Teaching and learning practice - the view from both sides of the fence

CETL(NI) Institutional E-Learning Services

Dr Alan MassonÁine MacNeill

University of Ulster

CETL (NI)*: Utilising Institutional E-Learning Services to Enhance the Learning Experience

Aim: “promote, facilitate and reward the adoption of a “learner centred” reflective practice approach to the development of teaching and learning, in particular with respect to the use of e-learning technologies.”

Cultural challenge: effecting changes in “teaching” practices - key to learning experience.

* CETL(NI): Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (Northern Ireland)

Background

• Describing effective practice*• Disseminating effective practice*• Ensuring the learner perspective is “core”• Rich picture of complex situation• Meaningful for practitioners and learners

* In a universal manner (across users / subjects / institutions)

Activity 1 (5 minutes)

Think of a learning activity that you have been involved in recently.

Take 5 minutes and a sheet of paper and try to record this activity in such a way that it could be easily replicated by a reader.

– What did you find easy about this process?– What did you find difficult about this process?

CETL response to challenges

Developed a Hybrid Learning Model bringing together:– 8 Learning Event Model (Verpoorten, University of

Liege)– Closed set of learning verbs (Bennett, University of

Wollongong)

Focus on using universal concepts and language and the interactions between participants in the learning process (practice)

The Learning Events

Receives (Traditional didactic transmission of information e.g. lecture / content delivery / recommended reading)

Debates (learning through social interactions, collaborative, challenging discussions e.g. f2f debates, online discussions)

Experiments (Learner manipulating the environment to test personal hypotheses e.g. lab work, workshops, computer simulations)

Creates (Creating something new, producing work e.g. essays, projects)

The Learning Events (cont’d)

Explores (Personal exploration by learner e.g. literature reviews, Internet searches, information handling)

Practices (Application of theory and its assessment, to include teacher feedback e.g. Exam, quiz, exercises, work based learning.)

Imitates (Learning from observation and imitation e.g. where the teacher models techniques, modeling/simulation, practicals)

Meta-learns (self reflection)

Interdependent relationship

Refining roles

Sample flash card views

1. Front side - number of visual / text cues to support user2. Reverse side - annotated with suggested verbs for each role3. Promoting reflection - precision of verbs supports deeper reflection4. Tactile environment - promotes (subconscious) ongoing review and reflection of

modelling process

Sample model grid “lite”

Activity 2 (10 minutes)

Individually, revisit your learning activity from earlier.

– Describe your practice using individual learning events, use the cards as a prompt.

– To further explore the interaction between teacher and learner examine each learning event individually and assign verbs to describe both the teacher and learner role (see flip side of cards as a prompt).

Record your model of the activity on the grid provided.

Activity 3

Discuss with your neighbour.

• Did this activity promote reflection? • Did this activity make you think more about your

learners?

Some questions

• Think of how you have described the learner role within your learning events– Are your learners aware of these expectations?– Do you think that it would aid their studies to be made

aware of them?• How do you think your learners would model the same

activity?

Case study activity: staff and student perspectives

Learning Events

RECEIVES

EXPLORES

DEBATES

PRACTICES

META-LEARNS

Learning Events

RECEIVES

EXPLORESDebatesExperimentsCreatesMeta-learnsImitates

CREATESPRACTICES

DEBATES

META-LEARNS

Learning Events

RECEIVES

EXPLORESDebates

RECEIVES

IMITATES

DEBATES

PRACTICES & DEBATES

META-LEARNS

Staff Perspective Student Group 1(n=4)

Student Group 2(n=10)

Applications of the model

1. Articulating / Describing

2. Reflecting / Reviewing

3. Planning / Developing

4. Evaluate / Research

5. Sharing / Disseminating

Benefits of this modelling framework

1. Capturing teaching and learning processes2. Provide a mapping/recording process that is:

– Understandable– Generic– Reusable

3. Aid for reflection4. Inspiration for developments in practice5. Identifying opportunities for increasing student

engagement6. Changing teacher perceptions of the learner

experience

Raising awareness of the learner’s role

Practitioners’ comments about the perceived learner’s role include:– “Help[ing] students understand what they were doing”– “It made me consider how best to describe the

[learner’s] activities that I require from them”– “Looking at the learner perspective with fresh eyes”– “I tend to underestimate the learner’s efforts”– “Made me think of just how many different aspects

there are to the learner’s role”– “Made me think about balance of expectations vs

balance of activities”

User responses relating to aspects of the learner’s role

The model reflects what learners actually do in practice

92%

The use of the model provides me with a greater awareness and understanding of the learner’s role

87%

Use of the model has provided me with a greater awareness of the nature of the interaction between the teacher and the learner

80%

(figures included indicate aggregated agreement / strong agreement to the statement)

Learners’ use of the modelEarly response indicates that learners:

• easily engaged with the Model

• found it easy to choose relevant Learning Events

• provided detailed lists of Learning Events

• very easily listed verbs which applied to their learning activity

• agreed it was easier to think about verbs (with or without verb prompts) from the learner perspective

• easily understood and adapted the Learning Events and Verbs

Learner feedback

“Something like this would be a positive help….especially the terminology and being able to focus your learning differently”

“Would help you learn better”

“Shows what skills you are actually using”

“Learn more what you are expected to do”

“It makes you structure your learning and expectations”

“The model would help adapt to the expectation of what is going on”

Questions?

References

• Bennett, S. (2005) University of Wollongong http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/

• Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

• CETL(NI) Institutional E-Learning Services http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/

• JISC: Planning and Evaluating Effective Practice with e-Learning (2006)

• Leclercq, D. & Poumay, M. (2005) The 8 Learning Events Model and its principles. Release 2005-1. LabSET. University of Liège, available at http://www.labset.net/media/prod/8LEM.pdf

• Masson, A.,  MacNeill, A. & Murphy, C. (Botturi, L. and Stubbs, T. eds.) (2006) Case study - University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. Handbook of visual languages for instructional design: Theories and practices Idea Group , Hershey, PA

Contact Details

Alan MassonSenior Lecturer in Learning Technologies.Director CETL(NI): Institutional E-Learning Services.

aj.masson@ulster.ac.uk

Áine MacNeillE-Learning Development Officer. ab.macneill@ulster.ac.uk

http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/