This is a presentation that was given at the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) Annual Conference 2015: Shaping the Future of Learning Toegther, 8-10 September 2015, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. This short presentation by Wayne Barry and Simon Starr will report on the challenges and opportunities of adopting a role-playing approach in the recruitment and selection of learning technologists. It will outline a method for identifying potential candidates who are able to shape the future of learning and influence the development of learning technologies in partnership with students and staff. Abstract: https://altc.alt.ac.uk/2015/sessions/the-chamber-of-fear-a-role-playing-approach-to-the-recruitment-and-selection-of-learning-technologists-824/

1. Image: "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" by Leonardo Ho. Creative Commons licence CC BY-ND - https://www.flickr.com/photos/le0nard0h0/9708665550/
ALT Annual Conference 2015: Shaping the Future of Learning Together
8-10 September 2015
University of Manchester, Manchester
A Role Playing Approach to the Recruitment and Selection of Learning Technologists
Wayne “Vlad” Barry & Simon “Igor” Starr
CCCU, Learning & Teaching Enhancement
Follow Us: @CCCUTEL | Join Us: cccutel.wordpress.com
#altc

2. Image: "Lego Tower and Plaza" by Chris Jagers. Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC-ND - https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjagers/4758766356/
Our institutional context
• C of E Foundation | Post 1992 University | Million+ Group
• 4 x Campuses across the County of Kent | 4 x Faculties | School-based
• Predominantly offers courses for Public Sector careers
• @ 18,000 FTE Students | @ 3000 FT & PT Staff (1600 Academics)
• 5 x Learning Technologists | Learning & Teaching Enhancement (a central service)
Learning Technology Team values:
• Grounded in Pedagogy | Mediated meaningfully through Technology
• Importance of Working in Partnership with Students & Staff
• Supporting learning technology as an enabler to student learning
• Being a ‘critical friend’ to Staff in relation to TEL aspirations / ambitions
• Critical + Research Informed Practice -> Research, Evaluation & Dissemination

3. Image: "Presenting" by Alice Bartlett. Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC - https://www.flickr.com/photos/alicebartlett/2364526812
How we used to assess candidates
1) Presentation to Learning Technology Team
• 20 minute presentation
• 10 minute Q&A
2) Interview
• 45 minutes to a panel of 4 or 5 (inc. DoL&T, HoLT, Academic, HR rep)
However:
• Tests candidate’s presentation skills
• Tests candidate’s research & literature review skills

4. How we now assess candidates
Image: "Uncle Dan's Gift 6 - BayLUG 10th Anniv Meeting" by Bill Ward. Creative Commons licence CC BY - https://www.flickr.com/photos/billward/2943259913/
1) Role Play Scenario with Learning Technology Team
• 5 minute presentation on Blended Learning to fictitious BA Heritage Studies
programme team (inc. PD, 2 x ML, PA, Student)
• 25 minute discussion with a fictitious BA Heritage Studies programme team
• Considerable development in creating role-play scenario, role definitions,
character backstories, types of questions – to ensure candidate equity
2) Interview
• 45 minutes to a panel of 4 or 5 (inc. DoL&T, HoLT, Academic, HR rep)
Which:
• Tests candidate’s presentation skills + research & literature review skills
• Demonstrates how they would work with a Programme Team
• Demonstrate how well they lead / broker / negotiate
• Conveys a complex array of skills & characteristics to be a Learning Technologist

5. Image: "Fear of Needles" by Dave. Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC-ND - https://www.flickr.com/photos/venndiagram/5331296718/
What our candidates thought of the new process
“apprehensive”
“nervous”
“…difficult to prepare for”
“…a good way of assessing candidates”
“…it did not feel too ‘artificial’”
“however…team members need to feel
confident in role-playing”
How the candidates felt? How suitable is the process?
Can improvements be made?
“…[what] the interviewers might
be looking for”
“…I kept remembering things that
I hadn’t done very well”
“…situates…important aspects of LTs
role in an authentic way as possible”
“...having an academic member of staff
present…might be a useful”
“...interviewers taken candidate
nerves into consideration”
“...the brief gave me an insight
into facets of the role”
“…translating the model to an electronic
context for overseas candidates”
“…appreciate the diversity of roles
involved in delivery of a programme”

6. Image: "Lego Creator - Detective’s Office (Progress)" by Sarah_Ackerman. Creative Commons licence CC BY - https://www.flickr.com/photos/sackerman519/17268683808/
The Human Resources perspective
• Getting more information / evidence as to the candidate’s suitability.
• The candidate may enjoy and excel in this exercise, esp. if they don’t like
interviews.
• Sending role-play brief out in advance will give candidates a chance to
understand what is expected and prepare accordingly.
• Similarly, the brief may put some candidates off (arguably, a potential ‘weeding
out’ process).
• Risk of losing potentially good candidates who are overwhelmed by this
exercise.

7. Image: "Do You Remember … The Future?" by JD Hancock. Creative Commons licence CC BY - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/9544541664/
Other approaches to recruitment & selection
• 1 hr Unseen Task – Develop a guidance document on developing and
implementing an online degree programme (Loughborough College)
• 45 min Scenario & Questions followed by Interview (Edge Hill University)
• A Scenario Task (prioritisation, delegation, etc.), PechaKucha presentation,
present portfolio of previous work to team (University of Plymouth)
• A Mini Teaching Session (on a particular topic, e.g. Digital Literacy, Social
Media) to a diverse range of colleagues followed by a 45 min Interview
(University of Derby)
• An Unseen Task followed by Interview (University of Essex)
• An Interactive Demonstration (L&T benefits of a web-based tool of candidate’s
choice) to a diverse range of colleagues followed by Interview (Edinburgh Napier
University)
A big thank you to colleagues on Twitter & Heads of e-Learning Forum (HeLF) for their generous contribution

8. Image: "91/365 - Lego Bands - U2" by Paul Hudson. Creative Commons licence CC BY - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pahudson/13568607893/
Disclaimer
No LEGO minfigures were harmed
during the making of this presentation
…honest!

9. Image: "Mimo I // Mime I" by Eva Perls. Creative Commons licence CC BY-SA - https://www.flickr.com/photos/evaysucamara/5461094501/
Questions?

10. Image: "IMG_0846" by Takanori Hayashi. Creative Commons licence CC BY - https://www.flickr.com/photos/tzhaya/10620132006/
Browne, T. & Beetham, H. (2010). The positioning of educational technologists in enhancing the student experience.
Project Report. Oxford, England: Association for Learning Technology (ALT) and The Higher Education Academy
(HEA). Available at: http://repository.alt.ac.uk/831/ [Accessed 6.2.2015].
Hopkins, D. (Ed.). (2015). The Really Useful #EdTechBook. London, England: CreateSpace.
Thornton III, G.C. & Mueller-Hanson, R.A. (2004). Developing Organizational Simulations: A Guide for Practitioners
and Students. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
References & Resources