How to put the 'e' in Teaching and Learning

Submitted by kpickering4 on 16 February 2011 - 3:30am

Related Practice:

Statement of Attainment in eLearning

Teaching with Sakai Innovation Award:

2011

Award Status:

Winner

Publication:

Publish

TWSIA Category

Project Sites & Other Uses of Sakai

Course Development

This staff development program is aimed at building eLearning capability. Specific units of competency from the Australian National Training Package - TAA04 Training and Assessment - were used as a framework for the course. Not only did the units capture learning elements meeting an identified need but they provided clear learning pathways to higher qualifications both relevant and required of NSI teachers. At the time of development eLearning and new technologies were rapidly emerging within the institute and the broader VET environment. The Australian Flexible Learning Framework (AFLF) produced several research papers introducing a new generation of learners, the ‘Net Generation’ (Ramaley and Zia, 2005). The Framework research also revealed that there was ‘a lack of eLearning confidence and proficiency amongst practitioners that extends to the VET sector’ (AFLF, National E-learning Benchmarking Survey, 2010). NSI’s consultation with industry, and reference to NSI Strategic Directions, revealed the need for flexible learning options, workplace assessment and fast tracking of apprenticeships. In light of the above drivers this course was developed to support the skilling of eLearning practitioners who would go on to form communities of practice and contribute to a sustainable eLearning future at NSI. Focussing on action learning theory, the learning environment was; * experiential - where learners experienced eLearning first hand from a student’s perspective, * learner centred and directed - where learners participated in self-paced, online and discussion based activities and * work-based - where learners used their specific situations as the basis for participation in the course, developing a portfolio of resources for future use in the workplace and * reflective - as the learners engaged in critical self-reflection. The process included development of a timeline of learning goals, finding the right balance between ready-made resources and creating ones for the course – all of which needed to be updated easily due to the changing environment. Instructional design principles were closely followed - aiming to model best practice in eLearning. Accessibility was also carefully considered. The Sakai sites, site tools, learning resources, activities and assessments were designed to meet different learning needs by providing alternatives; this also included colour coding of sites to assist in navigation and the provision of rich multi media resources. The course underwent content, assessment validation and quality assurance reviews which will also continue on an annual basis. A pilot group participated in the course, and evaluations were conducted, based on the feedback several changes have been made. These include improved navigation, the creation of additional support resources, a simpler interface, the introduction of new technologies and more opportunities for collaboration and community building.

Course Delivery

The course is delivered over 18 weeks and begins with a face to face induction. However an online induction using a web conferencing tool is also available. Post induction learners begin 15 weeks of online learning and assessment tasks. Learners have the choice of approaching the course flexibly with the proviso that all assessment tasks are submitted online by week 15. For those learners wanting a more structured approach a topic program has been developed including weekly milestones and suggested assessment submissions (again all by week 15). Several Sakai tools were used to enrich the teaching and learning process including * the announcements tool - to initiate participation in online activities and to communicate valuable eLearning and course related news, * the Blogger tool - used as a Reflective Journal Blog involving self-reflection and critical analysis, * the Wiki tool - for sharing extra information and providing learners a chance to contribute to the learning content, * the Lessons tool - providing access to a range of engaging multimedia, * the Discussion Board and Forum tools - to promote group collaboration, the sharing of ideas and as an assessment method, *the Chat room and Mailtool - to connect the group, * the Tests and Tasks tool - for online quizzes reinforcing knowledge, preparing learners for assessments and obtaining feedback through survey options, * the Assignments tool - for easy online assessment submissions and * the Podcasts tool - providing another learning resource enabling more things to be done on the move through the podcatcher feature. As learners move through the learner centred and collaborative discussions, forum tasks and role play activities, they begin specific work-based projects that will form their assessment submissions and become eLearning products ready for implementation at their teaching section. Learning also occurs in the form of self-evaluation and reflection. The learners achieve this through course evaluation surveys, facilitator feedback and the regular blog posts made to a reflective learning journal. The learning activities and assessment tasks encourage learners to question eLearning opportunities at NSI and the relevance of eLearning in today’s educational society. However the context of the questioning changes after learners engage with the learning content. It becomes more insightful and redefining. It is now about learners contributing to the reflective journal blog capturing specific points of critical reflection. The learning process also involves a variety of resources and activities, which aim to motivate, stimulate and engage online learners. All learning activities are purposeful and meaningful by providing pieces of evidence that could be used to complete assessment tasks. The combination of experiential learning; experiencing eLearning, situated learning; participation in learning tasks using the context of their current and future teaching practices and facilitator feedback support the learning process.

Self Assessment

Student Engagement and Community Building:

Effective

Evidence:

Student engagement and community building is a key focus of the delivery in this course as essentially this course is trying to develop the skills of excellent engagement and collaboration models which the teachers participating can then take back with them to their own students. Through the provision of many interactive activities the learner’s interest is invoked and engagement is sustained by regular and ongoing feedback both from the facilitator and peers in the course. Community building is achieved by encouraging the input from all learners in the activities, some examples are outlined below. The use of discussion boards encourages learners to collaborate on specific topics posted as class discussions. The communication begins as individual learners reply to the discussion topic. The discussion then evolves as learners respond to what others had posted. The facilitator uses the private messages tool to communicate with each learner in regards to their discussion replies. The forum tool is used in a similar way. The forum provides instructions for a web quest. Participants then need to post a thread detailing their findings and relating it to their workplace. This initiates a new thread of forum postings where participants would provide comments to each other and share ideas. This information would come in the form of teaching and learning experiences, resources developed for more efficient teaching and learning practices and extra sources of relevant information. This activity is instrumental in building the community, learners building on each other’s ideas and providing feedback to each other. The Sakai tools, relevant topics and meaningful activities contribute to the forming of online relationships between learners. Specific technologies are used in the course to support collaborative learning. Apart from the class discussions and forums, a chat room is available and moderated weekly, synchronous communication takes place during weekly web conferences. The web conferences provide opportunities for collaboration through the chat pods, interactive whiteboard and share pods. Finally two optional face to face sessions have been introduced which also utilise video conferencing equipment to cater for remote participation. Involvement in and commitment to a broad community of practice in elearning is strongly encouraged as part of this course. It is imperative to be a part of the broader eLearning community as well that of NSI so learners were provided with links to internal and external networks they could subscribe to via the announcements tool. It was instilled within the learner that in order to be elevated to a mentor level they would need to remain current with the ever changing eLearning world. The learners contribute to a blog about their broader experiences as part of an assessment task – making the activity relevant to their teaching role and community building. A FAQ forum is another innovative way to encourage learners to communicate about their course experiences but also provides a place where learners can assist one another. Learners are encouraged to moderate the FAQ forum and provide answers to questions if known.

Describe Your Innovation:

A variety of Sakai tools and Web 2.0 technologies have been used to engage learners and promote, encourage and embed online collaboration and community building throughout this course. Not only do the various channels and opportunities for collaboration meet different learning styles but they contribute to a deeper understanding of the principles of eLearning design, development and facilitation, all of which are the main learning outcomes for this course. The course was designed to build an eLearning community of practice at NSI. With this objective in mind community building strategies became the focus. NSI teachers were given the chance to become ‘student’s’ and experience the online learning environment. This ‘learn by doing’ approach allows teachers to take experiences and successfully implement them. Lessons learnt in the course are directly applied to their current workplace. This relevance contributed to greater student interest in the course and the prioritising of collaboration with other course participants and the broader eLearning community. Learners participate in activities and complete assessment tasks with their workplace as the basis. As they move through the course they begin to develop a portfolio of eLearning products they can use with their students. These resources include an interactive eLearning resource, online facilitation techniques, online delivery plan, an induction guide, welcome announcement, various online activities to use with learners, course evaluation survey’s and a ready-made Sakai site to get started straight away!

Communication:

Excellent

Evidence:

In a fully online delivered course communication is perhaps the most contributing factor to the success of the program for the learners. Being outside the traditional classroom presents issues which today can be easily overcome using technology. In this course communication using electronic mediums is offered in a multitude of ways. Tools for facilitator to student communication include * email (a weekly motivational email, see screenshot 9), * announcements (used to encourage participation in online activities and provide eLearning and course related news, see screenshot 8), * the private messages tool (used to provide feedback on class discussions, see screenshot 12), * a wiki (used to share extra information about course topics, see screenshot 8) and * facilitator topic videos (used to engage learners through the use of multimedia and define topic outcomes in the online learning program, see link 2). Tools used for student to student communication and interactions include * discussion boards (used to discuss relevant topics and provide an outlet for learner collaboration on those topics, see screenshots 8 & 13), * forums (used for voluntary sharing of information on specific topics, a place for students to assist one another with FAQ and assessment methods, see screenshot 8 and link 8, note that login details are required to view this, for access please contact Kelly Pickering via email) and * web conferencing (used to communicate synchronously, explain assessment tasks, answer questions, reinforce lessons learnt and collaborate using web 2.0 technologies that can be used in teaching and learning, see screenshot 8 and links 6 & 7). Online standards for communication are set at the very beginning of the course and are covered during the induction (see attachment 7 and link 1). These include email and netiquette guidelines (see attachment 5) and guidelines for participating in the web conferences (see attachment 10). Learners have the opportunity to use the chat tool anytime to lead interactions amongst themselves. The ‘Let’s get talking’ forum was established to allow for free flow communication between learners. Learners also have permission to contribute to the Wiki building upon that resource. Facilitator and student expectations are clearly defined at the beginning of the course (see attachment 5). Facilitator responsiveness to emails, activity submissions and assessment submissions is explained, being a 48hr email response time and response to large activities and assessments within 2 weeks of receiving. Ongoing facilitator feedback is provided weekly including review of student work, discussion replies, forum posts, peer review of assessment submissions and comments made to blog posts (see link 11).

Describe Your Innovation:

Many forms of electronic communication have been used to cater for different learner styles and to meet the student demand of studying in their own time, juggling course commitments with work and personal schedules. The innovation lies within the purpose of using various communication tools. The variety showcases what’s possible when facilitating an online course in Sakai. The aim is to model best practices and equip the learners with an understanding of the different communication tools and methods for their own implementation later on. The ways in which learners communicate encourages collaboration, the sharing of ideas and the combining of existing knowledge with new. The discussion boards provide an outlet for constructive and meaningful conversations about eLearning topics, where the forums are a more formal place for sharing research findings and developing new knowledge. The private messages tool, FAQ forum and email all provide one on one personalised communication with learners on eLearning topics assisting them in moving ahead with their workplace projects. The ‘Let’s get talking forum’ is an innovative design concept implemented in the Course Survival Kit and is aimed at starting the collaboration process, which is identified as a critical component for success in this course. Learner’s use this forum to develop skills in online collaboration and identify with its importance so to be effective online facilitators themselves. The eLearning showcase held at the end of the course is another innovative way for students to communicate with each other by showcasing their developed eLearning resources online. Finally I introduced the concept of weekly motivational emails. These emails begin by revealing something interesting about eLearning, followed by some topic course tips and what learners can expect in the week ahead (see attachment 9).

Learning Materials & Strategies:

Excellent

Evidence:

Planning was a critical factor in determining the types of learning materials and the learning strategies which would be most effective in this course. The course was therefore designed with a number of key learning strategies – action learning (ensuring useful outcomes for immediate utilisation), collaborative oriented (use of peers to assist in the learning process) and reflective (providing the opportunity for learners to really understand the why). The course was also designed to contain learning materials which provided for different types of learners such as those that learn better through audio or visual medium, those that learn by doing, those by reading etc. It was therefore necessary to ensure that learners were made aware of these materials and strategies through well planned navigation. Instructions about the navigation and key course components had to be clear, easily identified and accessible. This has been made possible through; * the Course Survival Kit (the one stop shop for all course information and one place for all major course communication including email, announcements, chat room, link to web conference room, discussion boards and forums), * the learning program pages (are visually pleasing using individual flash files with colour, images and links to video demonstrations, see screenshot 8), * the unit site homepages (are again visually pleasing interactive flash files with a simple and easy navigation. Links are provided to support information including unit topics, topic programs, student assessment guidelines, learning program tracking sheets, support services at NSI and information on RPL, see link 9), ‘talking heads’ or facilitator video’s (the video’s involve the facilitator introducing each topic in the learning program, provide motivation and stimulate interest, see link 2) and site navigation video’s ( see link 4). Action learning strategies are incorporated into the course through the work-based assessments with opportunity for collaboration. Examples include; creating a delicious account and learning how to create web based favourites, sharing online content and tagging or cataloguing online content, designing effective ice-breaker activities for new online groups and creating a welcome message for new online learners. All these learning activities prepare learners for workplace implementation and reduce the workload with assessments. Learner use feedback from activity submissions to improve final assessment submissions (see attachment 24). They engage with a variety of learning materials such as video’s, simulations and presentations, websites, podcasts, vodcasts, images and secondary resources including eBooks and articles. Reflection is built into the course in multiple ways including; the reflective journal blog students keep regarding course experiences (see attachment 14), mid-point and course evaluation survey’s and online activities that encourage reflection of students workplace situations and eLearning opportunities (online quizzes, forums and discussion boards, see attachment 13). The following resources assist students with understanding the learning materials: * the Induction Guide (see attachment 5), *the Course Survival Kit (see attachment 8), * course navigation videos (see link 4), *the face to face or online induction session (see link 1 and attachments 4, 6 & 7), * the student topic programs (see attachment 5) and *site homepages presenting written, visual and auditory information (see link 9).

Describe Your Innovation:

Understanding the fact that everyone learns differently is a key component of creating a successful online delivery program. For this reason the first encounter students have with the learning program in this course, is a learning styles assessment via an online quiz. The results of this quiz along with critical self-reflection of the student’s skills gap form one of the first assessment tasks for the course. Once completed the facilitator then provides feedback to the learners along with the specific study strategies available in the course to meet those needs. The situated learning theory was also applied to this work-based and professional development program. There has been a cultural shift in vocational education towards flexible learning options, embracing the use of technology and providing online learning options. This new culture is growing more rapidly at NSI and many teachers will find themselves left behind if they ignore 21st Century practices. This course aims to bridge that gap by providing a learning environment which is authentic and relevant to current workplace culture and context. The learning activities and assessments aim to move the learner from an eLearning beginner to a more advanced mentor. This eLearning mentor will embrace the new culture at NSI and contribute to a community of practice for sustainable eLearning. Learners will achieve this through the collaborative learning tasks that allow for socialisation, the sharing of ideas and combining of old knowledge with new. NSI staff must express interest in order to participate in this course. A panel comprising of NSI senior management select course participants every semester. One part of the selection process involves strategically grouping participants with common interests and who could work collaboratively for the good of teaching sections and business lines. The ‘assess as you learn’ approach is more prominent in this course over the ‘learn for assessment’ approach.

Learning Outcomes & Assessments:

Excellent

Evidence:

The outcomes of all the learning and assessments in this course are very action based – that is every assessment task has a purpose which will essentially translate to a useful outcome for the learner to use in their workplace delivery once the course is complete. The course objectives or learning outcomes are clear and align with the online learning content, activities and assessments. The Student Assessment Guides provide distinct links between the learning elements and performance criteria, critical aspects of evidence and the assessment tasks (see attachment 5). Learners must acknowledge the guidelines and sign that they accept the requirements. The assessment page in the Course Survival Kit and the video simulations both provide clear instructions on how to complete the assessments (see links 10 & 5). The student topic programs then link each part of the learning content with the learning elements and performance criteria (see attachment 5) clearly outlining for the learner what the purpose is. These elements can be found in a pop up box (see attachment 8). Interaction across all groups (students, peers, facilitator and teaching section) is encouraged in several ways; * the Learning Needs Report and Plan assessment where learners must consult with their section identifying eLearning needs, * the eLearning Peer Facilitation assessment where the student ‘s eLearning facilitation skills are reviewed by a peer (see attachments 15, 16 & 17) and * interaction across all groups during the eLearning Resource Showcase where learners demonstrate the resource developed for their section (see attachments 18 & 19). Learners are challenged throughout the course in developing higher order cognitive skills including; reflection when making blog posts as part of the undertake eLearning assessment, interpretation of the limitless online information, problem solving the technical issues surrounding the use of technology, analysis of personal skills gap, eLearning opportunities at NSI and their teaching section, and hypothesising leading to self-directed learning. Catering for differing learning styles, a number of assessment strategies have been used (see attachments 20 & 21). Assessments range from self-assessment, reflective journals, resource research, design, development and evaluation, project work, portfolio development and peer assessment. Sakai tools used include; tests and tasks, assignments, blogger and forums (see attachments 8, 14 & 15). Feedback is provided frequently, with close to immediacy turn around and continuously throughout the course. It is provided through the private messages tool in discussions, email, immediate feedback in tests and tasks, comments on assignments and the results tool (see attachment 23 & link 11). Learners are encouraged to become self-reflective learners by completing the following tasks; Reflective Journal Blog assessment (see attachment 14), the Learning Needs Report and Plan, the eLearning class discussions and research forums. Many forms of feedback are provided including; comments made by the facilitator to the reflective journal blog, peer review during the eLearning Peer Facilitation assessment and collaborative group work during assessment partnerships (project work) and class forums. Learners are encouraged to generate their own online content through; the eLearning resource assessment (development of their own Sakai site for teaching and learning), an online course portfolio (ready for online facilitation in Sakai) and a digital story showing their eLearning experiences whilst completing this course (an extension of the reflective journal blog).

Describe Your Innovation:

The target audience for this course brings a lot of existing experience to the learning environment. The target audience is made up of NSI teachers with careers spanning 20 years in some cases. With this in mind the learning tasks have been designed to utilise this experience and maximise the learning outcomes by tapping into this resource (use of Sakai discussion boards, forums, chat room and wiki). Key concepts are conveyed by using learner experiences. This existing knowledge is used as the basis for new knowledge. To meet the adult learning characteristic of ‘learn by doing’ a variety of teaching methods using Sakai tools have been utilised including; online games using announcements, discussion boards and the chat room, quizzes using tests and tasks, web quests using the forums and assessments using the assignments tool. Meta-cognition skills are developed through the reflective journal blog assessment task. This task helps learners identify the relevance of the course with their current situation and future by reflecting on what worked in the course and what did not, what they learnt, how they found the eLearning journey, their overall learning journey and what they will do as a result of completing the course. The transformative characteristic of this course is what makes it so innovative. Through action learning learners come away with new skills and knowledge, can implement immediately with student groups, develop a new found confidence, utilise Sakai to support eLearning initiatives at their sections, form a community of practice at NSI.

Learner Support:

Excellent

Evidence:

Learner support, like communication is critical to the success of the learning experience for the participant. Extensive information is provided about the online course, the TAFE learning environment and course requirements. This information is provided in the following ways; * an information flyer for the Statement of Attainment in eLearning (learners are provided with information on the course and asked to submit an expression of interest. Prospective course participants must meet certain criteria and acknowledge full understanding of the course requirements, see attachment 22), * the face to face or online induction session (learners must participate in one of the induction sessions. Here learners are introduced to the facilitator and their contact details, the course, what’s involved when learning online, what is expected of the learner and an overview of the online learning experience at NSI, see link 1 and attachments 4, 6 & 7), * the Course Survival Kit (a comprehensive learner support resource, see screenshot 8) and * the site homepages (an interactive easy to navigate support resource. The homepages provide specific information about the units of competency and links to learner support resources including the student assessment guides, learning elements, topic programs, tracking sheets, assessment checklists and links to student support resources at NSI, see link 9). Specific support resources have been designed and are introduced throughout the online program. These include; * a web conferencing program (to support learners when participating in the web conferences by outlining the learning elements covered, dates and times, troubleshooting advice and preparation advice, see attachment 10), * eLearning Resource Showcase Instructions (a set of instructions supporting learner participation in the eLearning Resource Showcase, see attachments 18 & 19), * student topic programs (week by week programs for each unit of competency that supports learning content and activities to complete, * how to communicate best with the facilitator, * what learning elements are covered and suggested assessment submission dates, see attachment 5), * two optional face to face sessions (these optional sessions provide opportunity for the group to get together face to face, work on eLearning projects and practice skills learnt), * online learning tracking sheets and assessment checklists (these worksheets are designed to support learners through the Sakai learning program and assignments tool, helping students remain on track with their online studies).

Describe Your Innovation:

Innovation is evident in the multi-media rich resources available to support the learners, examples include *The ‘Course Survival Kit’ online Sakai site, * Induction Guide, *FAQ forum and * online announcements tool all reinforce key concepts. The Course Survival Kit and Induction Guide provide learners with left brain preferences with logical and sequential steps to the key concepts. The FAQ forum is a place for discussion and collaboration for divergent thinkers. The announcements tool is used to reinforce key concepts and provide the latest eLearning news in an information gathering way suitable for convergent thinkers. The two optional face to face workshops utilise video conferencing technology. This caters for remote participants who can’t attend but want to participate and demonstrates yet another technology based teaching and learning tool. The weekly web conferences work two ways. Learners can drop in and participate in the interactive session or simply watch the recording at a time that suits them. Finally the induction session is offered either face to face or online. This again just showcases what’s possible for teachers when implementing this process back at their section.

Contributors

Kevin Harris - Sponsor/Institute Director, NSI TAFE NSW, Lucy Arundell - Sponsor/Associate Director, NSI TAFE NSW, Scott Thomson - Manager, Information and eServices, Stephen McManus - Associate Director, Business and Commerce, Robyn Vidler - Business Line Manager, Business and Commerce, Kelly Pickering- NSI eLearning Team, Irene Ireland - NSI eLearning Team, Michael Tan - NSI eLearning Team, Paul Keselman - NSI eLearning Team, Karen Ellis - NSI eLearning Team, Lynnette Shaw - Project Officer NSI, Ronda Collins - Manager Teaching and Learning, Business and Commerce, Nola Sher - Head Teacher, Management and Small Business, Janis Rietdyk - Part Time Teacher, Management and Small Business

Screenshots/Links (Optional, but Highly Recommended)

Screenshots (or Other Supporting Materials):