Sign of the times: assessment October 15, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in Assessment.add a comment
Last week Jacob (5) submitted his year one homework by handing over a URL to his teacher – brilliant! A clear sign of the times J His task was to re-tell a story by any means; cartoon, writing, through a video or other. It seemed like potentially a lot of writing to get him to write a story which contained the detail which he retains, so we decided that it would be best to talk about the story so that we could hear all that he has to say. Jacob is pretty camera shy and so we filmed his chat in a very informal sofa setting with friends in the lounge, so that he was relaxed enough to chat through the story. Unhappy with the video, he wanted to film again. So this time he sat in the ‘hotseat’ in a staged environment (well a dining room chair!) and we tried to get him to talk directly to the camera. No chance! After five false starts we decided that the less high quality camera work which captured his story telling was much better than trying to produce BBC standard interviews in which he just couldn’t get across his ideas under pressure. Extreme analysis for a 5 year olds homework granted, however it struck me that this had synergy with what I am trying to do everyday…
We know that learners in a workplace setting have heaps of knowledge and they use it in practice, yet exams and under the spotlight assessments are often undesirable and do not enable the learners to show what it is that they can really do. When developing new provision (through REEDNet), one of our key aims is to facilitate learners to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding in ways which fit their current ways of working, which dovetail practice and which do not add so much pressure to a learning experience that the credit value of the is lost.
Published … Advancing the Patchwork Text: The Development of Patchwork Media Approaches September 22, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in BA Learning Technology Research, Events, Patchwork text & Patchwork media.add a comment
Following on from the July 2009 learning Conference “The” paper is now published in the International Journal of Learning and available here:
Assistance for writing employer engagement modules September 11, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in Assessment, HE.Tags: Assessment, creative assessment, employer engagement, HE, module design, Work-based learning
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As part of my work to support the REEDNet project I have been forming up some guidance on how we, in HE, can design modules to support employer engagement initiatives. What started as a quick guide has grown in to a 20 or so page booklet on how assessment, learning outcomes and teaching & learning strategies can be written with respect for the authenticity of learning in the workplace and for the real needs of employers.
The guide is downloadable here:
http://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/aspire/files/moduleguidance.pdf
Whilst the booklet is aimed specifically at supporting designers of employer engagement / work-based learning modules I suspect it may have relevance to module authors more widely.
(improved typeset version from the printers, hopefully to follow shortly on the same link), printed copies available by request.
Work-based learning Impact Study, summary notes. September 11, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in HE, Work-based learning, evaluation.Tags: evaluation, HE, work-based learning issues
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Ahead of undertaking some sizable WBL evaluation I wanted to cross check my own evakuation design with the HEA Work-Based learning Impact study. In doing this I have jotted ouut the key elements of this report for future reference.
Reasons to engage in WBL
| Learners | Employers |
| Validate and formalise experience | Develop knowledge, skills ad expertise (job specific and generic) |
| Career progression | Retention |
| Increased knowledge and understanding | Supplement and extend existing provision |
| Develop practical skills to perform better in new or future role |
Reasons for programme choice
| Learners | Employers |
| Flexible delivery | Fits in to work schedule |
| Cost | |
| Pace | Opportunity to influence change in the work-place |
| Convenience of delivery in the workplace | Minimum time away from work |
| Relevance | Addresses day to day issues |
Impact
| Learners | Employers |
| Confidence at work | Clearer organisational direction |
| Confidence outside of work | Development of standards, policies and contracts |
| Higher aspirations and motivation | Improvements in quality |
| Raised personal status | Increased innovation |
| More self aware learning to think and challenge assumptions | Improved performance of employees who require less direct support |
| A greater awareness of particular issues | Positive attitudinal and behavioural change in line with the values of the organisation (capability expanding) |
| Developed new and enhanced existing skills | External recognition and prestige |
| More likely to take stock of performance | |
| Wider perspective of workplace issues | |
| Better understanding of the workplace organisation |
Key professional benefits of WBL
- Better performance
- Taking on responsibility
- Changed jobs or secured promotion
- Secured salary increase
- Left able to see other points of view
- Positive workplace thinking
- Relieved stress and increased contentment
- Able to coach others
- Professional recognition or membership
NB: Reflective approaches were cited as critical for realising benefits at work.
Bite size acknowledged as a catalyst for further study.
Huddle August 14, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in Online learning, Technology, Work-based learning, remote teams.Tags: huddle, online tools, VLE
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Currently I am working as part of a distributed team, which spans several organisations and therefore several internal VLE systems. Trying to join up for co-working and collaboration is then essential to progression. We have decided to tr out Huddle as an environment to enable cross-organisational working. So far, so good. The space is intuitive, have a good range of functions (discussion, wiki, file sharing, meetings, phone conferencing etc) and it’s all under one virtual roof. Huddle is free for one space, and is totally free for charities. The only snag encountered so far is that web-conferencing appears to still be a work in progress, but otherwise it is looking to be a highly functional space.
As we explore Huddle I am quite keen to explore its potential for use with students. A great strength of this is that it has good functionality but does not sit behind any institutional firewalls. It appears, so far anyway, to offer VLE functionality without a barbed wire strength firewall fence being wrapped around it.
Pro’s so far for Huddle
- intuitive
- appears to support a community approach to co-working
- easily managed permissions
- under one roof functionality
- good online support for users
- slick
- low cost/free
- potential for work based learners
- useful for subgroup permissions/workspaces
Hurray for Huddle (so far 
)
Fuzzy Evaluation (evaluating work based learning) August 11, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in Work-based learning, evaluation.Tags: evaluation, Work-based learning
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Evaluating work based learning is increasingly appearing to be a messy business! With a range of developments to evaluate I am needing to focus the planning of evaluation structures at a level which attends to what we want to know, why we need to know it and what process we must go through to gather and analyse the data. The messy bit is making choices about the data collection, since initiatives vary by size, longevity, commercial sensitivity and teaching and learning arrangements (e.g. on campus, blended, third party delivery). I like neat data, in a symmetrical world I would conduct parallel surveys for each case, however the data collection approaches are going to have to be made on a case by case basis, using what ever means necessary to obtain meaningful data. I did so like the days of controlled experiments when everything fitted in to neat boxes
I have created a pattern of topics to address within four broad headings; evaluating teaching and learning, evaluating impact upon learners, evaluating impact upon employers and evaluating impact upon college staff. Data will be sought to address each area.
Then, by work based learning initiative, a process steer the evaluation (click to view):
It will be interesting to see how much consistency can be found in the methods of data collection across different WBL initiatives.
I always like the term by Bassey which refers to ‘fuzzy generalisations’ - I think for WBL when evaluating, we have a situation where comparisons between initiatives can only ever be fuzzy; imperfect but highly useful.
Learning and Teaching Conference/Learning Through Enquiry Alliance July 15, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in Events, HE.Tags: cetl, learning teaching conference
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I have just spent two days at the University of Reading at the Learning Through Enquiry Alliance Conference which has been tied in with Reading’s own Teaching and Learning Conference. A productive few days with excellent hospitality.
I wanted to just note down some of the key highlights of the event, as much as anything for a note to myself.
- Evaluation … in a session on evaluating enquiry based learning from Norman Powell from Manchester, I was most reassured to understand some of the challenges and issues encountered by the CEEBL team when evaluating CETL, inquiry-based learning initiatives. I was reassured because some of the issues highlighted echoed my own concerns about challenges that I will be facing in forthcoming evaluation activity. The challenges include the disparate nature of initiatives being considered, there is no like for like, indeed there are many variables across CETL initiatives including size of student group, nature of provision, lifespan of initiative and access to data. The need for initiative (unit) level evaluation to be deepened by a meta-analysis was also highlighted. Essentially this means evaluating each initiative and then drawing out key themes that cut across all (or a number of) initiatives.
- Books! … Good to hear about an innovative module focused around books being introduced, again at Manchester. In this module Chemical Engineers were encouraged to read and review, in considerable detail the content of a book and the experience of engaging in deep reading. A whole module was designed to promote reading and engagement with books. I was surprised that the assessment was by customised examination, and was impressed that academics read the texts selected by the students before they were accepted as the object of study. In keeping with the themes of the conference this module enabled learners to inquire in to issues relevant to their own future or interest, learning about their subject but also becoming discriminate and critical book users. I can imagine that this approach would be replicable and adaptable. A remarkably simple but powerful idea, which promotes learning, meta-learning and learning habits.
- Inquiry by design – in Phil Levy’s workshop we were essentially asked to become students and design an inquiry. The theme of which was inquiry! As well as exploring some different perspectives on inquiry based learning amongst colleagues, the main gain for me was a firm reminder of the need to scaffold a. learners through and inquiry and b. staff who are to begin to engage with this form of learning.
- Business studies: An inquiry based cased study … A case study of inquiry from Canterbury, Christchurch was really helpful in depicting some of the pragmatic issues with an operational inquiry based module. Unsurprisingly many of the challenges outlines were similar to my own experiences of delivering inquiry based learning through an online mode; students managing work-life balance, a lack of participation in group work and the need for scaffolding sessions to guide the groups through their inquiry.
An emerging theme for me, a meta-theme, was the need for narrative to tell the stories of practice, of evaluation, of online approaches and of assessment approaches.
And to brighten up my blog Phyllis Country Club on the Themes at Henley – the stunning location of the conference dinner.
Phyllis County Club, Henley
Learning & Teaching Forum, Harper – Patchwork media for practice. July 10, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in Events, Patchwork text & Patchwork media.Tags: patchwork media, patchwork text
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Patchwork_- Harper Teaching & Learning Forum
On Thursday 9th I gave a presentation on Patchwork Media at the Teaching & Learning Forum at Harper Adams. The presentation is available as a PDF download from the link above. This dovetailed nicely with the work I had done in Barcelona. The Harper presentation was more about the practicalities of patchwork whereas the Barcelona one focused on unpacking the online mechanisms for supporting patchwork.
Barcelona : 16th International Conference on Learning July 6, 2009
Posted by lydiaarnold in BA Learning Technology Research, Events, Patchwork text & Patchwork media.Tags: creative assessment, patchwork media, patchwork text
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Between Thursday and Saturday last week I was in beautiful Barcelona at the 16th International Conference on Learning where I presented a paper on patchwork media. The conference was an eclectic mix of practitioners bound together by themes in teaching and learning. The topics under consideration ranged from origami for maths education to e-learning in HE. There are pros and cons of course to such a wide ranging coverage mix. Sometimes though inspiration in practice can come from the most unlikely sessions, perhaps sometimes we try to hard to listen to a narrow band of peers afterall, learning is learning wherever it is found.
My own session was entitled Patchwork media: Advancing the patchwork text. Essentially the session focused upon how technology can enhance the patchwork text approach. Three main ways were considered: through resource creation, through online community and through media rich assessment products. The research was undertaken with Kev Thompson & Tim Williams. The presentation is here: Patchwork in BARCELONA.
A particularly interesting session was on the promotion of professional learning in to undergraduate courses at Griffin University, Australia. Essentially, within undergraduate courses learners are being professionally sensitized,; they are developing a sense of professionalism and professional identity and they are being encouraged to understand the industry that they will work in through direct contact sessions. The role of industry in this development was high, though not in placement the industry is adding authenticity to the campus. A super model which fuses knowledge types in ways envisaged by Barnett (1999). [The presentation, was by Craig Cameron and Brett Freudenberg]. Presently I am involved in developing a professional development module for post graduate learners from various professions. I wonder <note to self> how for small groups of learners or cohorts from varied professional backgrounds, how online open resources can most effectively help inject professional sensitization and awareness.
