Personal Blogs

1. Two main ways in which interventions intended to change how teachers teach:

Top-down and strategic interventions to change management strategy (e.g. government initiative)

Interventions to change how teachers teach:

·To create an idealised type of practice to be planned and implemente

·Teacher representing their own practices to be shared, negotiated and revised

2. Six main ways in which practice has currently been modelled:

·Practice Models - describe/prescribe specific approaches by practitioners

·Other Practical Accounts - case studies /project findings/staff development

·Theoretical Accounts - cognitive/constructivist theories

·Taxonomies and Ontologies - systematic labelling/organising of learning situation

·Standards and Specifications - Instructional Management Systems / Modelling language models

·Organisational Models - institutions processes making use of best practice

3. Five main factors that Sharpe (2004) identifies as influencing the success of interventions intended to improve practice:

·Usability - known, accessible and understood

·Contextualisation - Customisation/adapting for the audience

·Professional Learning - Changing perceptions of learning and teaching

·Community - working with existing community

·Learning Design - helping practitioners base their practice on student learning

4. What do the authors mean by 'reverse engineering' of their practice by the participants on the workshops:

Deconstructing models to reflect upon and self-evaluate own teaching practice through collaborative work and the review of particular categories

5. Wenger's concept of reification:

The process of which communities take a uniform model and adapt to their own needs, be it using the language or the processes that represent their practices.Reifications 'emerge from practice but they do not define it'

Idiosyncratic Definition - 'pertaining to the nature of idiosyncrasy, or something peculiar to an individual' Dictionary.com

6. Why are reifications necessary for sharing practice, particularly between practitioners from different contexts?

It can help to review trends and share best practice.By sharing across contexts, it allows for the analysis to be based on the core of learning and teaching rather than the traditional and/or consistent barriers/challenges that are met.In essence going back to the central process of learning.

Additionally, the saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved' has some merit.By offering a forum where teachers can reflect upon, discuss but then move on to reviewing others experiences, takes the teacher away from one particular problem and instead places them in a community that initially may identify potential problems but also offer within some potential solutions.

Reference:

S. De Freitas, M. Oliver, A.Mee and T.Mayes. (2008). The Practitioner Perspective on the modelling of pedagogy and practice. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 24 (1), 26-38.

Ingraham highlights a concern that the imagery created by nodes and connections creates a 2 dimensional model, lacking the essential 3^rd dimension (Ingraham's

comment) present in complex networks.

Ingraham interpreted the nodes and paths different to me.I visualise the nodes as the communities (be it small or large including individuals) and that the connections between the nodes are provided by the technology.I still see them as being 'cast out' by the nodes so it is not the technology independently making them.It still requires a stimulus from the node.Therefore the link-maker is still the learner or teacher (in a learning context), but the difference being that they sit in the node. 

In contrast Ingraham sees the connection or 'link maker' as the 'learners' or 'teachers' themselves.I am not concluding whether either interpretation is right but I can understand why Ingraham would have those concerns if that is how he has interpreted the metaphor.What this does do though is highlight his concerns made above about the 2 dimensional model being too simplistic.

Jones reaction creates further comment about the dimension of the networks.Ingraham comments about Rhizomatic networking which then creates further debate.Jones responds in commenting that Rhizoid has a foundation in roots and that this is largely one way and partially interactive.Again this is quite different to my interpretation of Rhizoid.My thoughts include an even freer network that could offer strong communication and certainly not a one way model.A link to my blog on this is available here.

The key thing I have taken from this activity is the need to be very careful in the use of metaphors.Words and certain icons can mean very different things and is open to an individuals or cultures interpretation.For example, the thoughts of networking between Jones and Ingraham I don't think are very different, which much consensus, but it is within the presentation or models of though, that the debates really resides.

References:

Bruce Ingraham. (2004). Networks and Learning: Communities, practices and the metaphor of networks - a commentary. Available: http://learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/viewpost.php?post=144537. Last accessed 21st July 2015.

Chris Jones. (2004). Networks and Learning: Communities, practices and the metaphor of networks - a response. Available: http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/11252/12945. Last accessed 21st July 2015.

I find that technology is far from intrusive for my life. It acts as a thread that weaves together the commitments and aspects of my day to day life. I can be working whilst shopping in the physical world or working whilst shopping in the virtual world. I can plan my next family or friends catch up whilst completing my OU Study. I can check my bank account whilst assessing a learners work.
I offer these examples to demonstrate that there is the potential to blur the lines and have no definitive times for particular tasks. It reduces my day to day stress but I can appreciate that for some there is a need to allocate particular time to ensure focus. I simply don't know how my life would work if tasks were not blurred. Is this ability of preference to blur due to a particular make up in my character or a skill developed over time. Is it nature or nuture? I don't know!
I am sitting here typing this at 9.30am and already I have used technology to:
• Check my communication with family -my grandparents are not too well at the moment so I like to check in on them through text, email and phone calls
• BBC News Online and Ipswich Star online - to get my daily news dose
• MSN Weather - to see if I need to put sun-cream on the boys before school
• Emailed my work commitments
• Been online to review and gasp at what I need to complete for OU this week!
• Put on online radio (a big shout out to helpmechill.com - you make my day so much better)

From a technology spectrum I would place myself significantly on the optimist end - in fact I only last week created a new wordpress to collate my blogs and it is called 'optimistic education' as that is exactly how I feel about the connection of technology to education.
What are the barriers? There is still inconsistent connections - those areas that are strong are getting stronger (e.g. 4G) but there are pockets of very limited access. There is also some examples of 'ostrich mentality' where those in education fear the technology or see it as such as risk that this leads to apathy. If the industry can gain knowledge and understanding about the intuitiveness of technology and how you don't need to be a techie to access and use it, it could lead to an improved relationship to its connection to the teaching and learning process. At times I feel that the sector is bombarded with so many examples that professionals drown in the content. Much better to start small but think big. It's almost like we need a PR campaign to get the positive shift model moving:
• Negative to Positive
• Apathy to Interest
• Ignorance to Knowledge
• Hostility to Sympathy
• Prejudice To Acceptance

For the FE/HE college that I work at, the Open source nature of Moodle is culturally well aligned.

The ability to grow use of technology through the VLE in an open source community will be attractive to our delivery staff. Additionally, the focus on maximising socio-constructivist learning is a good partnership for the FE and Skills Sector where we are looking to develop learning beyond the class-room and campus and maximise discussion and collaboration.
The key factors to consider when selecting a VLE/LMS are:
• Cost - in a complex, ever reduced funded section of education)
• Usability - is the system intuitive; is the system functional with mobile devices
• Support - is there a quick and responsive department for the LMS
• Compatibility - is there good connections to other high use online systems used by learners
• Presentation - does the system offer a clear and professional design suitable for the broad range of learners
• Communication - does the system offer both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools
Delays of Open Source development can be interpreted as ensuring that apps or tools work well. The institution I work for would rather use features that are well established. There are great opportunities of kudos for using innovative tools that are market leading but ultimately the quality of teaching/learning can be accomplished by the plethora of tools freely available. They may not be on the LMS but the beauty of a LMS/VLE is that you can signpost out. The Open Learning community world-wide is dynamic and exciting in terms of developments and can support weaknesses in the open source VLE.
The use of Forums and Chat-Rooms gives communication control to the learners. The way that the VLE course page is set up will have some impact on the empowerment. For example, in my use of moodle, the learners have access to a much larger range of learning objects from day 1 with a matching resource that details which learning objects relate to which unit. This gives empowerments to the learner to access the learning objects that works best for them and they can run the speed of the course to meet their learning need. This system works well for those learners not in a cohort but on a roll-on roll-off programme.
Some institutions are able to manage the VLE course page differently (much like in OU H800) where the resources are linked to a weekly plan and made open once dates are reached. This works well for a cohort of learners who are encouraged to learn predominantly from each-others experiences, thoughts and through debate.
The fear of many in education is that technologists or Instructional Designers will drive forward educational developments. Educationalists are passionate about their profession and protective of it. There needs to be reassurance that this professionalism can be enhanced through the use of technology and that the education sector can lead this through partnership with technological advancements.

Sclater:
• That PLE's offer free, easy to use and innovative tools. The best tools available at that time
• Can have a default system (such as a VLE) but with the flexibility for learners to use their own preferred tool (E.g. not using the VLE blog but using an external blog)
• Gives freedom and empowerments to the learner
• LMS are perceived as too managed and not giving the personalisation to the learning
Weller:
• Using features outside of a VLE can cause accessibility and equality issues
• Using tools on the VLE ensures a robust, supported toolkit
• Use of teaching experience to filter the tools functionality to simplify use for learners
• There may be less choice but the functionality is assured
• The VLE tools are selected based upon what is required
My own experiences lean more to Sclater's stance in this debate. I have found tools on moodle (VLE) such as the Wiki or the Quiz to be more complex and of lower production value or poorer learning experience, than open source tools which can then be provided as a link on the VLE. I therefore use the VLE as the default base but then signpost out to tools and apps that meet the need best.

The toolkit that can be selected is far broader than a limited tool-kit within a VLE/LMS.
Additionally, eLearning is not about a VLE. A VLE can coordinate and/or structure eLearning into a functional form. If we use a VLE in its isolation we do not support the learners' ability in developing their own personal learning network and ability to search, filter and decipher suitable sources of information.

By engaging and embracing the best of open learning and focus more on the PLE rather than the VLE, we will support learners in a sustainable learning process that will work far beyond the boundaries of a course when access to the VLE may then become unavailable.
Additionally, as educationalists we have professionalism and experience throughout our sector, but we are all learners, learning all the time and from each other in formal and  informal settings. This has been enhanced through Web 2.0 where everyone can be both learner and teacher. We may think we know what is required to benefit from a learning course or subject, but everyday something new happens and by keeping an outward facing, open and accessible process to teaching and learning we can make the best of todays' and tomorrows' developments.

Within the executive summary the following definition is offered:

'Learning technology is the broad range of communication, information and related technologies that can be used to support learning, teaching and assessment'

FELTAG stands for The Further Education Learning Technology Action Group.From this group 6 workstreams were identified:

1.Horizon Scanning - keeping abreast of change

2.Investment and Capital Infrastructure- appropriate and agile

3.Regulation and Funding - not inhibit innovation or improving learning outcomes

4.Workforce Capacity - Entire workforce to understand potential of learning technology

5.Employers - Relationship between FE and employers should be developed by the use of technology inside and outside the workplace

6.Learners - Empowered to understand and become familiar with digital technology for their own learning

The report looks to:

·Explain how digital technology helps achieve ambitions for education

·Summarises the changes needed to enable it

·Anticipates a ministerial response to help facilitate it

The report also looked at technology likely to improve:

·Personal support and access to learning

·Flexibility in Provision

·Learning Effectiveness

·Ways of assessing learning

·Ability of teachers to innovate

·Data security and identity

Some issues that emerged:

·To be a 'game-changer', the digital technology needs to enable economies of scale.For example an FE adapted version of MOOC's

·Learners will expect a movement towards BYOD and Bring Your Own App

·Providing video conferencing in the workplace

·Movement away from paper based assessment to new forms of formative and summative eAssessment

·Human-Computer interfaces that include haptic (touch) and kinaesthetic (motion) to improve authenticity for practice-based vocational education training

·New and open management systems providing a seamless integration of management and pedagogical elements

From surveys it was identified that:

·Practitioners are increasingly confident of their own skills but the industry is a lacking channel and forum to share ideas and developments across the sector

·A lack of funding to purchase digital technology and provide release and support for staff to help them enable the incorporation of digital technology

·Concern and risk averse until funding methodology aligns to digital supported learning

·Lack of strategic level direction learning to fragmented provision

·Technology policies often focusing on security and e-safety with few organisational policies of learning and teaching

Some Further Considerations:

·OFSTED's Learner View Survey includes the question 'The technology and online learning resources support my learning and I can access them from anywhere, anytime and using any computing device (mobile, tablet, computer etc.)

·Employers are to be encouraged and support the use of collaborative MOOC approaches for FE

·Investment to create a technology exemplar network using a 'hub and spoke' model

·Regulation to explicitly embed learning technology in teaching and learning strategy

·Funding methodology should encourage 'learning presence' not 'learning attendance'

·Mandate the inclusion for every publicly-funded learning programmes from 2015/6 of a 10% wholly online component, with incentives to increase to 50% by 2017/8 - This applies for all programmes unless a good case is made for why this is not appropriate

Reference:

FELTAG Recommendations. (2013). Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education and skills. Available: http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf. Last accessed 14th July 2015.

How are mobile practices blurring the lines between formal and informal learning?

Twitter

·Microblogs "allow users to exchange small elements of content such as short sentences, individual images, or video links"These may include text messaging, instant messaging, E-mail, digital audio or digital video (wikipedia) this is perfect for Twitter

·The first microblogs were called tumblelogs

·No restriction of time or place

·Easy exchange of information makes it attractice for informal learning

·You can follow a broad range that covers informal learning (e.g. dalai lama posts)

·Formal learning (e.g. those accounts on twitter focusing on Technology Enhanced Learning)

·Some Twitter accounts (such as the one found by Kate '@EDTECHHULK  where there is a serious aspect of the content but done in a humorous way that can be enjoyed both formally and informally

·Institutional use of Twitter to build dialogue to better understand the needs of their learners and ensure excellent learning experiences that will lead to future recruitment through advocacy

·# allow for learners and teachers to search for particular topics

Examples:

TWITTER - Twitter is an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short 140-character messages called "tweets". Registered users can read and post tweets, but unregistered users can only read them

PLURK - A really snazzy site that allows you to showcase the events that make up your life, and follow the events of the people that matter to you, in deliciously digestible short messages called plurks.March 2012 - 37.1% of Plurk's traffic comes from Taiwan

TUMBLR - Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything.Post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos from your browser, phone, desktop, email or wherever you happen to be. You can customize everything, from colors to your theme's HTML.

IDENTI.CA - A social microblogging service similar to Twitter, built on open source tools and open standards. Allows users to send text-based posts up to 140 characters

A number are no longer around...FRIENDFEED, JAIKU are no longer live - could this be due to the success of other options such as Twitter

Microblogging is an opportunity to be a part of someone else's process by reading, commenting, discussing or simply enhancing it

Microblogging is based on the principle of friends and followers - anyone can be following anyone and all friends' updates (new posts) are displayed in an endless stream. It is easy imaginable that an increasing number of friends makes it almost impossible to read the huge number of posts. Consequently many users unfamiliar with microblogging systems report an unwieldy information flow, known as information overload. Otherwise this kind of information stream can be described as constant murmuring in the background

http://www.cblt.soton.ac.uk/multimedia/PDFs10/micriblogs%20in%20higher%20education%20process%20orientated%20learning.pdf

Is ownership of learning changing?

• Learners connecting to each-others Twitter account without guidance of teacher.This then fits into the view that Mobile 2.0 is best when user-led.The dialogue between learners can enrich their learning experience without the input of the teacher

·Students and teachers alike are living in a continuous partial presence with different roles. Especially when they send a post, nobody knows whether anyone will respond, or even read it. Posts are read by other participants and this therefore is a strong indication of informal learning.

• The Twitter ownership issue gained a lot of media attention in 2011 in the wake of a lawsuit between a blog called PhoneDog and a former employee, Noah Kravitz, who tweeted on behalf of the site while he worked there and then changed his Twitter account handle and took his followers with him when he quit.PhoneDog values each twitter follower as worth $2.50/monthhttp://personalweb.about.com/od/twitterrules/a/Twitter-Ownership-Disputes.htm - Social Media Policy required for Educational Establishments
• A BBC political correspondent, Laura Kuenssberg, also drew attention when she switched employers earlier this year and took her Twitter followers with her to her new job at ITV. Like Sanchez and Kravitz, she just renamed her Twitter account
• Twitter 'Terms of Service' - 5. Your Rights - You retain your rights to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods (now known or later developed).
• #FollowFriday allows learners to share with other learners useful accounts they think others learners could benefit from

After reading the paper I answered 2 questions for which the details are below:

According to findings - how if at all do mobile practices actively contribute to student learning?

From reading the report the key areas I would list (in bullet style) are:

·Flexibility in learning

·Multi-tasking potential

·Encourages learning outside

·Supports learning preferences such as audio resources for auditory learners

·Encourages learner to produce their own learning resources

·Encourages sharing and collaboration

·Great for informal learning as much as formal learning

Attached is a wordle with this information presented in another way.

Q.Where wouldI place my own use of mobile devices in comparison with those students in the paper?

·I use podcasts very little - those in the paper indicated they used them more than me

·Blogs - I use them frequently (almost daily) and they form a major part of my learning process

·Informal learning is high for me - if I come across something I don't know or need I am straight away online using mobile devices to learn there and then

·Research online - I do this often and comprehensively

·I have a high activity level of creating my own learning resources

·My activity of sharing on social networks is medium to high

·Access to online when I am out and about isvery high

·I have less activity in terms of sharing funny videos etc.Itend to share objects thatare my own rather than forwarding on things

Reference - Agnes Kukulska-Hulme et al.. (2011). Mature Students Using Mobile Devices in Life and Learning. International Journal or Mobile and Blended Learning. 3 (1), 18-52.

• What are your personal thoughts on the relationship between technologies and      educational reform? (For example, is technology itself a cause of reform or an instrument used to encourage reform?)

Technology influences how the world works.  In each generation this may be different innovations or inventions such as cars, trains or communication tools.  For this most recent generation the development of the internet has increasing influence on how individuals and communities interact within each other and their expectation of how the world works for them. 

A key development is an expectation of 'on demand'.  This is true for TV viewing, banking, shopping so why should education by any different.  Learners want to be able to learn at a time and location that works for them.

There are often comments that education is behind the curve in terms of integrating technology.  I think much of this is due to the industries concern of equality and accessibility and a desire to offer quality and a pride in professionalism.  Couple that with lack of confidence in the industries own ability in technologies and it has all contributed to delays.  Often we learn from mistakes in terms of innovation and advancements, but I think the vast majority in education do not want to risk the learning opportunity of a few to learn for future provision which I can understand.  Each and every individual deserves a positive and rich learning experience and we are responsible for ensuring individuals do not have a negative experience that leads to a life-long disengagement with learning.  So how we trial and develop these innovations is a delicate balance of integration.

The recent global economic problems has resulted in cut funds and a competitive market that has acted as a force for sectors such as FE and WBL to review their provision and reduce their costs whilst maintaining and improving provision.  This has been promoted as technology 'enhancing' learning so an example of 'an instrument used to encourage reform'.  The emphasis is still on sound and strong teaching practice but with the use of technology.

Technology has therefore caused reform initially but now tools are being created specific for education that can encourage reform.  They recognise educators concerns of lack of technological skills and focus more on simple apps that rely on little tech knowledge and allow the teacher/tutor/lecturer to focus on the learning outcomes.

• What influence do you think the producers and developers of technologies and      services have on university decisions about introducing new technologies?

If producers and developers can show an awareness of the need of staff training and/or the development of intuitive tools that are user-friendly and allow for institutions to integrate into their provision then Universities are more likely to listen.  Universities still want character, personality and expression in their learning and this can still be achieved in an online world.  Universities still need to protect their image and brand and therefore producers and developers need to accommodate this.  Take for example Virtual Learning Platforms.  They have the ability to brand as the colleges/universities own. 

Other examples include Planet eStream that allow institutions to create their own 'You-tube' video platform.  Not necessarily engaged fully with the concept of open learning but an example that there has to be a range of products that meets the needs of institutions.  Some may fully engage with open education - others may want to maintain independence and develop own provision with less sharing. 

In the last few 4 years, I have been shifting my provision for apprenticeships to use more technology.  The reasons are multiple, two examples being financial and quality.

Financial - there has been reduced funding in education and my organisation is predominantly FE where cuts have been hard.  There is therefore the need to ensure cost-effective delivery

Quality - the learning resources were limited and there was the need to increase the number of and the quality of learning resources to support learning preferences and impact positively on achievement

2014/5 OutcomeTarget - the VLE has developed to a point where through instructional design, I was able to review our Apprenticeship delivery with a significant reduction in both learning plan time and face to face visits (covered in an earlier blog today).  There is more emphasis on learning through the VLE, with tutoring support via some of the face to face visits and additional emails, forums and mobile contact.  The other face to face visits can be used for general tutoring support and assessment.

Students Perception - The perception of the quality of the learning, I believe, has been raised.  The learner has access to a community with dedicated support resources and interaction with others.  The reduced visits encourages interaction with the learner having a significant/leading role in their learning path.  For example, there are multiple learning objects to access for all the units that make up the provision.  The learner (with facilitation support) can select the learning tools that works best for them.  Due to increased online learning we have identified the need for improved referencing from our learners as these resources can then be shared across the community.   We are trying to encourage connectivism and networking.  We are also making every effort to encourage the development of life-long learning skills and to convert those seeing the course as a pure acquisition exercise to an alternative opportunity for learning where everyone can be both learner and teacher whilst still ensuring they feel they are receiving the specialist guidance and advice.  There is still an expectation that they will acquire skills/knowledge as as we have an employer stakeholder within the apprenticeship process there has to be some acknowledgement of that.  Fortunately, with apprenticeships there are formalised competency standards that have to be demonstrated so we are able to clearly indicate where learning and/or competence is met but we also have freedom to explore the subject outside of this syllabus to offer a broader learning experience.

Academic performance I feel will be unaffected.  For the last 3 years we have achieved 10% above national benchmark.  I expect this to remain as although less face to face visits, we have improved our learning activites and considered accessibility issues too.  There is  strong instuctional design that offers a clear expectation of both learner and tutor/teacher.

In terms of whether technology embodies assumptions about the nature of teaching and learning in highed education, I  would conclude that this is not true.  There is still many elements of HE that will use technology such as a VLE as a pure repository tool full of lecture based powerpoints.  At the other end of the spectrum there will be examples of student orientated, interaction, social learning courses where learners share, debate and conclude together and these combined discussions (virtual) will offer a rich learning experience.  The assumption will be affected much by the learners own experiences to date and all too often these are still teacher focused.

Going forward though, the landscape I believe is changing, fast.  Expectation will change and the shift from teacher led/acquisition models will make way (by demand) to student led/participation learning journeys.  A key development is accessibility with wifi connections being distributed country wide (UK) with few areas of  poor accessibility, this barrier is lifted and the full use of learning objects can be utlised be it video, audio, web 2.0 tools etc.

Approaches to Learning

Interview based research in Britain and Sweden in 1970’s identified three approaches to studying in Higher Education:

• Deep Surface Approach – based upon understanding the meaning
• Surface Approach – based upon memorising the course material for assessment purposes
• Strategic Approach – based upon obtaining highest grades

Students following problem based curricula are more likely to adopt a ‘Deep Surface’ approach

Ramsden (1991) devised the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) – this provided a reliable and valid way of monitoring perceptions of students across variety of disciplines and in several countries.

Marton (1976) argued that students who adopt a ‘deep surface’ approach take an active role whilst those adopting a ‘surface approach’ take a passive role.

Saljo (1979) identified 5 different conceptions of what learning meant to learners:

1.  Learning is an increase of knowledge
2. Learning is memorising
3. Learning as the acquisition of facts or procedures
4. Learning as the abstraction of meaning
5. Learning an an interpretative process aimed at understanding of reality

Van Rossum and Schenk (1984) – those questioned with a leaning to 1-3 used a surface approach.  Those with a leaning to 4/5 used a deep approach.  Students who lean to 1-3 may find it hard to adapt to a student centred curriculum.

Von Rossum and Schenk (1987) – identified a sixth conception:

1. A conscious process fuelled by personal interests and directed at obtaining harmony and happiness or changing society

Older Students more likely to lean to conceptions 4-6.  In research, those reaching their later years of studying showed indications of conception 6.

Approaches to Teaching

Identified five different approaches to teaching.  Kember (1997):

1. Teaching as imparting information
2. Teaching as transmitting structured knowledge
3. Teaching as an interaction between the teacher and the student
4. Teaching as facilitating understanding of the part of the student
5. Teaching as bringing about conceptual change and intellectual development

There is little fact that conceptions of teaching develop with experience or training (apart from conceptual change training).

Teachers holding a student centred and learning orientated conception of teaching are more likely to adopt a student focused approach.

Learning Design can support the approach to integrating activity that encourages the teacher to lean to the conceptions of 3-5 and learning conceptions of 4-6.  I think the most practical design tool that can support his would be the '4 Facets  of Learning', mainly due to the simpleness to apply and gain an intial positive approach from teachers.

Linking these conceptions to Sfard's Metaphors I would summarise that Acquisiton leans to the learning concepts of 1-3 and teaching concepts 1-2, and the participation metaphor leaning to the learning concepts of 4-6 and teaching concepts of 3-5.

My own experiences of learning I feel are much driven by the teacher's concept of teaching rather than an inclined preference.  Although I would consider that when training or learning has been compulsory to me I tend to lean on the learning concepts 1-3, whereas when it is an option or something I have selected my experiences have been much more leaning to concepts 4-6.

Which of Säljö’s five conceptions of learning best fits my own definition?  For my most recent OU study definately 4-6 but with previous learning it has been normally 1-3.

References:

John T. E. Richardson (2005) Students’ Approaches to Learning and Teachers’

Approaches to Teaching in Higher Education, Educational Psychology: An International Journal of Experimental Educational Psychology, 25:6, 673-680, DOI: 10.1080/01443410500344720

I prefer the forums over live chat  as I like to be able to reflect and then form some views with structure - this is something I find more difficult to do with limited time to reflect.  I do however see the value in OU Live and am generally positive towards the activity - I tend to be an active listener during it and this works well for  me.

The forums are great - my current module H800 (even more than the last H817) has demonstrated to me the power of which learners can teach and learn from eachother.  These experiences have totally transformed the way I teach.  To empower the learner and make everyone both teacher and learner offers such a rich and diverse learning environment.  I was and am still outstanded by  the amount of participation you can create with relatively simple tools.  

For me then, the act of contributing both in terms of completing the activities and commenting on others is paramount to my learning.  I try to complete the initial activity early in the week as that then allows me to use the 2nd half to spend more time reflecting on others contributions and build  comment on this.  I think if I left the activity too late in the week I would miss the time needed to reflect and respond.

I do try to participate in all forums - I  don't think I've missed one in this module or H817 so I hold them of ultimate importance.

Although I am finding this module challenging in the pure amount of activity, I am still thoroughly enjoying it and love being part of the OU.  I'm yet to find a more encouraging and positive learning community.