Online Distance Learning Programmes Workshop

Faculty of Arts and the Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied (IDEA) Centre

24th April 2013

©University of Leeds 2013. This Presentation by Dr Megan Kime is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Online Distance Learning in IDEA

• MA Applied and Professional Ethics (since 2010)

• MA Biomedical and Health Care Ethics (proposed for 2014)

• Online Professional Skills Course for the Actuarial Profession (ethics CPD)

Why online?Target audience:

international, professional, studying

part-time

Key Questions

1. What should the programme look like?

2. What are the constraints from (a) the learner’s and (b) the provider’s point of view?

3. What tools should we use for:a. Content?b. Interaction?c. Independent learning?d. Assessment?e. Student support?

4. What have we learned?

5. Where do we go next?

1. WHAT SHOULD THE PROGRAMME LOOK LIKE?

Programme Design

• Modelled on existing F2F programmes, and our experience of teaching applied ethics to professionals:– ‘What we know’ – future developments may be different... – Case study-based, opportunities to relate to real-life

practice, informed by practitioner knowledge.

• Designed to keep important aspects of academic philosophy masters degree:– Independent reading of academic texts– Academic writing– Class discussion

Modelling on F2F Delivery

What did we want to achieve?

Replacement of: – Lectures (delivery of information and signposting of key

concepts, theories, and map of terrain).

– Seminars (moderated group discussion, developing critical thinking, argumentation and reasoning skills, problem-solving).

– Private study time (reading and note making, independent research skills, deepening of knowledge).

– One-to-one interaction with tutors (problem-solving, guidance).

Where to host?

Blackboard VLE:– Single user log-in– Secure– Restricted access– Variety of learning tools– Reporting functionality– Staff familiarity– Central support

There are other options...

2. WHAT ARE THE CONSTRAINING FACTORS?

Constraining Factors - Learner

• Technical– Computer literacy– Bandwidth– Hardware/software requirements

• Access requirements (visual/hearing impairments, dyslexia and associated)

• Learning styles (prefer reading, listening, watching...)

• Preferred mode of study (at home, work, on the train...)

• Flexibility (to fit with competing demands)

• Specific challenges for distance learners...

Challenges for Distance Learners

• Lack of human contact:– Less opportunity for ad hoc contact with tutors (e.g. before/after

lectures).– No face-to-face contact with tutors or other students.– Less opportunity to socialise with other students – harder to form

learning community.

• Motivation: – Easier to lose touch.– Lack of social pressure to stay engaged.– Less opportunity for informal, formative feedback from tutors (and

peers).

• Lack of engagement with wider University:– Hard to access student support services etc.

Constraining Factors - Provider

• What is available/supported?

• Resource implications:– Development cost and time– Hardware/software costs– Training implications– Ongoing support costs

• Computer literacy of teaching staff

• Pedagogic factors

3. WHAT TOOLS SHOULD WE USE?

(a) Delivery of Content

Tools for delivery of content vary in terms of: – Time, cost, and technical expertise required to develop and maintain– Interactivity/richness of content– Accessibility, bandwidth requirements etc. – Availability within VLE

Post existing lecture slides on VLE

Produce bespoke high definition video

content

Happy medium?

Our solution...

HTML documents: – Mainly text– Clear and easy-to-read – Allows some interactivity– Reasonably easy to update– Can be printed out and read offline– Include links to exercises and readings– Display well with VLE and on range of devices ©University of Leeds 2013

Author: James DempseyExcluded from CC-BY-NC-SA licence

(b) Interaction

Tools for group interaction vary in terms of:– Synchronicity– Facilitation– Accessibility– Availability within VLE– Technical requirements– Richness of interaction (video, audio, text...)– Bandwidth requirements

Regular facilitated asynchronous discussion exercises using group discussion forum tool within VLE.– Provide a stimulus: discussion question, case study etc.

– Provide clear expectation of contribution: time, length, style etc.

– Discussions scheduled over period of a few days.

– Tutor input: • moderate if needed

• stimulate further comment

• provide clarification and aid understanding

– Other tools (blogs and wikis) also used occasionally...

Our solution...

(c) Independent Learning

• Would usually expect students to do assigned reading and be responsible for note-taking and preparation for seminars.

• Personal Learning Blogs:– Private (only visible to individual student and tutors) – Non-assessed (except completion of exercises)– Benefits:

• Monitoring of progress• Option for feedback• Student record of learning – preparation for essay writing• Incentive to complete individual exercises

(d) Assessment and Feedback

• Continuous assessment element in each module (10-20%).

• Monitoring of performance via completion of exercises and contributions to group activities (can utilise Blackboard tracking tools for larger groups).

• All coursework, no exams.

• Pre-submission feedback available.

• All feedback provided electronically using Turnitin Grademark

(e) Student Support

• Personal tutor sessions conducted via Skype or telephone.

• Encourage informal feedback throughout course and aim to be flexible in response to suggestions.

• Staff available during office hours via Skype or telephone.

• Act as guides through University central services and support structure.

• Lots of support required, from enquiry onwards...

5. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

5. Lessons Learned

• Expect technical hitches and be prepared to be flexible. • Listen to students - ask for regular feedback - they will come

up with ideas that you might not think of! • Keep it simple - concentrate on ease of use and quality of

content. • Think about navigation - how will students find the content? • Repeat instructions!• Importance of expectation setting. • Importance of community building – ‘the VLE is the campus’

6. WHERE DO WE GO NEXT?

6. Development

• Richer mediums of delivery: use of screen capture software and audio-visual techniques to deliver richer content

• Synchronous sessions, using webinar software (Adobe connect etc.)

• Focus on improving:– Induction process– Student engagement with wider University

• Standalone modules / mini-MOOCs as taster/intro courses

University of Leeds Online Distance Learning (ODL) Network

For anyone involved in, or thinking or being involved in, the development, delivery and support of distance learning

modules or programmes...

Email: m.kime@leeds.ac.uk

©University of Leeds 2013. This Presentation by Dr Megan Kime is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.