This document discusses the journey of transforming learning and teaching at the University of Northampton. It outlines the university's vision of producing knowledgeable and socially responsible global citizens. It also describes the university's approach of Active Blended Learning (ABL), which integrates in-person and online learning. Some challenges of implementing ABL discussed include changing views on teaching, large class sizes, workload, and developing digital fluency among staff and students. The university addresses these challenges through evidence-based practices, robust support programs for faculty, and emphasizing faculty agency in the transformation process.

1. Transforming Northampton’s
learning and teaching:
the journey so far
Prof Alejandro Armellini
Ale.Armellini@northampton.ac.uk
@alejandroa
Dean of Learning and Teaching
University of Northampton
September, 2017

3. Missions
Transforming lives + Inspiring change
Enabling transformational learning
through inspirational teaching

4. “An embedded approach to the involvement of
students in research, scholarship and
professional practice with strengths in
community-based research and scholarship and
sector-leading work in social enterprise”
TEF Panel statement of findings UKPRN: 10007138

5. ILT’s vision
• Our learners are competent, resourceful and ethical problem solvers,
capable to imagine and deploy creative approaches to address tomorrow’s
challenges.
• Our graduates are knowledgeable, socially responsible, digitally proficient
and highly employable global citizens – the Changemakers of the future.
• Our colleagues are outstanding at research-informed teaching and
supporting learning, ensuring flexibility and pedagogic innovation for
maximum benefit to staff and students.
• Our researchers generate evidence on excellent teaching for optimal
student learning and attract funding for research and enterprise activities.

6. TheL&TPlan&CSFs
Intellectual Capital Strategic Alliances
Student Experience Financial Sustainability

8. Active Blended Learning (ABL)
A course follows an ABL methodology if it:
 Is taught through student-centred activities to develop knowledge and
understanding, independent learning & digital fluency.
 Has a core, collaborative face-to-face component, explicitly linked to
learning activity outside the classroom, typically online.
 Helps to develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes and employability
skills.
Source: ILT website

9. Task 1
What are the dimensions of a sound pedagogic
“blend” in blended learning?
2 minutes

10. Dimensions of the blend
Face-to-face
+
Online

11. F2F
Online

12. Dimensions
Face to face Online
Online teaching Independent learning
Individual Group-based
Synchronous Asynchronous
“Purely academic” Employability-focused
Campus Mobile
Tutor-assessed Peer-assessed
…
…

13. F2F
Online
BLEND

14. F2F
Online
ACTIVE
BLEND

15. Pre-session
cognitive exposure
to content
F2F session:
analysis, discussion,
reflection & goal
setting
Post-session online
work: consolidation
& evaluation
15@alejandroa

16. Pre-session
cognitive
exposure to
content
?
F2F session:
analysis,
discussion,
reflection &
goal setting
Post-session
online work:
consolidation
& evaluation
16@alejandroa

17. Pre-session
cognitive
exposure to
content
Pre-session
asynchronous
online tasks
F2F session:
analysis,
discussion,
reflection &
goal setting
Post-session
online work:
consolidation
& evaluation
17@alejandroa

18. Digital
resources
Tasks for
sense-making
Analysis,
discussion,
reflection &
goal setting
Consolidation
& action
planning
ONLINE & F2F ONLINE &
F2F
FACE TO FACE,
SMALL GROUPS

20. A course is not taught in ABL if:
It makes regular use of non-interactive lectures, or
The VLE (or LMS) is primarily a content repository, or
Online activity is merely an add-on to the face-to-face
sessions, or
There is no evidence of systematic enhancement.

21. To be clear:
 ABL is not online teaching. Northampton will not become an online
learning university.
 We will continue to be a campus-based university, on a brand new
campus.
 We value face-to-face teaching as much as students do.

22. ABL is our new normal
ABL is not something we do in addition to our regular
teaching: it is our standard approach to learning and
teaching at Northampton.

23. ABL is our new normal
Does ABL mean that we expect students to work hard?
YES

24. Scaling up ABL
Our approach is
Explicit
Deliberate
Evidence-based

25. Designing for ABL: July 2017

27. Focus so far: design for effective ABL…
…but does teaching practice do it justice?

28. Design
Teaching practice

29. Design Poor Good
Teaching practice
Poor
Good

30. Excellent
learning
experience
Design Poor Good
Teaching practice
Poor
Good

31. Outstanding
teaching
despite the
design
Excellent
learning
experience
What a
waste!
Design Poor Good
Teaching practice
Poor
Good

32. Context: pedagogic transformation & campus move

33. Task 2: more challenges
Nature of the challenge Key strands How addressed
1. Pedagogic a. Views on teaching
b.
c.
d.
e.
2. Workload and space a. Timetabling
b.
c.
3. Digital fluency
4. ...add one more
3 minutes

34. Task: more challenges
Nature of the challenge Key strands How addressed
1. Pedagogic a. Views on teaching
b. Knowledge about teaching in HE – not
just experience
c. Large cohorts
d. The PSRB argument
e. Contact time
Evidence
Support
Agency
2. Workload and space a. Timetabling
b. Where’s my office?
c. “ABL means more work”
3. Digital fluency Don’t stop at the “literacy” stage!
4. Communication Information overload v consultation and
engagement to find shared ground

35. Challenges (1): pedagogic
•Views on teaching
•Knowledge about teaching
in HE (not just experience)
•Large cohorts
•The PSRB argument
•Contact time
CC College.Library https://www.flickr.com/photos/collegelibrary/8596552756

36. Challenges (2): workload & space
• Timetabling
• Where’s my office??
• “ABL means more work”
By NASA - http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-
6/html/iss006e45283.html, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9008767

37. Challenges (3): digital fluency – staff and students
Source: https://goo.gl/YHZu1n

38. Digital transformation
Non-literacy
Digital
literacy
Digital
competence
Digital
fluency
Images by Juan P. Armellini, used by permission

39. Digital transformation
Non-literacy
Digital
literacy
Digital
competence
Digital
fluency
Images by Juan P. Armellini, used by permission

40. Digital literacy
• I know about
some useful
tools that can
enhance my
teaching & can
use them with
support
Digital
competence
• I can decide
when, why and
how to enhance
my teaching by
using a range of
tools largely
autonomously
Digital fluency
• I take informed,
decisions and
calculated risks
for institutional
benefit,
transformation
and growth

41. Digital literacy
• My knowledge
and
understanding
Digital
competence
• My practice
Digital fluency
• The practices
of others

42. Challenges (4): communication
Provision of information
(overload?)
vs
A deliberate attempt to
consult, engage and find
shared ground
By Jorge Franganillo - Flickr: Information overload, CC BY 2.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19644586

43. Evidence
Support
Agency

44. www.northampton.ac.uk/ilt/
Evidence

45. Support
• Needs-driven, HEA-accredited CPD
scheme
• Not dependent on a PGCert
• Leading to professional recognition
• Designed for capacity building
• Prominent role of peer observation
• Embedded in the PDR process
• Interacts with QA & QE
• CAIeRO (Carpe Diem) as key component
• Fully engages professional services as
providers and beneficiaries
• Extraordinary team of Learning Designers
& Learning Technologists
CCAlanHodgsonhttp://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/52/24/2522474_999a3d05.jpg

46. Agency

47. Evidence-based change
Research
• Evidence
Practice
• Support & Agency
Evaluation
• Impact assessment
Policy
• Ongoing review

48. Evidence-based change
Research
Practice
Impact
assessment
Policy

50. Outstanding
SUPPORT
Social
VALUE
FUTURE
focus

51. Thank you
Prof Alejandro Armellini
Ale.Armellini@northampton.ac.uk
@alejandroa
Dean of Learning and Teaching
University of Northampton
September 2017