Creating an environment for sharing resources: An open learning ecology

A presentation at ICT LeadershipFeb 26th 2013

Professor Allison LittlejohnDirector, Caledonian AcademyChair of Learning TechnologyGlasgow Caledonian University, UK www.gcu.ac.uk/academy

Creating an environment for sharing resources:An open learning ecology

Key challenge: continual learning

“The most profound impact of the Internet… is its ability to support and expand the various aspects of social learning”.

“Attention has moved from access to information towards access to other people”.

John Seeley Brown (2008), Minds on Fire

Grand challenge


Grand challenge From... To...

Large organisations Smaller units of production

Single site base Multi-site working as the norm

Permanent employment ConsultancySilos of knowledge Open knowledgeIn-house idea generation Crowdsourcing ideasLocal/ national focus Global / networked reach

Scenario 4

Telepresence

Multi-site micro expertise

Networked innovation

Crowdsourcing

Multi site data analysis

Grand challenge


Every university student has the ability, confidence and literacies to learn in open, networked environments.

Grand challenge

Scenario 4

E-learning research and development tends to Focus on... Largely ignoring...

Online versions of current learning design where teachersmap out learning pathways

Learners decide their learning pathways

Bounded, structured environments

Open, unstructured environments as the ‘norm’

Content as the central object of activity

People learn together via objects of activity

Trends within the education sector

Wider societal trends and the impact on education

Stepanyan, K, Littlejohn, A & Margaryan, A (2012) Sustainable eLearning, Journal of Educational Technology and Society


Grand challenge

1. How does the use of Open Educational Resources change roles?

2. How do learners learn in open, unstructured, networked environments?

3. How do these learning approaches relate to universities?

4. How can academics be encouraged to change their professional practice?

Question

How does the use of OER change people’s roles?

What we did• UKOER Programme £13m over 3 years• Over 100 projects at universities across

England• Programme support through legal advice,

technical advice & synthesis and evaluation

Key lessons being finalised openly at:

https://oersynth.pbworks.com/w/page/60540797/ukoer3keylessons

Changing relationships: UKOER

Changing relationships: senior managers

What we know:• Engaging senior managers can be a powerful way to

signal that an institution is committed to openness• Yet senior managers may not understand the benefits or

challenges of OER• Senior management engagement can be patchy within an

institution

Direction we want to travel:• Articulating the benefits for different stakeholders

essential• Strategies, policies and practice

Changing relationships: senior managers

What we know• Evidence of changing professional practice – eg

increase in cross-institutional teaching

• Utilising staff workshops, training and focus groups to engage

• But OERs often created within bounded groups

Direction we want to travel:• Changing mindsets !

Changing relationships: academics & support

What we know

• Students can be producers of content• Students can evaluate and ‘filter’ OERs• Students can work as members of a teaching team

Direction we want to travel:• Improving students’ digital literacies• Students understand ‘digital presence’

Changing relationships: academics & support

Public Sector

NHS are enthusiastic providers of OER

Sector Skills Councils

Professional bodies and Associations

Private Sector

Range of industries

Publishers

Third Sector

Charities

Changing relationships: with organisations

Question

How do people learn in open, unstructuredenvironments?

You Your goal

Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis

Shared resources (e.g. delicious)

Formal Learning

Recommended Resources

Collaborative Spaces

Knowledge Networks

Libraries of Cases / Examples

of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You

People with similar skills

Peers with similar goals

Tutor

Team

Anyone



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You



Tutor

Team

AnyoneGROUP



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You



Tutor

Team

AnyoneNETWORKGROUP



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You



Tutor

Team

AnyoneNETWORKGROUP

COLLECTIVE



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You



Team

Anyone

CONSUME

CONNECT

Tutor



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You



Team

Anyone

CONSUME

CONNECT

CREATE

Tutor



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

You Your goal

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You



Team

Anyone

CONSUME

CONNECT

CREATE

CONNECT

CONTRIBUTE

Tutor



Formal Learning



Knowledge Networks


of Practice

Smart Information

Your Knowledge

External contacts

You



Team

Anyone

CONSUME

CONNECT

CREATE

CONNECT

CONTRIBUTE

You and Your Peers

Your goals

Tutor

COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

How do learners learn in the open?

COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Connect


COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Connect

Consume


COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Connect

ConsumeCreate


COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Connect

ConsumeCreate

Contribute


COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Connect

ConsumeCreate

Contribute


Scenario 4

Question

How do these actions relate to student learning?

COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Connect

ConsumeCreate

Contribute

What learning approaches are used?

Acquisition

• Lectures• Podcasts• OER• Structured MOOC(EdX. Coursera, Udacity)

COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Consume

ConnectCreate

Contribute

Participatory


• Tutorials• UnstructuredMOOCs throughEdX or Coursera, or freelance (egChange11, Oldsmooc, etc)

COLLECTIVEKNOWLEDGE

Connect

ConsumeCreate

Contribute

Knowledge creationThird type affordedby networkedtechnologies


researchdegrees

professional or workplace learning

Connect

ConsumeCreate

Contribute

Charting occurs wheneach learner mapshis/ her learningpathway throughplanning, implementing& reflecting on learning goals

CHARTING


Question

How can academics be encouraged to change professional practice?

Scenario 4

Self Regulated Learning in MOOCs

Study Hypothesis:

People who exhibit a high degree of Self-Regulation in theirlearning will use qualitatively different strategies to plan,monitor and reflect on their learning than individuals whoexhibit a low degree of Self-Regulation in their learning

www.gcu.ac.uk/academy/srl-mooc/

How can learners be prepared?

Goals as the Social Object


Learners who set goals & structure their learning

Learners who expect others to provide structure

Lurkers….

Goals as the Social Object


Charting tools use goals as a social object for sharing, discovery and cooperation

Charting Tools

A presentation at ICT LeadershipFeb 26th 2013

Professor Allison LittlejohnDirector, Caledonian AcademyChair of Learning TechnologyGlasgow Caledonian University, UK www.gcu.ac.uk/academy

Creating an environment for sharing resources:An open learning ecology