Landscape Study in Wireless and Mobile Learning in the post-16 sector

In the post-16 sector (further and higher education, and adult and community learning) there is a need to understand how wireless and mobile technologies can contribute to improving the student experience of learning, and help institutions fulfil their missions in an age of incomparably fast technological change. In the context of this interest and growing need, a Landscape Study project was commissioned by JISC through the Innovation strand of the JISC e-Learning Programme in 2004-5. Our project aims were to take a birds-eye view of developments and practice in the UK and internationally, and to communicate our findings to a broad and varied audience. The Summary report is accompanied by 3 associated reports on 'Current Uses', 'Potential Uses' and 'Strategic Aspects'. (The four reports are available in one single document here.

Hybrid Course Delivery: Impact on Learning and Assessment

Technology is influencing education, blurring the boundaries of delivery modes. A combination between online and traditional teaching style, the hybrid/blended course, may present a solution with many benefits. This paper provides definitions of the different delivery approaches, and then evaluates four years of data from a course that has been converted from traditional face-to-face delivery, to a hybrid system. It is determined that the revised course, in hybrid delivery mode, is at least as good, if not better, than it previously was

Learning from Digital Natives: Bridging Formal and Informal Learning. Final Report

Overview This report suggests that students are increasingly making use of a variety of etools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras, games consoles and social networking sites) to support their informal learning within formalised educational settings, and that they use the tools that they have available if none are provided for them. Therefore, higher education institutions should encourage the use of these tools. Aims and background This study aimed to explore how e-tools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras, games consoles and social networking sites) and the processes that underpin their use can support learning within educational institutions and help improve the quality of students’ experiences of learning in higher education (pgs 9-11). Methodology The study entailed: (i) desk research to identify related international research and practice and examples of integration of e-tools and learning processes in formal educational settings; (ii) a survey of 160 engineering and social work students across two contrasting Scottish universities (pre- and post-1992) – the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University – and follow-up interviews with eight students across the two subject areas to explore which technologies students were using for both learning and leisure activities within and outside the formal educational settings and how they would like to use such technologies to support their learning in both formal and informal settings; and (iii) interviews with eight members of staff from across the institutions and two subject areas to identify their perceptions of the educational value of the e-tools. (pgs 24-27). Key findings • Students reported making extensive use of a variety of both e-tools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras) and social networking tools (such as Bebo, MySpace, Wikipedia and YouTube) for informal socialisation, communication, information gathering, content creation and sharing, alongside using the institutionally provided technologies and learning environments. • Most of the students owned their own computer or had access to a sibling or parent’s computer. Many students owned a laptop but preferred not to bring it onto campus due to security concerns and because they found it too heavy to carry about. • Ownership of mobile phones was ubiquitous. • Whilst the students’ information searching literacy seemed adequate, the ability of these students to harness the power of social networking tools and informal processes for their learning was low. Staff reported using a few Web 2.0 and social software tools but they were generally less familiar with how these could be used to support learning and teaching. There were misconceptions surrounding the affordances of the tools and fears expressed about security and invasion of personal space. Considerations of the costs and the time it would take staff to develop their skills meant that there was a reluctance to take up new technologies at an institutional level. • Subject differences emerged in both staff and student perceptions as to which type of tools they would find most useful. Attitudes to Web 2.0 tools were different. Engineers were concerned with reliability, using institutional systems and inter-operability. Social workers were more flexible because they were focused on communication and professional needs. • The study concluded that digital tools, personal devices, social networking software and many of the other tools explored all have a large educational potential to support learning processing and teaching practices. Therefore, use of these tools and processes within institutions, amongst staff and students should be encouraged. • The report goes on to suggest ways in which the use of such technologies can help strengthen the links between informal and formal learning in higher education. The recommendations are grouped under four areas – pedagogical, socio-cultural, organisational and technological

Developing sustainable business models for institutions’ provision of open educational resources: Learning from OpenLearn users’ motivations and experiences

Universities across the globe have, for some time, been exploring the possibilities for achieving public benefit and generating business and visibility through releasing and sharing open educational resources (OER). Many have written about the need to develop sustainable and profitable business models around the production and release of OER. Downes (2006), for example, has questioned the financial sustainability of OER production at scale. Many of the proposed business models focus on OER’s value in generating revenue and detractors of OER have questioned whether they are in competition with formal education. This paper reports on a study intended to broaden the conversation about OER business models to consider the motivations and experiences of OER users as the basis for making a better informed decision about whether OER and formal learning are competitive or complementary with each other. The study focused on OpenLearn - the Open University’s (OU) web-based platform for OER, which hosts hundreds of online courses and videos and is accessed by over 3,000,000 users a year. A large scale survey and follow-up interviews with OpenLearn users worldwide revealed that university provided OER can offer learners a bridge to formal education, allowing them to try out a subject before registering on a formal course and to build confidence in their abilities as learners. In addition, it was found that using OER during formal paid-for study can improve learners’ performance and self-reliance, leading to increased retention and satisfaction with the learning experience

Interactive Lesson as a Macro-Unit of Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language in Short-Term Courses

The relevance of the topic of this article is due to the need to strengthen the interactive side of the process of teaching a foreign language in short-term courses in the language environment. The purpose of the study is to establish the ratio of interactive forms and methods that determine the specifics of an interactive lesson of foreign language. In contrast to the existing points of view, we attempted to prove that the effectiveness of interactive learning depends on the systematization of interactive forms and methods of teaching and the sequence of their use. To study the patterns of interactive learning of a foreign language, we applied the following methods: observation, experiment, and analysis method. An analysis of the interactive forms and methods of teaching foreigners the Russian language in short-term courses in Russia shows that the use of the learning potential of the language environment makes the content of learning natural, topical and interesting. Avoiding traditional teaching methods allows organizing the exchange of thoughts and feelings in terms of speech interaction when creating a joint product (both verbal and non-verbal). The interactive lesson, which acts as a macro unit for selecting and organizing the content of Russian as a foreign language (RFL) training in short-term courses, consists of three blocks (motivational-introductory, activity-oriented and resultant). Specially selected for each communication situation and arranged in a certain order interactive forms and methods are presented in the system of interactive exercises and tasks, classified according to the stages of mastering speech actions in different communicative situations. The article presents the forms and methods of interactive teaching of Russian as a foreign language, which teachers can use in short-term courses. The authors have shown that interactive methods and forms of teaching stimulate foreign students to speak and communicate in the target language. This contributes to the development of skills of social and academic interaction of students to solve pressing communication problems in real situations of communication. We see the perspective of research in the development of interactive methods of teaching a foreign language for different age groups of students and different levels of proficiency in a foreign language.Актуальность темы данной статьи обусловлена необходимостью усиления интерактивной стороны процесса обучения иностранному языку на краткосрочных курсах в языковой среде. Цель исследования – установить соотношение интерактивных форм и приемов, которые определяют специфику интерактивного урока иностранного языка. В противоположность существующим точкам зрения мы предприняли попытку доказать, что эффективность интерактивного обучения зависит от систематизации интерактивных форм и приемов обучения и последовательности их использования. Для исследования закономерностей интерактивного обучения иностранному языку мы применили следующие методы: наблюдение, эксперимент и аналитический метод. Анализ интерактивных форм и приемов обучения иностранцев русскому языку на краткосрочных курсах в России показывает, что использование обучающего потенциала языковой среды делает содержание обучения естественным, актуальным и интересным. Отход от традиционных приемов обучения позволяет организовать обмен мыслями и чувствами в условиях речевого взаимодействия при создании совместного продукта (как речевого, так и неречевого). Интерактивный урок, выступающий как макроединица отбора и содержания обучения русскому языку как иностранному (РКИ) на краткосрочных курсах, состоит из трех блоков (мотивационно-ознакомительный, деятельностно-ориентированный и результативный). Специально отобранные для каждой ситуации общения и расположенные в определенном порядке интерактивные формы и приемы представлены в системе интерактивных упражнений и заданий, классифицированных в зависимости от стадий усвоения речевых действий в разных коммуникативных ситуациях. В статье представлены формы и приемы интерактивного обучения русскому языку как иностранному, которые преподаватели могут применять на краткосрочных курсах. Авторы показали, что интерактивные приемы и формы обучения стимулируют иностранных учащихся к устно-речевому общению на изучаемом языке. Это способствует развитию умений социального и учебного взаимодействия учащихся для решения актуальных коммуникативных задач в реальных ситуациях общения. Перспектива исследования видится в том, чтобы разработать интерактивные приемы обучения иностранному языку для разных возрастных групп учащихся и разных уровней владения иностранным языком

Open educational resources for all? Comparing user motivations and characteristics across The Open University’s iTunes U channel and OpenLearn platform.

With the rise in access to mobile multimedia devices, educational institutions have exploited the iTunes U platform as an additional channel to provide free educational resources with the aim of profile-raising and breaking down barriers to education. For those prepared to invest in content preparation, it is possible to produce interactive, portable material that can be made available globally. Commentators have questioned both the financial implications for platform-specific content production, and the availability of devices for learners to access it (Osborne, 2012). The Open University (OU) makes its free educational resources available on iTunes U and via its web-based open educational resources (OER) platform, OpenLearn. The OU’s OER on iTunes U reached the 60 million download mark in 2013; its OpenLearn platform boasts 27 million unique visitors since 2006. This paper reports the results of a large-scale study of users of the OU’s iTunes U channel and OpenLearn platform. A survey of several thousand users revealed key differences in demographics between those accessing OER via the web and via iTunes U. In addition, the data allowed comparison between three groups: formal learners, informal learners and educators. The study raises questions about whether university-provided OER meet the needs of users and makes recommendations for how content can be modified to suit their needs. As the publishing of OER becomes core to business, we reflect on reasons why understanding users’ motivations and demographics is vital, allowing for needs-led resource provision and content that is adapted to best achieve learner satisfaction, and to deliver institutions’ social mission

Technology to support young people 16 to 18 years of age who are not in employment, education or training (NEET): a local authority landscape review - final report

Becta landscape review: Technologies used by local authorities to support young people who are not in education, employment or trainin

Design and Assessment for Hybrid Courses: Insights and Overviews

Technology is influencing education, providing new delivery and assessment models. A combination between online and traditional course, the hybrid (blended) course, may present a solution with many benefits as it provides a gradual transition towards technology enabled education. This research work provides a set of definitions for several course delivery approaches, and evaluates five years of data from a course that has been converted from traditional face-to-face delivery, to hybrid delivery. The collected experimental data proves that the revised course, in the hybrid delivery mode, is at least as good, if not better, than it previously was and it provides some benefits in terms of student retention

Using ODL and ICT to develop the skills of the unreached: a contribution to the ADEA triennial of the Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning

Innovation in technology is occurring at rapid pace thus shrinking the distances and making information and knowledge more than ever accessible to everyone irrespective of where the person resides. This paper consists of four main articles. The first one deals with technological trends. The second one focuses on the deployment and use of open and distance education mode in rural areas by documenting initiatives that embrace information and communication technologies (ICTs). Due to challenges faced in rural areas only a few success stories/cases currently exist and some of these are cited in this article. The challenges faced in the deployment of ICT enhanced ODL have been highlighted as well as the potential of developing and delivering effective and relevant ODL programmes in rural areas in order to ensure that issues of educational equity and social exclusion rural communities are adequately addressed. ICTs in ODL are perhaps the greatest tool to date for self-education and value addition to any community’s development efforts, yet poor rural communities particularly in Africa do not have the necessary awareness, skills or facilities to enable themselves to develop using ICTs. Inadequate ICT infrastructures in rural areas remain a major source for the digital divide in Africa and for under-performance of distance learners. The third one analyses the support provided to ODL learners who often encounter difficulties in completing their studies through the distance education mode due to loneliness, uncertainties and de-motivation. ICT has not been able to sufficiently support distance learners in overcoming those obstacles efficiently. An investigation regarding those learning supports has been conducted in ten distance learning institutions, along with an intensive literature review with the aim of understanding the high percentage of dropout rates of distant learners. The learners’ interactions have been scrutinized through content analysis of their synchronous exchanges, during a completely online course. After taking into account the limited technical and human resources in Africa, a technological virtual environment along with a pedagogical framework has been proposed with the aim of giving adequate educational support to them. The fourth article has explored The Open University (UK) and its efforts to use new technologies to deliver online courses to difficult-to- reach learners in prison environments. The case study analysed here is an international course (called, B201- Business Organisations and their environments) which also touches an African cohort of learners. The implications for designing and delivering online ODL to the complex unreachable environments of prisons anywhere, and particularly in Africa, have been discussed