E-Learning: Quality means effective learner control

1
Staffordshire UniversityMay 2007

• E-Learning Quality means effective learner
  control

John Stephenson Emeritus Professor, Middlesex
University, London, UK
Most of these slides are available on the
internet at http//www.johnstephenson.net/staffs.
ppt/
2
Some Dimensions of Quality

• Macro - Micro?
• Purpose
• Design
• Efficiency
• Relevance to users
• Return on investment
• Stakeholders
• Pedagogy
• Marshall MacLuhan..?

What about quality as relevance to learners
development?
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Ongoing powerful forces for change,
includingWEB 2-0Convergence
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WEB 2.0?
Bottom up Democratic Participative Massively
growing Communities of interest Dominated by
younger contributors
Diversity, responsive, culture. QUALITY?
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Plus the blog and podcast
Material via iPods etc - learning materials and
resources - direct, bespoke
Podcast
Blog

• Online diary, increasingly used in HE
• reflections on own learning and experience
• initiating discussion around propositions
• organic learner led communities of interest
• public, shared (eg with tutor) totally private

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Is Web 2-0 a relevant resource?
Plethora, un-authenticated, unfiltered - but
widely used, culture of participation
Raises issues of Quality Relevance Control
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TECHNICALCONVERGENCE!!
Sony PlayStation Portable Games PlusWiFi, web,
built-in material, streaming pods,1 to 1, 1 /
groups live videoWeb 2.0 into the classroom
Affordable, portable, street cred Ownership
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Stop Press

• If you cannot beat them, help them.
• Internet use is a fact of life so learn to do it
  well
• Focus on intelligent use of the internet
• Judging provenance and relevance
• Proper citations Critiques of source materials
• Develop independent engagement with materials
• Assess the process - not just the outcome

Tutorial support
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The Internet has transformed our lives.
Travel Music News Business Work.
Traditional intermediaries are changing roles,
even disappearing - clients are more in control
Why not in education?
The end ofthe pre-planned course?
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Other dimensions of quality

• Relevance tolonger termneeds

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Lord Dearings Report on Higher Education

• On leaving HE, all students should have developed
  the practice of
• taking responsibility for their own learning

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Henry! Our partys total chaos. No one knows
when to eat, where to stand, what to ..... Oh
Thank God, here comes a border collie
Acknowledgements to Larson
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Collusion with Dependence
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If these sheep were capable they would have three
extra attributes ability to learn for
themselves, and quickly suss out the new
environment belief in their personal power to
perform in new situations (they would have the
confidence, having spotted the pasture discretely
left by the host, to do something about it) and
powers of judgement (they might even question
whether it was appropriate for sheep to be at the
party and simply leave).
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Capability and competence
A way of looking at the world of actions
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Capability and competence
Position Y Competence Reliable
delivery Performance standards Error
elimination Technical expertise Established proc
edures TRAINING
Y
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Capability and competence
Position Z Exposure, Autonomy, Networks
peers Problem formulation, Courage,
risk, Imagination, intuition, creativity Responsi
bility LEARNING
Z
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Research on e-learning key words

• ownership
• responsibility
• flexible
• personalised
• self-managed
• help when needed
• recognition

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Challenges for Education

• Pedagogical coherence

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Key Actors inE-learning
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UfI/learndirects pledges to learners

• Offer the time, place, pace and style that
  responds to your needs

• Clear information to enable personal choices and
  control

• Materials relevant to your interests that
  actively involve you

• Help to monitor your own progress and record your
  achievements

• To give you easy access to the specialist support
  you need

• To put you in touch with other people studying
  the same topics

• To help you relate your learning to your longer
  term ambitions

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Constructivist
PedagogyJargon
PostIndustrial
Lets KISS!
LearnerCentred
Instructivist
Authentic
Keep it so simple
Industrial
Experiential
Situated
Learning styles
Problem-Based
TeacherCentred
TacitLearning
LearningCycles
Communitiesof practice
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Online Pedagogy Grid
Gives learners control over style, location,
pace, duration, sequencebut not task
Presents traditional training and teaching by
innovative means
System liberates and supports learners to decide
and control own direction and process
Process predetermined - learners explore content
and direction.
Coomey,M Stephenson,J 2001, Its all about
Dialogue, Involvement, Support and Control, in
Teaching and Learning Online, Stephenson, J,
Kogan Page London
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Online Pedagogy Grid
Teacher Specified tasks

• Learner managed learning environment
• Customised intuitive tools
• Wikis podcasts and blogs
• Google and other open sources
• online mentoring.

NW
NE
Learner managed process
Teacher Controlled Process
SW
SE
Open ended, strategic learner directed
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Online Pedagogy Grid
Vast majority of cases in research literature
were in NW, some in NE and SW, few in SE
The SE quadrant is where e-learning in work/life
can be most effective
(Coomey,M. Stephenson,J. 2001)
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The UfI/Learndirect Learning Through Work Degree
Programme
See at http//www.learndirect-ltw.co.uk/
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The UfI/Learndirect Learning Through Work Degree
Programme (LtW)
An opportunity for individuals and work-based
groups to get university qualifications without
leaving the workplace.
Customised programmes built on existing skills
and knowledge and focused on work-related
learning.
A partnership between work and university
negotiated by individuals
See at http//www.learndirect-ltw.co.uk/
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Learning Through Work Degree Programme
Individualised, developed by learners themselves
Work provides projects and opportunities for
learning
Internet LtW platform provides materials to
support the learning process
The WEB provides specialist materials, networks
etc
University provides online tutor, quality
assurance, final award
See at http//www.learndirect-ltw.co.uk/
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Structure of Learning Through Work Programme
Exploration Online tasters, is it for me, whats
involved
Design Examples, level statements, procedures,
ideas, expert advice, content areas, activities
Negotiation Registration of personalised
programme with a university
Implementation Pursue registered programme with
university support
Demonstration Show achievements against agreed
criteria to gain award
2,700 successful negotiations, 650 completions
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The future - user managed portals?
Johns Control centre
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Learner Managed University Awards
Imagine a course where the University does NOT
provide the content
The student ENGAGES with resources, issues,
problems, opportunities
from the Web, in society, at the work-place,
libraries and life.
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Roles of participants in Learner Managed
university awards
Learners Articulate plans, Justify
proposals Negotiate approval Demonstrate
achievement
Teachers Help learners in the above Support,
feedback Advise on sources, progress
Universities Clarify level criteria for
qualifications Quality assurance
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Tutoring online for Learner Managed Programmes
Based on analyses of student / tutor online
exchanges,students raised issues related to-
Control seeking, asserting, taking, assuming
Relevance of activity to course, self,
aspirations
Affirmation am I doing the right thing
Reassurance am I good enough to do this
University culture is this what is expected,
level?
Clarification possibilities, plans, constraints
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Tutoring online for Learner Managed Programmes
Based on analyses of student / tutor online
exchanges,tutors are helpful when their
responses are-
Empowering yes, it really is up to you
Enabling this will help you
Reassuring yes, you can do it
Facilitating Ill see what I can do for you
Extending have you thought of taking it further
Confirming you are on the right track
Explaining procedures, levels, requirements
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Financial arguments usually prevail!
Content is cheap and widely available. Feedback
and guidance are essential. Academic support is
expensive. So
Use the most expensive resource on the most
valuable service
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Staffordshire UniversityMay 2007

• E-Learning Quality means effective learner
  control

John Stephenson Emeritus Professor, Middlesex
University, London, UK
Most of these slides are available on the
internet at http//www.johnstephenson.net/staffs.
ppt/