Principles in Patterns (PiP) : Project Evaluation Synthesis

Evaluation activity found the technology-supported approach to curriculum design and approval developed by PiP to demonstrate high levels of user acceptance, promote improvements to the quality of curriculum designs, render more transparent and efficient aspects of the curriculum approval and quality monitoring process, demonstrate process efficacy and resolve a number of chronic information management difficulties which pervaded the previous state. The creation of a central repository of curriculum designs as the basis for their management as "knowledge assets", thus facilitating re-use and sharing of designs and exposure of tacit curriculum design practice, was also found to be highly advantageous. However, further process improvements remain possible and evidence of system resistance was found in some stakeholder groups. Recommendations arising from the findings and conclusions include the need to improve data collection surrounding the curriculum approval process so that the process and human impact of C-CAP can be monitored and observed. Strategies for improving C-CAP acceptance among the "late majority", the need for C-CAP best practice guidance, and suggested protocols on the knowledge management of curriculum designs are proposed. Opportunities for further process improvements in institutional curriculum approval, including a re-engineering of post-faculty approval processes, are also recommended

Principles in Patterns (PiP) : Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design Institutional Story

The principal outputs of the PiP Project surround the Course and Class Approval (C-CAP) system. This web-based system built on Microsoft SharePoint addresses and resolves many of the issues identified by the project. Generally well received by both academic and support staff, the system provides personalised views, adaptive forms and contextualised support for all phases of the approval process. Although the system deliberately encapsulates and facilitates existing approval processes thus achieving buy-in, it is already achieving significant improvements over the previous processes, not only in reducing the administrative overheads but also in supporting curriculum design and academic quality. The system is now embedded across three faculties and is now considered by the University of Strathclyde to be a "core institutional service". Alongside the C-CAP system the PiP Project also cultivated a suite of approaches: an incremental systems development methodology; a structured and replicable evaluation approach, and; Strathclyde's Lean Approach to Efficiencies in Education Kit (SLEEK) business process improvement methodology Each is based on recognised formal techniques, providing the basis for a rigorous approach. This is contextualised within and adapted to the HE institutional context thus building the foundation not only for the project but ultimately for institution wide process improvement. This "institutional story" report summarises the principal outcomes of the Project

The mediating effect of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in the acceptance of e-training in the Nigerian civil service

This study examined the mediating effects of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) in the acceptance of e-training in the Nigerian civil service. Modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for developing countries was used to examine the influence of perceived cost, computer self-efficacy, technological infrastructures, internet facilities, power supply, organisational support, technical support and government support in the acceptance of e-training. Cross-sectional research design was utilized and data was collected from 450 heads of department in the federal ministries in North Central and North Western zones in Nigeria. Partial Least Square (PLS) of the Structural Equation modelling method was used for analysis where both the measurement model and structural model of the research framework were tested. Results of the measurement model analysis indicated reliability and validity of the study constructs. The structural model results indicated that out of the 26 relationships hypothesized, only 13 were supported: 9 for direct relationships and 4 for mediating relationships. It was found that PU, PEOU, perceived cost and technological infrastructure were significantly related to e-training acceptance. Likewise, computer self-efficacy, technological infrastructure, power supply and technical support were significantly related to PEOU. Furthermore, it was found that PU partially mediated the relationship between PEOU and e-training acceptance. PEOU also partially mediated the relationship between technological infrastructures but fully mediated the relationship between power supply, technical support and e-training acceptance. These findings showed the importance of these factors in encouraging e-training acceptance in various departments and agencies in the Nigeria civil service. This study will be beneficial for policy makers in the public service in developing policies regarding e-training. Limitations encountered were the inability to include other sections of the public service as well as other zones in the countr

Sustainable eLearning in a Changing Landscape: A Scoping Study (SeLScope)

The report begins by exploring the concept of sustainable e-learning - defining it and establishing its characteristics in the context of Higher Education. To ensure a sound and systematic process, the review is informed by a five-phase methodological framework for scoping reviews by Arksey and O'Malley (2005). Examples and perspectives on the concept of sustainable e-learning are summarised and key factors impacting on sustainability are abstracted. highlights potential gaps and suggests directions for further research on the topic

Students’ Engagement in Independent Learning and Personal Development: Issues, Attitudes and Difficulties from the Female Learners’ Lived Experiences of Using Social Media in the Context of Saudi Higher Education

Personal access to digital information affects all situations in life, from lifelong learning and careers to teaching and learning practices. Recently, there has been interest in individuals’ uses of social media, its association with personal and academic development, and its extensive use in both formal and informal educational contexts. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), particular research attention has been given to females’ use of social media due to the significance of such easy access to their learning and development in the broader cultural context. However, little is known about the educational implications of such extended personal learning practices. For instance, the issues, attitudes and difficulties of students’ engagement, and the students’ changing needs and expectations under current social media influence, are still not fully understood. This research employs an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to investigate the lived learning experiences of female university students, focusing on their personal use of social media to examine current issues in students’ experiences in Saudi higher education. A group of female undergraduate learners in a Saudi higher education context were selected to offer the learners’ voice and perspective on educational issues related to their own engagement. Students’ personal accounts and different stories of engagement in independent learning and personal development from their use of social media have been collected through two phases. In the first phase, 20 female students participated in in-depth individual interviews and reflective diary reports. In the second phase, 12 female students participated in two focus group discussions to elicit their attitudes and opinions. The (IPA) analysis of the data drawing from different educational theories in the literature was used to understand factors related to students’ engagement and non-engagement from their different attitudes and stories of success and failure when using social media independently. Themes that emerged as drivers and motivations leading to students’ engagement in learning and personal development included self-efficacy and reflection, personal values and beliefs, awareness of opportunity, challenges and transitions, social inclusion and empowerment with learning choice. Several themes were also revealed from the personal accounts as barriers and difficulties for students’ engagement, including personal negative attitudes and experiences, understanding of social media risk, information overload and distraction, organisational, pedagogical and curriculum barriers, lack of social inclusion, technical problems, and time and cost issues. The research concludes with several recommendations for improving all students’ engagement under the current themes of personal and self-directed lifelong learning with matching curriculum and pedagogies adopted in this context to meet current student learning needs

Principles in Patterns (PiP) : Piloting of C-CAP - Evaluation of Impact and Implications for System and Process Development

The Principles in Patterns (PiP) project is leading a programme of innovation and development work intended to explore and develop new technology-supported approaches to curriculum design, approval and review. It is anticipated that such technology-supported approaches can improve the efficacy of curriculum approval processes at higher education (HE) institutions, thereby improving curriculum responsiveness and enabling improved and rapid review mechanisms which may produce enhancements to pedagogy. Curriculum design in HE is a key "teachable moment" and often remains one of the few occasions when academics will plan and structure their intended teaching. Technology-supported curriculum design therefore presents an opportunity for improving academic quality, pedagogy and learning impact. Approaches that are innovative in their use of technology offer the promise of an interactive curriculum design process within which the designer is offered system assistance to better adhere to pedagogical best practice, is exposed to novel and high impact learning designs from which to draw inspiration, and benefits from system support to detect common design issues, many of which can delay curriculum approval and distract academic quality teams from monitoring substantive academic issues. This strand of the PiP evaluation (WP7:38) attempts to understand the impact of the PiP Class and Course Approval Pilot (C-CAP) system within specific stakeholder groups and seeks to understand the extent to which C-CAP is considered to support process improvements. As process improvements and changes were studied in a largely quantitative capacity during a previous but related evaluative strand, this strand includes the gathering of additional qualitative data to better understand and verify the business process improvements and change effected by C-CAP. This report therefore summarises the outcome of C-CAP piloting within a University faculty, presents the methodology used for evaluation, and the associated analysis and discussion. More generally this report constitutes an additional evaluative contribution towards a wider understanding of technology-supported approaches to curriculum design and approval in HE institutions and their potential in improving process transparency, efficiency and effectiveness

Principles in Patterns (PiP) : C-CAP Embedding and Work Plan

Innovative approaches to technology-supported curriculum design offer an opportunity for improving academic quality, pedagogy and learning impact [1]. Those approaches that are innovative in their use of technology offer the potential of an interactive curriculum design experience within which the designer is offered system assistance to better adhere to pedagogical best practice, is exposed to novel and high impact learning designs from which to inspire reflective design, and benefits from system support to detect common design issues which might otherwise delay curriculum approval or usurp the resources of academic quality assurance teams. It is also anticipated that technology-supported approaches can improve the efficacy of curriculum approval processes at universities, thereby increasing the curriculum responsiveness of institutions and supporting improved and rapid review mechanisms which may support enhancements to pedagogy [2]. Responsive curriculum design and approval, and the rapid generation of curricula that this infers, is increasingly necessary to respond to changing academic contexts and the changing needs of stakeholders (e.g. employers, professional bodies, etc.) [3], [4]. The emerging globalized university sector [5], [6] also contributes to these pressures by frequently necessitating the creation of specialist curricula, either to attract international students or to render curricula conducive to delivery at international branch campuses [7]. As part of the JISC 5/08 Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design Programme [8], the Principles in Patterns (PiP) Project (http://www.principlesinpatterns.ac.uk) investigated and developed a technology-supported approach to curriculum design and approval. PiP Project investigation and development activity ended in August 2012. Attention has now turned to the embedding phase of the Project (August 2012 – April 2013). The purpose of this paper is to document a suitable embedding strategy and plan for successfully implementing C-CAP across the University of Strathclyde. This plan is informed by the systems and technology implementation literature and also includes and timetables significant outstanding work or actions arising from the PiP Final Evaluation Report (WP7:40 Project evaluation synthesis) [9]. Internal discussions within the C-CAP team have also informed the key tenets of the embedding plan (Appendix B)

Closing the gap between business undergraduate education and the organisational environment: A Chilean case study applying experiential learning theory

In response to the continuous changes in Latin American higher education and the increasing demands for better prepared professionals, the Learning Connected to the Organisational Environment method was introduced in the course of Marketing at one public University in Chile. This was aimed as an integrated approach to education, providing pedagogical and social value by connecting organisations and real challenges with the learning objectives. This paper describes its design, implementation and initial impact on students’ learning process. Results on the impact of the LCOE method show that students valued learning with this new initiative (n = 158) and showed higher performance and improved quality of their written reports, along with higher evaluations of the teaching staff compared to students in the same course learning with traditional methods (n = 158). Discussion is centred on the value of this initiative and on suggestions for transference and future research

Perceptions of Asynchronous Blended Learning among Female ESL Students in a Saudi University

This mixed-method research investigated the effectiveness of asynchronous blended learning in developing English language skills amongst female higher education students in Saudi Arabia. The investigation tools included a survey for the quantitative phase and interviews for the qualitative phase. The findings showed that students had a comparatively high level of satisfaction with asynchronous e-learning. This teaching and learning method contributed to positive outcomes in terms of learning English and developing an autonomous learning style