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Electronic Learning and Electronic Learning and AssessmentAssessment

Intranet and InternetIntranet and Internet

Leon Litvack

L.Litvack@qub.ac.ukL.Litvack@qub.ac.uk

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AimsAims

Examine the context for use of C&IT in Examine the context for use of C&IT in English studiesEnglish studies

Demonstrate model from intranet VLE, for Demonstrate model from intranet VLE, for undergraduatesundergraduates

Demonstrate model using internet at Demonstrate model using internet at postgraduate level, in constructing postgraduate level, in constructing research resource in the public domainresearch resource in the public domain

Consider how C&IT can be used for Consider how C&IT can be used for summative assessment, in context of summative assessment, in context of degree in English studiesdegree in English studies

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Benchmark statement: defining Benchmark statement: defining principles for English degreeprinciples for English degree

Develop critical thinking & judgementDevelop critical thinking & judgement Engage students imaginatively in reading & Engage students imaginatively in reading &

analysing literary & non-literary textsanalysing literary & non-literary texts Develop range of subject specific and Develop range of subject specific and

transferable skills, including high-order transferable skills, including high-order conceptual, literacy & communication skillsconceptual, literacy & communication skills

Provide intellectually stimulating & Provide intellectually stimulating & satisfying experience of learning & studyingsatisfying experience of learning & studying

Encourage enthusiasm for subject, & Encourage enthusiasm for subject, & appreciation of continuing social & cultural appreciation of continuing social & cultural importanceimportance

Source: Source: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/benchmark/english.pdfhttp://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/benchmark/english.pdf

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SkillsSkills Transferable outside the discipline:

oral & written communication skillsoral & written communication skills interpersonal skills (work in a group context)interpersonal skills (work in a group context) time-management skillstime-management skills collate & process information from a variety collate & process information from a variety

of sourcesof sources respond positively and productively to respond positively and productively to

feedbackfeedback think creatively and flexibly in diverse think creatively and flexibly in diverse

situationssituations basic word-processing & other IT skillsbasic word-processing & other IT skills

Source: QUB English programme specification

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‘‘We believe that the innovative application of... We believe that the innovative application of... C&IT holds out much promise for improving C&IT holds out much promise for improving the quality, flexibility and effectiveness of the quality, flexibility and effectiveness of higher education. The potential benefits will higher education. The potential benefits will extend to, and affect the practice of, learning extend to, and affect the practice of, learning and teaching and research’and teaching and research’

Does achieving Dearing’s vision of a ‘learning Does achieving Dearing’s vision of a ‘learning society’, aided by developments in internet / society’, aided by developments in internet / intranet based software systems intranet based software systems NECESSARILY apply to all teachers and NECESSARILY apply to all teachers and learners?learners?

Consider your objectives carefullyConsider your objectives carefully

Dearing Report (1997)Dearing Report (1997)

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Incorporation of IT into Incorporation of IT into curriculum -- considerationscurriculum -- considerations

For staffFor staff Worth time spent?Worth time spent? Training Training Applications for other areas of activity?Applications for other areas of activity? Relation to career advancementRelation to career advancement

For studentsFor students Worth time spent?Worth time spent? TrainingTraining SkillsSkills

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Pedagogic criteriaPedagogic criteria Teaching FacilitiesTeaching Facilities

Appropriate environmentAppropriate environment Features, specifications & cost of softwareFeatures, specifications & cost of software Access to terminals outside class timeAccess to terminals outside class time

SupportSupport DepartmentDepartment Central IT servicesCentral IT services

Other considerationsOther considerations

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Intranet or internet?Intranet or internet?

IntranetIntranet Private networkPrivate network Admission across firewallAdmission across firewall Requires authorisationRequires authorisation Useful for delivering & sharing information Useful for delivering & sharing information

on selective basison selective basis

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InternetInternet Public networkPublic network No authorisation requiredNo authorisation required Useful for delivering & sharing Useful for delivering & sharing

information on global basisinformation on global basis Consider usefulness of information to Consider usefulness of information to

outside usersoutside users What level of scrutiny to ensure What level of scrutiny to ensure

accuracy of content?accuracy of content?

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Intranet model – Virtual Intranet model – Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)Learning Environment (VLE)

Creates micro-world – allows teacher to construct learning activities enriched by multimedia resources

Curriculum divided into assessable/ recordable elements

Student activity & achievement can be tracked

Online learning supported by staff & peers

Offers central & remote access

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Features of prototypical VLEFeatures of prototypical VLE

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Demonstration of Queen’s Online VLEDemonstration of Queen’s Online VLEhttp://www.qnet.qub.ac.uk/http://www.qnet.qub.ac.uk/

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Features of VLEFeatures of VLE

University-wide (only one system to University-wide (only one system to learn)learn)

Linked to student records databaseLinked to student records database Single sign-on for all university systemsSingle sign-on for all university systems Time to learn system – 1 hourTime to learn system – 1 hour Easily navigableEasily navigable Satisfies demand for acquisition of Satisfies demand for acquisition of

specific skillsspecific skills

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Flexibility of time and place of access Flexibility of time and place of access Copes with increased student numbers – Copes with increased student numbers –

esp. undergraduates esp. undergraduates Sharing and re-use of resourcesSharing and re-use of resources Facilitates Student-centred learningFacilitates Student-centred learning Enhances variety of teaching and learning Enhances variety of teaching and learning

strategiesstrategies Supports constructivist conversational Supports constructivist conversational

approaches to learning approaches to learning (see Laurillard, (see Laurillard, Rethinking University Teaching:A Framework Rethinking University Teaching:A Framework for the Effective Use of Educational for the Effective Use of Educational TechnologyTechnology [London: Routledge, 1993]) [London: Routledge, 1993])

Can reduce administrative burdenCan reduce administrative burden

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Information can be disseminated Information can be disseminated quicklyquickly

Photocopying bill for course Photocopying bill for course packs eliminated for department packs eliminated for department – – cost transferred to students!cost transferred to students!

Information remains in-house: Information remains in-house: not published to wider worldnot published to wider world

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Caveats re: particular VLECaveats re: particular VLE

Rigid & hierarchical Designed for delivery rather than interaction --

flow of information is largely one-way (tutor to student)

Only recognises official (QUB) email addresses for students

Students cannot email each other through VLE One person controls information (implications

for team-taught modules) Favours IE browser (not Netscape)

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Planning of teaching sessions requires more staff time & care

Proactive attitude demanded from staff, to ensure that students are coping – esp. in early stages

General considerations for General considerations for VLEVLE

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Particular Use of Queen’s Particular Use of Queen’s OnlineOnline

A wrap-around (50/50) system (see Mason, ‘Models of Online Courses’ [1998])course materials wrapped by activitiesonline interactions and discussions

occupy roughly half the students' time

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Summatively Assessed Summatively Assessed elementselements

Student presentations (delivered via PowerPoint) – 10% Individual effort (collaborative work

harder to assess in terms of individual input)

Approach to topic discussed with student beforehand, and among students working in same area

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Contribution to asynchronous, threaded online discussion – 10% Requires careful planning & structuring provide specific tasks (e.g. developing

answers to set questions in readings) Set deadline by which contributions must be

made Other elements:

Assessed essay (students design own questions)

Exam

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Criteria for assessmentCriteria for assessment Consistent across the English curriculum

Relevance – also considers implications, assumptions, & nuances of the issue/question

Knowledge – demonstrates breadth and range of reading

Analysis – analytical treatment of evidence, resulting in clear synthesis

Argument & Structure – coherent response to issue/question

Originality – distinctive response, showing independence of thought and approach

Presentation – includes spelling & syntax, readable style, use of particular medium, appropriate documentation

Source: http://www.qub.ac.uk/en/ug/Marking-criteria.doc

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Pedagogic Issues for VLEs Pedagogic Issues for VLEs Particular ModelsParticular Models

Lee & Thompson (QUB), ‘Teaching at a Distance: Building a Virtual Learning Environment’ (MSc in computer-based learning) http://www.jisc.ac.uk/jtap/htm/jtap-033.html

Stiles, COSE (Staffordshire) http://www.staffs.ac.uk/COSE/cose10/welcome10.html

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Comparative StudiesComparative Studies

Landon (Douglas College, BC), ‘Online Delivery Applications: A Web Tool for Comparative Analysis’ http://www.ctt.bc.ca/landonline/

Britain and Liber (Univ. of Wales, Bangor), ‘A Framework for Pedagogical Evaluation of Virtual Learning Environments’ (assesses various VLEs, including COSE) http://www.jisc.ac.uk/jtap/htm/jtap-041.html

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Mason (Open Univ.), ‘Models of Online Courses’ http://www.aln.org/alnweb/magazine/vol2_issue2/Masonfinal.htm

JISC, Requirements for a VLE http://www.jisc.ac.uk/pub00/req-vle.html

JISC, Managed Learning Environments http://www.jisc.ac.uk/jtap/theme-L.html

General PrinciplesGeneral Principles

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Internet Model – The Internet Model – The Imperial ArchiveImperial Archive

Used in conjunction with Queen’s Online Used in conjunction with Queen’s Online VLEVLE

Aim: dissemination of student-generated Aim: dissemination of student-generated material to the wider world as a research material to the wider world as a research resourceresource

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Demonstration of Imperial ArchiveDemonstration of Imperial Archivehttp://www.qub.ac.uk/en/imperial/imperial.htmhttp://www.qub.ac.uk/en/imperial/imperial.htm

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Project’s origins relate to Laurillard’s Project’s origins relate to Laurillard’s ‘conversational framework’‘conversational framework’

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Student-centred learning at the heart of Student-centred learning at the heart of project developmentproject development

Smaller numbers – allows more time with Smaller numbers – allows more time with each studenteach student

VLE used in ‘wrap-around’ (50/50) mannerVLE used in ‘wrap-around’ (50/50) manner Material assessed according to standard Material assessed according to standard

English curriculum criteria:English curriculum criteria: Relevance Knowledge Analysis Argument & Structure Originality Presentation

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Material for Imperial Archive Material for Imperial Archive generated in HTMLgenerated in HTML

Scrutinised online by internal & Scrutinised online by internal & external examinersexternal examiners

Project worth 15% of overall markProject worth 15% of overall mark PowerPoint presentation – 10%PowerPoint presentation – 10% 5000-word assessed essay – 75%5000-word assessed essay – 75%

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Recognition of project’s Recognition of project’s successsuccess

‘footfall’ through archive -- http://www.qub.ac.uk/en/logs/

External examiners’ reports Feedback from students Dissemination of methodology through

http://info.ox.ac.uk/ctitext/publish/comtxt/ct16-17/litvack.html

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ConclusionsConclusions Many ways to use C&IT systems Importance of staff-student and student-

student interaction in the class Focus on educational needs – not

technology Time spent must justify learning goals

achieved Consider how you currently teach, and how

this might be improved Consider the strengths & weaknesses of the

technology when planning/ modifying courses

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Do not necessarily abandon what you already do well

Make sure adequate support is offered to staff & students

Prerequisites: ECDL? Other in-house IT training?

Plan for disasters – network failure, power failure

Assessment methods: Comparable to those used in ENGLISH learning

environments not employing C&IT? Use of marking criteria?

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Bear in mind contribution made to Subject knowledge & understanding Intellectual skillsSubject-specific skillsKey skills

THROUGH ENGLISH STUDIES

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Presentation may be Presentation may be viewed online atviewed online at

http://www.qub.ac.uk/en/research/stoke-presentation.ppthttp://www.qub.ac.uk/en/research/stoke-presentation.ppt