Cats and dogs and pheromones: researching the student experience

Pheromone Therapy is a unique online course pioneered by the University of Lincoln and delivered through the university's virtual learning environment. The course adopted innovative practices such as induction activities designed to embed the skills required for successful online learning, a range of interactions with content and focus on opportunities for socialisation including ‘café’ forums and a student gallery. Retention is a key issue with distance delivery (Simpson, 2003) but listening to the student voice is only a comparatively recent initiative. Past studies have focussed on non-completion (Yorke & Longden, 2008) or the student experience on campus (JISC, 2007). Pheromone Therapy was an opportunity to capture data about distance learner’s experience of learning in isolation and collect individual responses to the course design. Findings provided a rich source of information for the construction and delivery of online courses in the future. Social aspects of learning online have been suggested as prime motivators in building a sense of collegiality. Pheromone Therapy was designed to include opportunities for social interaction but students demonstrated how the learning experiences which were situated in practice, with opportunities for shared participation, created the greatest cohesion and sense of community

Peer mentoring in assisting retention – is a virtual form of support a viable alternative?

Support systems are vital for university entrants and one established means of support is peer mentoring, which has the potential to improve student engagement and retention. Peer mentoring models are generally based on face-to-face contact. However, given the increasing number of higher education institutions using social media, might online models be beneficial in a peer mentoring context? This article describes a literature review and case study that considers the advantages and disadvantages of three potential virtual models to facilitate a peer mentoring scheme. The case study, undertaken at Northumbria University, UK, involved an investigation of mentoring needs and current usage of electronic media where special attention is afforded to a diverse student body. The three models discussed are virtual learning environments (VLE), social networking sites and virtual worlds. We find that the VLE is established within institutions but lacks excitement; social networking is popular particularly with younger students but there may be resentment if this appears to be appropriated by the institution; whilst virtual worlds are unfamiliar to many students and require advanced skills to use successfully. Based on these findings the social networking model is now being run as a pilot study by business programmes at Northumbria University

‘Living’ theory: a pedagogical framework for process support in networked learning

This paper focuses on the broad outcome of an action research project in which practical theory was developed in the field of networked learning through case‐study analysis of learners’ experiences and critical evaluation of educational practice. It begins by briefly discussing the pedagogical approach adopted for the case‐study course and the action research methodology. It then identifies key dimensions of four interconnected developmental processes—orientation, communication, socialisation and organisation—that were associated with ‘learning to learn’ in the course’s networked environment, and offers a flavour of participants’ experiences in relation to these processes. A number of key evaluation issues that arose are highlighted. Finally, the paper presents the broad conceptual framework for the design and facilitation of process support in networked learning that was derived from this research. The framework proposes a strong, explicit focus on support for process as well as domain learning, and progression from tighter to looser design and facilitation structures for process‐focused (as well as domain‐focused) learning tasks

The role of the “Inter-Life” virtual world as a creative technology to support student transition into higher education

The shape of Higher Education (HE) in the UK and internationally is changing, with wider access policies leading to greater diversity and heterogeneity in contemporary student populations world-wide. Students in the 21st Century are often described as “fragmented”; meaning they are frequently working whilst participating in a full time Degree programme. Consequently, those in the HE setting are required to become “future ready” which increasingly involves the seamless integration of new digital technologies into undergraduate programmes of teaching and learning. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of the “Inter-Life” three-dimensional virtual world as a suitable Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) tool to support the initial stages of transition from school into university. Our results demonstrate that Inter-Life is “fit for purpose” in terms of the robustness of both the educational and technical design features. We have shown that Inter-Life provides a safe space that supports induction mediated by active learning tasks using learner-generated, multi-modal transition tools. In addition, through the provision of private spaces, Inter-Life also supports and fosters the development of critical reflective thinking skills. However, in keeping with the current literature in the field, some of the students expressed a wish for more training in the functional and social skills required to navigate and experience the Inter-Life virtual world more effectively. Such findings resonate with the current debate in the field which challenges the notion of “digital natives”, but the present study has also provided some new evidence to support the role of virtual worlds for the development of a suitable community to support students undergoing transition to university

Challenging the five-stage model for e-learning: a new approach

The five‐stage approach to e‐moderating has provided a coherent model upon which to base online learning design in higher education. However, despite its growing popularity, there are concerns that the model is becoming a dominant discourse, being adapted as a template for the design of all online teaching and learning, to the exclusion of other ideas. It is suggested that the five‐stage model may not be the panacea it appears and alternative models of e‐learning cannot be ignored. This paper reviews the five‐stage model and contrasts it with a new conceptual model, ‘the e‐learning ladder’, conceived as part of research with healthcare students in the higher education setting

Socialisation in the Age of New Media

Media education is a comparatively young specialisation within educational science. It acts on the assumption that in modern (or postmodern) societies human's relation to the world is largely mediated by technical media. To act pedagogically therefore has to be conceived and understood as acting in a world shaped by information and communication technologies. Based on this media education addresses three different problems. First it tries to analyse and critically reflect on socio-cultural forms and practices of media usage in order to assess the social as well as individual relevance of technically mediated perception and communication. Second it tries do develop scientifically founded concepts for the practice of media education in order to foster people's media skills and media literacy. Third it tries to develop concepts for media didactics, that is for a methodical application of technical media in order to support teaching and learning processes

Introducing Second Life, a 3D virtual world, to students and educators

Three-dimensional virtual worlds are multimedia, simulated environments, often managed over the Web, which users can 'inhabit' and interact via their own graphical self-representations known as 'avatars'. Second Life is the most widely used 3D virtual world in education. In this paper we discuss our experiences of introducing Second Life to students and educators and imparting to them the skills required to interact within the 3D environment. We also discuss the resources that we developed to support their induction and training

Collaborative virtual gaming worlds in higher education

There is growing interest in the use of virtual gaming worlds in education, supported by the increased use of multi‐user virtual environments (MUVEs) and massively multi‐player online role‐playing games (MMORPGs) for collaborative learning. However, this paper argues that collaborative gaming worlds have been in use much longer and are much wider in scope; it considers the range of collaborative gaming worlds that exist and discusses their potential for learning, with particular reference to higher education. The paper discusses virtual gaming worlds from a theoretical pedagogic perspective, exploring the educational benefits of gaming environments. Then practical considerations associated with the use of virtual gaming worlds in formal settings in higher education are considered. Finally, the paper considers development options that are open to educators, and discusses the potential of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) for learning in higher education. In all, this paper hopes to provide a balanced overview of the range of virtual gaming worlds that exist, to examine some of the practical considerations associated with their use, and to consider their benefits and challenges in learning and teaching in the higher education context