Case Study: Preparing Higher Education for the Digital Age

1. © University of Reading 2008 www.reading.ac.uk
Changing the Learning Landscape
Case Study: Preparing Higher
Education for the Digital Age
Professor Gavin Brooks
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning),
University of Reading
BETT 2014 Conference – 22 January 2014

2. Overview
• Changing the Learning Landscape (CLL)
• Changes in technology for education
• TEL at the University of Reading
• MOOCs
• Early successes and future developments

3. Changing the Learning Landscape
• Enabling HEIs, and FE colleges providing HE, in England to
bring about change in their strategic approaches to
technology in learning and teaching
• Partnership between: Association for Learning Technology,
HEA, Jisc, NUS and LFHE. Funded in 2012-13 and 2013-
14 by Hefce
• Active engagement with the student body is key
http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/programmes-events/your-university/cll/index.cfm#1.4em

4. Changing the Learning Landscape:
Expected Impacts
• Students’ learning and life prospects
• Institutional and systemic practice and Learning and
Teaching strategies
• Collaboration and partnership across and between
HEIs and colleges
http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/programmes-events/your-university/cll/index.cfm#1.4em

5. Developments in technology
• The Pascaline (1642)
• The Apple computer (1970s)
• Smart phones/tablets (2000s)

6. Changes in use of technology
in education
• Significant advances in use and
availability of digital/smart technology and
software in schools and colleges (from
nursery upwards)
• HE has not necessarily kept pace with
advances in use of technology in teaching
and learning
• More students arriving at university with
tablets/smartphones and expect to use
them as part of their learning

7. Technology-Enhanced Learning
(TEL) at Reading
• Not previously a top-level institutional priority, although
pockets of excellence across the University e.g. flipped
classroom/podcasts/wikis
• Digital Literacies Jisc Programme: “Digitally Ready
Project” (2011-13) – aim was to raise awareness and
offer opportunities to staff and students at UoR to
develop their digital literacies to prepare them for
working, learning and living in a digital society
• Sub-Committee on IT in T&L; Working Group on
Technology in T&L; Working Group on CPD

8. Why focus on TEL?
• Enriches the T&L experience (for staff and students)
• Enhances overall student satisfaction
• Enhances employability and work placement prospects for
students
• Enhances overseas ambitions/internationalisation
• Assists development and delivery of online
learning/distance-learning programmes
• Already have strong IT infrastructure with strong
commitment to digital literacy

9. TEL Strategy at UoR
• TEL Strategy Group established in January 2013
• Led by senior management (PVC) with TEL
Implementation Team comprising: Associate Dean
(T&L), Head of Quality Support, and Education Officer
from Students Union
• Strong buy-in from VC, University Executive Board,
academic staff and student body
• Embedded TEL as part of the new University T&L
Strategy (2013-18) and the broader University Strategy
(2013-26)

10. TEL Strategy Group - ToR
• To produce, and oversee the implementation of, a
University-wide strategy for technology-enhanced learning
• To audit in which ways the University, at all levels, captures
current and future technological needs for T&L
• To determine whether current practices can be improved,
and to ensure that good practice is shared
• To consider how capacity could be built within Student and
Academic Services to manage new developments in
technology to enhance T&L
• To report to the University Board for Teaching and Learning
and the University Executive Board as necessary
• Has identified six strategic priorities

11. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR TEL
• Engendering a Culture of TEL throughout the
Institution
• Wi-Fi – broad bandwidth across buildings on all
campuses and some outdoor spaces
• VLE
• e-submission, e-assessment and e-marking
• Lecture Capture
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

12. Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) at Reading
• UoR is a member of FutureLearn (Jan 2013)
• Delivering education around the world on an unprecedented scale
• Current model is free access, non-credit bearing
• First MOOC (Begin Programming) launched in October 2013
• Suite of MOOCs for 2014:
- Academic Writing for International Students
- Human Resource Management
- Food Diet and Health
- International Development/Agriculture
- Cardiovascular disease
- Climate and Weather https://www.futurelearn.com

13. Early successes and future
developments
• Active engagement of wide range of academic,
administrative and support staff
• Strong support from, and engagement with, students
• MOOCs/SPOCs
• Paperless committees/more paperless working
• Use, and development of, new Apps to aid learning
• Increased use of technology at Open and Visit Days

14. Contact details
Professor Gavin Brooks
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)
Tel: 0118-378-6140
E-mail: g.brooks@reading.ac.uk
Web: www.reading.ac.uk/about/people/about-brooks.aspx
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/gavin-
brooks/16/367/7a9