Best practice, and the case Best practice, and the case of the VLEof the VLE
Dr Claire McAvinia
Centre for Teaching and Learning, NUI Maynooth
DKIT, 7 June 2012
The Information Superhighway
1997 - Bruton, Blair and Clinton all reference the web Schools IT 2000 Dearing Second Inaugural
Address
Change in third level
Massification and expansion Modularisation Semesterisation Computerisation Globalisation? Emergence of educational
development as a key function (Gosling 1996, 2001)
What did it mean to teach in third level (Laurillard, 1993)? Laurillard’s Conversational
Framework
A strategic decision
VLE as a means of embarking on e-learning:The Committee believes that the mainstreaming of e-learning in a strategically
aligned manner will enable NUI Maynooth to enhance the learning experience for students through a consistently
student-centred approach support the quality agenda of higher education enhance the research capacity of NUI Maynooth increase student numbers and market of NUI Maynooth globally upskill for the knowledge economy enhance access to higher education provide progression routes and learner mobility emphasise the importance of learning communities operationalise the public policy imperatives of lifelong learning.
(Committee, 2005a, p. 1, my emphasis)
A literature of disappointment
the reality is that e-learning is still marginal in the lives of most academics, with technology being used for little more than acting as a content repository or for administrative purposes (Conole, 2004, p. 2)
technology is mostly used to support established practices rather than transform them (Karasavvidis, 2009, p. 436)
A literature of disappointment
Certainly, as it is currently being used on campus, eLearning is not delivering the wide benefits to education which were expected: the anticipated sweeping impact of the new technologies on restructuring the learning and teaching practices at universities (and with it their high-profit prospects) has not materialised. (Donnelly & O'Rourke, 2007, p. 38)
What had really happened?
What had people expected from the VLE and why?
What was the route of adoption of the VLE from institutional decision to classroom use?
If we knew this, what could it tell us for the future in terms of enhancing teaching and learning with technology?
What had really happened?
Researching the story of the VLE
Using Activity Theory to help
Comparing expectations with practice
What had really happened?
Researching the story of the VLE
Using Activity Theory to help
Comparing expectations with practice
Researching the story of the VLE
Data-gathering across a University: Questionnaires to lecturers and students Observation of small group of students and
lecturers over one semester Interviews with managers who had been involved
in decision to adopt the VLE at the outset Interviews with lecturers and students Validated by gathering data at some external
sites Review of key institutional documents Mix of qualitative and quantitative data
What had really happened?
Researching the story of the VLE
Using Activity Theory to help
Comparing expectations with practice
What is Activity Theory?
Activities as units of analysis
What do people do? How do they do what
they do? What do they use? What things influence
what they are doing?
Mediating Artefact
Subject Object
Outcome
Vygotsky’s Mediational Model (from Russell, 2002; Issroff & Scanlon, 2002).
Behavourism contrasted with mediational model (from Russell, 2002).
Stimulus Response
Instruments
Subject Object
Division of labour
CommunityRules
OutcomesTransformation
Process
Extended Activity System (Engeström, 1987)
Contradictions in the activity system
Instruments
Subject Object
Division of labour
CommunityRules
OutcomesTransformation
Process
What had really happened?
Researching the story of the VLE
Using Activity Theory to help
Comparing expectations with practice
Managers
Object 1: Select a VLE Object 2: Support mainstreaming of the VLE
After the VLE - where next? Object 3: Enhance teaching and learning
Managers - different ideas about best practice
Enhancing teaching and learning: Do it by teaching for subject knowledge and
employability skills (‘Manager-Lecturers’) Do it by enhancing the teaching and learning
environment (‘Manager-Directors’) Do it by flexible course delivery (‘Senior
Managers’), strategic
Unshared Objects could mean uncertain outcomes…
Central Supporters
Object 1: Mainstream the VLE
After the VLE? Object 2: React to departments’ needs Object 3: Carve out credibility
Best practice was the mission of their team - but often compromised by the support role
Strategic direction not always clear once VLE was mainstreamed
Teachers
Broadly defined as anyone teaching/lecturing a formal taught module.
Object 1: Teach the core module efficiently. Object 2: Teach the content module. Object 3: Inspire love of subject/discipline
(‘rookie’ lecturer).
No direct objective expressed in terms of developing/enhancing their teaching.
Teachers Innovating
Georgia: Fostering a love of subject through developing an
extensive Moodle page Authentic resources, podcasts, audio files Students began - unprompted - to communicate
in the target language in Moodle Forums Liz:
Made secondary readings accessible to students by providing ‘tasters’ in Moodle
Greater use of secondary resources in their essays at the end of semester, greater engagement with the readings than previously
Teachers and Central Supporters: different views of best practice? Teachers:
Main objective was to teach their modules, not to develop/enhance teaching
Central Supporters: Main objective was to foster constructivist use of
the VLE Anticipating use of all the tools - not just those for
publishing - akin to distance education models Both groups subject to practical constraints But what are the implications of not sharing
the same objective? Adoption of the VLE may not be as intended
Students
Object 1: Keep up to date.
Object 2: Undertake and complete coursework.
No direct statement that more technology should be used in class or in their courses.
No desire to lead or drive the use of technology - consumerist approach!
Why were we disappointed?
A view of the VLE as supporting questionable practice based on notes publication/distribution
BUT: Notes distribution was already happening Face-to-face teaching was still the more important concern for the
teachers Use of the VLE was appropriate to their Objects and they were
innovating The review of literature and documentation indicated that:
We were not comparing like with like (Guri-Rosenblit, 2005) Universities did not really have very specific goals for their VLEs
So, what do we really want from e-learning in a campus-based institution?
Contradictions and unshared objects as points for development
How do we get better practice? Revisiting the mission of e-learning supporters in third
level Revisiting the ‘transformation’ agenda of academic
development units Reconnecting management/strategic goals with what
happens on the ground Finding out more about what students and teachers really
do with technology Challenging the notion of digital natives Taking an activity-led approach
Evolution or Revolution?
Why do we expect technology in and of itself to cause a change in the classroom? We all need to be involved in using that technology to make changes.
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