1. Online interaction: reaping the benefits, avoiding the pitfalls Region 9 Newcastle, ALs meeting at The Sage, Gateshead Professor Mary Thorpe The Institute of Educational Technology
2. ‘ It feels much more like – how can I put it – more like genuine teaching if you see what I mean. I have a lot more contact with students…the level of interaction is much higher, much more enjoyable. Certainly the students say that to me and I find it much more enjoyable’ U316 tutor
3. May 06 eDesktop replaced by Moodle – 37 courses in May, then new presentations as they start Basic Moodle calendars Improved FirstClass Web Interface (Optional alongside current web interface) Feb 07 (v1.0) Library resources integrated into Moodle based course materials Enhanced asynchronous conferencing + blogs and wikis Basic eAssessment tools in Moodle + enhanced OpenMark functionality integrated Basic ePortfolio tools: personal repository, reflective writing etc Tracking and reporting of student activity Further improvements to audio & synchronous collaboration tools Enhanced ePortfolio tools and system Learning Design – support for development and sequencing of online activities Oct 06 OUBS course websites move to Moodle platform Further improvements to eAssessment tools + automated marking of short answers Support for Mobile Learners Provision of Integrated Online Experience – phased integration of learning and admin online interfaces Enhanced audio & synchronous collaboration tools Federated Search tools Further improvements to asynchronous conferencing + blogs and wikis Feb 08 (v2.0) Enhanced calendars Little visible difference to users – Initial Moodle implementation to replace current functionality only But also: Initial limited implementation of Moodle
11. U316 – The Environmental Web Web-based course, up to 50% of study is online Study led by around 10 online activities per block/4 blocks Students alternate between independent study of online activities, using external websites, CDROM resources & tools, and interaction with peers, using asynchronous conferencing, which is assessed; they attend one day school Course is skills focused and students learn how to debate online, use climate modelling tools, write environmental web-journalism, complete a project, and submit assignments as web pages
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19. Research your Island’s data Using websites Complete Short report on your island & upload to the group conference Role play meeting of AOSIS, Representing your Island’s needs For environmental protection Group decides on a set of demands from AOSIS to the UN Assignment - Student Reports on Role play & uses data on their island To support the consensus reached 35% marks Blue= individual Green= report to group cream= group work AOSIS conference activity
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21. Research & Evaluate data On your island Articulate your island’s Vulnerabilities & set out some Claims to UN Discuss and evaluate Draft UN proposals; Articulate the needs of your island in debate Argue for & agree on a set of demands from AOSIS to the UN Explain your Demands, justify them, Explain how you Reached a Consensus & Reflect on your role 35% marks Blue= individual Green= report to group cream= group work
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24. Student: (we used a)…spread sheet to see what kind of opinions were coming forward, and it was quite clear that three issues were coming forward from most people, so you…thought …if you weren’t in that consensus you would be in a minority and probably you’d have more sway if you felt able to join the majority…on most of the issues I could but there was one or two issues where I said no there’s no way I’m going to compromise on that…I was Haiti, so I was very poor…there was a lot of wealthy islands, so some people didn’t have the issues that Haiti did so there was some things that I just couldn’t compromise on. Interaction promoted reasoned discussion & argument (2)
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29. Student perceptions (1) Enjoying the course…finding it a very heavy workload but find the biggest drawback is not being able to tailor my studies to fit in with other ‘life events’ – so many deadlines/conference etc to meet all the time adds quite a bit of pressure
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31. What evidence for good practice success? (1) 76.5% 77.3% 76.4% Social Science average for all level 3 courses 66.5% 68.5% 69.2% Science Faculty average for all level 3 courses 77.6% 74.0% 78.6% The Environmental Web 2005 2004 2003 Rates of completion (base = all students at HEFCE return)
42. May 06 eDesktop replaced by Moodle – 37 courses in May, then new presentations as they start Basic Moodle calendars Improved FirstClass Web Interface (Optional alongside current web interface) Feb 07 (v1.0) Library resources integrated into Moodle based course materials Enhanced asynchronous conferencing + blogs and wikis Basic eAssessment tools in Moodle + enhanced OpenMark functionality integrated Basic ePortfolio tools: personal repository, reflective writing etc Tracking and reporting of student activity Further improvements to audio & synchronous collaboration tools Enhanced ePortfolio tools and system Learning Design – support for development and sequencing of online activities Oct 06 OUBS course websites move to Moodle platform Further improvements to eAssessment tools + automated marking of short answers Support for Mobile Learners Provision of Integrated Online Experience – phased integration of learning and admin online interfaces Enhanced audio & synchronous collaboration tools Federated Search tools Further improvements to asynchronous conferencing + blogs and wikis Feb 08 (v2.0) Enhanced calendars Little visible difference to users – Initial Moodle implementation to replace current functionality only But also: Initial limited implementation of Moodle
43. What evidence for good practice success? (2) 8 3.7 3.9 This course really tried to get the best out of all students 11 3.6 3.6 Helped me to develop the ability to plan my own work 2 1.9 1.4 The course was more to do with testing memory than understanding 8 3.3 3.6 More confident about tackling unfamiliar problems 1 1.9 1.5 To do well on this course all you need is a good memory 13 3.8 3.8 Has sharpened my analytic skills 4 2.1 3.4 Helped my ability to work as a team members 6 3.6 3.8 Helped me develop problem solving skills Rank: 1 = best Median score (36 courses) Score: The Environmental Web Course Experience Questionnaire items