This presentation was created to accompany a 10 minute training session introducing staff to some of the key themes within technology enhanced learning.
18. Reflecting on today’s session What are the key things that you will take away from today’s session? Image Source: practicalowl, http://www.flickr.com/photos/practicalowl/248282683/
19.
Notas do Editor
Today’s session is to introduce you to technology enhanced learning. We will look at where you can start and also some examples of how it has been used in teaching and learning at Nottingham Trent University.
There are many tools that can be used to provide technology enhanced learning. These are just a few of them. Image Source: pt, http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmtorrone/2381346935/
There are so many tools that often we ask ourselves ‘which one should I use?’ However we need to start by asking…. Image Source: 姒儿喵喵 , http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914729343/in/set-72157622354789320/
… .‘What are my learning outcomes?’ Rather than using a tool because you want to include technology or because you think it could be useful, you should start by thinking ‘which of these tools could help students to meet the learning outcomes?’, ‘could this tool help to assess whether students are reaching learning outcomes?’ Image Source: http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2157232/Learning_Outcomes
Let’s take a look at some examples of how technology has been used to enhance learning at NTU. Image Source: craigmdennis, http://www.flickr.com/photos/craigmdennis/3450681439/
We will start by looking at how content is structured online. When content items (this could be files, links, or links to other tools) are uploaded/linked and organised in an online space, such as a learning room in NOW, you need to consider how these will appear to students. In the example on this slide, Neil Hughes from the School of Arts and Humanities, has created a clearly labelled content structure so students understand how they should work through the material and how this links to activities and their tools. If files are uploaded with no explanation of how students should use them, students are more likely to just download, print and file them away only to be looked at the end of the year for revision.
There are a variety of ways in which you could use electronic voting in your learning and teaching practice. There are also a few different technologies that you could use to get students to vote (via an online survey tool or via electronic voting pads during a lecture). Beverley Lawe from the School of Education used the Turning Point electronic voting system during a series of lectures to motivate and engage students. The use of voting helped to highlight some key points of misconception which had previously hampered examination performance. http://www.ntu.ac.uk/elearning/projects/case_studies/evoting/index.html Image Source: Alan Cleaver, http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4447694983/
There are many ways in which you can assess student progress formatively of summatively using technology. One of the most common ways is to use a quiz where students can answer a variety of types of questions online. Most tools provide multiple choice, matching answer, ordering, true/false and short/long answer questions. One of the key features of the tool is the ability to provide instant scores and feedback to the student. Adam O’Rourke from the School of Architecture and the Built Environment used directed learning in the form of an e-assessment to replace some of the seminars/workshops he was delivering. This was done in order to provide a flexible assessment which could provide instant feedback and results could be analysed to provide individual and cross-group reporting. http://www.ntu.ac.uk/elearning/projects/case_studies/e-assessment/index.html Image Source: 姒儿喵喵 , http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516172/in/set-72157622354789320/ Image Source: , 姒儿喵喵 , http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915514014/ Image Source: 姒儿喵喵 , http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516040/in/set-72157622354789320/
Feedback is vital for students to be able to understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve. Feedback however is not just from tutor to student, it can be peer to peer and it can also be from student to tutor. When thinking about feedback it is important to think about all the directions in which this feedback can go and what will be the most valuable for the student at that point in their learning. Some examples of e-Assessment include feedback which the student can see after they have completed the assessment task. This provides them with immediate feedback rather than having to wait for a tutor to mark their work. Image Source: Badsey's Photography , http://www.flickr.com/photos/chobblr/4050093770/
It has been suggested that we learn best when we learn socially. You might think that technology can not facilitate group learning as students will be on their own computers in different locations and not together in a face to face environment. However there are many tools which have been designed specifically to facilitate group work online. This can be seen in the use of the groups tool within NOW. This tool can provide each group with a shared file area, discussion forum and group submission folder. You could also consider using a form of peer assessment to ensure that you have a more accurate view of the contributions made by individual members. Image Source: 姒儿喵喵 , http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915515536/in/set-72157622354789320/
One of the most common uses of multimedia within learning and teaching at Nottingham Trent University is the recording of lectures into either audio or video feedback. An example of this is Phil Wane from the School of Social Sciences who not only records and uploads videos of his lectures but also a video blog and video feedback for his students. http://www.ntushare.org/rs/philwane/philwane.html Image Source: blentley , http://www.flickr.com/photos/blentley/4422429972/
All of these examples are great ideas and you might either be intimidated by the possibilities or keen to try everything. This is where you need to take….. Image Source: 姒儿喵喵 , http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915512282/in/set-72157622354789320/
… small steps. If you try everything all at once not only yourself but also your students are likely to get overwhelmed. Try and pick one thing to try in a term. You can then make sure that it is working how you want and also get feedback from your students about how they found using it. Remember it takes time to get to know how to use a tool and you and your students need this time built into how the tool is integrated into their learning. Image Source: 姒儿喵喵 , http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915514588/in/set-72157622354789320/
Any of these tools could be used to help in achieving the learning outcome. Discussions and Wiki’s are used for group collaboration and communication. A quiz or a mind map are usually individual activities. All of these tools could be used for assessment whether it be formative of summative.
Remember you need to build the tools use into your learning design. Think about the learning outcomes first. The technology should not dictate the design. Image Source: http://www.defense.gov/PhotoEssays/PhotoEssaySS.aspx?ID=823
Remember that it is not only you who will have to get used to using the technology you introduce. Your students will need to as well. Try and build in the use of a tool from the beginning of a module or programme. Gradually build up the complexity of the tasks so that when the completion of the task becomes more important the students are comfortable with using the tool. This does mean that you might have to provide more support at the beginning but this will pay off as students will not panic when they suddenly have to submit an assessment using a tool they have never used before. Image Source: njsouthall, http://www.flickr.com/photos/njsouthall/3404345462/
Think back over what we have covered in today’s session. Hopefully you will be able to see some of the key points for using technology to enhance learning. Remember there is a whole community of people who are interested in this area of education so there is always someone who can help you. http://www.ntu.ac.uk/elearning/edu/contact_us/index.html Image Source: practicalowl, http://www.flickr.com/photos/practicalowl/248282683/