My presentation at the Leadership Seminar, organised by the HE Academy. York, 21 January 2014.

1. Inspirational Leaders seminar:
Open Online Learning
Direction and priorities
in Learning and Teaching
at Northampton
Prof Alejandro Armellini, University of Northampton
21 January 2014

2. Objective
To share key aspects of Northampton’s
change agenda in learning and teaching
since Sept 2012
2

3. Strategic priorities
¤ Delivering excellence and innovation in 21st Century
learning, teaching and assessment.
¤ Enabling transformational learning experiences through
inspirational teaching.
¤ Embracing and fostering inclusive open practices.
¤ Exceeding the needs and expectations of all students,
regardless of mode of study.
¤ Staff CPD and recognition for innovation and positive
change.

4. Principles in L&T
¤ Low cost, high value
¤ Sustainable: design once, deliver many times
¤ Forward-looking: alignment, assessment for
learning, rapid feedback
¤ Inclusive and innovative for learners and tutors
4

5. The L&T Plan
¤ Intellectual capital
¤ Student experience
¤ Enhancement and innovation in L&T
5

6. The L&T Plan
6

7. Online & blended provision of the highest quality

8. 2013
500
1000
Face-to-face
students
Dual-mode
students
2000
Online students
500
Students taught by
flying faculty
1500
10500
Work & practicebased students
Other

9. Implications for the future of
Northampton
Less physical space at the new campus
+ global competition for diverse and
demanding students
+ innovation
= critical need to change the way we
go about our business

10. 2020: a possible scenario for Northampton
1000
Face-to-face
students
500
500
6000
Dual-mode
students
Online students
6000
Students taught by
flying faculty
Work & practicebased students
6000
Other

11. CPD and accreditation for
positive change - C@N-DO

12. Sample problems…
¤ I want to teach online but don’t know where
to start
¤ Everyone uses the VLE so I want to explore it
¤ My limited skills (pedagogical, technical)
+ little time = poor learner experience
¤ I want a safe repository for my course
content
¤ We need a safe environment to host our
discussions
¤ My course is not interactive enough
12

13. Sample needs
How can I develop a course that meets students’ needs?
I want to be a better teacher
I need to develop my skills for online and distance learning – Help!
I need to improve student retention. How can I help my students?
Why waste time on writing feedback? Students don’t read it!
My teaching is in a rut – What new ideas could make it more exciting?
I need to get professional recognition as a HE Teacher – what do I do?
I would like to gain academic credit for this training – is this possible?

15. Online presence
¤ Presence on your VLE is not an add-on to
the course. It is the course.
(Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2001)
15

16. Designing together: CAIeRO
Creating Aligned Interactive educational Resource
Opportunities
Source:
h+p://www.flickr.com/photos/susanvg/

17. Effective course design…
¤ Is team-based
¤ Focuses on the different types of interaction
¤ Is not obsessed with content
¤ Offers low cost but high value
¤ Requires digital literacy skills
¤ Is innovative, participative and fun
17

18. Seize the Day: CAIeRO
Invest two days of your time
and get your course online
Source:
h+p://www.flickr.com/photos/cur:sperry/
h+p://www.flickr.com/photos/linksmanjd/

20. VLE design targets
Level
Founda:on
Intermediate
Essen:al
in
all
blended
courses
Advanced
Essen:al
in
all
online
courses
Focus
Delivery
Key
features
§
§
§
Absolute
minimum
expected
Course
informa:on,
handbook
and
guides
Learning
materials
Par4cipa4on
In
addi:on
to
‘Delivery’:
§ Online
par:cipa:on
designed
into
the
course.
§ Tasks
provide
meaningful
forma:ve
scaffold.
§ Online
par:cipa:on
encouraged
and
moderated,
but
not
essen:al
to
achieve
learning
outcomes.
Collabora4on
In
addi:on
to
‘Delivery’:
§ Regular
learner
input
designed
into
course
&
essen/al
throughout.
§ Online
tasks
provide
meaningful
scaffold
to
forma:ve
and
summa:ve
assessment.
§ Collabora:ve
knowledge
construc:on
central
to
a
produc:ve
learning
environment.
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21. To be clear…
¤ The resource is not the course.
¤ PDFs and PPTs won’t teach themselves.
¤ Content is not King.
21

22. Open Northampton
Aim
To put Northampton on the global OER-OEP map
within 24 months.
22

23. Design
Delivery
Curriculum
OER-­‐enhanced
curriculum
Used
as
is
(Just-­‐in-­‐4me)
Repurposed
(Structured)
OER
Armellini, A. and Nie, M. (2013) Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning. 28(1), pp. 7-20.

24. Design
Low-­‐cost
enhancement
Delivery
Curriculum
OER-­‐enhanced
curriculum
Used
as
is
(Just-­‐in-­‐4me)
Repurposed
(Structured)
OER
Armellini, A. and Nie, M. (2013) Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning. 28(1), pp. 7-20.

25. Design
OER-­‐enhanced
curriculum
enhancement
enhancement
Repurposed
(Structured)
Delivery
Strategic
Used
as
is
(Just-­‐in-­‐4me)
Curriculum
Low-­‐cost
OER
Armellini, A. and Nie, M. (2013) Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning. 28(1), pp. 7-20.

26. Design
Delivery
Curriculum
OER-­‐enhanced
curriculum
Low-­‐cost
Strategic
enhancement
enhancement
Rapid,
‘on-­‐the-­‐go’
enhancement
Used
as
is
(Just-­‐in-­‐4me)
Repurposed
(Structured)
OER
Armellini, A. and Nie, M. (2013) Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning. 28(1), pp. 7-20.

27. Design
OER-­‐enhanced
curriculum
Delivery
Strategic
enhancement
enhancement
Rapid,
‘on-­‐the-­‐go’
Planned
enhancement
enhancement
Used
as
is
(Just-­‐in-­‐4me)
Curriculum
Low-­‐cost
Repurposed
(Structured)
OER
Armellini, A. and Nie, M. (2013) Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning. 28(1), pp. 7-20.

28. Contributing our own OERs
'All truth passes through three stages. First, it is
ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is
accepted as being self-evident.'
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860)
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29. From the VLE and OERs to MOOCs &
SOOCs
Massive Open Online Courses
and free
29

30. 30

31. MOOCs…
¤ What is the problem to which
MOOCs are the solution?

32. MOOCs…
¤ Are MOOCs courses or (glorified)
resources?

33. At Northampton: MOOC or
SOOC?
Small Open Online Courses
> Study Skills for Academic Success
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34. Study Skills for Academic Success

35. Leading change at Northampton: a summary
Where we were
Where we wanted to be
Why we wanted to get there
How we are doing it
Challenges we have encountered
How addressed

36. Leading change at Northampton: a summary (1)
Where we were: school silos, no strategy, some demotivation.
Where we wanted to be: delivering excellence and
innovation in 21st Century learning, teaching and
assessment.
Why: because our learners demand and deserve it.

37. Leading change at Northampton: a summary (2)
How: through consultation & planning
> L&T Plan shows direction of travel.
Challenges: many, but resistance to change not
high on list.
How addressed: in a collegiate manner, with a
problem-solving hat on and guided by our values.

38. Shift to…
¤ Appropriate ‘blends’
¤ Openness
¤ Flexibility
¤ Mobility
Knowledge and learning as open, mobile,
connected and scalable
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39. Carpe Diem and e-tivities: reading
¤
Armellini, A., & Jones, S. (2008). Carpe Diem: Seizing each day to foster change in e-learning design. Reflecting
Education, 4(1), 17-29. Available from http://tinyurl.com/58q2lj
¤
Armellini, A., & Aiyegbayo, O. (2010). Learning design and assessment with e-tivities. British Journal of Educational
Technology 41(6), 922-935.
¤
Armellini, A. & Nie, M. (2013). Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning 28(1) 7-20.
¤
Nie, M., Armellini, A., Randall, R., Harrington, S. & Barklamb, K. (2010). The role of podcasting in effective curriculum
renewal. ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology 18(2), 105-118.
¤
Nie, M., Armellini, A., Witthaus, G. & Barklamb, K. (2011). How do e-book readers enhance learning opportunities
for distance work-based learners? ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology, 19(1), 19-38.
¤
Rogerson-Revell, P., Nie, M. & Armellini, A. (2012) An evaluation of the use of voice boards, e-book readers and
virtual worlds in a postgraduate distance learning Applied Linguistics and TESOL programme. Open Learning,
27(2), 103-119.
¤
Salmon, G., Jones, S., & Armellini, A. (2008). Building institutional capability in e-learning design. ALT-J, Research in
Learning Technology, 16(2), 95-109.
¤
Salmon, G. (2011). E-moderating: The key to teaching and learning online (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.
¤
Salmon, G. (2013). E-tivities: The key to active online learning (2nd ed.). London and New York: Routledge.
¤
Gilly Salmon’s blog: http://www.gillysalmon.com/blog.html

40. Professor Alejandro Armellini
Director, Institute of Learning and Teaching
in Higher Education
University of Northampton
Ale.Armellini@northampton.ac.uk
21 January 2014
40