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Institution F1

8 Impact of networked learning on teaching, learning and assessment

There are strong indications in the questionnaire responses that networked learning has had a major impact upon teaching and learning. All respondents agreed that networked learning had changed the balance or nature of staff work significantly, and changed their students' learning experience.

Teaching and learning

The questionnaire data indicates that all of the respondents feel that networked learning had added value to teaching and learning and that it had changed the student experience. The additional written comments indicate that these changes are related to increasing flexibility through blended learning and a more student centred approach to improve access and widen participation.

Our focus is on using networked learning to create a ‘blended learning’ approach, not to replace traditional delivery with a totally online experience... In the long term the nature of the work will change and the balance move from teacher to learner centred approaches. (F1I5 questionnaire)

The main change is that the focus is moving away from a teaching centred approach to a learner centred approach. (F1I3 questionnaire)

The focus on blended learning was also evident in the interview responses, and it was clear that this was regarded as part of the college’s strategy.

We have a flexible blended learning model of the curriculum, which we are trying to put in place, which is based on a schematic of how we see the curriculum happening in the future. (F1I4)

Impact on pedagogy

The potential for networked learning to impact on pedagogy was commented on by one of the respondents, who suggested that the role of the teacher was becoming more complex. More time needed to be devoted to thinking about approaches rather than on content.

So in terms of the nature of the work, it is actually getting more complicated for staff because you are actually still doing what you are doing now and thinking about what you will be doing in the future. Not just in terms of content but also in terms of approaches and that’s very difficult. You’re not just developing a handout for next year; you are having to think about how that handout will turn into an online resource which can use a range of different learning objects. (F1I4)

Changing role of teacher

As discussed above, respondents mentioned staff concerns about changes in their roles and teaching practices, but respondents made little mention of actual changes that have occurred in the teacher’s role. Only one respondent suggested that some changes were occurring, and that teachers were able to use a more discursive approach.

We have staff… who have definitely changed in that there’s a bit less of the chalk and talk, and a bit more of the student’s work. … And the good thing is that they can go back and do things again…. it does give staff more time to spend with those that are less able and give them that little bit extra in helping; all be it an individual or a little group, to do it. (F1I3)

The role of discussion and interaction with students was expanded on by two interview respondents, and indicated that pilot schemes were taking place to develop a more interactive approach and to allow more individual and small group work.

We set up a chat room as well as all the learning materials… and we are at the early stages, and it’s just evolving. One of the communication lecturers last week, with at least one group who were so diverse in their abilities organised for a group to be in the independent learning centre getting on with the [name] learning while he was spending time with the others. (F1I3)

So…on a simplistic basis, we are trying to release the students who can learn by themselves, so our members of staff might only have three people in their group, but they are the three people who really need them. (F1I4)

The main change in the role of the teacher seems to be a shift in focus from face-to-face contact with students to the production of flexible, online learning materials to enable a move to a blended learning approach. The availability of support from the e-learning team in the production of materials has already been noted above. There was not much discussion in terms of types of materials being developed, but the process in current use was indicated.

Since the beginning we have had the technical staff and we’ve over the last year, we’ve had in place a pilot scheme, so if an academic member of staff wants to adapt their material online, there has been another academic member of staff to work with them and there has been a team of programmers to do it. (F1I4)

Changing practices in assessment

There was some discussion of changes in assessment practices. One respondent mentioned online assessment in relation to staff concerns about contact with the students, and the changes practice in summative assessment in some subject areas; and a second respondent mentioned the use of online formative assessment. The main benefit is seen as improving the flexibility of provision and access to students.

The initial problem was that it [online delivery procedures] would affect their contact hours and their professional status, if you like, but I think now they have started to come to terms with it. (F1I6)

...formative assessment, yes. Practice exercises, and things. We’re doing a lot of that; we’re doing that more. (F1I3)

We’ve got things online assessment now for institute of motor industries for ECDL and some of the OCR can be completed online. What we do is ask students to book into the flexible access centre for their assessment when they are ready, then go in and do that then the results get fed back. The culture is changing so that you don’t have to be sitting in the class ticking boxes or writing essays. So it’s been a combination of having these available through people like IMI and through the ECDL and also getting staff onboard to say well that’s a different way of doing things. I can send 10 students away to be tested without me being there, that is quite an interesting concept for some staff. (F1I6)

Student experience

All respondents, in answering the questionnaire, agreed that networked learning had changed their students’ learning experience; their written comments suggest that networked learning offered more flexible learning opportunities to students. Students are able to study locally, at a time and place that is convenient to them.

It is making material more readily available, accessible to students – it is flexing curriculum delivery. (F1I4 questionnaire)

Summary

There are strong indications that networked learning has had an impact on teaching and learning. Respondents agreed that networked learning had changed the balance or nature of staff work significantly, and had added value to teaching and learning.

Respondents mentioned staff concerns about changes in their roles and teaching practices, but made little mention of actual changes that have occurred in the teacher’s role. The main change in the role of the teacher seems to be a shift in focus from face-to-face contact with students to the production of flexible, online learning materials to enable a move to a blended learning approach.

All respondents agreed that networked learning had changed their students’ learning experience; their written comments suggest that networked learning offered more flexible learning opportunities to students.

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