Reflections and Observations from UAE T&L Forum

The following are some observations from the UAE T&L Forum I presented at on 16th Nov, in Dubai.

Pain Points / Opportunities - not sure if they are pain points, however, seemed lots of reference to effective models to get faculty using TEL. Therefore, there is probably Strategic Consultancy opportunities around Academic Adoption, and potentially for TEL Strategy.

With respect to CBE - there are two institutions which showed an interest, American Uni of Sharjah, and the Masdar Institute. The later was a speculative interest. It appears their focus is applied technical, so skills and competency is perfect. However, it sounds like they are looking at all sorts of things. I agreed to send my slide deck.

The AUoS, is much more tangible. The person is very enthusiastic for CBE, within the key area of MBA / Executive development. He has also executive sponsorship very high up within the institution. They are keen to find out what we might offer in terms of consultancy. The message in the slide deck resonated with respect to cultural change, change in faculty practice. He acknowledges this will be the most difficult, more than the technical mapping exercises. However, keen to pilot with Executive Skills Development. Importantly, within this area they already have input from a number of large employers. I explained do not have strategic review and strategic planning as a worked up off the shelf consultancy, we are developing it appropriately with input from consultants in US Domestic, and Functional Teams in Australia. It was left as follows (post conversation with Emad) I'd mention it to Louise, and Emad would follow up with a conversation with AUoS, to gauge interest.

I had a good chat with Allan and Dan about how we might position CBE within other markets (in particular), where CBE is not a known term, or has negative connotations. One suggestion which would not be disruptive to current practice, and give a clear benefit to the Achievements, Goals and the CBE Building Block, would be to continue to map to UK Graduate Skills, but also add the institutional goals which are unique to their graduates. Many institutions are trying to embed graduate skill development within taught courses / VLE presence, therefore, this might suit. Interestingly, the QAA theme for 2015-16 audits is Employability. There is also the potentially link into the HEAR report. This makes me think, it might be worth arranging a half day at UCS, who are exploring this within the business school, to see if it has legs. This might work up as nice try before you buy consultancy, I'm just not 100% sure where it fits within our core portfolio.

A very good story was from HCT around the use of the online quiz tool for high stakes, formative assessment within Business School (?). This introduced the idea for academic adoption of the quiz tool and opportunities within both summative and formative objective testing. The key messages were; it worked on ipad's with locked down browser, it was scaled up with question imported from Excel (benefits on authoring cycle), the use of random blocks and pattern matching and reporting using item analysis.

Required material

Mohammed Ali >>> CBE (says lots of people interest, but he's not sure how to pitch it)
Emad >>> Academic Adoption long description, consultancy overview

Work Stream Presentations

For the innovation strand, there are a number of presentation slots (!):

• Wednesday 18th November, 2015
• Wednesday 16th March, 2016
• Wednesday 18th May, 2016

Why Classroom activity? 

Let's not forget Dale's cone of experience, plus some of Bloom's Taxonomy. So lots which can be achieved as there is lots relatively easy wins.

Why Virtual Reality? 

Let's not forgot, VR / Oculist Rift is very young (see Gartner Hype Cycle), so not much content, or real case experiences, however, don't you just love ....

• http://discovrlearning.com/
• http://immersivevreducation.com/ 

This also opens up great opportunities for use to think outside the box, ie., the institution is not simply a consumer of these VR resources, but becomes a producer. For instance, institutions to think through how they might make VR learning experiences from their students skill sets, ie., the IT / Film / Game courses make demo's / simulations to be used in other disciplines within the institution.

Innovation Group: Initial Thoughts

What is are the intended outcomes / deliverables of this deep-dive?

Objectives: Identify, pilot, evaluate, and promote promising innovations that demonstrate thought leadership in digital teaching and learning and promote Laureate’s competitive advantage

Areas: Classroom technologies, Adaptive learning and instruction, next generation mobility, synchronous/collaborative environments, game-based learning

How blue sky can we be?

For instance, I’d like to look at the use of immersive technology (oculus rift) within classroom technologies learning space (potential use for health sciences) where information (tasks) is monitored and data sent back to Blackboard for later analysis by the class/faculty. As far as I know, this isn’t being done, however, it will …. so why don’t we make it happen

Alternatively, it might be innovative to that particular institution or context, such as creative uses of classroom technology (clickers) around group learning, based around decision making points, where data is sent back to Blackboard for later analysis by the class/faculty. This is being done, but perhaps not within many Laureates. we might even look to using a standard flip classroom model.

These ideas of there being new and existing technologies and new and existing learning models is represented in the set of images below, for the use of Classroom Technology. 

Existing Technology & Existing Learning Models

Existing Technology & New Learning Models

New Technology & Existing Learning Models

New Technology & New Learning Models

What approach might we use?

If it was me, and I was running it within my previous institution, I’d be looking to do something along these lines ….

• Set out our underpinning learning philosophy / ethos which we are striving to achieve, i.e., the learner has to be active, it needs to be formative and feedback rich, there should be opportunities for reflection, and collaborative learning. Ensure these are mapped to strategy, goals and implementation plans. Use these to develop simple characteristics of an engaged learner
• Gather together a number of stakeholder groups to answer which broad topic is a priority? Strategically what is important? How might these map to institutional and departmental goals? Given our current skills, experience and interests what areas appear to be the easiest wins so we can development momentum around this changes? Discuss the most effective approach, for instance is it better to scattergun lots of different innovations across course teams by level by discipline or should be take a narrow defined innovation / curriculum enhancement and focus just on those within a narrow discipline area?
• Undertake a research desk study: What learning innovation / enhancements are we researching? how is it being used within an educational context? what evidence is there of a positive outcome? What lessons have other pilots learned? 
• Revisit the stakeholder group to identify potential pilots: Identify and approach likely candidates who might be interested in piloting the innovation. This would involve identifying their current practice and see where the pilots are appropriate. Work up a set of pilot plans with development sprints, including support mechanism for faculty, students and other staff. Outline the evaluation framework, and a communication plan.
• Implement, observe and evaluate

Within the context of the Laureatte - it might be best to pilot these innovations in one or two institutions, and focus on a number of initiatives in each. This will take advantage of economies of scale, and ensure we are collaborating with local TEL and curriculum development teams. I would assume the local teams would make it happen, we support them and perhaps evaluate.

Further questions

How are we going to work with Laureate come up with the innovations, and the topics to choose? How technical, w.r.t blackboard integration should this be? How much buy-in would we get from Blackboard Product Development? I’m guessing the outputs would be “paper prototypes” within Bbd Learn and Analytics. 

Questions to think about Italian HE

I should be able to get answers to the following (in no order of importance)

1. What are the issues / problems for Italian HEIs?
2. Where do they see growth in students and income?
3. How do academics develop their learning and teaching skills?
4. Typically how would an academic learn develop their effective use of TEL?
5. How do they manage / assure quality of programmes?
6. What is their perception of using consultation services?
7. Why are they hosting their own moodle?

Institutional Readiness: Documents from institution

When visiting an institution, what documents would I request beforehand?

• Institutional Vision
• Institutional Strategies, in particular
• Learning and Teaching, KPIs
• Faculty / School strategies, operational plans
• Student Experience
• Organisational charts; 
• broad institutional
• professional (central) services
• Terms of reference for Student Experience (Retention) Committee
• If already undertaking L.A., any reports, evaluation, briefing papers etc.,

What job roles would I like to see employed;

• Data wrangler / data analyst
• Retention / Student Experience Officer

Generic promotional and SOW materials for strategic services

I've had a quick review of the documents Louise sent around SOW, presentations, publicity, first contact pieces etc., with the aim of looking for opportunities to create a set of generic resources aimed at a number of different audiences. User cases might be;

• Account Managers give publicity material at client catch up meetings to raise awareness the consulting service we offer.
• Potential clients finding us on the web, and contacting their account manager for more information, and follow up conversation

Some potential ideas for generic materials are outlined below, where we create

In the public domain

• a new document (and supporting slide deck) about Strategic Services
• a new document for each theme specific (one for each of the seven toppings), which gives a more detailed overview of our service, including an illustrative breakdown of the rationale, why work with Blackboard (5Es), a typical project (weeks one to five), and testimonials

In the private domain

• bespoke document which is derived from discussions with each client. However, includes a generic format, and where possible some generic elements

What we'd also need are;

• generic slide decks for each theme (pizza topping). This would be similar an enhancement on Worcester Assessment Examples, or Online Program Development positioning deck. The rationale being we'd draw on these when developing suggestions and workshop materials for clients.
• a repository for white papers and public facing reports

Where next:

• mock up document structures

Readiness for Analytics: Thoughts as I read the JISC project

Source: http://repository.jisc.ac.uk/5657/1/Learning_analytics_report.pdf

Questions I’d like answered by report:

What are they using Learner Analytics for? 

At the moment,

• Indicators of engagement. Identifying at risk students [Audience: Staff]
• More detail on subject choices, including student reviews [Audience: Students] 
• Aid to personal tutor and student [Audience: Staff & Students]

Is it having an impact?

• Currently, no clear cut, robust evidence. Most suggest yes, i.e.., better information around key metrics can improve timelessness and out of the intervention. 
• Benefits of connecting different parts of an institution, which may previously worked in isolation. 

Thoughts

There is a variety of use in UK around Learning Analytics. Therefore, very early stage in our understanding and deployment

For data sources, think widest potential net, i.e., access to PCs, library interaction, personal tutee notes etc.,

When collecting subjective data, remember ethical issues.

Derby have developed a weighting of 29 metrics for monitoring student engagement. I'd like to see the questions /  indicators.

All seem to have PVC level driver / buy-in (expect Edinburgh). It would be interesting to find out, what the are the requirement of the PVCs.

Some case studies mention of specific polices, ie., minimum attendance. The more explicit the policies, the easier quantified the KPIs.

It is interesting many of them seem to trigger the sending of a letter. I’m wondering, what is in the letter, how does it link to the support and student services?

Future plans

• Interest in ensuring a student view of the data being collected is available
• Enhanced dashboard technologies, and automating decision-making applications using flags 

More detailed needed

Would like to follow up about what is happening at Manchester Met, Nottingham Trent or Derby. 

Obvious connections with Bbd Learn, and Grade integration with SITS

Related to our work

• Where are we around readiness for learning analytics and the ethical issues?
• Will our tool enable (easily - low threshold technology) including attendance data, library borrowing data etc.,

The slide deck (if required) - Columbia Conference Call: 17th July

These are for the locker if / when required to discuss who are we, and how link to their needs.

Things to chat through with Louise - how much of their branding (logos etc.,) should I include? Given the audience, is the first slide appropriate? will this image connect or annoy the audience? Do I need to include a slide on who we are working with?

Reflections: Birmingham July 2015: UKI&N

The following linked video are my reflections on the UKI&N meeting in July.

Thoughts about collaborate - tried recording using the desktop solution as I'm a Google Slides person. Not sure if it worked, and wondering how professional it looks, how to edit, and how to embed? Hoping for a youTube experience.

The recording is available from: Andy's Virtual Office - record_2

Outcomes ... not youTube :-(

Steering the discussion: Regular posts on the Blackboard blog

Blackboard have a blog aimed at clients within the EMEA region.

The intended outcomes of regularly posting on the blog is to add value to existing clients, create collateral for the sales team, enhance stickiness, and encourage clients using Strategic Services.

There are a number of intended audiences; academics (lecturers), Heads of Professional Services Teams, learning technologists, academic developers (people and curriculum), Registrars, Deans and PVCs.

It is proposed the postings will be clustered around the emerging themes from Strategic Services / Strategic Consultants, and mapped to the Blackboard's New Learning Experience framework.

The blog posts will be linked as a series, and aggregated into other outputs.

A typical blog post would be approximately 700-800 words, and when appropriate include video (interviews, and walk throughs). The exit point for each post would include contacting Blackboard, or following up with your Account Manager

Proposed Topics

Academic Adoption [Audience: Heads of e-Learning, Directors of L&T Enhancement Offices, PVCs]

Post 1: What do we mean by academic adoption? How does it differ from technology adoption?

• definition and context
• lit review - evidence of transformation impact of academic adoption on learning experience

Post 2: How can we enhance academic adoption and curriculum design?

• general: digital capabilities audit and support
• course team: carpe diem / viewpoints

Learning Analytics [Audience: Heads of e-Learning, Directors, Registrars, PVCs]

Post 1: What is Learning Analytics?

• definition, and context
• examples / case studies from literature and clients

Post 2: Are you ready for Learning Analytics? An Institutional Perspective

• based on Blackboard project with JISC

Learning Designs [Audience: Academics (lecturers) academic developers, learning technologists]

A number of opportunities exist. The intention is to challenge the authors current practice, drip feed ideas and illustrate connections with the Blackboard tool set. Some interesting ideas would include;

problem based learning
flipped classroom,
open badges.

The blog posts on the above theme should follow a similar format;

Post 1: What is it? Is there evidence it works it work?

• definitions, context
• literature review

Post 2: Examples to show case Blackboard EMEA clients

• short case studies
• impact stories

Post 3: How to develop these within Blackboard: Realizing your learning designs through Blackboard

• how to do it using blackboard tool set

Spreading the load
This is envisaged as a collaborative effort. Therefore, we'd need to tap into the broader skill sets and knowledge across Strategic Services EMEA and beyond.

Image: With Thanks

• https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Ackermann_turning.svg/1280px-Ackermann_turning.svg.png