think there is the sort of potential for showing good practice… If somebody has produced a good document, a self-help guide then it can go up there... I think we need to work more on developing possibilities... (H9I2)

It is clear that there is also some collaboration between academics and library staff; however, this is patchy and it is not necessarily dependent on the introduction of networked learning.

... it’s very much up to the subject librarians and very much up to how they develop the liaison with the academic staff… some... there they have always developed a good working relationship... but I think others are perhaps struggling... (H9I2)

There is also evidence of collaboration between academic staff.

Certainly on modules. So, for example on the […] module I have 26 teachers teaching it. (H9I3)

However, this collaboration wasn’t obvious to all in the institution.

Not personally (I haven’t seen changes). Again I wouldn’t necessarily see it... (H9I1)

There was also some suggestion that there was some friction when collaboration was required.

... we wanted to put it [a particular module] on the university web but we wanted to do it ourselves, we wanted things to be put in certain ways with certain pictures, it was a nightmare. Of course the central people... wanted to do a thing in a particular way and they didn’t want to listen to us... Services then to see things from the centre... I don’t think they listen enough to people on the ground... (H9I6)

The same respondent also felt that cross-school collaboration was becoming worse and suggested a reason for this deterioration.

I think that… people want to keep their students, so they don’t [collaborate]... I think that is very negative... I have seen this happen... in the [...] area, for example, 10 years ago we were very open to multi disciplinary... it’s all gone... and that is within a school and across schools it is even more difficult. (H9I6)

This was also noted by one of the other respondents.

I can’t think of examples where we are seeing much more collaboration between schools for instance. I don’t see much more of that happening... The schools they want to do things their way... there are some individual teachers who are always collaborating with us... but I haven’t seen a big change. (H9I4)

There is thus evidence for some internal collaboration but also for lack of cooperation. The extent to which the development of networked learning is implicated in these collaborations is not entirely clear.

However, some external collaboration is occurring due to the development of networked learning.

... the development of distance education, which… is now linked with the UKeU... that will probably expand very quickly. (H9I4)

Further external collaboration was evidenced in participation in an early collaborative project.

... we were interested in e-learning... Our first step... we became part of the… project which was run at […] That was a three year project... By the end of the year... our experiences were so awful… We said we need to work out what kind of virtual learning environment... we need to get the university into it. … X did evaluations from another institution... we have good links with that institution… (H9I4)

For some staff there is thus a suggestion that collaboration of different kinds is occurring but this is not necessarily so right across the institution.

Communication

The development of the technological infrastructure can offer new ways of communicating across an institution. Communication was not commented upon to any great extent; however, it is clear that email has made a difference to the institution and it was also noted that the email facility within the VLE was beneficial.

Well I mean I think… email is wonderful. It allows very quick contact both... teaching and now in my present job. I couldn’t do without it... when I was teaching I used to get in touch with students... so I would say email is a plus... (H9I6)

The role of [the VLE] in administration was also noted.

… but now all the minutes go on [the VLE]... It’s made communication a lot easier. (H9I2)

The same person also stated that email was now the main form of communication and this included students being encouraged to get in touch via email.

Questionnaire data

Four out of the five respondents were asked, in the questionnaire, about changes in staffing and collaboration. They all suggested that there had been an increase in workload for some, but two respondents suggested that this was not the case for academics. Interestingly, four out of the five suggested that internal collaboration had increased and this seems contrary to some of the interview data. External collaboration was seen as having increased by two of the respondents and as not having changed by two, this does seem to reflect the interview data. Only one of the five respondents felt that the balance or nature of work had changed but this was qualified by two with a comment that it is likely to change. Again this broadly reflects the interview data.

Summary

Changes in roles for some staff were in evidence and generally it was suggested that workloads had increased. However, this increase was more for staff in support and technical areas. Staff attitudes were commented upon and it was noted that there was considerable variation in the extent to which academic staff engaged with the development and delivery of networked learning. One respondent noted the potential conflict between teaching and research commitments. There were mixed views about of the extent to which networked learning had prompted greater collaboration internally and externally. Some felt that this was the case whilst others cited poorer communication between the schools. Email was now seen as the main form of communication and it was perceived as making communication easier.