David Beards, Senior Policy Officer

dbeards@sfc.ac.uk

Promoting Transformational Change in e-learning

QE seminar, 21 April

Key messages

• It’s about learning, not technology

• Economies of scale require collaborative solutions

• Incremental and transformational change

• Strategic change requires re-engineering of institutional processes

Current actions

• Maintain the infrastructure: SJ5

• Analyse training needs: HETNA to run from June

• Develop institutional toolkit (with JISC InfoNet)

• Collaborate with national agencies

• Promote transformational change…

Transformational change?

• Embedded in mainstream processes

• Core business, not peripheral

• Substitutes for existing practice, not an ‘optional extra’

• Step change in functionality

• Financially sustainable within institutions’ own budgets

1. Reid Kerr College (with: Cardonald College, Coatbridge College, Dundee College,

Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, COLEG, JISC Regional Support Centre S&W, Langside College)

‘Blend-Ed’

Problems: learner retention and achievement need for more flexible provision too much didactic teaching expensive for single college to develop materials

Approach• consortium to collaborate in developing approaches

to course re-design and re-engineering• introduce a pedagogically sound blended delivery

model within mainstream provision• reduce didactic teaching and allow staff to focus on

learner needs• test model in four HN courses which are widely

offered: Business, Social Care, Social Science, and Administration and IT

• Improve retention by more effective delivery and by introducing continuous assessment and feedback

• flexible delivery to meet the needs of learners who find it difficult to access traditional courses

2. Moray College(with Glasgow Metropolitan College, North Highland College,

Inverness College, Aberdeen College, CITB, Learndirect, Historic Scotland)

‘e-Construction’Problems: industry skills gaps class times and location of placements are barriers providers offer a diverse range of units in

construction; competition and duplication of effort lack of fit between provision and learner needs

Approach• introduce flexible and resource-based learning• reduce level of didactic teaching during block release• develop learner autonomy (and increase time for staff

CPD)• develop employer mentoring role• develop materials with CITB approval• focus on generic high level units such as craft,

technical and management studies, prioritising those which are widely offered

• reduce the diversity of construction units currently offered by colleges

• deliver and disseminate through Learndirect centres

3. Strathclyde University(with Glasgow Caledonian University and the

University of Glasgow)

‘Re-engineering Assessment practices’

Problems: current models of assessment increase staff

workloads, not student learning; students need to develop their ability to

assess themselves

Approach• pilot new models of assessment at three universities• (including online testing, simulations, classroom

communication systems, virtual learning environments and e-portfolios)

• focus on large enrolment first year classes• Departments to identify the scope and scale of the

target reductions in teacher workload and the ways in which quality will be improved

• apply systematic cost-benefit analysis tools to assess the effectiveness of the approaches

• evaluate the impact of curriculum redesign on organisational structures and processes and staff roles.

4. Dundee University(with Napier University, Falkirk College,

Interactive University, SQA)

‘Collaborative e-Learning in the Life Sciences’

Problems: learner access, achievement and transition Inefficient use of staff resources; didactic teaching,

updating materials and marking assessments

Approach• agree core curricula for degree and Higher National

programmes in life sciences• develop interactive materials for the core parts of

each course, along with develop case studies, assignments and formative assessments

• focus on SCQF levels 7 and 8 • deploy student-centred learning methods• reduce didactic contact hours (lectures)• increase level of supervised tutorials and practicals• academic staff to devote more time to course design

and the development of materials• Interactive University (IU) to handle materials

development and project management

5. Napier University (with Lauder College and Telford College)

‘Transforming and Enhancing the Student Experience through Pedagogy’

Problems: learner transition, retention and progression lack of fit between provision and learner needs high student:staff ratios slow pace of change

Approach

• pool expertise to create and implement new pedagogic models for the FE and HE sectors

• collaborate in evaluation of new design models• develop critical mass of new practice in e.g. health and

computing• reduce didactic teaching and increase learner support• create communities of practice where practitioners from

different institutions can share experience and approaches

• cascade the expertise within and outside the institutions• produce staff development materials, exemplar case

studies, learning design tools and models

6. University of Paisley(with University of Abertay Dundee, Angus College, Ayr College, Bell College, Dumfries and Galloway College, Glenrothes College, Fife College, James Watt

College, Motherwell College, Queen Margaret University College)

Individualised Support for Learning through e-Portfolios

Problems: learner progression, retention and employability Inefficient use of staff resources

Approach• develop a common pedagogical framework for

personal development planning, using an ePortfolio framework

• share expertise and resources in learning support• automate processes such as diagnostic testing and

feedback• increase the level of online interactions• in HE, personal tutors to spend less time on

developing threshold skills and more time developing graduate level learning

• in FE, guidance tutors to reduce their reliance on face to face support

David Beardsdbeards@sfc.ac.uk

0131 313 6520