1. Contextualising TEL Practice
Keith Smyth @smythkrs
Edinburgh Napier University
UWS Learning and Teaching Conference
20th
June 2013

2. Some framing propositions
1. While more educators are engaging in TEL within their
practice, there are still many who lack confidence, are not
sure where to start, and are not sure what might work for
their subject and students. Those who are doing good work
don’t necessarily recognise this - or get recognised!
2. Experienced lecturers and staff developers understand
what good classroom practice in learning, teaching and
assessment looks and feels like, and have ownership of it.
‘One size fits all’ TEL strategies often impose too narrow a
view of technology-enhanced education that limits
ownership and agency, and constrains good practice.

3. 3. The use of technology in learning and teaching is
essentially about providing additional and new spaces
within which learners can engage with their subject, us,
each other, and wider communities. The institutional VLE
is only one of these places, and while it can be used
creatively we curtail creativity in learning and teaching if
the VLE becomes the ‘lens’ through which we view TEL
4. Only some staff will self-select to sign-up for staff
development workshops and events in TEL, and we need
to think carefully about the strategies and opportunities
that will allow us to engage a greater range of colleagues

4. “…a minimum presence to be established for every module,
and that this be input by either the module leader or a
school administrator using central information and
information provided by the module leader.”
2004 Minimum Presence for WebCT

5. • Originally developed as the 3E Approach on the cross-
institutional FE-HE technology and transformation project
TESEP (Transforming and Enhancing the Student
Experience through Pedagogy)
• Used in the redesign of a range of modules and courses at
various credit levels in FE and HE and across disciplines
http://www2.napier.ac.uk/transform/transformation_pc.htm
• Embedded in departmental LTA plans, in
staff CPD provision (e.g. HN units), and as curriculum
model for Edinburgh Napier’s
MSc Blended and Online Education
Background to 3E Framework

7. Enhance: learners collectively create content
for timely engagement with key concepts

8. Questions forums for group and peer support

9. Extend: Student-led online seminars

10. Wikis for authoring group reports

11. Empower: Joining professional communities
In this example a cohort on the last module of a Pg Cert have
collaborated on a ‘directory’ of online professional communities
to support their continued development beyond graduation

12. Learning across course communities
International Nursing module using a wiki to support an internationalised
learning experience (courtesy Karen Strickland from Edinburgh Napier)

14. Key implementation activities
• Alignment with move to new institutional VLE (Moodle)
and related staff support (e.g. Meet Moodle online course)
• Embedding within Professional Development events, and
as theme for 2012 staff conference and LTA Awards
• Initial focus of the new Teaching Fellows Special Interest
Group in Technology-Enhanced Learning (SIG-TEL), and
of the work to be undertaken by staff being sponsored to
complete our Pg Cert Blended and Online Education
• Dissemination via institutional LTA Resource Bank

16. So how are staff responding?
While still at a relatively early stage, to date we’ve seen:
• In excess of 80 module mappings submitted for potential
inclusion in the 3E Framework, and 30 LTA case studies
• Pg Cert coursework and staff workshop presentations
discussing local embedding of the 3E Framework, and
recent 3E themed staff conference was largest ever
• Teaching Fellowship applications coming forward that
discuss applicant’s engagement with the 3E Framework,
and proposing how they will help embed the Framework
• Presentations at Faculty and School meetings and fora

17. 3E Framework beyond Edinburgh Napier

21. Where to from here?
• Explore further opportunities to use the 3E Framework as a
means to recognise and celebrate existing good practice,
and help shape future good practice
• Evaluate adoption and impact internally
• Finds ways to learn from other institutions tackling similar
challenges, and sharing our approaches to using the
framework (a cross-institutional evaluation is planned)
• To further develop the 3E Framework resources to
incorporate examples and guidance around embedding
and evaluating institutional TEL initiatives

22. Thank you
Keith Smyth k.smyth@napier.ac.uk
Skype and Twitter @smythkrs