SFC e-Learning Transformation Projects

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SFC e-Learning Transformation Projects

• ALT Away Day June 2006

Joint Information Systems Committee
Lou McGill
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SFEFC/SHEFC joint e-learning report 2003

• Its about learning, not technology
• Economies of scale require collaborative
  solutions
• Strategic change requires re-engineering of
  institutional processes
• Incremental and transformational change

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Nature of Transformation

• Transformational change will require a conscious
  and deliberate decision made by (one or more)
  institutions to do something differently, in a
  systematic way, across the whole institution, on
  a defined timescale of two or more years.

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Key Principles

• The process of change will mean that certain
  aspects of learning and teaching are conducted in
  a new way
• The process of change is consistent with, and
  embedded in, institutional strategies, and is not
  a peripheral process driven solely by the
  possibility of external funding
• The intended outcome is sustainable, and is
  expected to result in long-term change in
  activities beyond the period of external funding
• The process will yield measurable benefits to the
  institution and its learners

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External influences

• Pew Learning and Technology Program of the
  National Center for Academic Transformation2
  (NCAT)
• http//www.thencat.org/
• JISC funded Citscapes Project ICT literacy in
  FE and HE
• http//www.citscapes.ac.uk/
• Becta matrix - online self-evaluation and action
  planning tool
• http//www.becta.org.uk/corporate/corporate.cfm?se
  ction8id3109
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT90s
  model
• Scott Morton, M S (1991) The Corporation of the
  1990s Information technology and
• Organizational transformation. Oxford University
  Press, New York

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT90s model
Transformation of practice through e-learning.
.
High
Re-engineering core practice
Revolutionary Phase
Embedding in core practice
Change in learning and teaching practice
Transitional Phase
Impact on core practice
Co-ordinated
Evolutionary Phase
Localised
Individualised
Low
High
Potential Benefits to learners
Low
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Transformational Projects

• 6M investment 2005-07
• Six large-scale collaborative projects
• Equal funding for FE and HE
• Diverse approaches to aspects of e-learning
• All focus on sustainable solutions
• Co-ordinated by JISC
• Externally evaluated by Glenaffric Ltd.

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Programme evaluation

• Assess the extent to which the projects met their
  aims and objectives and implemented new models of
  delivery in FE and HE institutions
• Provide constructive feedback to the Councils
  executive and to project teams on the progress of
  the projects
• Assess the extent to which the programme as a
  whole (including the arrangements for monitoring
  and co-ordination) met its objectives
• Inform future Council policy on e-learning

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Transformational activity

• The SFC Circulars inviting bids for the Programme
  identified three broad areas of transformational
  activity

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Projects partners, aims, early outcomes and
developments
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BlendEd

• BlendEd Collaborative Transformation of Course
  Delivery
• Reid Kerr College, Cardonald College, Coatbridge
  College, Colleges Open Learning Exchange Group
  (COLEG), Dundee College, Glasgow College of
  Nautical Studies, JISC RSC, Scotland (South and
  West), Langside College
• Aims to introduce a pedagogically sound blended
  delivery model within HNC Social Care and HND
  Business. The emphasis will be on producing a
  practical working model which clearly
  demonstrates the benefits for institutions and
  their students
• www.Blend-Ed.ac.uk

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BlendEd

• Early developments
• the BlendEd Cookbook Programme for staff
  development
• a content packaging methodology
• a metadata generator
• a robust quality assurance (QA) process.
• Strengths
• significantly high level of buy-in from partner
  institutions at all levels
• the efforts of the team to clarify roles,
• robust and clear communication methods
• high quality staff development activities and
  support documentation
• well developed project management structure and
  support mechanisms
• developing enthusiasm of staff as they realise
  the potential benefits of changing practice and
  acknowledge the value of the new topic based
  approach. The emerging strong central roles of
  the Blended Learning Technologists (BLTs) also
  identify a different model of support within the
  sector.
• Issues
• Early on highlighted challenges in relation to
  depositing content in JORUM

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CELLS

• CeLLS Collaborative e-Learning in the Life
  Sciences
• Dundee University, Napier University, Falkirk
  College/Scottish Biotechnology Consortium,
  Interactive University, Scottish Qualification
  Authority
• A cross-sector project which aims to design and
  develop a set of coherent and rational curricula
  for degree and Higher National programmes in Life
  Sciences and establish a major project in
  transformation to student based learning within
  the Life Sciences
• www.cellsproject.org

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CELLS

• Early developments
• Adjustment of the project plan to reflect
  experiences and lessons learned during the early
  phase of the project
• established a prototyping approach to content
  development and documented the changing
  perceptions of individual staff and partner
  colleagues.
• developed a new transformation strand in
  acknowledgment of the need for all partners to
  develop a common understanding and language.
• a staff and student survey
• strong evaluation and dissemination strategy
• a glossary of terms
• Strengths
• significant efforts made by the project team to
  engage and motivate staff from the partner
  institutions
• significant collaboration planned with other SFC
  transformational projects and links to wider
  developments in the sector through the QAA and HE
  Academy
• Issues
• A key challenge has been developing an
  understanding of different ways of working across
  colleges and universities

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ECTP

• ECTP - eConstruction
• Moray College, Glasgow Metropolitan College,
  Aberdeen College, North Highland College,
  Inverness College, CITB-Construction Skills,
  Learndirect Scotland, Historic Scotland
• Aims to transform the efficiency, effectiveness
  and economy of the Scotland-wide of
  work-based/related qualifications and learning in
  the built environment sector in order to meet
  skills shortages and gaps and individual learning
  and turoting needs at general operative and craft
  levels in the fields of brickwork, joinery and
  carpentary, stonework, painting and decorating.
• http//www.learndirectandbuild.com/Transformation/
  course5.htm

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ECTP

• Early developments
• ongoing research into the Scottish-wide
  construction education sector
• extensive partnership building within and outside
  the education sector (including the public sector
  and employers)
• the development of a learning management system
  and virtual construction site
• Strengths
• the wide ranging nature of the partners and the
  fact that this project is part of a portfolio of
  wider projects present challenges but have also
  emerged as strengths
• demonstrated by the increased levels of support,
  advice and dissemination opportunities available
  to the project team
• a strong relationship has been established with
  the Scottish Qualifications Agency (SQA).
• flexible team approach to problem solving
• willingness to adapt and enhance their
  approaches to transformation and evaluation
• the very strong core team have introduced
  practical methods to develop effective
  communication across geographically and
  culturally diverse partners.
• Issues
• Complex partnership issues particularly including
  agencies outside the education sector and across
  a wide geographical area

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ISLE

• ISLE Individualised Support for Learning
  through ePorfolios
• Paisley University, University of Abertay,
  DundeeUniversity, Angus College, Ayr College,
  Bell College, Dumfries Galloway College,
  Glenrothes College, Fife College of Further
  Higher Education, James Watt College of Further
  Higher Education, Motherwell College, Queen
  Margaret University College
• Aims to develop a sustainable model of effective
  FE/HE collaboration to move the concept of PDP
  forward to a new level through the integration of
  the various blended learning tools (e.g. VLEs,
  ePortfolios, and diagnostic assessment tools) and
  by developing an individualised, self-reflective
  learning environment for students.
• http//isle.paisley.ac.uk

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ISLE

• Early developments
• an Integrative Pedagogical Framework
• a developing matrix to evaluate ePortfolio tools
• development of an ISLE resource set which has
  potential for the wider community
• Strengths
• the team has made significant efforts to engage
  and motivate staff from the geographically
  dispersed and diverse partner institutions.
• a Scottish ePortfolio Network has been developed
  and this is an important step towards developing
  a community of practice in this field as well as
  providing an excellent means of support and
  dissemination opportunities for the project.
• a Sharepoint site provides a wealth of content
  and reveals some excellent project documentation.
  
• extensive efforts to engage the stakeholders at
  institutional and practitioner levels. Away days
  and workshops have had a positive impact on the
  level of common understanding of the project
  boundaries and deliverables. These discussions
  led to a revision of the aims and objectives
  identified in the original project plan.
• Issues
• Complex partnership issues across the FE/HE
  sectors and across a wide geographical area

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REAP

• REAP - Re-engineering Assessment Practices in
  Scottish Higher Education
• University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian
  Business School, University of Glasgow
• Aims to pilot transformational change based on
  the implementation of technology-enhanced
  assessment practices in Higher Education. A range
  of technologies will be harnessed to support
  assessment reengineering in blended learning
  contexts (involving online and offline
  interactions).
• www.reap.ac.uk

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REAP

• Early developments
• redesigning the curricula of many departments
• several pilot implementations with students
• a significant early output is the evaluation
  framework which is recognised by also being
  utilised for the HE Academy benchmarking
  exercise.
• Strengths
• a particular strength of the REAP project is the
  early embedding of transformational change within
  Institutional strategies.
• the project presents a coherent model of
  transformation working throughout the
  institutions at many levels, such as
  organisational structures, human resources and
  capacity building, management processes and
  technology.
• the project team have been actively disseminating
  and communicating with the wider community at
  both Scottish and International levels. The
  involvement with the HE Academy and Scottish
  benchmarking activities are noted as are the
  links to the wider UK e-assessment and
  e-portfolio communities.
• Issues
• recruitment challenges for HE development
  projects

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TESEP

• TESEP Transforming and Enhancing the Student
  Experience through Pedagogy
• Napier University, Edinburghs Telford College,
  Lauder College
• TESEP is cross-sector project which aims to
  create a sustainable transformation process for
  learning and teaching practice. The Project
  Partners plan to pool collective knowledge and
  experience to create situations where College and
  University staff can better understand e-pedagogy
  and work collaboratively to create innovative and
  high quality learning environments, programmes
  and learning experiences for students. This
  Project is about culture change and have adopted
  the strapline Learners in Control.
• http//extranet.lauder.ac.uk/tesep

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TESEP

• Early developments
• TESEP model for learning and teaching
• an institutional transformation index as a method
  of measuring levels of transformation
• development of video diaries to record the
  changes in staff perception and development
• Strengths
• in relation to communication and collaboration
  the team have made considerable effort to engage
  and motivate staff from the partner institutions
  and other stakeholders and a similar commitment
  to disseminate and communicate with the wider
  community at both Scottish and UK levels.
• significant institutional commitment at both
  strategic and grass roots levels
• Involving the stakeholders in the development of
  the models and indices is recognised as having
  been particularly productive
• a significant level of engagement with the
  concept of transformation and the evaluation of
  this
• Issues
• identified the need to engage and target middle
  managers as well as strategic managers, teachers
  and support staff

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Cross project issues

• Partnership issues - cross-institutional, often
  cross-sector and sometimes geographically
  dispersed
• Community
• history of collaboration in the Scottish post-16
  sector
• Unusual level of cross-project communication and
  sharing at a very early stage
• All projects are developing strong communities of
  practice within their partnerships but they are
  also widening these inside and outside the
  Scottish sector to create solid relationships.
  More importantly they are developing mechanisms
  to sustain these after the duration of the
  projects.
• Diverse institutional cultures and states of
  readiness for transformation
• ?? Staff development and differing perceptions
• ?? Slow start-up periods due to the number and
  diversity of partners

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Cross project issues

• Partnerships (cont.)
• a growing engagement with the concept of
  transformation. Most projects underestimated the
  extent of work required to develop a common
  understanding across partners.
• A submission has been made on behalf of all
  projects to the ALT-C 2006 which proposes a
  symposium on the issues of transformation. This
  will provide an opportunity for the projects to
  inform the wider community of different models
  and varied approaches to transformation.

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Cross project issues

• Staff recruitment and changes
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
• Consortium agreements
• Re-purposing content
• JORUM repository
• Historical restrictions on existing content
• Guidelines for projects
• Measuring transformation
• baseline position prior to transformational
  change as appropriate to each project as a
  benchmark to help projects track progress.
• Imaginative solutions to geographical dispersion
• effective use of technologies to facilitate
  communication and sharing.
• balancing these approaches with face to face
  communication and several have held away days
  and workshops to allow partners to focus on
  project issues.

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Long term challenges

• How will we measure success?
• Timescales for transformation
• Can change be sustained?
• Can the whole sector benefit?

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• Lou McGill
• Programme manager
• l.mcgill_at_jisc.ac.uk
• http//www.jisc.ac.uk/elearning_sfc.html