Any Time? Any Place? The impact on student learning of an on-line learning environment.

Original paper can be found at: http://www.actapress.com/Content_of_Proceeding.aspx?proceedingID=292#pages Copyright ACTA Press [Full text of this paper is not available in the UHRA]An increasing number of HE institutions are adopting virtual and managed learning environments (VLEs and MLEs), which offer flexible access to on-line learning materials all day and every day. There are multiple claims about e-learning enhancing learning and teaching (eg. [1] Britain and Liber, 1999; [2]Conole, 2002; [4]Allen, 2003; [5]Littlejohn and Higginson, 2003) such as supporting active learning, facilitative rather than didactic teaching and increased student motivation but these are not pre determined outcomes. Much depends on how lecturers use the available technology and how students respond to that use. This paper reports on a research project which has evaluated the students' own experience of on-line learning at the University of Hertfordshire. Using its own institution-wide MLE (StudyNet) academic staff at the university have been able to offer students on-line access to their study material from September 2001. Activities available for students using StudyNet include participating in discussion forums, using formative assessment materials and accessing journal articles as well as viewing and downloading courseware for each of their courses. Students were invited to participate in a questionnaire and focus groups to identify the characteristics of the on-line learning environment which benefited their learning

The impact of a managed learning environment upon curriculum design

The use of managed learning environments (MLEs) to--support student learning is increasingly prevalent in higher education today. An in-house MLE, StudyNet, was introduced at the University of Hertfordshire in 2001. An institutional programme of support was--introduced to encourage the widespread uptake of this MLE and this research investigates its subsequent use by teachers from a range of academic disciplines. Twenty three members of staff were interviewed--about their approaches to teaching, their use of the MLE and their reasons for using it. The interviews were transcribed and the data have been subjected to an interpretive analysis. The research also draws on--local policies and other documents that help contextualise the findings

Flexible study - what students do and what they want

There is considerable rhetoric about today s students wanting more flexible study options so that their studies can fit in with other aspects of their lives. Furthermore, staff and students increasingly use--managed learning environments (MLEs) to support learning. But how great is the appetite for more flexible study options that the MLE could undoubtedly support This work is based on an online survey,--conducted in February 2007 at the University of Hertfordshire. The questionnaire explored the following: students existing study patterns--and how these sit alongside their other commitments (family, work, leisure, etc); students attitudes to flexible study options and their perceptions of current support for independent study; their appetite for--further development in this area; and their technological skills and propensity for greater use of online support for learning

Using StudyNet to facilitate students’ learning

This article discusses the utilisation of StudyNet to facilitate students’ learning on a Level 3 Physiotherapy module. The students’ perceptions of StudyNet and its usage were evaluated by questionnaire and also by an analysis of the ‘traffic’ on the discussion forum. A separate questionnaire was used to evaluate the computer use and confidence of students from all three cohorts of the degree. The module incorporated a variety of incentives that encouraged the students to engage with StudyNet – tutor-generated materials, student-generated materials, seeded discussions and assessment based on electronic papers. Although two cautionary messages emerged, the questionnaires and other sources of data suggested that overall this has been a successful implementation.Peer reviewe

CABLE: an approach to embedding blended learning in the curricula and across the institution

Original article can be found at: http://www.reflectingeducation.net/index.php?journal=reflecting&page=index Copyright Institute of Education, University of LondonThe CABLE project developed a local process based on the Change Academy model in order to bring about significant curricular and structural change at the University of Hertfordshire, specifically to embed blended learning within the Academic Schools. Teams from six academic schools were selected to take part in the Change Academy for Blended Learning Enhancement (CABLE) scheme in 2006. The aim was to enhance the leadership and change management skills of 50 academic staff in order to effect sustainable change in curriculum design and to enable the staff to become change agents for further blended learning curriculum enhancement. Key outcomes from CABLE were the embedding of blended learning in six Academic School strategic business plans and an increased use of blended learning within academic programmes. The paper summarises the CABLE process and its outcomes, and evaluates its effectiveness. Participants including students have formed a thriving community in which good practice and transformative change is shared, supported and embedded. These aspects of the project are discussed further in the context of the cultural change required to fully embed changing practice across the institution.Peer reviewe

Introducing web based learning: An investigation into its impact on university lecturers and their pedagogy

Peer reviewe

Changing Pedagogy: Does the Introduction of Networked Learning Have an Impact on Teaching

The University of Hertfordshire s Managed Learning Environment initiative, known as StudyNet, was developed in-house. Throughout the development, the enhancement of learning and teaching quality has remained a central tenet. However, take up has been extremely variable. This research, through questionnaire survey, sought to assess the extent of StudyNet embeddedness, the uses to which it is put and its impact on staff working practices and pedagogy. Analysis suggests that money, time and workload affect staff access and use. As a communication and information distribution resource it is well used but its impact on the enhancement of learning and teaching is, so far, fairly limited although some examples of good practice were identified.Peer reviewe

Using a Managed Learning Environment in Higher Education: the students' views

Original paper can be found at: http://www.hiceducation.org/proceedings_edu.htmThe Dearing Report (NCEHE, 1997: 13.1), called for the effective use of information technology in learning and teaching in higher Education, suggesting that it, ‘… holds out much promise for improving the quality, flexibility and effectiveness of higher education’. Six years later it is time to take stock of what has been achieved. Technology in learning and teaching is no longer peripheral. Its presence is ubiquitous at the strategic if not always at the operation level. However, relatively little is known about its real as opposed to claimed effectiveness in enhancing student learning and their experience of higher education. There are multiple claims about e-learning enhancing learning and teaching (Britain and Liber, 1999; Conole, 2002; Allen, 2003; Littlejohn and Higginson, 2003) – such as supporting active learning, facilitative rather than didactic teaching and increased student motivation – but these are not predetermined outcomes. Much depends on how lecturers use them and how students respond to that use. The research reported here is based on an investigation into students’ views and experiences of the introduction of BobCat (an MLE) in one university in England. It follows from and builds on a previous research project (2002/3) that investigated lecturers views and experiences of the introduction of BobCat in the same university. Seven focus groups were used to follow-up issues raised from a structured survey of just under 1,000 students.Final Accepted Versio

Open All Hours - Do students really want to access on-line learning 24/7?

Conference site:- http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2004/index.htmlAn increasing number of HE institutions are adopting virtual and managed learning environments (VLEs and MLEs), which offer flexible access to on-line learning materials all day and every day. There are multiple claims about e-learning enhancing learning and teaching (Britain and Liber, 1999; Conole, 2002; Allen, 2003; Littlejohn and Higginson, 2003) – such as supporting active learning, facilitative rather than didactic teaching and increased student motivation – but these are not pre-determined outcomes. Much depends on how lecturers use them and how students respond to that use. This paper reports on a research project which has evaluated the students’ own experience of on-line learning at a British university. Using its own institution-wide MLE (Studynet) they have offered students on-line access to their study material since 2001. Activities available for students using the MLE include, participating in discussion forums, using formative assessment materials and accessing journal articles as well as viewing and downloading courseware. Eight focus groups were used to follow-up issues raised from a structured survey of more than 900 students whose views were invited on:- • the importance of being able to access their learning outside the traditional class contact times, • accessibility of e.learning • flexibility • the usefulness of course materials on-line. Furthermore, did the presence of course materials on-line merely encourage them to forego the usual class contact in lectures and tutorials or did it provide an additional opportunity to engage in their learning before and after the contact time? In discussing their findings the authors will also report on the perceived importance to students of an MLE when making their choice of course and institution and the ways in which students felt that use of the MLE could improve pedagogy

Evaluating the benefits of web-based learning with academic staff

Original paper can be found at: http://www.iasted.org/conferences/pastinfo-504.html Copyright ACTA Press [Full text of this article is not available in the UHRA]The provision of Managed Learning Environments (MLEs) to organize web based learning have sprung up in universities and other Higher Education institutions across a number of countries in recent years. Some MLEs use proprietary software to create the learning environment (e.g. BlackboardTM, or WebCT TM) and others have been developed in-house with local expertise. Their common aim is to provide an asynchronous mode of access to learning materials for students at any time of day or night both during term time and throughout the vacation, this has become known as `24/7' access. Web based learning may be offered in this way either on a course-by-course basis or across the institution as a whole. How far does it benefit the academic staff (from technical and non technical backgrounds) who are required to use it perhaps unwillingly? How important are the training and the support provided for academics and what are their stated preferences? These are some of the questions, which a major study into the use of and attitudes towards the MLE in a British university has investigated