a model for supporting teaching, learning and

A Model for Supporting Teaching, Learning and Institutional Change:

The Experience of BDRA

Palitha Edirisingha, Simon Kear and Jaideep Mukherjee

European Foundation for Quality in e-Learning UNIQUe Award

Learning Technologist of the Year 2009: Team Award

Beyond Distance RESEARCH ALLIANCE

www.le.ac.uk/mediazoo Session code: F2

Learning outcomes

• Gain an understanding of the who, what, how and why of Beyond Distance Research Alliance (BDRA) and the Media Zoos

• Appreciate the challenges of setting up a partially self-funded R&I unit

• Gain an overview of BDRA’s research

• Consider strategies for embedding learning technology in teaching and learning

• Learn a variety of dissemination strategies and channels

• Consider potential applications at UNISA

Unisa, September 2011 2

Workshop Outline

1. Welcome and introductions

2. BDRA principles

3. SWOT analysis and group feedback

4. Setting up the BDRA: funding and management

Coffee / tea break

5. Research and research-to-practice models

6. Technology and pedagogy (15 mins, Simon)

7. Conclusions and further plans


The Workshop Team

• Palitha Edirisingha: Lecturer in E-learning

• Simon Kear: Keeper of the Media Zoo

• Jaideep Mukherjee: Projects Manager


BDRA principles

• Research to practice

• Innovation to mainstream

• Design once, deliver often

• Low-cost, high-value learning technologies

• Design for learning, e-moderate for participation


Research to practice


The Media Zoo


Areas of the Zoo


Technologies & Pedagogies

Mark

ets

& M

issio

ns

Existing

Exis

ting

New

New

Exis

ting

New

New

Existing

PETS’ CORNER

VLE, E-Library for increased student number, flexibility,

blend, access, quality & efficiency

BREEDING AREA

Mobile & wireless learning for any time, any place combinations & blends

SAFARI PARK

Countries, objectives, levels of education & new markets

not previously addressed

EXOTICS HOUSE

Scan environment, research to explore emerging

technologies & applications for innovation

SWOT analysis


STEEP factors

STEEP factors

Your current practice in relation to the principles

Group feedback

• The most important item from the SWOT analysis in your group

• Discussion


Beyond Distance Research Alliance


The Alliance

“…brings together teachers and researchers, interested in the field of innovation in teaching

and learning, from any discipline or level of education.”


The Alliance

• Is a Research and Innovation Unit

• Generates evidence collaboratively – evidence colleagues can relate to – through funded projects

• Promotes and disseminates evidence-based, incremental change and embedding

• Shapes and informs policy and strategy


Setting up the BDRA: funding and management

• In 2005, a grant from the HE Funding Council for England funded 3 posts:

o 1 x Professor / Director,

o 1 x Lecturer, and

o 1 x Researcher

• In 2005-6, Central funding from the University plus generation of research income funded 3 more posts

o 1 x Learning Technologist (‘Media Zookeeper’) ,

o 1 x Administrator

o 1 x Part-time researcher


• In 2006-7, generation of further research income led to 4 more research-focussed posts:

– 1 x Learning Designer

– 1 x Researcher (Learning Design)

– 1 x Researcher (Podcasting)

– 1 x Learning Technologist



• During 2007-11 , clear funding streams emerged:

o Central funding – continued funding for 6 of the posts mentioned earlier

o Research income – funded between 6-7 researcher and / or learning technologist posts at a time

o Entrepreneurial income – between 1-2 specialist, part-time posts at a time

o Teaching income – recent and yet inadequate for staffing.



• In 2006: o hefce grant of £300,000 (Rand 3.5 M),

• Since 2006: o Annual central funding was between £200,000 – 375,000

(Rand 2.37M – 4.44M),

o Annual research income was £240,000 (Rand 2.84M),

o Annual entrepreneurial income was on average £30,000 (Rand 0.35M)

o Annual teaching income was on average £7,500 (Rand 0.086M)



What have the different funding streams

allowed us to do?

o Central funding: meet the University’s needs, implement our ‘research to practice’ approach, generate research and entrepreneurial income, run the Media Zoo;

o Research income: innovate, carry out new externally-funded research, publish & disseminate widely and generate entrepreneurial income;

o Entrepreneurial & teaching income: try out new research ideas (‘pump primer’ funding), support staff training & development, employ specialist staff and provide incentives for PhD students.



Questions and comments

Any relevance for UNISA?


Learning technology and research @ BDRA


Social media and digital technology landscape

Informal learning

A new 'educational ecology': OERs, 'folk teachers', unconventional content producers

Formal learning

Learners’ competence with media tools and digital devices

Relevance within the UK

context

Relevance for UNISA and South Africa?


New possibilities

through technology Learning on location

Guidance and support

Improve distance

learner experience

Listening to sound,

voice and learning

Learning activities

Podcasting to support student learning

Podcasting: IMPALA 1-4 Informal Mobile Podcasting And Learning Adaptation

Learning, teaching and student support activities

Lectures

Seminars,

workshops

Labwork

Fieldwork

Computer work

Presentations

Assessments

Exploiting

self-study

resources

Developing

collaborative

& active

learning skills

Helping

students’ e-

learning and

self study

skills

Addressing

issues of

distance

learners

‘Hot

knowledge’

to support

transition to

HE

Introducing

informal

content to

formal

curriculum

‘Contributing

students’,

research and

articulating

skills

Preparatory

Preparatory

Preparatory

Feedback

Listen again

Extensions

Preparatory

Instructions

Instructions

Instructions

Course

organisation

Mentoring

More resources

• www.impala.ac.uk

• http://www.atimod.com/podcasting/index.shtml

• www.startinguni.info


http://www.impala.ac.uk/

http://www.atimod.com/podcasting/index.shtml

http://www.atimod.com/podcasting/index.shtml

http://www.startinguni.info

MOOSE

MOdelling Of Secondlife Environments

Second Life

3-D multi user virtual environments in distance learning

Saami tent

Kalash village

DUCKLING


4 technologies to enhance curriculum delivery for distance learners

E-book readers

Podcasting

Voiceboards

Second Life

WoLF


PDAs to support work-based learning in Further Education

ELKS E-Learning and Knowledge Sharing Community


http://elkscommunity.wetpaint.com/

http://elkscommunity.wetpaint.com/

OTTER, OSTRICH and TIGER Open Educational Resources


http://www.le.ac.uk/oer

http://www.le.ac.uk/oer

PELICANS

Digital literacy and Participatory Learning Cultures


Theoretical

underpinnings

'Domestication' of technologies (Silverstone, 2006)

'Participatory culture' (Jenkins et al, 2006)

'Double life' of technologies (Noble,1984)

Personal 'online affinity spaces' for learning (Francis, 2010)

36


Any lessons for UNISA?


Technology and pedagogy: applying the research evidence

• Curriculum design and delivery

• Our own practice


The Media Zoos


Carpe Diem: designing together


Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/susanvg/

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/susanvg/

Invest two days of your time and get your course online


Carpe Diem addresses…

• ‘My use of e-learning is bad.’

• ‘Help me redesign this.’

• ‘The discussion forums are never used.’

• ‘What is a wiki?’

• ‘Can I run synchronous sessions? How?’

• ‘What is Web 2.0 and how can my learners benefit from it?’

• ‘Existing resources? What resources? Are they readily available? For free? Really?’


43

E-moderating development

Schools

corporate

Blend and campus

Across levels

Across disciplines

Unisa, September 2011

Other Zoo help

• Workshops

• Mobile Media Zoo

• Project outputs


Supporting PhD students

• 1 full-time on-site, 3 part-time at a distance

• Regular one-to-one tutorials through Skype

• Frequent research days on-site and through Adobe Connect


Supporting PhD students


Learning Futures Festival Online 2011

• Global, non-stop for 48 hours

• Adobe Connect 8, Second Life and Moodle

• 250-plus delegates

• CO2 saving of approx. 200,000 tonnes

• 27 countries

• 30-plus hours of recordings


Learning Futures Festival Online 2011



Any lessons for UNISA?


a model for supporting teaching, learning and

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