Empowering, encouraging and engaging staff with learning technology: A case study of flexible and developing modes of staff development Rachel Challen,

Empowering, encouraging and engaging staff with learning

technology:

A case study of flexible and developing modes of staff

development 

Rachel Challen, Jon Rhodes and Paul Towers, University of Wolverhampton

JISC RSC

24th February 2012Online Webinar

Todays team

Rachel

Jon

Paul

Todays session

• Background to UoW and where BLU sit in the Institution

• Three approaches to staff development• Building blocks• Menus• Blended Learning weeks

• Lessons learnt

• Future plans

Background to the University of Wolverhampton

• 23000 students

• 2500 staff

• 8 academic schools

• 4 teaching campuses

• Support departments, including IT services, LIS, Marketing and ILE

The Institute for Learning Enhancement

The Blended Learning Unit(BLU) Advisors

• 5 BLU Advisors

• All qualified teachers and all with Certified

Membership of the Association of

Learning Technologists

(CMALT)

Law, Social Sciences and

Communications

School of Art and

Design

School of Applied

Science

School of Education

Wolverhampton Business School

School of

Technology

School of Sport,

Performing Arts and Leisure

School of Health and Wellbeing

Learning Works: Refocusing the Curriculum Aims

• Focused on student need and demand

• Supported by consistently good teaching

• Underpinned by effective resources, physical and virtual

• Integrated with technology

To improve the student experience

Opportunities of LW for staff development

• Building up communication channels

• Shifting perception of BLU

• Access to discipline-based module teams

Questions from the floor

Approach 1: Building Blocks

platform-related

activity-based 'learner-centric'

Questions from the floor

Approach 2: Menu of Choice

Questions from the floor

Approach 3: BL weeks.

• Whole-team intervention, entitled ‘Blended Learning Weeks’

• Migration of all BLU members

• Pooling resources, knowledge and expertise.

The School of Art & Design

• 30 staff attending sessions

• Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching staff

The Wolverhampton Business School

• 50 staff attended sessions

• Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching staff

• An undergraduate BL week followed by a postgraduate

BL week

Unexpected and exciting outcomes that have evidenced the weight of change within the University and individual Schools has been:

The staging of School ‘BL Festivals,’ in which staff showcase innovative practice for adoption by others.

Unexpected and exciting outcomes that have evidenced the weight of change within the University and individual Schools has been:

The staging of School ‘BL Festivals,’ in which staff showcase innovative practice for adoption by others.

The introduction of staff e-Mentors, supporting the development of early adopters.

Unexpected and exciting outcomes that have evidenced the weight of change within the University and individual Schools has been:

The staging of School ‘BL Festivals,’ in which staff showcase innovative practice for adoption by others.

The introduction of staff e-Mentors, supporting the development of early adopters.

The development of School-specific BL strategies.

Unexpected and exciting outcomes that have evidenced the weight of change within the University and individual Schools has been:

The staging of School ‘BL Festivals,’ in which staff showcase innovative practice for adoption by others.

The introduction of staff e-Mentors, supporting the development of early adopters.

The development of School-specific BL strategies.

Ongoing relationships which were initially built with staff during the BL Weeks.

Unexpected and exciting outcomes that have evidenced the weight of change within the University and individual Schools has been:

The staging of School ‘BL Festivals,’ in which staff showcase innovative practice for adoption by others.

The introduction of staff e-Mentors, supporting the development of early adopters.

The development of School-specific BL strategies.

On-going relationships which were initially built with staff during the BL Weeks.

Building new relationships with other staff following the ‘ripple-effect’ of impact felt from the BL Weeks.

Unexpected and exciting outcomes that have evidenced the weight of change within the University and individual Schools has been:

The staging of School ‘BL Festivals,’ in which staff showcase innovative practice for adoption by others.

The introduction of staff e-Mentors, supporting the development of early adopters.

The development of School-specific BL strategies.

Ongoing relationships which were initially built with staff during the BL Weeks.

Building new relationships with other staff following the ‘ripple-effect’ of impact felt from the BL Weeks.

The continued engagement of staff already adopting blended approaches to learning and teaching and also the engagement of academics for whom blended learning is a new approach.

Questions from the floor

Challenges

• Resistance

•Sharing

•Fear

Engaging staff in Blended Learning: lessons learnt

• Enhance

• Unpack

• Integrate

• Trust

• Understanding

• Buy-in

Questions from the floor

Conclusion

• Constant reviewing

• Reflective and reflexive nature

• Embedding numerous factors

Questions from the floor

Rachel Challen r.k.challen2@wlv.ac.uk

Jon Rhodes j.rhodes2@wlv.ac.uk

Paul Towers Paul.towers@wlv.ac.uk