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The Potential Contribution of Data Centres to the Learning and

Teaching Community

John Slater for Paul Clark

Chief Executive

The Institute for Learning and Teaching

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Plan of Talk

1) Data Centre: contribution & impact

2) Challenge to teachers

3) Wider demands on teachers and learning suport staff; professionalism in L&T

4) The Role of the ILT: - developing professionalism- meeting the challenge of e-learning- working in partnership

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Potential Contribution of Datacentres

• Access to variety of forms of information - sound, still image, moving image, real time data (stock market)

• New methods of display - e.g., variation of density of detail in digimap

• New sources of evidence for academic inquiry

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Impact on Learning and Teaching

• Enhances the variety of evidence available for study and research

• Puts real evidence (sometimes partial or misleading) in the hands of students:(e.g., real census data, medieval illuminations, stock market quotations)

• Enhances the capacity for student involvement in research activity

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Challenges for Teachers and Learning Support Staff

• Mastering new media

• Rethinking the processes of teaching and learning support:- weave use of new resources into processes and outcomes of academic programmes- teach IT skills alongside academic content- rethink assessment process and outcomes

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New Demands on Professionalism in HE

• Move from broadcast teaching towards supporting student learning

• Integrate skill development into academic programmes

• Exploit the advantages the delivery of new forms of data

• Apply the results of pedagogic research

• Generalise reflective practice in L&T

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ILT: Core Functions

• Institute self-regulation of professional standards in learning and teaching in higher education

• Provision of services to individual members• Creation/facilitation of inclusive community of

practice in teaching and learning support• Encouragement of evidence-based practice in

teaching and learning support

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ILT model of Professionalism

• Establish standards of performance- achievement of individuals- accreditation of programmes

• Implement continuing professional development (CPD)

• Pass control to membership

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Supporting Development

• Providing information and access to resources - eg. research results

• Bringing people together: networks, interest groups, workshops, conferences

• Support communities of practice for discussion and project work

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Online services - Communities of Practice

• Individual portals - customised information supply

• Knowledge management tools

• Online discussion and project spaces

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Challenge of e-learning

• Development of e-learning is an enormous enterprise.

• Creation and delivery of e-learning is becoming central to the concept of professionalism in L&T

• Storing and delivering data, developing and implementing applications, integrating C&IT and pedagogy, supporting practitioners - essential steps

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Partners in Development• ILT’s role:

- delivering information,resources and advice to its members;- creating L&T community for mutual development;- encourage members to use other services (eg, LTSN Subject Centres)

• ILT in close partnership with LTSN (GC,TC) to provide access to resources

• ILT exploring new collaborations (DNER)