Academic Papers Online

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The ESCalate-JISC HE in FE Conference:

Inspiration for Practice

The Trident Centre, Warwick

26th May 2010

© ESCalate, November 2010 Permission is granted to copy and distribute this document in unaltered form only, for the purposes of teaching, research, private study, criticism and review, provided that the original author and publisher are acknowledged.

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The aim of the conference This conference aimed to examine the challenges and opportunities facing Higher Education (HE) practitioners working within a Further Education (FE) environment. As well as debating key issues relating to this practice context the conference hoped to highlight and offer ideas for best practice. Speakers and workshops represented a number of key themes that have emerged recently as being of interest and concern to practitioners in HE in FE. Inevitably both a great deal of interest and a degree of concern surrounds the ever-increasing use of technology by practitioners aspiring to enhance teaching and learning as well as offer possible solutions to a variety of practice issues in their work. ESCalate was pleased to have the JISC and particularly the Regional Support Centre as a partner in this conference. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to showcase how effectively the HEA and its network of Subject Centres can work with the JISC to achieve many mutual goals and work together to support practitioners within HE in FE.

This publication Some of the articles in this publication have been reported by Steve Rose based on his understanding of the contributor‟s presentation at the conference. Others have been written by the conference contributor themselves.

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Contents Page Keynote 1: Partnerships for Widening Participation: 4-6 Reflections on policy and practice - Professor John Storan, Continuum, UEL, reported by Steve Rose Keynote 2: In their own words: supporting HE practitioners 7-8 in further education settings - Diane Thurston, Newcastle College, reported by Steve Rose Dual identities: enhancing the in-service teacher trainee 9-12 experience in Further Education - Dr Kevin Orr and Dr Robin Simmons, University of Huddersfield Working towards effective practice in a digital age 13-18 - Sarah Knight and Ros Smith, JISC and GPI Solutions

The e-portfolio: Mapping, tracking and tagging evidence 19-23 of progress - Simon Webster, University of Plymouth Looking from the outside in: Lecturers’ experiences of the 24-28 recent expansion of Higher Education in Further Education Colleges - Rebecca Turner, HELP CETL/University of Plymouth Colleges Development of a web-site to support ILT in Post-16 Initial 29-31 Teaching Training - Christine Davies, JISC RSC Wales, Swansea University and Malcolm Bodley, JISC RSC Eastern, Anglia Ruskin University Emerging technologies and Augmented Reality 32-41 - Steve Rose, University of Exeter Employer engagement at Warwickshire College 42-43 - Tom Evershed, Warwickshire College, reported by Steve Rose Blackpool Elluminations: the use of Elluminate in blended 44-45 learning - Ian Mills and Kathy Seddon, Blackpool and the Fylde College, reported by Steve Rose

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Keynote 1: Partnerships for Widening Participation: Reflections on policy and practice

Professor John Storan: Director, Continuum, University of East London, Director, Action on Access

Reported by Stephen Rose Professor Storan is an international authority on Widening Participation strategy and practice, which is a topic of immediate importance for all HE in FE practitioners. In his keynote address he illustrated his approach to considering the widening participation agenda with reference to a „Continuum Triangle‟.

Continuum Triangle

Policy

PracticeResearch

Widening Participation

He elaborated by making reference to several key documents and agendas which are currently driving the widening participation (WP) agenda:

• Higher Ambitions (Nov 2009) • Unleashing Aspiration : The Panel on Fair Access to the Professions

(July 2009) • Independent Review of HE Funding and Student Finance (Nov 2009) • Introduction of WPSAs by HEFCE (June 2009) • New government policy WP and HE.

John brought the conference‟s attention to key messages from the recently elected coalition government and the likely impact of the forthcoming Browne report into HE funding. Conference was invited to consider the proposals against the need to:-

– Increase social mobility; – Take into account the impact on student debt;

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– Ensure a properly funded university sector and – Improve the quality of teaching, advance scholarship, and attract

a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Several key messages could be discerned within some well-chosen and provoking quotes from recent publications, reports and commentators which illustrate a changing narrative and evidence base..

“British higher education is a success story. Over the last decade, we have pursued the twin objectives of supporting excellence and widening access, and these have proved to be complementary and mutually reinforcing.” „Higher Ambitions: The Future of Universities in a Knowledge Economy‟ (Nov 2009)

“The fact that young people from areas that traditionally have some of the lowest participation rates are 30% more likely to go to university than even five years ago clearly illustrates that the Government‟s long term investment in raising aspirations and widening participation through programmes such as Aimhigher is working” David Lammy former Universities Minister, (The Telegraph, 28/1/10)

Further slides identified possible external, HE sector and institutional drivers for WP..

“I look to you to continue to do all you can to widen access to our higher education system. Our ambition is wide-ranging; from more local vocational study opportunities for those with little recent educational experience, to more help for our most talented young people to go to highly selective universities, whatever their background. In this task you will be able to build on the good progress that has been made in recent years, and the energy and expertise we have within the sector.”

BIS Grant Letter to HEFCE, Lord Mandelson, 2010-11

• History and Mission (Teaching, Research, Third leg) • Leadership (Internal policies and approaches to WP) • Market position (implications for WP)

• Funding pots (Central, Departmental formula, bidding) • Institutional change hot spots (Champions, Key Committees, data

collection and use, Corporate Plans, School Departmental Plans) • Influencing the decision makers (Resistors/Supporters) • Widening Participation Strategic Assessments (Cross university

planning, aligning policy with practice, monitoring and evaluation)

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John focused on the institutional driver - Widening Participation Strategic Assessments (Cross university planning, aligning policy with practice, monitoring and evaluation) and presented an illustrated guide to how this approach works in practice. He suggested „headlines‟ which would embody an institution‟s commitment to WP:

“Progress towards WP while maintaining standards of excellence and building on institutional strengths”

“Creating and facilitating opportunities for people to participate and access HE is central to our vision and corporate plan”

“Widening participation is an extended part of our mission statement underpinning our ambition to serve students, staff, our partners and the community”

“For over 180 years, Uni X has remained true to its original mission of creating and supporting opportunities for participation in higher education for under represented groups and it is proud of this tradition”

“We retain our absolute commitment to our historical mission of widening access and increasing participation in HE”

“Strong history of widening participation in many forms”

“Mission embraces WP in the context of the university‟s relationship with the local community”

“The university is located in one of the most ethnically and socially diverse parts of London and possibly the UK”

“WP is a fundamental part of the university‟s global position as an influential civic university, with a commitment to its region and a strong culture of engagement”

Professor Storan concluded his keynote address with a „look at the tea leaves‟ which provided delegates with a list of key issues surrounding WP which would have relevance for their practice and institutional agendas..

Focus on Widening Participation Strategic Assessments

Fees review and implications for WP

Building the evidence base for WP

WP in a more stratified HE sector

Access essential for excellence

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Keynote 2: In their own words: supporting HE practitioners in further education settings

Diane Thurston, Newcastle College

Reported by Stephen Rose

In her keynote address Diane makes an impassioned case for HE in FE and illustrates how the practice context has often been overlooked “The higher education role of further education colleges has attracted only occasional attention from scholars and researchers.” (Parry, 2009: 325). HE in FE frequently exemplifies excellence in practice and yet it is easily overlooked by these scholars and researchers:

„If we are serious about making the most of learning opportunities, including the idea of improving them, then we need very good information about what people currently do, why they do it, and why they keep doing it.‟ (James & Diment, 2003: 407)

Diane established and described the work of the CETTnet practitioner research network which aims to support HE in FE practitioners and how research attempted to capture something of the uniqueness of this practice setting. Students and staff were canvassed as to what qualities they felt were discernible in HE in FE and which might be of interest to researchers and scholars attempting to identify and disseminate good HE teaching and learning practice.

Diane demonstrated that the HE in FE sector is vital to meeting the demands of the widening participation in HE agenda and should not be underestimated in its role to support and nurture those who would not have entered HE if it were not for the unique practice approaches and situation it provides.

References

Byrne, C and Thurston, D, (2009) „Supporting and Developing a Collaborative

Research Community‟, Teaching in Lifelong Learning:a journal to inform and

improve practice, Vol. 1: 1, pp. 63 - 64

Cabinet Office (2010) “Unleashing Aspiration: The Final Report of the Panel on

Fair Access to the Professions‟, London, COI

James, D. and Diment. K. (2003) „Going Underground: Learning and

Assessment in an Ambiguous Space‟. Journal of Education AndTraining, 55: 4

Parry, G. (2005) „The Higher Education Role of Further Education Colleges.

Paper commissioned by the Foster Review of Further Education Colleges in

England.‟ London: DfES, 18 pp.

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Parry, G. (2009) „Higher Education, Further Education and the English

Experiment.‟ Higher Education Quarterly, 63: 4, pp 322–342

Thurston, D (2010) „Experiencing ESCalate, „Supporting researchersin further

education settings‟ Forthcoming June 2010, ESCalate 10-year anniversary

newsletter

Thurston, D (2010) „The invisible educators: exploring the development of

teacher educators in the further education system‟,Journal of Teaching in

Lifelong Learning, Vol. 2, no 1, pp. 47-59

Thurston, D, (2009) „Widening the CETTnet‟, Teaching in Lifelong Learning,

Vol. 1, no 2, pp. 24 - 34

enhancing the in-service teacher trainee experience in Further

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Dual identities: enhancing the in-service teacher trainee

experience in Further Education

Dr Kevin Orr and Dr Robin Simmons, University of Huddersfield

In marked distinction from other sectors of education, around ninety percent of teaching staff in Further Education (FE) colleges in England are employed untrained and complete their initial teacher training on a part-time in-service basis. This project focused on these staff who must sustain the dual role of employed teacher and trainee teacher usually at the beginning of their career. It sought to better understand the situation of in-service trainee teachers and make recommendations to enhance their experience of initial teacher training (ITT). The empirical research took place between December 2008 and May 2009 at two FE colleges in the north of England – „Dale College‟ and „Urban College‟. Dale College has undergone significant growth over recent years, but it is still a relatively small and stable institution. The main site is located in a market town and serves a predominantly rural area. In contrast, Urban College is a much bigger institution located in a large conurbation. Both institutions are part of a large network of institutions that offer the Certificate in Education (Cert. Ed.) as well as the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) for trainee teachers with degrees. These courses are designed and validated by „Northern University,‟ which has a long-standing reputation for providing teacher education in the sector. The Cert. Ed. and PGCE trainees together normally attend a three-hour class once a week for two years. While studying for a Cert. Ed./PGCE they were also employed, full-time or part-time, as teachers in various institutions, the majority at the college where they were also studying. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with two teacher educators and an HR manager at each college and by telephone with a total of twenty trainee teachers from the two colleges. These trainees were teaching on a wide range of courses including social care; agriculture; leisure and tourism; business studies; art; drama; hairdressing; and public services. Most had joined the course on being employed and consequently had been teaching for only a short time, though some had had longer experience either in FE or elsewhere. The four teacher educators had been involved in teacher education for between five and twenty four years and had extensive experience of FE. The managers were in charge of HR at their college and had responsibility to ensure staff held appropriate qualifications. In neither case did they directly line manage the teacher education team.

Findings

“I don‟t think, for the most part, I‟m conceived as a trainee teacher in

terms of responsibilities that I‟ve been given…”

This comment from a second-year trainee at Urban College expresses the central contradiction of the in-service trainee. She was new to teaching, which

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she was enjoying, but the college had the same expectations of her as a fully qualified teacher. The general attitude towards trainee teachers, however benevolent, suggested that coping was what counted above all else, and this was shared by many of the trainees themselves. Unfortunately, coping can imply a very restricted notion of teaching that allows little space for experimentation or innovation of practice.

The trainees were overwhelmingly positive about the Cert. Ed./PGCE course, though some were unequivocal about the separation between the ideal of good practice promoted on the course and the harsher reality of day-to-day teaching. Trainees enjoyed mixing with colleagues from other disciplines and departments and the weekly ITT classes were often the only place where they were considered trainees by others or even themselves. To admit to being a trainee elsewhere was to admit weakness.

Trainees appreciated the Cert. Ed./PGCE tutors for their structured lessons, their guidance and support. Yet, that support could be uncritical and trainees were occasionally praised for merely managing to get by. This attitude from the Cert. Ed./PGCE tutors may reflect compassionate understanding of the intense pressure on trainees, to which the tutors do not wish to add. However, without challenge trainees‟ pedagogical practice may remain conservative or dull. There was little antipathy to the theoretical element of the course, but for many trainees this was quite separate and less useful than what one trainee referred to as “on the job, practical, hands-on stuff that I could use day-to-day in the classroom.” This again suggests the separation of the course from teaching practice. Moreover, theory was identified as propositional knowledge such as “experiential learning cycles”, “the different theories” or more commonly and uncritically, learning styles. Theorisation was not considered as a means to analyse or extend practice and some trainees had simply accepted the theory that had validated or given a name to their existing practice. Many more commented upon the prescriptive and bureaucratic nature of the course, usually expressed in the term “paperwork,” which referred to the forms relating to, for example, written reflections, teaching observations and meetings with mentors. This foregrounding of the course‟s per formative elements, which are largely in place to meet the strictures of government-funded agencies, melds with the form-filling per formative elements of the teacher‟s role. Thus, the course and teaching were described and perceived at least partly in terms of their administration; for example the scheme of work as an artefact was emphasised over its use in the actual process of course planning. In this way a limited understanding of teaching practice is constructed for the in-service trainee, as the dual identities of trainee and teacher meet and integrate over a need to manage and perform both in the classroom, and on the ITT course. The teacher is identified as someone who can handle the workload, not someone who actively develops their practice.

Recommendations Though the absence of a culture of development in FE requires attention, recommendations to organisations about ITT in FE must be made cautiously. There is much over which employers and teacher educators have little control, not least the pertaining regulatory regime, and the sector‟s diversity requires intervention that is sensitive to local influences. Moreover, any changes risk

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adding to the already full workload of FE staff, which may only further reinforce expedience or performativity. With those caveats in mind, these recommendations are primarily about allowing trainee teachers to develop their practice, not just to learn to cope.

o Recognise trainees as a defined category of employee. Just as schools have procedures for newly-qualified teachers, so should FE organisations, especially in relation to teaching observations. New teachers should be encouraged to see themselves as trainees and so have the licence to experiment and to learn from mistakes. This would also mean that induction would involve pedagogical development and would involve the teacher education section and the trainee‟s manager as well as the HR department.

o Increase trainees’ workload incrementally. Trainees should initially have reduced workloads to allow them to observe colleagues, to plan lessons carefully, and to think about how they might develop their practice informed by discussion and their own experience. This may help to prioritise the development of pedagogy through experimentation. Full-time and fractional teachers should be timetabled to teach for approximately two-thirds of their scheduled class contact time during the first term of their ITT course and for three-quarters of their scheduled class contact time for the remainder of their time on the course.

o Formally recognise the key role of teacher educators. Teacher educators can play a crucial role in developing and supporting trainee teachers and enhancing the standard of teaching in the college. However, teacher educators need to have the necessary time to challenge and stretch trainees as well as support them, which requires a reduced teaching timetable.

o Enhance the status of mentors. Despite their importance, the procedure to become a mentor and what the role involves are uneven and apparently random. Ideally, mentors should be volunteers; they should have the opportunity to train; and each mentor should have one hour per week remission for each trainee to enable them to spend time with the new teacher.

o Prioritise the teacher training course. Trainees were sometimes instructed by line managers not to attend Cert. Ed./PGCE classes so as to cover for absent staff, which reinforces a perception of teacher training as extra, not integral. Senior managers should explicitly and consistently prioritise the ITT course and ensure that trainees and their line managers are aware of its importance for both the individual teacher‟s and the organisation‟s development.

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o Alleviate the bureaucratic elements of the course. Although teacher educators have limited control over many elements of ITT courses, they can actively prioritise pedagogy over the completion of forms. Expediency should not be at the expense of flair. Issues of teaching and learning need to be at the centre of trainees‟ experience.

o Increase integration and relevance of theory. Teacher educators should consider both what theory they cover and how they present it to enhance the relevance of theory to trainees. That may well entail a move towards, for example, theories of situational and social learning. Trainees should be able to analyse and critique theorisation as well as being able to use it to analyse and critique their own work.

o Consider how trainees can be supported to maintain challenge. Sympathetically supporting trainees who are struggling with the pressures of teaching is important and valuable. However, it can lead teacher educators to unduly praise trainees‟ existing practice and to the validation and perpetuation of conservative pedagogy. Therefore, teacher educators should consider how they can support and challenge trainees at the same time by introducing new and alternative forms of practice.

The heavy workload of new teachers greatly restricts opportunities for innovation or experimentation due to the need to quickly cope, which favours conservative teaching practice. These recommendations are intended to recognise that situation because while expediency has precedence over flair, the pedagogy and profession of FE teachers cannot develop.

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Working towards effective practice in a digital age

Sarah Knight and Ros Smith, JISC and GPI Solutions

Learning and teaching in a digital age are being profoundly altered in a wide variety of contexts by the additional potential offered by technology.

Effective Practice in a Digital Age: A guide to technology-enhanced learning and teaching – an updated version of the well-received 2004 JISC guide to the pedagogy of e-learning Effective Practice with e-Learning – was launched in June at the 2009 Higher Education Academy Annual conference.

The publication aims to illustrate for those new to teaching or who have not yet adopted technology in their practice, how technology can be harnessed to meet everyday teaching and learning challenges. Combining theory with practice, the guide also aims to pinpoint some of the key steps that will help further and higher education practitioners to take the next steps towards using technology appropriately and effectively in their own practice.

Effective Practice in a Digital Age marks an important watershed in the JISC‟s programmes of research into pedagogy and technology. Drawing on the outcomes of a range of JISC programmes of research and development in the field of technology enhancement, the guide looks forward to an age of digitally empowered learning and teaching.

Accompanying the publication is a suite of online resources in the Effective Practice Resource Exchange. The Effective Practice Resource Exchange includes video case studies depicting themes related to technology-enhanced practice; a selection of practitioners‟ voices caught on camera; extended versions of the publication‟s case studies for use in staff development and other institutional contexts, and podcasts expanding on key messages from the publication.

The publication can be ordered in hard copy or downloaded in PDF and accessible text-only formats. All resources associated with the publication can be downloaded for use in educational contexts.

To download the publication in a range of formats: www.jisc.ac.uk/practice

To download or view the supplementary online resources: www.jisc.ac.uk/resourceexchange

Case Study - Redesigning the curriculum

University of Hertfordshire

What is an electronic voting system (EVS)?

Electronic voting systems provide opportunities for interactivity and immediate

feedback in large-group teaching contexts. Computer software collects and

records the responses made by learners using handsets to questions posed

during a class, lecture or presentation. Percentage responses to options are

usually displayed, but data can be collected from individual handsets.

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What is a podcast?

A podcast is a recording, for example, of the content of a lecture, made

available for download from a website or VLE by syndication – a process of

making content available to other sites by means of RSS feeds. A vodcast

refers to the use of video files for the same purpose.

Background The School of Health and Emergency Professions at the University of Hertfordshire offers courses in dietetics, paramedic science, physiotherapy, diagnostic radiography, and radiotherapy. Students in these disciplines have benefited from newly developed technology-enhanced learning environments which simulate the real-life demands made on tutors in healthcare and emergency medical professions. In addition, students have 24/7 access to resources on the university‟s Managed Learning Environment, StudyNet, which offers a personalised portal to module and course information, online discussion and group work facilities, communication channels with tutors, blogs, online journals and databases, and an e-portfolio tool. The Blended Learning Unit (BLU) at Hertfordshire has been instrumental in embedding the use of StudyNet but also advises on how to enhance learning and teaching with a range of technologies. The Unit – a HEFCE-funded centre for excellence in teaching and learning (or CETL) – specialises in blending effective uses of technology with traditional pedagogic approaches. Tutors who are enthusiasts can be seconded to help colleagues integrate technologies such as virtual classrooms, electronic voting systems, mobile devices and podcasts into day-to-day practice.

Challenge The increase in student numbers in recent years on the BSc (Hons) course in diagnostic radiography and imaging in the School of Health and Emergency Professions has made it increasingly difficult for tutors to assess the quality of students‟ learning. Approximately 120 students, for example, are likely to take the compulsory Level 2 module on anatomy, physiology and pathology for imaging. This large intake means greater diversity in the age groups of students and consequently in the level of experience they bring with them into their studies. Yet lectures delivered to large groups give little opportunity for tutors to identify and support those needing assistance: „It is hard to know what, and how well, students in large groups are learning.‟ Alan Hilliard, University Teaching Fellow, Blended Learning Unit, University of Hertfordshire

Transforming practice Until 2006, the anatomy, physiology and pathology for imaging module was delivered in two two-hour lectures in large lecture theatres which provided the only face-to-face contact that this large cohort of students had with their tutors. That was until module tutor Jenny Lorimer seized the opportunity to radically change the way the module was taught: „I felt I could do more to improve the quality of the students‟ experience – I just wanted to find a better way of

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teaching.‟ Jenny Lorimer, senior lecturer, School of Health and Emergency Professions, University of Hertfordshire By using a digital voice recorder, and with guidance from the BLU, the content of the first two-hour lecture has now been split into shorter sections and recorded as MP3 files to accompany the PowerPoint® presentation normally given in the lecture. When recording the podcast, consideration is given to students‟ need to assimilate unfamiliar terms. On an initial slide in each presentation is a list of terms and concepts that may be new to the student. The next slide gives an overview of the topic, introducing relevant concepts. At this stage, the recording pauses and students are advised to take the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new terms and concepts. The presentation is similarly divided into sections of around 20–30 minutes to enable students to assimilate what they have learnt and to take a break before continuing. The presentations and podcasts are uploaded to StudyNet a week in advance of the second two-hour session – now redesigned as a face-to-face session made up of small-group activities. During the second session, students rotate in groups to undertake three or four different activities, testing their recall of the newly acquired anatomical and pathological terms by using multiple choice quizzes and EVS handsets, discussion activities or peer marking of essays in outline format. Since Jenny prepared the content for the podcasts and the group activities, other members of the teaching team have time available to facilitate group activities.

e-Learning advantage

Podcasting is a simple and cost-effective use of technology which enables course content to be accessed free of constraints of time, pace and place. RSS feeds alert students at Hertfordshire to the availability of new podcasts and students either use computers in the university learning resource centres or their own personal technologies to play or download the podcasts. Evidence suggests that students respond well to podcasts recorded by their lecturers – explanations given by a familiar voice are more likely to help with the emotional aspects of learning by providing a personal and more immediate quality (Fothergill, 2008). In the School of Health and Emergency Professions, it is common practice to combine podcasts with slides – information displayed diagrammatically on a slide can be supported by an explanation recorded as digital audio files, a format which is especially valuable in the context of anatomy and physiology. The podcasts and slides are released before rather than after the timetabled session, which gives students more time to engage with the content – for example, by repeating the podcast or researching recommended links. Evaluations show that the average time students spent working with a podcast was around 3½ hours; in comparison, the lecture the podcast replaced was two hours long. Making podcasts available in advance of a session also complements patterns of study adopted by students; most students (97%) participating in the evaluation stated that they found it easier to learn at the weekend or during the evening, and therefore appreciated the chance to

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prepare for the face-to-face session by listening to the podcast over the weekend or the night before. The face-to-face session then provides opportunities to follow up on questions that students‟ deeper engagement with the theoretical content has generated – podcasts often conclude with tasks and prompts for further research. Unlike students in large lecture theatres who rarely question their lecturers, those working in small groups are more likely to ask for additional explanations, especially if their answers to multiple choice quizzes using the voting system have shown that they have not yet mastered the core concepts. The EVS at Hertfordshire – TurningPoint® – not only provides simple opportunities for students to self-assess their understanding of the podcasts, but also enlivens the face-to-face sessions. Majority verdicts from multiple choice questions embedded in a presentation, for example, can open up exploration of the consequences of the decision in subsequent slides. Learning from erroneous approaches then occurs without exposure or censure – the group, not the individual, has made the faulty decision. Students can become deeply engaged in the debates that ensue.

Graphs of the results of weekly EVS tests are published on StudyNet; this information pushes the boundaries still further by enabling students to assess their performance against that of their peers. (Data is given by handset number rather than name to maintain anonymity.) Tutors can then compare formative and summative data to research more closely how well students are learning.

The two technologies used in tandem – the podcast prior to the face-to-face session and the voting system during the session – have transformed the experience of learning challenging, factually-based content. Students can access the podcast at times and in places convenient to them and return to it as many times as they wish. The level of interaction between students and tutors has increased significantly and students‟ recall of information has improved. It is not surprising that students have almost unanimously praised the redesign: 80% of the student group expressed satisfaction with the blended delivery. 97% of direct-entry students and 100% of mature students found the EVS system easy to operate. 97% of all students found it easy to download podcasts from StudyNet. From the tutors‟ perspective, teaching has become more productive. Tutors have more opportunity to know students as individuals, despite the size of the cohort. Students experiencing difficulties are more likely to self-refer and look for support from both tutors and peers, and it is evident from the module discussion site on StudyNet how active students have become in supporting one another. Both tutors and students enjoy the face-to-face sessions – now freed from the chores of delivering and receiving knowledge, both are able to interact more freely and put learning and teaching more closely to the test. Tutors are, as a result, finding out more quickly (rather than too late) what needs attention, and their teaching becomes correspondingly contingent:

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„Once I thought I had covered something fully. However, I discovered through the EVS tests in the small-group session that across the board students were getting questions on the topic wrong. The voting system helps me realise what students find difficult and where to focus my efforts.‟ Jenny Lorimer, senior lecturer, School of Health and Emergency Professions, University of Hertfordshire

From the point of view of assessment, the redesigned curriculum has integrated well into the assessment framework for the module. The podcasts provide flexible opportunities for students to revise key terms and concepts, while on-the-spot quizzes using the EVS help to prepare students for the multiple choice questions they eventually face in summative assessments. (See also Draper & Brown, 2004.)

Lessons learnt

Care should be taken to select digital voice recorders (DVRs) that support the production of MP3 files. DVRs usually offer two quality settings. The higher setting creates larger files which use up more space on the devices that students use to play back the podcasts. Depending on the length of recordings and requirement for multimedia, it may be worth testing the lower setting first to keep file sizes smaller.

Clear use of titles and subheadings helps students understand the structure in a suite of podcasts.

Publishing graphs of results from weekly EVS quizzes helps students monitor their own performance and promotes more consistent learning: „The EVS let me know my weaknesses and helped me to learn what I needed to look up.‟ Student

Key points for effective practice

Podcasts in themselves may not make a significant difference to the quality of the learning experience. More important is the coherence of the blend between technology and traditional aspects of learning and teaching.

Shorter podcasts are easier to record and play back, so it is preferable to split larger topics into sections, signposting for students in each script where other related information is located.

Learners’ perspectives „I have found this subject very hard, but the way Jenny and her team taught it made the module absolutely fantastic. I have found myself looking forward to her lecture.‟ Dan, radiography student, University of Hertfordshire „I have loved every minute of the module and feel I have benefitted more from building a good relationship with the teaching staff; the little group sessions enabled this.‟ Nadia, radiography student, University of Hertfordshire

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Future developments The TurningPoint EVS system can also support strategies for problem-based learning if students are given control over the order of slides and use their judgement to decide on the right order before viewing the decision of the majority. This additional use of EVS will be put into practice and evaluated during 2009.

Further reading Draper, S.W. & Brown, M.I. (2004) „Increasing interactivity in lectures using an electronic voting system‟, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 20, pp. 81–94 Fothergill, J. (2008) „Podcasts and online learning‟ in Salmon, G. & Edirisingha, P. (Eds), Podcasting for Learning in Universities, Chapter 15, pp. 153–168, Open University Press

Lorimer, J. & Hilliard, A. (2007) Using Podcasts/Audio Downloads and an Electronic Voting System to Transform a Traditionally Delivered Module into a Blended Learning Module – http://hdl.handle.net/2299/2624

Key words Blended learning, electronic voting system, EVS, podcast, managed learning environment, undergraduate, radiography, healthcare, Jenny Lorimer, Alan Hilliard

References University of Hertfordshire Blended Learning Unit – www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/learning-and-teaching/blended-learning-institute/home.cfm TurningPoint® – www.turningtechnologies.co.uk

For further information, contact Sarah Knight [s.knight@jisc.ac.uk]

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The e-portfolio: Mapping, tracking and tagging evidence of

progress

Simon Webster, University of Plymouth

University of Plymouth post-graduate pre-service trainees who want to work as lecturers in the FE sector have been involved in a research project, evaluating the effectiveness of PebblePad as a vehicle for the e-portfolio aspect of the course. The trainees do their academic studies at the University and have teaching placements at local FE colleges. It is a one year, full-time course of study. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS) has gone through major changes over the past 5 years or so as part of Labour‟s „New Professionalism‟ project. There has been a drive to increase the quality of teacher training programmes (DfES, 2004) as part of a wider commitment to improving the skills of the nation‟s workforce (Leitch, 2006; DIUS, 2007). This has meant the introduction of a comprehensive set of Professional Standards for the sector, and there is an expectation from LLUK and Ofsted that the trainees will demonstrate how they are meeting them. Mapping and tracking performance against the Professional Standards is a key part of the e-portfolio process.

Teachers undertake many roles (LLUK, 2007), and the teaching role itself has undergone significant change in recent years with regard to e-learning (Maher, 2007; Garrison & Anderson, 2003). The burgeoning responsibilities for e-learning that teachers in the sector now have need to be fully recognised and supported by the Initial Teacher Training curriculum (Fisher & Webb, 2006). To fully support the development of our trainees the University of Plymouth Post-Compulsory ITT courses will need to promote e-learning skills in more informed and creative ways that reflect the changing nature of practices in the Lifelong Learning Sector. This e-portfolio project explores the feasibility of using PebblePad as a way of more fully engaging the trainees in a variety of e-learning practices to help develop their ICT skills, and thus their teaching practice.

The aim is to develop a more „ubiquitous use of ICT‟ (Kay & Knaack 2005) on the ITT courses to encourage the development of skills and creativity. Kay and Knaack identify a range of models for teaching the use of technology to pre-service teachers. The models that we use on the PGCE are:

The Single Course Model, where trainees study a module that specialises in the use of ICT: the Integrated Model, where the use of ICT pops up in all the modules on the course in various guises; Modelling, where the lecturers on the course demonstrate effective use of ICT in their own teaching and students are inspired by it; the Field-Based Model, where trainees are supported in the development of their teaching resources by their personal tutor and their practice based mentor; and the Combined Model that uses two or more approaches.

By using PebblePad it was hoped that the application of all of these models could be enhanced. By raising the expectation concerning the formal use of ICT

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and by increasing the frequency of that use, hopefully with a real focus on creative pedagogy, we hoped to raise the standards of the trainees‟ use of ICT.

PebblePad is an online e-portfolio system that is based around user needs in a variety of contexts. It is not specifically targeted at a particular course or type of student – it is an adaptable system that has the potential to stay relevant to an individual as they progress through their career. In fact one of the things that I found attractive was the fact that the IfL, the body who are controlling professional registration in the FE sector use a form of PebblePad called Reflect. The IfL have a collaborative and corroborative system of reflection upon CPD, where you send commentary upon your CPD and its impact upon your practice to a colleague for them to validate the authenticity of your statements. Familiarity with PebblePad, as the platform for the IfL‟s Reflect, will be of great use to the trainees in the future.

Pebblepad allows users to capture, reflect upon, share and make links between experiences that they have had, artefacts they have seen, or action plans that they are making. There was some hope that the use of PebblePad‟s sharing features would lead to positive experiences based on social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978; Salmon, 2007). PebblePad and Reflect encourage the sharing of one‟s ideas and progress through the course. It has the potential to allow trainees to share their work with peers, mentors, lecturers, and potential employers. Rather than working in isolation, the trainees are working with a system that gives them a degree of equity and commonality with fully qualified professionals; it helps them enter a community of practice (Wenger 2002) and to take part in useful forms of social networking. It was envisioned that the trainees would take an active role in self, peer and tutor assessment, both formative and summative, as they developed insights, understandings and questions about their professional practice development and the meeting of the Professional Standards.

An important factor that arose from the research though was the unfamiliarity of the PebblePad system, especially the idea of tagging. Most trainees were „conditioned‟ through their extended use of Microsoft Office inspired products to think of data storage and organisation as a „folder‟ based process, whereby information is filed in a very particular place, often in a folder within a folder. This system relies on a logical, hierarchical organisation of the folders and there is an underlying assumption that each piece of data has one right and proper place. But PebblePad allows users to tag information with multiple search terms, allowing a single piece of data to be easily collated under any number of search terms – so long as these have been allocated to the artefact. The nature of „tagging‟ was therefore central to understanding the trainees‟ experience with PebblePad. Tagging is a form of metadata - it is data about data – used to describe the original data it is connected to. When trainees go about their teaching practice and their academic studies they produce or collect all kinds of paperwork (lesson plans, classroom resource, mentor meeting notes etc) and a raft of electronic resources (government policy documents, college policy documents, schemes of work, online journal articles, links to education and subject specialist websites). Our original assumption was that when the trainees chose to upload their artefacts or links into PebblePad they would know the full significance of them in terms of the Professional Standards,

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so that they could tag the artefacts with relevant Professional Standards codes to really effectively show how they were meeting them. But it was realised that they were finding this process difficult.

So what is the problem? Rashmi‟s (2005) cognitive theory of tagging threw light on the subject. He analyses the „cognitive process that kicks into place when we tag an item, and how this differs than the process of categorizing‟. Rashmi explains that Categorization is a 2-stage process.

In stage 1 - Related Category Activation - we encounter a new artefact or experience, and we match the new event to already held concept categories. Rashmi (2005) explains that

„With tagging there is no filtering involved at this stage, you can note as many of those associations as you want. This is how tagging works, cognitively speaking. Yes, it‟s that simple. On the other hand, the work for categorization is just beginning‟.

Stage 2: involves making the decision – from our list of possible categories, where do we actually choose to store the new information? A comparison of the similarity of the new information to that held in the current cognitive categories leads to a filing of the information in a certain place, traditionally in one place. This form of definitive categorization makes sense with books and paper files which need to be accessed physically, but is not so appropriate with digital artefacts as they are easily reproducible and accessible electronically; they do not exist in a physical sense in the same way that a book does. Without Related Category Activation taking place it is not possible to move onto the decision stage of the categorization process.

We realised that there is an important barrier to the trainees effectively engaging in their Professional Standards mapping process – they were unfamiliar with the terminology and concepts, so when they considered an artefact in relation to the standards they didn‟t enter into a natural consideration of multiple possible categories. What actually took place was a mechanical and unconfident matching of the standard to the first possibly relevant standard they came across. The trainees did not tend to continue to match the artefact with further standards. The artefact was filed away, not to be revisited, again mimicking the metaphor of the file in the folder. Rashmi identifies this as a common aspect of „post-activation analysis paralysis‟. The trainees were tentatively engaging with categorization processes and tending toward a hierarchical system where the artefact was permanently and simplistically archived in one place. The possibilities offered by multiple tagging were not being explored, let alone utilised effectively.

To try and simplify the process the University staff had created a set of easily applied tags for all of the Professional Standards, but at present it is not possible to share a set of tags created by one PebblePad user with another. It was not practicable to ask each trainee to recreate the 140 Standards tags in each of their PebblePad user accounts, so a different approach was taken. Another one of the PebblePad functions, the pro-forma creation tool, was used to make a form that trainees could attach their evidence to. In many ways this

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was beneficial as it offered a structure that the trainees could more easily relate to, but it did mean that the trainees were being encouraged to move from a multi tagging process that actively helped them to see, and make insightful connections between, the meanings and implications of the Professional Standards into an atomized categorization process. This form of categorization is hierarchical and suits top-down, directive, didactic engagement with the standards, but this tends to foster task-centred, surface learning from the trainees. A non-hierarchical tagging system that encourages trainees to make connections between standards and to make imaginative connections between theory, principles and practice is far better as it equates with deep learning.

Lessons are still being learnt from the PebblePad research project – the system is full of potential benefits in helping the trainees to frame and share their professional development – but to be able to successfully roll out an e-portfolio system based upon PebblePad there will need to be a significant degree of staff training before the academic year begins. Salmon‟s e-learning texts (2000; 2002; 2004) discuss staff training in support of e-learning. She recognises that „even where technological infrastructure and support are strong, and when worthwhile learning applications are developed, without staff development nothing is likely to happen beyond pilot schemes‟ (2000:55). This training needs to create confidence in staff abilities to use the system and willingness to embrace its possibilities. Cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains of learning need to be addressed. The importance of an experiential approach is stressed by Kay & Knaack (2005), who call for the ubiquitous and integrated use of computing in teacher education, as familiarity with e-learning technology and processes can help to develop confidence and competence in teachers concerning their future use of technology. Through the daily use of technology in teacher training they noted „a significant improvement in all 10 computer ability areas (operating systems, communication, World Wide Web, word processing, spreadsheets, database, graphics, multimedia, web page design, and programming)‟(Kay and Knaack, 2005:391). Ubiquitous, and experiential, use of e-learning methods should be adopted by the University of Plymouth ITT team to aid their, and their trainees‟, development.

Bibliography

DfES. (2004, February) Equipping our Teachers for the Future: Reforming Initial teacher training for the Learning and Skills sector. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from Teachernet: Online Publications for Schools: http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=ITT+REFORM+1&

Fisher, R., & Webb, K. (2006) 'Subject specialist pedagogy and initial teacher training for the learning and skills sector in England: the context, a response and some critical issues' Journal of Further and Higher Education , 30 (4), 337-349.

Garrison, D., & Anderson, T. (2003) E-Learning in the 21st Century. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

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Kay, R., & Knaack, L. (2005) 'A Case for Ubiquitous, Integrated Computing in Teacher Education' Technology, Pegagogy and Education , 14 (3), 391-412.

Leitch, S. (2006, December 5) Prosperity for All in the Global Economy - world class skills. Retrieved April 24, 2009, from HM Treasury: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/leitch_review/review_leitch_index.cfm

LLUK. (2007, August) Guidance for awarding institutions developing qualifications for the initial training of teachers in the further education (FE) sector in England. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from Lifelong Learning UK: http://www.lluk.org/3066.htmMaher, E. (2007) 'Online Teaching in Higher Education: Changing the Professional Identity of the Lecturer?' in Montgomerie, C. & Searle, J. Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2007 (pp. 2572-2581). Chesapeake VA: AACE.

Rashmi (2005) „A cognitive analysis of tagging‟ Retrieved April 16, 2010, from http://rashmisinha.com/2005/09/27/a-cognitive-analysis-of-tagging

Salmon, G. (2000) E-Moderating: The key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan-Page.

Salmon, G. (2002) E-tivities. London: Kogan Page.

Salmon, G. (2004) E-Moderating: The key to teaching and learning online 2nd edition. London: Taylor and Francis.

Salmon, G. (2007) 'The Tipping Point' ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology , 15 (2), 171-172.

Taylor, P., & Caselton-Bone, S. (2007) Teachers and learners look for 'attractive' resources. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from JISC: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/programme_edistributed/regionalstories/rehashl2o.aspx

Vygotsky, L. (1978) Mind and Society: The development of higher mental processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Wenger, E. (2002) Cultivating Communities of Practice: A guide to managing knowledge. London: Harvard Business School Press.

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Looking from the outside in: Lecturers’ experiences of the

recent expansion of Higher Education in Further Education

Colleges

Rebecca Turner, HELP CETL/University of Plymouth Colleges

The expansion of Higher Education (HE) into Further Education Colleges (FECs) advocated by the Dearing Report (NCIHE, 1997) and taken forward by the government White Paper The Future of Higher Education (DfES, 2003) has had a significant impact on the working practices of colleges, validating universities, college lecturers and support staff. An era of partnership between universities and colleges commenced, as they collaboratively developed foundation degrees (Foskett, 2005). The provision of HE in FE was not new, for many years FECs have played an integral role in promoting flexible access to HE, providing the majority of part time, sub-degree qualifications (Parry 2009). Despite this, there is a commonly held perception that this was a marginal activity (Scott, 2009), which may have consequences for the identity and role HE plays within a college, contributing to the sense that lecturers are looking from the outside in.

University of Plymouth Colleges (UPC) has a longstanding commitment to the provision of HE in FE and therefore was in a position to support substantial growth in the foundation degrees in its network of colleges. In line with HEFCE (2003) recommendations, and through collaboration with the Higher Education Learning Partnerships (HELP) CETL, UPC has been able to support its network of colleges to grow all aspects of their HE provision. Alongside this sustained growth in HE, research has been ongoing to explore the impact it has had upon lecturers‟ working practices and professional identities. This research is reported in detail in Turner et al. (2009a; 2009b), however this article provides a synthesis of the key findings of this work in relation to the wider changes that have taken place in HE in FE nationally.

Hybrid zones? The emerging HE-in-FE ethos of colleges in South West England

In Biology, hybrid zones represent narrow regions in which genetically distinct populations meet, mate and produce offspring (Arnold, 2006). In this context the recent expansion of Higher Education (HE) in Further Education (FE) has created a situation whereby two distinct populations of post-compulsory education were encouraged to work in partnership. In line with HEFCE (2003) recommendations this led to investment in colleges to support the development of infrastructure to provide HE learning spaces. In turn college lecturers were provided with opportunities to engage with scholarly activity and subject updating, to support their HE teaching.

Within UPC a number of mechanisms have been used to promote scholarly activity and research. This has involved college lecturing and support staff undertaking higher qualifications, attending conferences and applying for research funds through the HELP CETL‟s Award Holder Scheme, details of which can be found at www.help-celt.ac.uk. Annually from 2005, UPC staff

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could apply for financial support through this scheme to research aspects of their practice. Staff who participated in the Scheme acknowledged the contrasting institutional profiles of colleges and universities, and had begun to question the extent to which a culture of HE was developing within their FE colleges. Therefore an investigation was undertaken with the Award Holders to explore the nature of the emerging HE ethos within their colleges. This group was focused upon as it was felt their experience as practitioner-researchers meant that they were in a unique position to reflect on their experiences of working and researching within in an FE college. Thirty lecturers were invited to participate in an investigation into the emerging HE ethos across the UPC network. A questionnaire was used to explore participants‟ perceptions of HE, their experiences of delivering HE and undertaking scholarly activities. The responses to the questionnaires were then used to inform interview questions. All respondents agreed to be interviewed and 14 respondents were selected for interview from five partner colleges with a longstanding commitment to HE.

College lecturers had a clearly defined view of the HE ethos within universities and compared this to the emerging ethos in their colleges. Within their institutions they identified structural, managerial and educational processes that needed to be negotiated as their college‟s HE provision expanded. In this context college staff highlighted an apparent mismatch between HE and FE management and governance styles which could hinder the emerging ethos. However, despite these challenges, the college lecturers were positive about the opportunities the expansion had provided for their students and themselves, particularly in terms of engaging with scholarly activity. They viewed scholarly activity as being an integral aspect of HE, and through engagement with such activities they felt they were contributing to the „HE-ness‟ of their college. Based on the experiences, bridging HE and FE has resulted in the emergence of a new, hybrid ethos (Turner et al., 2009). This ethos balances the contrasting governance styles of HE and FE, whilst building on the expertise of FE colleges in supporting non-traditional learners and embracing opportunities afforded by increased liaisons with universities to engage with scholarly activity and become part of wider academic communities (Turner et al., 2009).

The HE in FE practitioner: an emerging identity or a confused nomad?

As part of the cultural change that college lecturers were experiencing there was a sense that they were undergoing a shift in their professional identities. An individual‟s professional identity is viewed as been dynamic and constantly evolving as their career develops (Stronach et al., 2002). It is cited as being related to the culture of an organisation, social/professional interactions and an individual‟s self perception (Stronach et al., 2002). Given the unique position the college lecturers who participated in the previous research, in terms of the funding they had received from the HELP CETL, it was not clear if the changes they were experiencing in their professional identities were representative of HE in FE lecturers generally. Therefore an investigation was undertaken into the professional identities of lecturers teaching on foundation degrees in the UPC network. During the 2007-08 academic year a number of staff development activities were facilitated across the network and a specific event was chosen to provide the sample for this research. Attendees from this event were contacted by email to outline the research project and request their participation. All

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recipients of the email volunteered to participate in the research, subsequently 12 college lecturers (three from four colleges) were selected. The interviews explored participants‟ educational/professional backgrounds, including how they became involved in HE, their perceptions of the role of HE practitioners working within universities and FECs. This research was designed to be small scale and regional in its focus, to enable identification of issues relating to practitioners‟ professional identities.

As has been previously highlighted in research relating to FE lecturers‟ career trajectories (e.g. Bathmaker & Avis, 2005) the majority of the interviewees did not originally aspire to teach; their entry into teaching was almost accidental, primarily due to their vocational expertise. Their transition to HE was equally as unplanned, evolving as their teaching responsibilities developed. The professional ideals of FE lecturers have been cited as remaining rooted in their area of professional expertise (Spencerley, 2006). Therefore, regardless of the level they are teaching at, college lecturers are often negotiating two sets of professional values.

Delivering HE within an FE college presents practitioners with a new territory they need to explore in terms of relationships with their collaborating institutions, expectations of their learners and the environment they are working within. Therefore the college lecturers perceived that they were teaching HE within the confines of FE whereby the college systems and management are geared towards FE, with limited concessions made for HE (Gleeson et al.,

2005).

FE colleges are perceived as serving those learners who may not have previously succeeded in their studies, providing a supportive environment in which students can develop (Hodkinson et al. 2007). The college lecturers reflected this, referring to the holistic approach taken to their teaching which develops both the learners‟ knowledge of the subject and the skills they needs to support the learning process (Briggs, 2005). Despite this they felt they delivered the same subject matter as their university colleagues, however, due to differences in class size and learner profiles they did not teach in what may be considered a “HE style” e.g. large group lectures. Whilst the college lecturers felt this was advantageous to their learners‟ academic development it often left them at the beck-and-call of their students in a way that they did not perceive their university colleagues as being.

New opportunities – new challenges?

The changes in HE in FE have presented the college lecturers with new opportunities and challenges, which will have a considerable impact on their identity formation. Socialisation processes, particularly building relationships with those performing a similar role, are integral to this (Bernstein, 2000). In the colleges sampled HE represented a minority of the institutions‟ provision and contact with the University was restricted to formal procedures or staff development activities. Subsequently identity formation was taking place in isolation, which, as one college lecturer described, left them feeling like a “confused nomad.” In engaging in HE teaching they are presented with another identity to assume which needs to align with existing professional values. Yet

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others within the group have embraced this emerging identity, viewing themselves as agents for change promoting the accessibility of HE. If HE in FE continues to grow, as envisaged by policymakers, further re-conceptualisation of the identity of the HE in FE practitioner will become paramount to support this role and the individuals working across these two diverse sectors.

References

Arnold, M. I. (2006). Evolution Through Genetic Exchange. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Bathmaker A-M. & Avis, J. (2005) Becoming a lecturer in further education in England: the construction of professional identity and the role of communities of practice. Journal for Education and Training, 31, 47-72.

Bernstein, B. (2000). Pedagogy, Symbolic Control and Identity. Taylor Francis, London.

Briggs, A.R.J. (2005). Professionalism in Further Education: a changing concept. Management in Education. 19, 19-23.

Foskett, R. (2005). Collaborative partnerships in the higher education curriculum: a cross-sector study of foundation degree development. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 10, 351-372.

Gleeson, D., Davis, J. & Wheelers, E. (2005). On the making and taking of professionalism in the Further Education sector. British Journal of the Sociology of Education, 26, 445-460.

HEFCE. 2003. Supporting higher education in further education colleges: a guide for tutors and lecturers. Report 03/15. Bristol: HEFCE.

Hodkinson P., Anderson, G., Colley, H., Davies, J., Dimet, K., Scaife, T., Tedder, M., Wahlberg, M. & Wheeler, E. 2007. Learning cultures in further education. Educational Review 59, no.4: 399-413.

NICHE. 1997. Higher education in the learning society. Main report, London, NCIHE.

Parry, G. (2009). Higher Education, Further Education and the English Experiment. Higher Education Quarterly, 63, 322-342.

Scott, P. (2009). On the margins or moving into the mainstream? Higher Education in Further Education in England. Higher Education Quarterly, 63, 402-418.

Spencerley, L. 2006. Smoke and mirrors: an examination of the concept of professionalism with the Further Education Sector. Research in Post Compulsory Education 11, no.3: 289-302.

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Stronach, I., Corbin, B., McNamara, O., Stark, S. and Warne, T. 2002. Towards an uncertain politics of professionalism: teacher and nurse identities in flux. Journal of Education Policy 17, no.1: 109-138.

Turner, R. McKenzie, L.M., McDermott, A.P. & Stone, M. (2009a). Emerging HE cultures: perspectives from CETL Award Holders in a partner college network. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 33, 255-263.

Turner, R., McKenzie, L.M. & Stone, M. (2009b). „Square peg – round hole‟: the emerging professional identities of HE in FE lecturers working in a partner college network in south west England. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 14, 355-368.

This synthesis drawn on research conducted with Liz McKenzie, Ken Gale of Faculty of Education of the University of Plymouth and Mark Stone HELP CETL Director.

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Development of a web-site to support ILT in Post-16 Initial

Teaching Training

Christine Davies, JISC RSC Wales, Swansea University and Malcolm

Bodley, JISC RSC Eastern, Anglia Ruskin University

Technology is becoming an increasingly significant component of education, and it is important that teachers, trainee teachers, and particularly teacher-trainers understand the potential of technology to enhance teaching and learning. The „Initial Teacher Training‟ web-site1 was developed to facilitate this process: its main target is teacher-educators in the Post-16 sector, whether HE or FE-based, though it is hoped that the site will also benefit new and experienced teachers from all sectors.

The website was the main output of a project involving advisors from several JISC 2regional support centres, and this is reflected in the „Regional‟ page on the site which outlines the different ITT (Initial Teacher Training) standards, qualifications and other aspects of provision in the different UK regions.3

The site is actually based on a Wordpress4 blog run by JISC Involve5, and this

provides easy-to-use navigation bars, links to other blogs, and the opportunity

for readers to leave comments.

1 http://initialteachertraining.jiscinvolve.org

2 http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/services/as_rsc/rsc_home.aspx

3 http://www.lluk.org/2779.htm

4 http://wordpress.org

5 http://jiscinvolve.org

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The main site content provides information about technologies available for

teaching and learning, specifically offline and online tools, as well as subject-

specific materials, and useful links for research, both for ILT (Information and

Learning Technology) and education in general.

Information on a wide range of technologies is provided in a simple way that

avoids verbosity, and hence there is a particular reliance on videos, especially

those by „Commoncraft‟6 that outline often complex topics in brief (2-5min),

easy-to-follow video-clips.

Given the wealth of information available, it is inevitable that the different topics

covered might take up a great deal of space on the screen potentially leading to

information overload and the need for continual scrolling. These problems are

limited by placing internal hyperlinks at the top of each page to aid navigation,

and „top of page‟ links to allow users to get back to the start of each page very

easily.

We are aware that the range of educational technologies is constantly

expanding, and so the site is continually updated to accommodate new

hardware, software, online applications and resources. Recent additions

6 http://www.commoncraft.com

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include links to other RSC sites on e-safety7 and available e-learning courses

for teachers8. Visitors to the site have made suggestions about items to add in

and have also submitted ideas on the appearance of the site. We very much

encourage these ideas and aim to incorporate as many as possible so that the

site constantly evolves to meet the needs of the initial teacher training

community.

Key links:

Initial Teacher Training Website:

http://initialteachertraining.jiscinvolve.org

JISC : http://www.jisc.ac.uk

JISC Regional Support Centres:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/services/as_rsc/rsc_home.asp

7 http://www.esafetyrsceastern.jiscinvolve.org

8 http://eskillsrsceastern.jiscinvolve.org

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Emerging technologies and Augmented Reality Steve Rose, University of Exeter HE in FE practitioners can often be relied on to „have a go‟ with the latest and next „big thing‟ in learning technology. New and emerging technologies which appear to offer imaginative and engaging ways of creating and sustaining interest in the subject being studied are often explored with an enthusiasm which may not be so forthcoming in more traditional HE settings. The need to devise teaching and learning strategies which meet the demands of a diverse body of learners perhaps fosters a spirit of openness which allows for new technologies to be explored and adapted to bring real benefits and an enhanced learner experience. Mobile Learning (M-Learning) would appear to offer opportunities and possibilities for new teaching and learning paradigms which extend the reach of the formal classroom into the wider world rich in resources and experiences. „Augmented Reality‟ the new kid on the M-Learning block offers an exciting means of interacting with the real (as opposed to the virtual) world, with access provided by near-ubiquitous „Smartphones‟. The University of Exeter recently won a JISC Teaching and Learning Innovation Grant to „unlock the hidden curriculum‟ using Augmented Reality. The grant-funded project is built around the innovative and creative use of Augmented Reality. This exciting new technology adds a layer of virtual information over the physical world, enabling mobile phone users equipped with a suitable Smartphone application to interact with their surroundings, unlock a rich hidden curriculum and see the world in a different way.

The main campus of the University of Exeter is built on a country estate overlooking the city and surrounding countryside. The campus includes a variety of distinctive habitats and is rich in biodiversity. Students and grounds staff have regularly collected data through their programmes of study and conservation activities but this information and knowledge has remained hidden from the wider community.

The project will enable the campus to function as a „living laboratory‟ and reveal a dynamic landscape of flora and fauna at any time of day or season to a variety of audiences who wish to interact with this unique location. Using Augmented Reality, the campus will be transformed into an accessible learning resource to support the formal and informal curriculum. Scientific data will be presented in a creative way to interpret the living landscape and promote engagement with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Visitors to the campus equipped with suitable Smartphones will be able to trigger information presented as rich visual and audio media as they explore a variety of habitats and areas of particular interest. This location-specific information appears as an overlay superimposed on a viewing screen fed by the Smartphone‟s built in camera.

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The United Nations proclaimed 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity and this timely project will develop and make available a toolkit which will enable others to unlock their own unique environments and further develop opportunities to increase understanding of the vital role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth.

The project will involve working with academics and students from the College of Life and Environmental Sciences.

At this conference Steve Rose demonstrated AR applications which have informed this particular project at Exeter and which might be readily adapted for exploration and use within the HE in FE practice context.

What is ‘Augmented Reality’?

„Augmented reality adds information and meaning to a real object or place. Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality does not create a simulation of reality. Instead, it takes a real object or space as the foundation and incorporates technologies that add contextual data to deepen a person‟s understanding of it.

(Educause 2005)

Augmented Reality (AR) provides a view of the real-world superimposed or blended with computer generated data which may take the form of text, graphics or rich multi-media content. The technology has been used in military applications for some years now providing e.g. pilots with „tactical‟ views of operational theatres enhanced by real-time data (flight status, target acquisition etc) usually projected onto a windscreen as a heads up display (HUD) or a helmet‟s visor (Head-mounted Display - HMD).

Augmented reality extends this concept and applications have become more readily accessible and available through developments in computer graphics (particularly 3D graphics), imaging devices (webcams, phone cameras), mobile computing and communications platforms, including mobile phones. Systems

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are emerging which make use of advances in „computer vision‟ where objects, both graphical and real are „recognised‟ through information provided by cameras and other optical readers such as barcode scanners.

Research has been carried out on the potential of using Quick Response (QR) codes in Education, notably by Andy Ramsden (2008) at the University of Bath. QR codes are 2D bar codes that take the form of a pixellated square which can be „read‟ by mobile phone cameras to complete some action such as providing a link to a website.

AR extends this approach to using coded information to link the real world to the electronic.

There are two parallel approaches to utilising AR. One system, which has proved popular in the Far East where it is regularly used within the advertising industry and which is now being adopted by marketing campaigns in the West, uses pre-printed or downloadable „magic symbols‟. Rather than simply directing the viewer to a website the symbol triggers a multimedia response, usually either a 3D object or video embedded within a computer generated object creating a sense of interaction.

http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/frame_start.jsp?id=iQ_reality

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A simple but very effective example has been developed by the BBC to supplement its successful „Merlin‟ TV series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/merlin/#/games/magiceye/

Viewers show „magic symbols‟ printed on cards to webcams which then reveal multimedia content. The experience is afforded more „realism‟ by the viewable content being seemingly attached to the card which can be moved in 3D space.

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Developments in mobile computing devices e.g. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs),Ultra-mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs) and new generation mobile phones provide new and potentially useful applications of this approach to the augmented reality concept.

The Educause paper makes the observation that „every object or place has a history and a context‟. A rich, educational experience might be provided by enabling interactions to take place between those objects and places and an individual equipped with increasingly ubiquitous object/location technologies e.g. mobile phone cameras. The potential for AR is emerging on many different platforms, including the new iPhone, Android and Nokia mobile phones. These phones are able to read „magic symbols‟ and, as with the BBC‟s Merlin example, play multimedia content to the viewer on their screens. Again advertisers have been swift to see the potential of publishing symbols within magazines and even as projections onto surfaces including cinema screens

The second approach to AR uses tagged, locational information to enable a mobile phone user to view the world with an information overlay. GPS enabled phones „know where they are‟ and there is potential for combining this information with data/multimedia content.

http://mobilizy.at/wikitude.php

„AR enhanced tourism‟

It is probably fair to say that many AR projects to date perhaps resemble entertainment rather than presenting any obvious pedagogic application – the demonstrations provided by car manufacturers and broadcasters have seductive technology appeal which may lead one to conclude that this aspect might overshadow any more serious purpose. That said, mobile devices and particularly their ability to capture still and moving images, have been used very successfully in the work-based / evidence-based learning field, allaying concerns and a belief that such features on mobile phones are there simply to

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sustain YouTube and social networking sites with superficial content. Educause considers that..

„Because all areas of academic inquiry benefit from background and context, augmented reality has the possibility of enhancing education across the curriculum. By exposing students to an experiential, explorative, and authentic model of learning early in their higher education careers, augmented reality has the potential to help shift modes of learning from students simply being recipients of content to their taking an active role in gathering and processing information, thereby creating knowledge.‟

(Educause 2005)

AR has potential for informal learning and the development of activities which may complement those associated with more formal educational interactions. The paper makes the point that ..

„By combining technology familiar to students with locations that students see as their own, augmented reality has the potential to move learning out of the classrooms and into the spaces where students live. Encouraging informal learning that is easily accessible may prove particularly effective in engaging students, extending learning to spaces that might help them form connections with content, the locations that provide the context for it and the peers that they share it with.‟

(Educause 2005)

Potential projects

AR may well provide interesting ways of supporting experiential and location-based learning and also a means of providing an informal learning experience. AR might be used to create cultural/heritage „trails‟, provide detailed information about particular locations and facilities within a campus or a wider-defined geographical environment. Both approaches to AR could be trialled, one using graphical markers and another using GPS tags. Specific projects might include:

„The AR campus‟ – buildings, objects

Heritage/Landscape interpretation – History, Geography, Tourism

Bringing artefacts to life – Archaeology

The 2010 Horizon Report (Johnson et al, 2010) which identifies and describes emerging technologies likely to have a significant impact on teaching and learning within the next 5 years flags up Augmented Reality (AR) as a technology to watch. The report places AR at the „second adoption horizon‟ set two to three years out where it is believed widespread adoption of the technology, which makes use of the global cellular networks, will be in

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evidence. „Simple augmented reality‟ described in the report refers to the shift that has made AR readily accessible to almost anyone largely because of the proliferation of ubiquitous and significantly portable handheld computing devices including SmartPhones e.g. iPhone, Android phones.

„Emerging AR tools to date have been mainly designed for marketing, social purposes, amusement, or location-based information, but new ones continue to appear as the technology becomes more popular. AR has become simple, and is now poised to enter the mainstream in the consumer sector‟

(Horizon 2010, p21)

The report observes that „wireless mobile devices are increasingly driving this (AR) technology into the mobile space‟ where it is believed the applications offer promise and relevance to teaching, learning and creative enquiry. A new generation of widely available SmartPhones are equipped with a good quality camera, a built –in compass and GPS capability – this means that the device effectively „knows where it is‟ to a high standard of positional accuracy.

http://extremetolerance.com/img/iphone_compass_crop.jpg

Using the compass facility and/or image recognition AR applications can establish where the camera is pointing and overlay information on the screen (camera viewfinder). The Horizon report provides a succinct overview of how AR „apps‟ work..

„AR applications can either be marker-based, which means that the camera must perceive a specific visual cue in order for the software to call up the correct information, or markerless. Markerless applications use positional data, such as a mobile‟s GPS and compass, or image recognition, where input to the camera is compared against a library of images to make a match‟

The markers or positional „fix‟ then trigger an event e.g. the appearance of a 3D model, data or media content viewed on the phone‟s screen.

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http://www.ocell.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/iphone_ar_toolkit.jpg

Notable Android and iPhone apps which make use of AR are Layar (http://layer.com) and Wikitude. Both systems layer content onto phone camera images or maps to assist users in locating e.g. dining facilities with links to reviews etc. Wikitude overlays information from Wikipedia and also links to Twitter users

http://thewikipedian.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/wikitude_admo_columbia.jpg

The Horizon report (Johnson et al, 2010) predicts the revenue potential of AR to be in the region of $2 million in 2010 rising to several hundred million by 2014 (e.g. ABI Research $350 million).

Relevance for Teaching, Learning or Creative Enquiry

AR has potential to provide „powerful contextual, in situ learning experiences and serendipitous exploration and discovery of the connected nature of information in the real world…applications that convey information about a place open the door to discovery-based learning‟. The Horizon report picks up on the notion of visitors to sites of historic significance making use of AR to view e.g. virtual reconstructions (see iTacitus project at http://itacitus.org/).

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Computer gaming also provides opportunities for the educational exploitation of AR. Virtual people or guides can be tied to specific location in the real world allowing interaction between people and these constructs. A player in a game would enjoy such interaction when they approach or arrive at a linked location in the real world.

AR can also model objects e.g. buildings or artefacts – these can be created using 3D modelling applications e.g. 3DSMax.

Use is being made of this 3D modelling aspect of AR in Google Earth where buildings and historic landmarks are being included in views as kmz files – Keyhole Markup language (KML) is used to create 3D models which can be downloaded and read/viewed on e.g. a mobile device or webcam via a „magic symbol‟.

http://schwehr.org/blog/attachments/2009-01/ge-browser-plugin-hello-world.png

The Horizon Report provides examples of applications of simple AR across disciplines which notably include:

Graz University of Technology – campus and museum tours using AR – looking through the camera on a mobile phone while walking the campus students see tagged classrooms inside the buildings. At the museum a virtual tour guide accompanies users through the galleries.

„Mirror Worlds‟ – Georgia Tech – a campus tour that switches between a view of an avatar in a virtual world and AR superimposed on the real world – users can move back and forth between views.

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References

Chen, B X (2009) If You‟re Not Seeing Data, You‟re Not Seeing, Wired Online, available at http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/augmented-reality/ Educause (2005) 7 things you should know about Augmented Reality available from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7007.pdf accessed 10/06/09

Ramsden, A (2008) The use of QR codes in Education: a getting started guide for academics. Working Paper. University of Bath. Available from http://opus.bath.ac.uk/ accessed 10/06/09

Johnson, L., Levine, A., Smith, R., & Stone, S. (2010). The 2010 Horizon Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Available from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2010-Horizon-Report.pdf accessed 29/03/10

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Employer engagement at Warwickshire College

Tom Evershed, Warwickshire College Reported by Stephen Rose In his presentation Tom revealed how Warwickshire College had addressed employer engagement within the framework of Integrated Quality Enhancement Review (IQER). A recent IQER inspection had confirmed excellent standards in relation to a number of key evidence indicators. Academic Standards:-

• Good Practice – Substantial engagement with employers in Foundation degree

design – Informing of programme design by employer bodies – Clear links between Work-based/Placement Learning (WBPL) and

Learning Outcomes – Industry Advisor scheme

• Desirable Actions – Extend employer engagement in development beyond Fd‟s – Monitor effectiveness of Industry Advisor scheme – Devise scheme for structured employer feedback

Quality of Learning Opportunities:-

• Good Practice – Support for students before and during WBPL – Placement co-ordinators ensure safety & suitability – WBPL often enhanced by direct employer feedback – Good involvement of employers in course delivery – Sharing good practice for WBPL

• Desirable Actions – Give students full WBPL details at induction – Extend WBPL mentoring to more courses where possible –

Public Information:-

• Good Practice – Clear documentation and processes for employers – Clear requirements and processes for students

• Desirable Actions – Continue developing documentation for employed students and

their employers – Ensure pre-enrolment information gives WBPL requirements

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Tom outlined the crucial role played by Industry Advisors who;

• Review student work submitted for assessment of work-based learning, • Meet students to form an impression of how they are prepared for

employment, • Provide a reference point for informing the course team on workplace

needs in designing and reviewing courses and modules.

An Industry Advisor report is written and then responded to in the Annual Course Report in the same way as an Employer Engagement report Course Development techniques included;

• Telephone and one-to-one discussions, • Surveys by email or post, • Employer attendance at module and course approvals, • Consultation with individual employers throughout development, • Consultation at general employer fora, • Holding a focused course development event with skills mapping, • Feedback on all individual modules – chiefly indicative content.

A model of exemplary practice at Warwickshire which then provides a useful template for addressing and self-assessment against a useful set of criteria and evidence required by the IQER process.

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Blackpool Elluminations: the use of Elluminate in blended learning Ian Mills and Kathy Seddon, Blackpool and the Fylde College Reported by Stephen Rose Ian and Kathy presented an „elluminating‟ session on a useful tool for creating a „virtual classroom‟ which allows remote synchronous sessions. This means learners can log in from any computer with an internet connection providing flexibility and opportunity to learn from home. Recording of the sessions will enable asynchronous learning by making them available on Moodle for students to review at a time of their choosing. The key features of the system were explained and delegates could see how the classroom is constructed at the user-interface. The system is being used at Blackpool to deliver and support the Foundation

Degree (Arts) (FdA)A Casino Operations Management. Typically students

have a wide geographical spread, include Managers with few formal

qualifications and who may have not been in education for several years with

mixed IT ability.

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The format of the programme includes

Week long study school once per semester

Weekly hour long session via Elluminate

Work-place visits.

The approach to learning has delivered several positive outcomes:

Excellent student /employer feedback

100% retention

Results achieved higher than traditional programme

Students can access Elluminate globally

Further FE work with employer

Social cohesion of group brought business benefits

No technology related issues.

Another Department of the College is looking to using the approach to trial delivery of CPD on FdA Management programme and within Teacher Education.