John Stephenson E-Learning: Quality means effective learner control Staffordshire University May 2007 John Stephenson Emeritus Professor, Middlesex University,

John Stephenson

E-Learning: Quality means effective learner control

Staffordshire UniversityMay 2007

John StephensonEmeritus Professor, Middlesex University, London, UK

Most of these slides are available on the internet at:

http://www.johnstephenson.net/staffs.ppt/

John Stephenson

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?

John Stephenson

Ongoing powerful forces for change, including

WEB 2-0

Convergence

John Stephenson

WEB 2.0?

Bottom up

Democratic

Participative

Massively growing

Communities of interest

Dominated by younger contributors

Diversity, responsive, culture. QUALITY?

John Stephenson

Material via iPods etc - learning materials and resources

- direct, bespoke

Podcast

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

Blog

Plus the blog and podcast

John Stephenson

Is ‘Web 2-0’ a relevant resource?

Plethora, un-authenticated, unfiltered

- but widely used, culture of participation

Raises issues of

Quality

Relevance

Control

John Stephenson

Affordable, portable, ‘street cred’

Ownership

Sony PlayStation Portable

Games PlusWiFi, web, built-in material, streaming pods,

1 to 1, 1 / groups live videoWeb 2.0 into the classroom

TECHNICALCONVERGENCE!!

John Stephenson

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

Exams in UK ‘will be overhauled in a bid to eradicate pupils cheating by using the Internet…’

The Observer, 20 - 8 - 06

Tutorial support

John Stephenson

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 of

the “pre-planned course”?

John Stephenson

Other dimensions of quality

Relevance tolonger term

needs

John Stephenson

Lord Dearing’s Report on Higher Education

On leaving HE, all students should have developed the

practice of

taking responsibility for their own learning

John Stephenson

‘Henry! Our party’s total chaos. No one knows when to eat, where to stand, what to .....

Oh Thank God, here comes a border collie

Acknowledgements to Larson

John Stephenson

Collusion with

Dependence

John Stephenson

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).

John Stephenson

Capability and competence

A way of looking at the world

of actions

Unfamiliarcontext

Familiarcontext

Unfamiliarproblems

Familiarproblems

John Stephenson

Capability and competence

Position YCompetence:

Reliable delivery;Performancestandards;

Error elimination;Technical expertise;

Establishedprocedures;TRAINING

Unfamiliarcontext

Familiarcontext

Unfamiliarproblems

Familiarproblems

Y

John Stephenson

Position ZExposure, Autonomy,Networks peersProblem formulation,Courage, risk,Imagination, intuition,creativity;ResponsibilityLEARNING

Unfamiliarcontext

Familiarcontext

Unfamiliarproblems

Familiarproblems

Capability and competence

Z

John Stephenson

Research on e-learning: key words

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

John Stephenson

Challenges for Education

Pedagogical coherence

John Stephenson

Teacher

Supplier

ManagerDesigner

Technician

Learner

Key Actors inE-learning

Learning model

Communication via a common understanding

Researcher

John Stephenson

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

UfI/learndirect’s pledges to learners

• 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

John Stephenson

Instructivist

Constructivist

Industrial

PostIndustrial

TeacherCentred

LearnerCentred

Experiential

Learning styles

TacitLearningLearning

Cycles

Authentic

Situated

Problem-Based

Communitiesof practice

PedagogyJargon

“Let’s KISS!”

Keep it so simple

John Stephenson

Learner managed process

TeacherControlledProcess

Open ended,

strategic learner directed

Teacher Specified

tasks

NW NE

SW SE

Online Pedagogy Grid

Presents traditional training and teaching by innovative means

Giveslearners control overstyle, location, pace,duration, sequence

but not task

Process predetermined- learners explore

content and direction.

System liberates andsupports learners to

decide and control own direction

and process

Coomey,M Stephenson,J 2001, It’s all about Dialogue, Involvement, Support and Control, in Teaching and Learning Online, Stephenson, J, Kogan Page London

John Stephenson

Learner managed process

TeacherControlledProcess

Open ended,

strategic learner directed

NW

Teacher Specified

tasks

NE

SW SE

Online Pedagogy Grid

•Learner managed learning environment;

•Customised intuitive tools

•Wikis podcasts and blogs

•Google and other open sources

•online mentoring.

John Stephenson

Learner managed process

TeacherControlledProcess

Open ended, strategic learner

directed

Teacher Specified

tasks

NW NE

SW SE

Online Pedagogy Grid

(Coomey,M. & Stephenson,J. 2001)

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

John Stephenson

See at http://www.learndirect-ltw.co.uk/

The UfI/Learndirect

Learning Through Work Degree Programme

John Stephenson

See at http://www.learndirect-ltw.co.uk/

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.

A partnership between work and university negotiated by individuals

Customised programmes built on existing skills and knowledge and focused on work-related learning.

John Stephenson

See at http://www.learndirect-ltw.co.uk/

Learning Through Work Degree Programme

Individualised, developed by learners themselves

Internet LtW platform providesmaterials to support the learning process;

The WEB providesspecialist materials, networks etc;

University providesonline tutor, quality assurance, final award

Work providesprojects and opportunities for learning;

John Stephenson

Exploration Online tasters, is it for me, what’s 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

Structure of Learning Through Work Programme

2,700 successful negotiations, 650 completions

John Stephenson

John’s

Control centre

Activities- ongoing- recent

Personal log- goals- achievements- credit bank- private - reflections

Resource library- RSS assembled in response to stated / inferred interests

Plans - strategic,- immediate, progresspriorities

Networking - peers, employer, wider specialistcommunity

Pooled experience - knowledge bank, specialist help

Awards and qualifications - help with levels, assessment

The future - user managed portals?

John Stephenson

Learner Managed University Awards

Imagine a course where the University does NOT provide the content

The student ENGAGES withresources,

issues, problems,

opportunities

from the Web,in society,

at the work-place, libraries and

life.

John Stephenson

Roles of participants in Learner Managed university awards

Teachers Help learners in the above

Support, feedback

Advise on sources, progress

Universities Clarify level criteria for qualifications

Quality assurance

Learners Articulate plans, Justify proposals

Negotiate approval

Demonstrate achievement

John Stephenson 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

John Stephenson 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 I’ll 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

John Stephenson

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

Financial arguments usually prevail!

John Stephenson

E-Learning: Quality means effective learner control

Staffordshire UniversityMay 2007

John StephensonEmeritus Professor, Middlesex University, London, UK

Most of these slides are available on the internet at:

http://www.johnstephenson.net/staffs.ppt/