If you give teaching staff a LMS won't they just use it?A case study of the development of Guidelines for Minimum Use of MyUni at the University of Adelaide / Stephen Leahy, eLearning Adviser

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Overview

Background and context ‘Socialising’ the GuidelinesRationale and aims Other actionsDevelopment / student feedback LimitationsFeedback from PVC Obstacles“Active use of MyUni” Reactions and feedbackApproval process Reflections

Background / Context / Beginnings

• Minimum usage of LMS policies common in sector

• Continuing interest in this issue

• Go8 universities - research expectations on staff / no experience in distance education provision

• Guidelines are an attempt to meet real need re low/uneven LMS usage

• Learning Technologies Team / eLearning Advisers

• MyUni Usage Benchmarking Project and report

Rationale / Aims

• Recommendation of MyUni Usage Benchmarking Project Report

• Course Coordinator self-audit

• Recommended uses of MyUni

• Good Practice resources to include Guidelines on Minimum Use

• Time efficiency for busy instructors, T & L objectives, incorporating other policies/guidelines, feedback from students

Development / responding to student feedback

• Based on professional experience of eLearning Advisers and feedback from students

• 3 parts a) upload of admin and course info b) communication between instructor and students and c) eAssessment

• Student e-Experience Strategy (SeE) Project – lots of feedback from students about what they wanted to see in MyUni

• “Bring home the Beacon”

Feedback from Pro Vice-Chancellor

• Six versions based on feedback from the PVC

• Requirements in the Guidelines increased and tightened

• Example of changes in section on eAssessment

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eAssessment in the 1st version of the Guidelines

Select the most appropriate option for eSubmission of assignments in your course, and enable it in time for the due date. For an overview of eSubmission options

please see Overview of MyUni assignment tools

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eAssessment in the final version of the Guidelines

Instructions for each assignment, including submission information along with marking criteria is to be located with assignment submission links

Where students create assignments in electronic format, online assignment submission should be enabled

Where assignments are submitted online, the assignments should be marked online

Where assignments are marked online, marks should be recorded and managed in the MyUni Grade Centre.

‘Active use of MyUni’

• Few courses at the University would meet all the requirements of the Guidelines

• Guidelines actually seem to define “active use of MyUni” in terms of Operational Plan targets

Approval process

• Signed off by PVC

• University Learning Committee

• Academic Board

• Revision of “Course Coordinator Duty Statement” to incorporate Guidelines by DVC:A

‘Socialising’ the Guidelines

• Pro Vice-Chancellor asked eLearning Advisers to ‘socialise’ the Guidelines

• Soft launch – responsibility devolved to eLearning Advisers

• eLearning Advisers present Guidelines to Faculty and School T&L committee meetings

Other actions

• Staff participating in MyUni training made aware

• Course Coordinator Checklist for Minimum Use of MyUni

• Course Coordinator Checklist for Start of Semester

• Online Assessment Guidelines and policy change re eAssessment outages

• Course Coordinator resources etc.

Limitations

• Describing minimal use of LMS

• Unenforceable / difficult to audit compliance

• Places sole responsibility on Course Coordinators

Obstacles

• Management misunderstanding of just what can be reported on

• Course Coordinators saying they don’t have time

• Guidelines as more “management interference”

• Some Heads of Schools refuse to support Guidelines

Reactions and feedback

• Feedback and response from committees

• Much better response in workshops

• Confusion re sharing student feedback

• eAssessment initiatives

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Interpretation of the word ‘Guidelines’

Reflections

• Mixed feelings

• Perhaps not enough consultation

• Difficult to know if quality improvement will necessarily follow

• Not something initially envisaged by eLearning Advisers

• Proxy definition of “active use of MyUni” for measuring achievement for the University Operational Plan

Thank you

• Any questions/comments?

• Guidelines on minimum use of MyUnihttp://bit.ly/1TohAMh

• Course Coordinator Checklist for minimum use of MyUnihttp://bit.ly/1HFeEP6

• Course Coordinator Checklist for start of semesterhttp://bit.ly/1HFeMhP