ICT and the Humanities: Some Medieval Role Models

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ICT and the Humanities Some Medieval Role Models

• Dr Stuart Lee
• Head of the Learning Technologies Group
• University of Oxford

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Overview

• Introduction and basic principles
• What should we concentrate on?
• The Guide, the Knight, and the Pilgrim
• An alternative approach

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The modesty formula

• Background in Old English literature gt
  cross-disciplinary
• Computers in Teaching Initiative Centre for
  Textual Studies
• Oxfords Centre for Humanities Computing
• Learning Technologies Group
• Wilfred Owen, Digitization, E-Publishing

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A starting point
Three Rules of Using IT in Teaching 1)
Technology should not be used to replace teachers
or teaching. It should be used as a supplement to
teaching, or as a replacement for the absence of
teaching, i.e. by making material available if a
course is not currently being run, or to
remote/life-long learners who do not enjoy the
privileges of being linked to an Education
institution. 2) In a similar vein to the theory
of Second Best in Welfare Economics, technology
should only be used where a noticeable gain to
the teaching quality is evident. Bearing in mind
the considerable costs (both in terms of finances
and time) it is not enough to simply employ IT on
the basis that it will not do any harm. 3)
Technology should be applied in appropriate
stages. It is not essential to use every bit of
new technology at your disposable. Sometimes the
most noticeable effects can be derived from very
easy-to-use methods, most noticeably in the area
of computer-mediated communication.'
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Emerging beliefs General

• Separation of traditional teaching from distance
  learning
• Main concentration should be the support of
  traditional teaching (F2F), the administration,
  and the students
• Requires culture change gt basic ICT is ubiquitous
  gt first port of call for information (Cooke
  Report)
• Address real needs across the board

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Emerging beliefs Humanities

• Research and teaching is blurred
• Move from subject specific gt general solutions
• Can learn from the past
• Can shape the future

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Why should we look at ICT in Teaching and
Learning?
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Why should we look at ICT in Teaching and
Learning?

• Enhance communication, assessment, and evaluation
• Better student support
• Better administrative systems
• Increased access to resources
• Overcome emerging barriers (time and distance)
• Some remedial teaching

• VCs
• Competition
• TQA, Institutional Audits
• AHRB
• Student/parent demand

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What are the barriers?
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What are the barriers?

• Time
• Time/priorities
• Research Assessment Exercise vs incentives for
  teaching
• Money

• Poor quality of existing material
• Is it worth it?

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What should we start with?

• Basic IT Skills
• Networked Resources
• Bibliographic Software
• Thesis Production and threats
• Extras text analysis, spreadsheets, etc

• Basic IT Skills
• Networked Resources
• Bibliographic Software
• Article Production and threats
• Presentations
• Web publishing
• Computer Mediated Communication

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Networked Resources
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CMC

• Email address files
• Email lists
• Bulletin boards with threaded discussions
• Synchronous chat
• Videoconferencing
• Student-led or teacher-led?

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Designing your own

• Requires subject specialist, technical know-how,
  and knowledge of good teaching practice
• Content is important but so is trying to
  replicate or enhance teaching process
• Look to emerging metaphors

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The Knight, The Pilgrim, The Guide
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The Knight

• Goes on a quest
• Circular, starts off and then returns a better
  person
• Assist in this or design packages to capture this

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The Pilgrim

• Has a goal to achieve
• Goes in a basic linear path from A to B
• Many people have been there before and many
  people will go the same route

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The Guide

• Does not interfere too much
• Accompanies the person and guides them through
  labyrinth
• Requires existence of labyrinth and archive

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What can we offer?

• Students who are used to research
• Students who are highly literate
• Students who are used to analysing, reflecting,
  and then presenting an argument
• Students who often have to branch outside of
  their discipline

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Summary