Malcolm Bell

1
55 degrees North - but red hot with Blackboard

• Key factors in the successful implementation of
  the Blackboard MLE at Northumbria University

2
Who we are

• Background
• History
• Size
• Location
• Images

3
Northumbria context

• Bb pilot/proof of concept Feb-July 2001
• Roll out of level 1 September 2001
• Level 3 Sept 2002
• Version 6 2003
• Future plans LCMS large-scale pilot
  implementation 2004 semester 1
• Full roll out 2004 semester 2

4
Key factors for success

• Understanding innovation in an HE setting
• Bringing about cultural change
• Becoming a learning organisation
• Effective staff development

5
Innovation

• Three models of Innovation
• Rogers s-shaped innovation adoption curve
• Tuckmans stages of innovation
• Somekhs model of innovation in HE

6
Rogers s-shaped innovation adoption curve
Learning organisation
Key
Adoption curve
Management pull
Staff dev. support
Failure, dissipation, subversion of innovation
Student push
Innovators
Laggards
Early adopters
Late majority
Early majority
7
Tuckmans stages of innovation

• Forming
• Storming
• Norming
• Performing
• (Adjourning or Learning?)
• Tuckman B. 1965

8
Somekhs model of innovation

• Orientation
• Preparation
• Routine
• Refinement
• Integration
• Creative Integration
• (Somekh, B. 1998, p.17)

9
Matching the models
Rogers Tuckman Somekh
Orientation
Innovators Forming Preparation
Early adopters Norming Routine
Early majority Norming Routine
Late majority Storming Refinement
Laggards Performing Integration
Adjourning/Learning Creative Integration
10
Cultural Change - 1

• Environmental level
• Student expectation, political drivers
• Organisational level -
• Where we are now and where we want to be

11
Cultural Change - 2

• Personal level
• Power of individuals to make a positive
  contribution to bringing about change.
• Partnership
• Team approach to bring about change.

12
V.O.C.A.T.E

• Values
• Ownership
• Customers
• Actors
• Transformation
• Environment

13
Staff Development - the 4-Es

• Effectiveness
• Ease of use
• Personal Engagement
• Institutional Environment
• (Collis Moonen, 2001)

14
Effective Staff Development

• Supported by central policy and planning
• Appropriately resourced
• Technical and pedagogical skills
• Attitudes and beliefs
• Build on the work of enthusiasts and early
  adopters
• Working models, examples of good practice
• Local contexts
• Communication between stakeholders
• Practice and reflection
• Realistic and manageable.
• Kirpatrick, 2001

15
Range of Activities

• workshops for all staff
• in-class support
• one-to-one support
• support for programme teams
• Blackboard User Forum
• Flexible Learning Forum
• staff newsletter items.

16
Staff development approaches

• How do I...? Sessions
• Topic-focussed sessions
• One to one
• Teams or staff groups
• The whole team approach
• Working alongside
• Pedagogy (Andragogy?)

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BUTeffective staff development is not just
staff development

• Comprehensive support structure
• Multidisciplinary support team
• Proactive approaches
• Expertise in a range of areas
• Integration
• Measurement against business objectives
• Enterprise-wide solution

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Key Factors Re-visited

• Understanding innovation
• Cultural change
• Learning organisation
• Staff development

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Plenary How do we best move forward?

• Where is your institution on the three models of
  innovation?
• Where do you fit on Rogers s-curve?
• Who you believe your customers are?
• How does your experience match to ours?
• Where do you see your innovation going?
• What will be the key influences/drivers of your
  vle development and how will you measure/evaluate
  its success (or otherwise)?
• Questionnaire.

20
References

• (2003)Towards a Unified e-Learning Strategy,DfES
• Collis, B. Moonen, J. (2001) Flexible Learning
  in a digital world experiences and
  expectations. London, Kogan Page
• Kirkpatrick, D. (2001) Staff development for
  flexible learning. The International Journal for
  Academic Development 6 (2), 168-176
• Robinson, B. (2001) Innovation in open and
  distance learning some lessons from experience
  and research in F. Lockwood and Anne Gooley
  (eds.) Innovation in Open and Distance Learning
  (pp 15-26) Kogan Page, London
• Rogers, E. D. (1999) Diffusion of Innovations,
  5th edn, The Free Press, New York
• Somekh, B. (1998) Supporting Information and
  Communication Technology Innovations in Higher
  Education. Journal of Information Technology for
  Teacher Education 7 (1), 11-32
• Tuckman, B.W. Developmental Sequence in Small
  Groups Psychological Bulletin, vol. 63, 1965, pp.
  384-399.