OU blog

Personal Blogs

Steve Alexander-Jones

WK25 Activity 24: Engaging stakeholders

Visible to anyone in the world

Activity 24: Engaging stakeholders

Timing: 6 hours

Imagine that your educational institution, or one you know well, has decided to develop a learning analytics programme and, early in the process, intends to run a workshop for stakeholders in order to develop a vision. You have been tasked with organising the one-day workshop that will move this process forward.

   Decide how many people you would like to attend the workshop, and which groups they should represent. Who definitely needs to be involved at this stage, and who can be involved later? Your decision will depend on the type of institution you have chosen, and on your view of learning analytics. Make notes in your learning journal or blog, and discuss your options in the discussion forum or using OU Live.

   Plan a timetable for the day. Workshops often run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., with an hour for lunch and two half-hour coffee breaks – but there is no need to keep to that format if it does not suit your plans or the local situation. You may want to include an introduction to learning analytics, a talk about the importance of a vision, some examples of learning analytics, an expert speaker or two, a chance to share experiences or previous work, an opportunity to brainstorm ideas, a chance to share ideas, and a final discussion. Although there is a lot to think about, your final schedule does not need to be more than a page long.Again, discuss ideas in the discussion forum or within OU Live. Together, you have a great deal of experience of participating in and running workshops, and this is a good opportunity to share that experience.

Finally, use Powerpoint, Keynote or similar software to produce an introductory presentation for the workshop. Focus on why your chosen institution is interested in developing an analytics programme and why participants have been invited to help develop this vision.Make use of resources you have encountered during this block. The SoLAR and LACE websites both contain links to resources and presentations that could help. The LACE YouTube channel contains a series of short videos from learning analytics experts, including some from authors whose work you have read in this block. You might choose to embed one in your presentation.Share a link to your presentation in the discussion forum, and take the opportunity to view and comment on other people’s presentations.


Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK25 Activity 23: Deploying a vision of learning analytics

Visible to anyone in the world

Activity 23: Deploying a vision of learning analytics

Timing: 4 hours

   Select two implementations of learning analytics from the list below:

                  Ferguson et al. (2015), Setting learning analytics in context:

          Case Study 1A: The Open University, UK: Data Wranglers (pp. 131–3).

      Case Study 1B: The OU Strategic Analytics Investment Programme (pp. 133–7).

      Case Study 2: The University of Technology, Sydney, Australia (pp. 138–41).

      Colvin et al. (2015), Student retention and learning analytics:

      Cluster 1 – focused on student retention (pp. 19–21).

      Cluster 2 – focused on understanding teaching and learning processes (pp. 19–21)

       An example from your personal experience or from your reading on this subject.

  • Read about the implementations and, with the help of the ROMA framework (see Figure 3of ‘Setting learning analytics in context’), make notes on how the visions that underpinned these impacted on the implementation of learning analytics.

   You may find that the vision is not clearly defined. If this is the case, state it as clearly as you can, based on the information that you have.

   In the list above, the options from Ferguson et al. (2015) are already aligned with the ROMA framework. The options from Colvin et al. (2015) are not single examples but clusters of examples. Looking at these examples may help you to become aware of elements that are not clearly represented in the ROMA framework.

In the discussion forum, or in OU Live, compare your findings with those of people who have selected different examples. Which vision aligns best with your view of how learning analytics should be used?


Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK25 Activity 22: Developing a vision of learning analytics

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Tuesday, 26 Jul 2016, 03:44
Activity 22: Developing a vision of learning analytics Timing: 1 hour • Return to read Table 4 of the paper below. This identifies goals of learning analytics in general and also from the perspectives of learners and educators. • Dyckhoff et al. (2013), Supporting action research with learning analytics. • Goals and visions are not the same thing, and some of these goals are too mundane or too succinct to be inspiring. In a blog post, or in your learning journal, combine or develop some of these goals to construct a vision of what learning analytics could be at your institution or at one you know well. Aim for a vision statement that is no longer than two sentences. • Once you have constructed a vision, note whether it seems to be a learner’s vision, an educator’s vision, a manager’s vision or a combination of these. How would it need to change, if at all, to inspire other stakeholder groups? My vision for learning analytics and their value to my institution would be as follows for: Educators to: • draw conclusions about usefulness of certain learning materials and success factors • become aware / reflect / self-reflect and students to: • reflect / self-reflect • improve discussion participation / learning behavior / performance
Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK23 Activity 14: Visualising social networks

Visible to anyone in the world
Activity 14: Visualising social networks Timing: 4 hours Part 1 • Read this short paper that provides an introduction to social network visualisations and to the SNAPP tool: Bakharia et al. (2009), Social networks adapting pedagogical practice: SNAPP. • In your learning journal, or blog, make a note of the things that can be revealed by a network diagram of students’ discussions. The authors identify six – you may be able to think of more. • Use these as headings and, under each one, note how this information could be used to support learning and/or teaching in a group. • Also note any potential problems, and how these might be addressed. Part 2 • Now read: Dawson et al. (2010), SNAPP: Realising the affordances of real-time SNA within networked learning environments. The figures in this paper show some typical visualisations of forum discussions. The paper discusses what these reveal about the discussions. • Try creating your own social network diagram. Take a recent thread in the tutor group forum, which includes six or more postings, and sketch it as a network diagram. Note who appears to be central to the discussion. • Now take another discussion thread and add it to the same diagram. Drawing by hand, you probably won’t be able to include any further threads in your diagram, unless they are very short. • Reflect on what is represented in this diagram and on what is missing. 1 Does the diagram change your understanding of the tutor group and of your role within it? 2 Could you use this diagram to make recommendations that might improve learning in the forum or would you need more information? 3 In what ways is the diagram misleading? • Share your conclusions in the forum. If possible, add a scan or a photograph of your network diagram. Discuss situations in your local educational environment, or in one you know well, in which a social network diagram might be used to improve learning and/or teaching.
Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK21 Activity 3: Use of educational data

Visible to anyone in the world

Activity 3: Use of educational data

Timing: 2 hours

Part 1

   Begin by looking around the H817 Moodle environment. Note where it is personalised, displaying information that only applies to you or to people in your tutor group. Explore the different tabs and links, looking for information that has been collected about you during your time at the University.

   Look back across the module and note occasions when you have accessed sites that may store data about you.

   Share your findings in the discussion forum, building up a jointly created list of the ways in which data relating to your activity are used on the module site and beyond.

   In Week 24 you will consider ethical practices related to data collection and learning analytics. At this stage, note in your learning journal or blog whether you personally object to any of this data being collected or used, and why you feel this is acceptable or unacceptable.

Part 2

   Reflect on your current teaching environment or on a teaching environment that you know well. How are student data used in this case?

   Record the data use under four headings:

                     Used to benefit learner(s)

                     Used to benefit educator(s)

                     Used to benefit administrators or managers

                     Other

Part 3

   Identify some of the educational challenges in the environment that you are considering. They may include those identified earlier.

   Formulate two or three recommendations that set out how data gathered in this environment could be used better to support learners or educators.

OR

   Set out two or three recommendations for ways in which other institutions could benefit from good practice in the environment that you are considering.

If the challenges and recommendations you have identified are not private to your institution, or business sensitive, share them in the discussion forum. Read the recommendations that other learners share, and identify issues that arise in many contexts that could be reduced or resolved by the use of learning analytics.




Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK21 Activity 2: Investigating big data

Visible to anyone in the world
Activity 2: Investigating big data Timing: 2 hours • As a starting point for your investigation into the use of big datasets outside education, read at least two of the online stories listed below: Duhigg, (2012), How companies learn your secrets Netflix (2009), The Netflix prize rules Mangalindan (2012), Amazon’s recommendation secret. • Now extend your reading by searching for “big data” (if you use Google, double inverted commas will show that you are looking for the phrase and not two separate words) and the name of a large company that you use regularly, such as Google, Facebook or Starbucks. • For whichever you choose, note as many reasons as you can for the use of big data. Also note who benefits from its use in each case and what the benefits are. • Write a blog post, or an entry in your learning journal, about your positive and negative reactions to the use of your data in these ways. Post your reactions, or a link to your blog post, in the discussion forum and read other people’s reactions.


I found an article from the "Washington Post" related to education and standardised tests and PISA (https://www.oecd.org/pisa/)

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/09/big-data-was-supposed-to-fix-education-it-didnt-its-time-for-small-data/

 

It was interesting as relates in kind to the "Hattie" research and some of the more important influences often not included in "big data" collection such as " These data sets, however, often don’t spark insight about teaching and learning in classrooms; they are based on analytics and statistics, not on emotions and relationships that drive learning in schools. 

 

Regards


AJ


Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK21 Activity 1: Defining learning analytics

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Tuesday, 12 Jul 2016, 07:28

In your learning journal or blog – or with others in OU Live – reflect on the differences and similarities between the definitions. Which, if any, elements remain constant?





Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK 12 ACTIVITY 23 REVIEW OF WEB LITERACIES

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Friday, 29 Apr 2016, 01:18

The Mozilla Foundation has created a ‘web literacy map’, which breaks literacies into three main areas:

 

1  building

 

2  connecting

 

3  exploring.

 

It defines web literacies as ‘the skills and competencies needed for reading, writing and participating on the web’. These therefore have considerable overlap with the types of skill open learners might need to develop.

 

•   Look at the web literacy map and consider your own skills and competencies under each of the headings they provide.

 

•   Was this a useful exercise? Did you feel that the literacies listed matched what you need to do in your study or work?

EXPLORING

Navigation

Using software tools to browse the Web

  • Accessing the web using the common features of a browser ü
  • Using hyperlinks to access a range of resources on the web ü
  • Reading, evaluating, and manipulating URLs x
  • Recognizing the common visual cues in web services ü
  • Exploring browser add-ons and extensions to provide additional functionality x

 

Web Mechanics

Understanding the web ecosystem and Internet stack

  • Using and understanding the differences between URLs, IP addresses and search terms x
  • Identifying where data is in the network of devices that makes up the Internet x
  • Exporting, moving, and backing up data from web services ü
  • Explaining the role algorithms play in creating and managing content on the web x
  • Creating or modifying an algorithm to serve content from around the web x

 

Search

Locating information, people and resources via the web

  • Developing questions to aid a search ü
  • Using and revising keywords to make web searches more efficient ü
  • Evaluating search results to determine if the information is relevant ü
  • Finding real-time or time-sensitive information using a range of search techniques ü
  • Discovering information and resources by asking people within social networks ü

 

Credibility

Critically evaluating information found on the web

  • Comparing and contrasting information from a number of sources ü
  • Making judgments based on technical and design characteristics ü
  • Discriminating between ‘original’ and derivative web content ü
  • Identifying and investigating the author or publisher of web resources ü
  • Evaluating how purpose and perspectives shape web resources ü

 

Security

Keeping systems, identities, and content safe

  • Recommending how to avoid online scams and 'phishing’ ü
  • Managing and maintaining account security ü
  • Encrypting data and communications using software and add-ons x
  • Changing the default behaviour of websites, add-ons and extensions to make web browsing more secure x

 

BUILDING

Composing for the Web

Creating and curating content for the Web

  • Inserting hyperlinks into a web page ü
  • Identifying and using HTML tags x
  • Embedding multimedia content into a web page x
  • Creating web resources in ways appropriate to the medium/genre x
  • Setting up and controlling a space to publish on the Web ü

 

Remixing

Modifying existing Web resources to create something new

  • Identifying remixable content ü
  • Combining multimedia resources to create something new on the web x
  • Shifting context and meaning by creating derivative content x
  • Citing and referencing original content ü

 

Designing for the Web

Enhancing visual aesthetics and user experiences

  • Using CSS properties to change the style and layout of a Web page x
  • Demonstrating the difference between inline, embedded and external CSS x
  • Improving user experiences through feedback and iteration x
  • Creating device-agnostic web resources x

 

Coding/scripting

Creating interactive experiences on the web

  • Reading and explaining the structure of code x
  • Identifying and applying common coding patterns and concepts x
  • Adding comments to code for clarification and attribution x
  • Applying a script framework x
  • Querying a web service using an API x

 

Accessibility

Communicating in a universally-recognisable way

  • Using empathy and awareness to inform the design of web content that is accessible to all users x
  • Designing for different cultures which may have different interpretations of design elements x
  • Comparing and exploring how different interfaces impact diverse users x
  • Improving the accessibility of a web page through the design of its color scheme, structure/hierarchy and markup x
  • Comparing and contrasting how different interfaces impact diverse web users x

 

CONNECTING

Sharing

Providing access to web resources

  • Creating and using a system to distribute web resources to others x
  • Contributing and finding content for the benefit of others ü
  • Creating, curating, and circulating web resources to elicit peer feedback ü
  • Understanding the needs of audiences in order to make relevant contributions to a community ü
  • Identifying when it is safe to contribute content in a variety of situations on the web x

 

Collaborating

Creating web resources with others

  • Choosing a Web tool to use for a particular contribution/ collaboration x
  • Co-creating Web resources x
  • Configuring notifications to keep up-to-date with community spaces and interactions x
  • Working towards a shared goal using synchronous and asynchronous tools x
  • Developing and communicating a set of shared expectations and outcomes ü

 

Community participation

Getting involved in Web communities and understanding their practices

  • Engaging in web communities at varying levels of activity ü
  • Respecting community norms when expressing opinions in web discussions ü
  • Making sense of different terminology used within online communities ü
  • Participating in both synchronous and asynchronous discussions ü

 

Privacy

Examining the consequences of sharing data online

  • Debating privacy as a value and right in a networked world ü
  • Explaining ways in which unsolicited third parties can track users across the web x
  • Controlling (meta)data shared with online services x
  • Identifying rights retained and removed through user agreements x
  • Managing and shaping online identities x

 

Open practices

Helping to keep the Web democratic and universally accessible

  • Distinguishing between open and closed licensing x
  • Making web resources available under an open license x
  • Contributing to an Open Source project x
  • Advocating for an open web ü



Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK 12 Activity 22 AN OPEN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Thursday, 28 Apr 2016, 09:27

Write a short blog post suggesting one additional technology that is important for open education, either from the role of a learner or a provider. The technology can be one that has been significant, or one that you feel is going to become increasingly relevant. What you include as a technology can be quite broad: for instance, it can be a general category (such as social networks), a specific service or a particular standard.

In your post briefly explain what the technology is, and then why you think it is important for open education. The emphasis should be on open education in particular, and not just education in general.

A technology that I feel is vital to the success of a school or at least one that takes a school to new heights in academic achievement for its students is a school/community wide planning and resource tool such as moodle (https://moodle.org/). This is an open source learning platform than supports planning and is accessible by students, teachers, parents and obviously management. It can be used to record students work, develop and run online classes, provide a central hub for links to OERs, and instigate flipped classroom activities, formative and summative assessment tasks and chatrooms.

This system allows for transparency of planning and evaluation methods as well as assessment results, reporting is qualitative and quantitative and is visible at all times, if required. It is specially useful for student tracking by parents and staff for low achieving students. Using this system as a central hub learners can be guided in their learning within the "open education" world and hopefully avoid some of the pitfalls that many make and thus create a quality PLN.


Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK 12 ACTIVITY 21 THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG!

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Tuesday, 26 Apr 2016, 08:12

Activity 21: The chicken and egg conundrum – technology and pedagogy inter-relate

Timing: 3 hours

1  Use the forum to discuss the relationship between technology and pedagogic theory and practice, drawing on your own context and experience.

What is your own experience and view?

I live and teach in China currently at an IB World School, my experience of technology within teaching extends to the use of "Smartboards" in the classroom and students access to it outside of the classroom, usually at home rather than at school 

Do you regard either pedagogy or technology as more significant than the other?

Technology supports pedagogy especially as it has to cater towards the available technology within the users school environment and the available tech. However in the age of the "app" technology has evolved to such an extent that applications are created to develop pedagogy in areas possibly not previously thought of

How do technology and pedagogy influence each other?

Having just returned from a workshop with EARCOS entitled "Transforming your classroom" we discussed and presented a large number of technological aids to pedagogy. However we had to always keep in mind "How does it help the learner?" student centred learning (SCL) should be our focus when implementing technology within the learning environment at all times

Do you have experience where either technology or pedagogy has been given more weight than the other?

In this area my experience probably extends to that of the TOEFL online test where the assessment is, in my opinion done in an unnatural environment and is not conducive to the students passing the exam. Other times where technology has been used but is inappropriate is a school I know of where all textbooks are online and students use tablets to access and annotate,  this particular school does not have reliable internet access as such problems with pedagogy occur very regularly

 

 



 


Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK 11 ACTIVITY 19 IMPLEMENTING CONNECTIVISM

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Tuesday, 26 Apr 2016, 08:13

In this activity you will be devising a course that takes a strong connectivism approach, based on some key principles devised by Siemens:

   Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.

The diversity of options does allow for students to access a wide database but this is when they need to learn how to discern and absorb the information and new knowledge that is pertinent to themselves and of value to their future learning 

   Learning is a process of connecting specialised nodes or information sources.

As a teacher at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school students are encouraged to make these connections in all areas of their learning and to analyse how they learn and what is learning 

   Learning may reside in non-human appliances.

Technology is integral to learning obviously but can be manipulated at times by a students location and their access to networks or even basics like electricity 

   Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known.

I would say capacity to develop and build upon ones current knowledge via the accumulation of new knowledge that deepens learning and understanding of oneself is critical

   Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.

Of course developing a network of learning that includes many aspects (see my PLEN)is vital to lifelong learning and dvelopment

   Ability to see connections between fields, ideas and concepts is a core skill.

We are influenced every day by a multitude of devices, the ability to digest and assimilate meaning from  them is vital to learning about how we learn

   Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.

Learning and knowledge are developing on a daily basis, new ideas, trends paradigms and debates as to the nature of what we know. Obviously maintaining an up to date understanding of these issues is vital to our own continuing development

   Decision making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.

Agree we develop our understanding of what we know with further pedagogy, I am a much better teacher now that I was when I started teaching many years ago


   Take the description of the short course on digital skills that you developed in Week 8 and recast it, so that it adopts a highly connectivist approach. Or, if you prefer, you could take this ‘Open education’ block as an example and recast it in a more connectivist model, or another course you have familiarity with. You should take each of the principles set out above and state how they are realised in your course, either as a general principle or by giving an example activity.

   Blog your course outline, along with how the principles are realised.

Ooops didn't do this, but looking at the issue now I think I would choose a course that would initiate students and teachers at my school with how to use "Managebac" http://managebac.com/ 

   Read and comment on some of the courses suggested by other learners. You might like to consider:

                        whether you found connectivism useful

                        whether connectivism was in conflict with the traditional concept of a course

what it would be like to study or teach a course based around connectivism.

Connectivism is essential to learning a subject laterally and developing and extending knowledge through connections and improving the ways in which we learn, its is essential to the learning process and is stimulating to the learner


I have attached a mindmap that I think connects in some way to connectivism which might be of interest


Regards



Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Katherine Anderton, Monday, 25 Apr 2016, 09:46)
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK 11 ACTIVITY 17 THE ROLE OF ABUNDANCE

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Wednesday, 20 Apr 2016, 06:07

Read Weller (2011), A pedagogy of abundance. In the conclusion two questions are posed: ‘The issue for educators is twofold I would suggest: firstly how can they best take advantage of abundance in their own teaching practice, and secondly how do we best equip learners to make use of it?’

Post a comment in the forum to contribute an answer to one of these questions, drawing on your own context and experience. For example, you might suggest that we could best equip learners to make use of abundant content by developing their critical analysis skills.


I find the term "pedagogy of abundance" to in my opinion fall into the trap of educational over complication of terms, as such am a little confused as to its meaning. I consider that it means we have an almost unlimited number of resources to choose from when wishing to study a subject.

As such I would approach the "pedagogy of abundance" with caution ensuring that the resources I wish to use have been validated by an authority that has the power to do so i.e. a reputable university etc.

I would then look for valid research that supports any theories espoused within the data on offer and how it can be applied to my classroom via my role as a facilitator to my learners.

Then I would look to connect with other teachers who have implemented the techniques discussed and discuss the learning outcomes achieved and the reflections they made on what areas might be improved and developed when using said methodologies. This connection might take a number of different forms, online probably being the most prevalent.

However I believe face to face discussions with colleagues and peers to be most useful as they offer open ended and multiple paths for discussions to develop, resources to be exchanged and agreements made. This coming weekend I am attending a weekend workshop titled "Transforming your Classroom" which should consist of approximately 50 educators from around Asia. 

I will find this extremely useful in augmenting my learning and understanding of my own pedagogy and help me make connections and share resources with like minded teachers. The course, transport and accommodation have a cost as such participants are self-filtered and only those who are truly committed to developing their learning will attend. This is a valid position in a world where anyone can access the "pedagogy of abundance" and offer their opinions on it. 


Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK 10 ACTIVITY 16 MY PLEN

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Friday, 15 Apr 2016, 03:56

Create a visual representation of the tools, resources and people in your PLN. Post this on your blog. Scott Leslie has a collection of PLE diagrams (they tend to focus on tools so do not include people and resources), which you may find useful.



Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK10 ACTIVITY14 COMPARING MOOCs

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Thursday, 14 Apr 2016, 07:30
Write a blog post comparing the courses with regards to: technology pedagogy general approach and philosophy.


DS106

Technology

Its a website set up by the University of Mary Washington and is open to anyone with access to the internet

Pedagogy

This system strangely I think requires the user to set up a fake identity (a little uncomfortable for me) then create stories and presentations that are openly shared and copied by other users. The course objectives are:

Develop skills in using technology as a tool for networking, sharing, narrating, and creative self-expression

Frame a digital identity wherein you become both a practitioner in and interrogator of various new modes of networking

Critically examine the digital landscape of communication technologies as emergent narrative forms and genres

Which for me boils down to gaining skills in using e-learning tools !

Philosophy

It's informal as students can do what they want when they want on the website, which is a demotivating factor for me, it has many different activities for students to learn from via others students uploading links to their own remote based blogs

Coursera

Technology

The system host many courses that start at different times during the year, the courses are free but if one wants a certificate then there is a charge, It's very easy to sign up, immediate access is given, there are course fees

Pedagogy

They offer a sociable learning environment and the seems to be based on what one might consider a typical online course structure, time limited (for some courses), tutor supported , peer review and reflection. The courses as supported by various universities who I presume then provide a certificate validated by them?

Philosophy

This supports and encourages collaborative learning and support from all participants which encourages students to complete the courses

Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK10 ACTIVITY 12 MOOCs

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Wednesday, 13 Apr 2016, 07:05

I think that the most telling data in the article "MOOCs: A Systematic Study of the Published Literature 2008-2012" is that less than 10% complete the courses.


Any educational programme I believe needs to be tutor lead and driven as with our OU programme, without this and if the student only alas recourse for support in the web then they may feel under supported and hence give up.  Also the shortfall in the amount of "
published research on MOOC facilitators’ experience and practices leaves a significant gap in the literature. Mak, et al. (2010)"


A further point to the participation of a tutor is to moderate student behaviour. I had not previously considered bullying etc as an issue in online learning but following reading of the article and  reference to the "cultural tensions" that cause participants to withdraw from actively posting in the forums. If the courses are free and hence there is no tutor then how can such behaviour be reduced or removed, if the course if free then the participants have no financial incentive to moderate their behaviour so as to remain a participant!


The study is also limited by the inclusion of only those courses offered in English and then further on refers to the fact that European and North American are overwhelmingly the main participants and then states "
This is hardly surprising due to the possible barriers of access to online learning that can be presumed in those parts of the world, both technological and linguistic". I live and work in China where access to the internet is severely curtailed by government so we need to add political reasons to this list also.



I have suffered from limited access to OER course at the Open University, where prior to enrolling on this module was informed I was only able to complete certain courses online that are authorised in my country of residence! Why is this? It’s an online course surely the country you access it from has no bearing at all!

 


 

 

Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Robin Taylor, Tuesday, 26 Apr 2016, 11:59)
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK7 ACT1 SET UP TECHNOLOGY

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Thursday, 24 Mar 2016, 00:02

My experience of online open education has consisted of the following


The Open University (this unit and E891)

The International Baccalaureate online workshops (www.ibo.org)

Cambridge English Teacher online professional development (http://www.cambridgeenglishteacher.org/)


I have found them all to be a little different, my current OU module is much more collaborative than my previous one and is much more directed by our tutor (which I like)


The IBO has quite specific deadlines as it is only 6 weeks in length sometimes shorter and has short targetted tasks, which must be completed in order to pass the course


The Cambridge course is relatively open ended as can be completed within one year, it is still graded via online tests so in my opinion valid and I receive a certificate from it also


I dislike courses that are vague, non-directed by tutors, relatively open ended and free as I feel they are then invalid in the eyes of many institutions and do not contribute towards accredited professional development


Permalink 3 comments (latest comment by Katherine Anderton, Sunday, 27 Mar 2016, 13:08)
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK ACTIVITY 13 SIGNIFICANT NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Thursday, 24 Mar 2016, 00:02

Hi

Here are my thoughts

Technology

How long used for educational purposes

by my organisation

by me

Social media

 Not used

 10 years

Learning analytics

 Not used

 1 year

Flipped classroom

 Not used

 1 year

Online learning

 Not used

5 years

Data-driven assessment

 3 years (summative testing)

 10 years

Games and gamification

 Not used

Not used

My school is a new IB school(www.jrbgy.net), only the third year of opening and development of elearning methods is minimal except for the use of an IT room when booked by teachers as a resource 


The three areas I would like to develop further are learning analytics, the flipped classroom and games and gamification (I have uploaded and article on this and a link to an EdTed is here http://ed.ted.com/on/uk36wtoI 

I have begun using learning analytics in the form of Socrative which is really easy to use and provides many form of results analysis which acts as a formative assessment for my curriculum, it would be nice if it became a subject wide method teachers shared and uploaded tests they produce, but am not holding my breath as the Chinese teachers I work with already have very long days. Teachers in China at a boarding school like mine work 7.30-11.40am, 2-5pm and 7-9.30pm 5 days a week, Sunday evening to Friday afternoon.

I have done some flipped classroom tutorials and believe they are a great learning support resource that can be viewed many times, but currently no platform is set up for their usage at present, but believe one might be set up (this might be a potential assignment ?)


Games and gamification following some brief research seems under researched at present with its uses being related to cognitive, emotional and social uses although am unsure how to apply it in this form to education.


Some of the other topics in the article seem a bit spurious, such as "wearable technology" not sure what use this might be! BYOD I guess this is the way forward as far as lower costs is concerned but how to control the environment and internet access within the learning environment to ensure students are on task ?

One final point on Rewarding Teaching "teaching is often rated lower than research in academia." Really? I have never thought this, your thoughts?

Regards

AJ



Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK4 TECH QUESTION

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Thursday, 24 Mar 2016, 00:03

This is a good debate and will go on further I am sure, but just to really simplify your thoughts for a moment: 

  • try thinking of a technology introduced into your organisation recently and decide if it was innovative for your organisation; 
  • ask yourselves whether your organisation is using a existing technology in a new way to that organisation;
  • is anywhere else already doing this and how are they getting on.

Victoria


Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK4 THANKS ESBEN THIS IS USEFUL

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Thursday, 24 Mar 2016, 00:03
At https://thegentleartofsmartstealing.wordpress.com/types-of-innovation/ there where 15 kinds of innovation I picked those out I thought had most relevance to the above. 1. Incremental innovation Incremental innovation seeks to improve the systems that already exist, making them better, faster cheaper 2. Process innovation Process innovation means the implementation of a new or significantly improved production or delivery method 3. Radical innovation Radical innovations (sometime referred to as breakthrough, discontinuous or disruptive innovations) provide something new to the world that we live in by uprooting industry conventions and by significantly changing customer expectations in a positive way. Ultimately, they often end up replacing existing methods / technologies 4. Disruptive innovation A disruptive innovation is an innovation that helps create a new market and value network, and eventually goes on to disrupt an existing market and value network (over a few years or decades), displacing an earlier technology.
Permalink Add your comment
Share post
Steve Alexander-Jones

WK2

Visible to anyone in the world
Edited by Steve Alexander-Jones, Thursday, 24 Mar 2016, 00:05

Hi Katherine

I agree about technology for technologies sake and also don't students should use PC/Tablets in the classroom. As with all other aspects of teaching methodologies there has to be justification and assessment of learning outcomes. I would definitely wish to attend a training program, it's a shame that your teachers do not feel inclined to do so.

Innovation I believe is not window dressing but a key to developing better teaching skills, but once again justification and proof of results are vital

AJ



Permalink Add your comment
Share post

This blog might contain posts that are only visible to logged-in users, or where only logged-in users can comment. If you have an account on the system, please log in for full access.

Total visits to this blog: 1226