JISC e-Learning Blog

Recordings and presentations from the 2011 JISC Online Conference, Innovating e-Learning, are now available to view online. Looking at these again brings back memories of the event – one of the most enjoyable I can remember. And I am still surprised, even after many years of online conferencing, by the energy and inspiration the conference generates.

What is it exactly that makes these conferences special? First and foremost, that has to be the delegates, and the way the medium enables their voice to be heard.

In the last couple of years, presentations have been delivered live in Elluminate (now Blackboard Collaborate™), an online presentation and collaboration software which can take recordings of sessions for those who could not attend at the time. This clearly illustrates one of the key benefits of the online medium -flexibility.

But that’s only a logistical gain. On top, there is a quite extraordinary buzz created by the audience participation during presentations made possible by interactive elements such as delegate comment running simultaneously in the chat pane. Nothing can replace the experience of simultaneously listening to a presentation and being able to participate directly in the company of other delegates. One delegate this year described the experience as getting ‘a sense of the zeitgeist of the e-learning community.’

Then comes a more reflective stage – the asynchronous discussion – which extends the chat into more a deeply considered response. The one complements the other: “If you listen carefully to the presentations it often provokes ideas and questions that you want to know more about so to discuss afterwards is good. If you miss a session for whatever reason and watch the playback you still get the opportunity to participate in the discussions afterwards.” 2011 Delegate. Combined, you have very rich experience which is difficult to match.

Given its value, many people ask why we charge for this event. Concerns about delegate fees have to be responded to, even if it is as low as £50 per head.

This is something we consider very carefully. Many people assume that an online event incurs little in the way of costs. This unfortunately isn’t true. Even though it’s online, the conference takes a lot of organisation and skilled facilitation, in some ways more so than a physical conference. Organisers of a physical conference, for example, can assume that delegates will be able to find their way their way to the venue, operate the lift and know what to do in a session, while, even today, presenters and delegates at an online conference could be experiencing the technology for the first time and need skilled support. Those working behind the scenes can be as busy as anyone presenting upfront. Questions such as this are answered in the FAQ section of the conference webpages which are well worth a browse.

But back to the recordings. If you weren’t one of the 400+ delegates who attended in 2011, these resources provide an insight into the themes and content of the conference, and add to its potential as a vehicle for continuing professional development. But for me, nothing beats taking part in the live event. Have a look through the presentations first, but then mark off 20 – 23rd November in your 2012 diary! We hope to see you there. Here’s some of the feedback we received from the 2011 conference:

“I can’t remember ever having such stimulating discussions at a conference. And as a first-time online conference attendee, I’m a convert.” 2011 Presenter

“I think it is a brilliant return for the investment and consider this to be a major part of my CPD each year.” 2011 Delegate

If you haven’t been able to participate yet in this year’s JISC online conference, here are a few of the highlights from Theme 1:

• David Puttnam, Lord Puttnam of Queensgate, in his opening keynote at Innovating e-Learning 2011, argued for greater investment in ICT to enable UK universities, colleges and schools to deliver a world-class education. ‘Digital technology is the driving force behind change. We cannot afford not to invest in it.’ David Puttnam

• Bill Rammell, deputy vice-chancellor of Plymouth University, outlined the tensions of collaboration in a changing landscape. An understanding of technology was essential for the future of higher education institutions: ‘The changing landscape will require institutions to become more efficient Digital Organisations.’ Bill Rammell

• Tansy Jessop and Yaz El-Hakim ((University of Winchester) and Paul Hyland (Bath Spa University) explored work originating in the TESTA project on addressing specific disciplinary and programme-wide issues in assessment and feedback: ‘Programme teams are often working hard without energising their students or working smartly.’ Yaz El-Hakim. ‘The definitions of the terms are really elusive. We either need a shared understanding from discussion or a fresh vocabulary for talking about assessment.’ Tansy Jessop

• Liz Dunne, Dale Potter and Derfel Owen (Exeter University) gave their experiences of engaging students as agents of change in the INTEGRATE project: ‘A commercial service-customer relationship between institutions and students simply will not work. You need to empower students not just to identify the changes they want but also to take an active part in creating the solutions.’ Derfel Owen

• ELRAH, a collaborative venture between Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh’s Telford College and Edinburgh City Council used a JISC-funded WBL Maturity Toolkit to develop a model of online learning to support development of a new undergraduate programme in Youth Work: ‘Where there’s a will, there’s always a way!’ Morag Gray

• Sally Graham, Joy Jarvis (University of Hertfordshire) chart the developing story of the conference in graphic formats each day at 9 am: ‘Excellent shorthand for thinking further.’ Neil Spurgeon, Delegate

• James Clay in the conference blog, Letters from the Edge, summed up the striking advantages of online conferencing: ‘What’s nice about an online conference is that not only are all the presentations available as recordings, but also there is time to reflect and you still have time to ask questions and add your thoughts and opinions.’

You can still register while the conference is underway; in an online environment there isn’t a cap on numbers! If you are unable to do so, proceedings will be available early January 2012 from www.jisc.ac.uk/elpconference11
Follow #jiscel11 on Twitter for live conference updates.

Over the last six years, Innovating e-Learning, aka the JISC e-Learning Online Conference, taking place 22-25 November, has become a must-attend event for those interested in enhancing their practice with technology. And each year, a hard core of seasoned online conferencers is joined by delegates new to the event, who are surprised, even shocked, by how much they gain from the experience.
‘Excitement, challenge, the opportunity to think beyond the confines of my world’ was how one delegate described last year’s conference. Another spoke of ‘learning so much without leaving my desk’, neatly capturing some of the significant advantages of the JISC online conference – its convenience and cost effectiveness.

JISC’s latest radio Show, JISC On Air, explores some of these the benefits as well as opening up issues covered by this year’s theme, Learning in Transition. In the company of keynote presenters, Bill Rammell (Deputy Vice Chancellor, Plymouth University), Mike Sharples (Professor of Educational Technology, The Open University) and Ewan McIntosh (CEO, No Tosh), Sarah Porter, Head of Innovation at JISC, sums up the surprising richness of online conferencing.

‘I think we do get more interaction. We do get a better depth of discussion. We’re using a number of different environments to help people to have as rich an experience and as human an experience as possible.’ Sarah Porter

After all, where else could you engage in a full-on debate with a leading expert when your day job is a teacher or curriculum manager? At this critical time for further and higher education, perhaps the greatest value of the JISC Online Conference is the chance to engage with challenges, controversies and new media formats, with minimal cost and inconvenience into the bargain.

Take for example the question of what students want and need from further and higher education. Many will be inspired by Exeter University’s session in Theme 1 of this year’s conference on Students as Agents of Change . In this session, an educational developer and recent graduate of the university explore an innovative partnership between undergraduate students and academic staff that researched and co-developed technology-enhanced solutions for learning and teaching. But for Bill Rammell, there are inherent tensions between the model of partnership and the expectations of those buying into higher education:

‘I think, as time as gone on, as academic thinking has gone on, as the way that universities position themselves has developed, we are convinced that the best model is a model of partnership. But, at the same time, there is an expectation from students – rightly – that their lecturers know more than they do.’ Bill Rammell

A further source of controversy explored in the pre-conference debate recorded for JISC On Air is that surrounding open educational resources – a forward-looking enterprise or a risk in a competitive, consumer-led environment? For Sarah Porter, the risks could turn out to be gains:
‘People are thinking we’ve invested money and time in this, we don’t want to open this up. But what we’re finding, in fact, in terms of brand is that by opening up resources it can really strengthen the institution’s brand because it gives the student the opportunity to go and sample the learning environment.’

Open practice across the sectors, session 6 of the Online Conference, will take this debate further and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it shapes up.

You can find out more about Innovating e-Learning 2011 and register onlineon the JISC website.

This year’s programme also features an opening keynote by David Puttnam (producer of classic films such as Chariots of Fire and Midnight Express and now Chancellor of The Open University) and a lively Pre-conference Activity Week – an eclectic mix of demonstrations and live presentations ranging from a practical guide from JISC infoNet on implementing mobile learning to a demonstration by South Tyneside College of distributing digital information via iTunes. From guidelines for virtual classrooms to a demonstration of new technology-supported approaches to designing and approving courses from, the breadth of new ideas in the pre-conference week alone provides ample incentive to take part.

So whether you are interested in the keynote speakers, the main conference sessions or the pre-conference activity programme, or just feel you want to get to grips with what’s happening in the world of technology-enhanced learning, register now to take advantage of the pre-conference activity week commencing on 15th November.

And to whet your appetite, listen to what the keynote speakers have to say on JISC On Air: Learning in Transition

Registration is now open for Innovating e-Learning 2011, the sixth JISC Online Conference on 22-25th November.

Keynote speakers are as follows:
Opening address: Lord Puttnam of Queensgate
Theme 1 keynote: Bill Rammell Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Plymouth University
Theme 2 keynote: Mike Sharples, Professor of Educational Technology at the Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University
Closing keynote: Ewan Mcintosh CEO, NoTosh and expert speaker on creative ways of using emerging technologies in education

About the conference:
Taking place live and asynchronously in an online environment, Innovating e-Learning 2011 offers a big conference experience in the comfort of your own environment. Register now to explore through live presentations and asynchronous debates some of the latest thinking about the benefits and challenges of enhancing learning and teaching with technology. The registration fee remains unchanged at £50.

Who will benefit:The JISC Innovating e-Learning Conference brings together delegates from further and higher education aiming to keep abreast of new ways of enhancing learning and teaching through technology. The conference organisers welcome delegates new to online conferencing and provide support and guidance to assist you in making the most of your conference experience.

Activities Week Open Call:
Colleges and universities, JISC- funded services and projects are invited to submit contributions for hands-on activities and showcase sessions during the pre-conference Activity Week commencing 15th November. Examples of submissions include interactive resources, guided tours of simulations and virtual worlds, screen recordings and talk-throughs of a learning environment, and topics for Pecha Kucha sessions.

For further information about the open call, email Geoff Minshull (geoffm@directlearn.co.uk). Closing date for submissions: 3rd October 2011. A maximum of 20 selected contributors will be informed by email in mid-October.

Further information:
Follow Innovating e-Learning 2011 on Twitter @jiscel2011
Contribute your views on Twitter using #jiscel11
Conference website www.jisc.ac.uk/elpconference11

I’m not sure whether everyone is aware of the JISC funding roadmap. It’s the best way of getting the maximum possible notice of forthcoming JISC (and joint) funding opportunities.

If you’d read this page this morning, you’d have spotted the following. (As with everything on the funding roadmap, this is subject to confirmation, change and delay.):

Academy/JISC Open Educational Resources (OER) Phase Three Programme Embedding and Sustaining Change

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) and the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) will be inviting institutions to submit funding proposals around OER related work against the following four strands:

• Postgraduate Certificate development, delivered through an Academy change programme methodology. An additional grant will be made available to those institutions demonstrating the most effective use of the change programme. (12 projects at a total value of £422,800).
• The release of high quality open educational resources to support HEA accredited programmes or schemes of professional development that meet the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education (UK PSF). (15 projects, at a maximum of £20,000, Total available: £300,000).
• Projects enabling whole institutional change, outputting reviewed change strategies addressing the development and use of OERs by teaching staff and students. An additional grant will be made available to those institutions demonstrating the most effective use of the Change Programme. (12 projects, Total available: £406,600).
• Projects addressing particular identified themes around OER release and collection. All projects will be expected to build links with an identified end-user group to inform the release and collection of materials. (projects funded at between £40,000 and £200,000, a total of £1.6m available).

Eligibility to Bid
Proposals may be submitted by Higher Education (HE) Institutions funded by HEFCE. FE institutions in England that teach HE to more than 400 FTEs are also eligible to bid provided proposals demonstrate work that supports the HE in FE agenda. HE and FE institutions in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are not eligible to bid but may be involved as partners in proposals led by HE institutions funded by HEFCE or FE institutions in England which meet the criteria outlined above.

Obviously, we can’t give you any more information than this at the moment, so please don’t ask us. But do keep watching the roadmap and the JISC and Academy websites for the release of the funding circular.

The JISC call “Course data: making the most of course information”, has been released.

Full details can be found on the JISC site: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/fundingopportunities/funding_calls/2011/07/coursedata.aspx

Outcomes from the JISC Transforming Curriculum Delivery through Technology Programme provide a valuable insight into the ways in which institutions and individual curriculum areas in further and higher education can make use of technology to respond more robustly to the demands of a fast-changing world.

Now that the programme of 15 projects has completed, a short guide from JISC, Transforming curriculum delivery through technology: Stories of challenge, benefit and change, summarises the tangible benefits identified by the programme’s evidenced-based research into technology-enhanced curriculum delivery.

The scope of the programme has been wide ranging. In each case the universities and colleges participating in the programme identified challenges in their particular context that technology enhancement might help to overcome.Thus project aims varied from investigating ways of using familiar technologies to improve institutional services to developing new software to help learners map a complex curriculum. In other cases, projects focused on remodelling whole courses by means of technology, significantly changing the way learners experience and respond to the curriculum.

Taking a broad view of the programme’s outcomes, Transforming curriculum delivery through technology: Stories of challenge, benefit and change highlights three types of benefit that have emerged: efficiency gains linked to quality improvement, learning and teaching enhancements and whole curriculum transformation. The publication also provides a valuable insight into the strategies and processes developed by the project teams as they managed their progress under the mentorship of a team of critical friends and embedded the transformations achieved as a result of their work.

Outcomes from the Transforming Curriculum Delivery through Technology Programme are widely applicable. This short guide to the headline findings of the programme not only showcases the work of the projects but may also help to make curriculum delivery in your context more efficient and effective.

‘The projects have demonstrated real and sustained change within their institutions, much of which is transferable to other contexts. ’ Lisa Gray, JISC e-Learning Programme Manager

Transforming curriculum delivery through technology will be of interest to curriculum managers, teaching practitioners and support staff across further and higher education.

Accompanying the guide, as part of a series of radio shows entitled JISC On Air, the latest show entitled ‘Efficiences , ehancements and transformation: how technology can deliver’ includes interviews with two projects involved in the programme, highlighting the impact achieved in two very different contexts and disciplines.

Further information about the progarmme and projects, including access to all programme-related resources, can be found online at the Design Studio.

Find out more
www.jisc.ac.uk/curriculumdelivery
radio show link
www.jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com

In the third of a new series of online ‘radio’ programmes from the JISC e-Learning Programme – JISC on Air – we explore how digital technologies are helping universities and colleges to better meet students’ requirements and improve retention.

In this show, Kim Catcheside speaks with Richard Francis, Head of e-learning at Oxford Brookes University and Ellen Lessner, e-Learning Coordinator at Abingdon and Witney College about how their institutions are better preparing their learners for their experience of learning with technology. Both institutions participated in the JISC Supporting Learners in a Digital Age (SLIDA) study and their case studies are available here.

Kim also speaks with Helen Beetham, co-author of the JISC-funded Learning Literacies in a Digital Age (LLiDA) study and recent Review of Digital Literacies, about what support students require to make more effective use of technology for their learning.

In addition, we have expert input from Stephen Jackson, Director of Reviews for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and Alex Bols Head of Education and Quality for the National Union of Students (NUS) who discuss how the appropriate use of technology can support learners with their studies and lead to improved retention.

The show and supporting information is available from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/meeting-students-needs-to-improve-retention/#more-622
You can listen to the previous two JISC on Air shows on Student Recruitment and Online Learning at http://jisconair.jiscinvolve.org/wp/

Tell us what you think

We welcome your feedback on this programme. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future programmes below or contact the JISC on Air radio show team: onair@jisc.ac.uk