The challenges of building an elearning community in ITT using WebCT

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The challenges of building an e-learning
community in ITT using WebCT

• Caroline Brennan
• University of East London
• 26 November 2004

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Secondary ITT at UEL

• PGCE Programme started in 2002 with 4 subject
  strands and 36 trainees
• By 2004 7 subjects and 155 trainees
• 55 GTP secondary places
• OTT provision
• A rapidly expanding partnership with 6 full
  Ofsted inspections in less than 3 years!

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• What is WebCT?

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Task

• What would induce you to start and continue using
  a virtual learning environment such as WebCT?

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UEL Development of WebCT

• Early stages
• Course documentation e.g. handbooks, subject
  knowledge audits,
• Lecture notes and materials
• Calendar e.g. lectures, rooms, dead-lines
• Support for all routes to QTS

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Benefits

• Easy access to shared information
• Easily updated
• Some sharing of practice
• A way to develop ICT skills trainees and tutors
• Saving on costs of photocopying

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.and the not so good

• Documentation dumping-ground
• Limited opportunities for team involvement
• Lack of interactivity
• No mentor involvement
• Time pressures for managing growth

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E-learning communities

• Growing programmes and number of subjects
• Need to plan manageable development
• Enable team involvement
• Need to develop active engagement with a
  facilitated on-line community
• Peer support for school based element of
  programmes trainees and mentors

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Initial Challenges

• Resolution of technical demands
• Timing of project
• Redesign of WebCT template
• Creation of Induction site pre-course
• Core, subject, mentor area development
• Staff training funding restraints

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LS--When working with dyspraxic children you
should be aware that these pupils will often
dislpay the following problems clumsiness, poor
posture, poor organisational skills, poor
handwriting and coordination FT--TO ALL any
more idea for the lesoon plan? MI--we could
include speaking sequences FT--yes actually seems
to be ok although it requires more
attention FT--everyone else sleeping? DC--What we
will need to do for the lesson is to give
children with Dyspraxia many visual prompts.
This will keep them interested as they have a
very limited concentration span. Also when
writing, the use of laptops is essential as
their handwriting will be poor. LS--Make sure
that the child is distanced from outside
distractions so place them far from the window
or the door. Give instructions one at a time as
pupils have short term memory problems. Don't
penalise poor handwriting, instead think of
strategies that may help such as allowing pupil
to word process work, fixing paper to desk to
prevent slipping, and limit copying from the
board MI--how could we plan the lesson? with 3 or
4 short activities? FT--3 sounds good, one with
card showing the options ie. sports car, travel,
jewlery, etc DK--I suppose an intro would be to
correct the homework- a series of sentences on
the future tense where the pupils had to fill in
the blanks(verbs) on a nice clear worksheet they
had stuck in their book DC--(u0422995)gtgt Maybe
getting the SEN pupil to work in groups with
pupils who are more able so they can feel they
are involved in the lesson. (MFL Nov 04)
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Next steps

• Trainee and tutor parts of the community are
  working effectively
• Mentor involvement is key issue
• 2 Mentor training sessions on how to use WebCT
• Mentor working groups to lead chat room
  discussions and post on bulletin boards
• Evaluation at end of first placement