Dr. Phil Alberts, Anu Sharma

1
Inspiring Academic Staff to Implement Educational
(e-Pedagogy) Considerations Using the Tools and
Features of Blackboard Software
Dr. Phil Alberts, Anu Sharma Natalie
ParnisBrunel University
2
Overview of Session

• Overview of the development of e-Learning at
  Brunel
• Rationale of Brunels e-Learning Pathfinder
  ENTICE Project
• Overview of the Appreciative Inquiry research
  methodology
• Eight educational considerations used to elicit
  sound e-learning practices by means of Vista
  features and tools
• Illustration of how the evidence of good practice
  and examples of future aspirations were
  disseminated within Schools
• Reflection discussion

3
Overview of the Development of e-learning at
Brunel

• Upgrade from Campus Edition to Vista (u-Link)
• The blended learning approach
• Minimum requirements determined by Senate
• Participation in HEA e-learning benchmarking
  initiative
• Brunels e-Learning Pathfinder ENTICE project

4
Rationale of Brunels e-Learning Pathfinder
ENTICE Project

• The project aimed to
• Gather information relating to emergent broad
  e-learning practices
• Examine the relationship at module level between
  patterns of feature and tool usage of Vista
  (u-Link), and student evaluation data
• Use the evidence-base created to explore with
  Schools what they might aim to achieve in the
  blended learning situation, both in relation to
  process and outcomes
• Establish a process for the ongoing development
  and monitoring of e-learning strategies and
  action plans that use the local evidence base
  developed.

5
Pathfinder outline
6
Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry (AI)
In-quire, v. to search into, investigate to
seek for information by doing.
Ap-pre'-ci-ate, v. to value or admire highly
to judge with heightened understanding to
recognise with gratitude.

• Pioneer David Cooperrider.
• AI is a powerful approach to whole system
  change.
• AI leads from the positive deviant, rather than
  identifying what is wrong it looks at what is
  right.

7
What makes Appreciative Inquiry different?
8
Success Stories
9
The 4-D Cycle of AI
10
Our affirmative topic choice
11
Educational considerations
12
The Discovery Event

• To identify and appreciate the best of what is
  working well
• Understand their intentions for their choice of
  course design all questions are positive (in
  accordance with AI)
• Dialogue of discovery, narrative-rich
  communication. A story of each persons past,
  present and future aspirations

13
The Develop Event

• Collectively (with others in the School team)
  discuss the Discovery event
• Share stories, quotes, emergent themes etc
• A time for people to explore their hopes and
  dreams for their courses what could be

14
Student Evaluation

• Personal Response System (PRS)
• Real time, active participation
• Large cohorts of students
• Data manipulation and analysis is accurate and
  significantly reduced

15
Pre-Summit Event
16
Summit Event

• Reflect on the findings gathered from the AI and
  to develop e-learning strategies and action plans
  required to make the Schools teaching practices
  more aligned with their vision and future
  objectives
• Important..sustainability
• Highly interactive hands-on workshop.

17
Our Findings so far
18
Project findings
19
Spectrum of good practices (Social Sciences)
Announcements tool To clarify understanding of
the learning outcomes - reinforce learning.
Provide web links and primary sources (Inge)
Online seminar programme (Jason)
Make announcements pop-up, more personal for the
student (Peter)
Active
Think piece for subsequent publication (Jason)
Outcomes-based
Collaborative
Reflection
Student Learning
Share resources across the academic community
(Peter)
Student-centred
Online assignment submission (all)

Feedback
Learning Styles
Independent
Mock questions and feedback (Ralitza)
Provide links to video clips e.g. YouTube (Peter
and Jason)
Model answers for huge cohorts of students
(Ralitza)
Make your homepage exciting and visually pleasing
e.g. colour, images (Inge)
e-books (Linda)
20
Peer Advice (Social Sciences)
It is analogous to the Iron Bridge you need to
know your medium (e-learning) and learn how to
strengthen it
Avoid the bicycle wheel model
Web links A variety of links to enable an
average student to write a commendable essay.
When I write a new lecture, I write it with
u-Link in mind. It is part of the preparation
and therefore not additional work
Do not try and do everything in one go start
with a basic approach and add things as you go
21
Future aspirations for e-Learning
22
Advanced online technologies
Advanced technologies
Online Gaming, podcasting, online seminars.
I think technology is the way forward for all of
us.
Use technology more.. Put the students in
charge.Give out problems and support online.

• ..I would like to do podcasts with no
  (additional) costs or time involved...

Webinars
Podcasts
23
Web 2.0
I have spoken to some people at University that
are using Facebook..the students love it.
Social Networking
24
Envisioning a future
for e-learning
25
Reflection

• Competing demands on time of staff
• Results of investigation received positively
• Evidence base of effective e-learning practice.

26

• Questions Discussion
• phil.alberts_at_brunel.ac.uk
• http//www.brunel.ac.uk/life/study/computing/weble
  arn/enticepathfinderproject/