Educational methods and technologies in undergraduate veterinary medicine: a case study of veterinary teaching and learning at Glasgow, 1949-2006

This case study, of veterinary education at Glasgow between 1949 and 2006, was undertaken to provide an illustrative account of learning and teaching practices over time. Ultimately the aim was to inform discussions on curriculum reshaping in undergraduate veterinary education at Glasgow. A questionnaire was distributed to 2360 alumni, 513 students and 50 teachers, to obtain quantitative data on the availability and perceived usefulness of different educational methods and technologies, analysed using SPSS. Qualitative data were sought principally through ten student focus groups and interviews with over thirty current and former staff, theoretically coded using NVivo. Questionnaire responses (from 11.5% of alumni, 23.8% of students and 72% of teachers invited to participate) revealed that lectures, printed notes, tutorials, practical classes and clinical training were used consistently over time and rated highly by stakeholders, confirming the importance of didactic teaching methods coupled with discussion and practical hands-on experience. The focus groups with students highlighted their strong desire for earlier clinical training, with the recognition that a case-based approach resulted in more meaningful learning. The interviews with staff revealed that whilst all staff welcomed the opportunity for increased vertical integration, problem-based learning was rejected as a wholesale solution. Highlights of the school’s curricular innovations to date include the clinico-pathological integrated sessions, the lecture-free final year, and the introduction of a veterinary biomolecular sciences course that allowed for a seamless vertical integration in years 1 to 4. However, recent efforts to implement self-directed learning and assessment strategies have been hampered by the fact that these were isolated innovations set within a traditional teacher-centred paradigm. There was little support among stakeholders for undergraduate specialisation. There is still a perceived need for veterinarians to have omni-potential – if not to be omnicompetent. However, it is recommended that the current system of tracking be replaced with a more streamlined core-elective system, to allow students to pursue specific topics of interest in the later years of the course. Teachers and students cited attributes of ‘good’ teachers. These generally did not change over time, although technologies did change. Good communication appears to be central to good teaching, with an in-borne desire to enthuse and motivate students to learn for the pleasure of learning rather than the need to hurdle-jump examinations. Both teachers and students cited good teaching characteristics in terms of the teacher as authority and motivator, rather than as a facilitator of independent learning, reflecting the nature of the traditional, didactic course. There was little evidence of pedagogical change resulting from technological innovations. If anything, newer technologies compounded surface learning approaches and low level cognitive processing, rather than promoting deep learning and higher order thinking skills. Identified barriers to teaching innovations included lack of time, reward and support (for teachers and students). Future curricular innovation will require a substantial investment in the scholarship of teaching – rewarding staff for excellence in teaching, putting it on a par with research excellence, and ensuring the necessary support mechanisms and infrastructure are in place to ensure the success of a self-directed learning curriculum. A guided discovery learning curriculum is recommended, a compromise between traditional teaching and a fully problem-based curriculum. The study did not specifically focus on assessment, but it is recommended that learning, teaching and assessment practices should be constructively aligned

Learner experiences of a blended course incorporating a MOOC on Haskell functional programming

There is an increasing move in higher education to blend university courses to include a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). This article reports on the learner experiences of such a course, which incorporated a purposely designed MOOC as part of the blend, to teach Haskell functional programming. A survey revealed that students most valued the programming exercises, quizzes and instructional videos, while the follow-up focus group highlighted the flexibility of the MOOC, usefulness of the videos, drop-in sessions and programming exercises. The overall mix of activities was regarded as particularly useful. While discussions were not rated as highly in the survey, students in the focus group commented on their value, particularly for getting support from external learners. The perceived lack of face-to-face contact was the biggest issue; however, this reflected a lack of awareness of lab sessions which could have been better signposted. There was perceived to be a gap between the MOOC and the rest of the course in terms of level of difficulty and authenticity of learning tasks. These issues were positively addressed in subsequent runs of the course. The outcomes of this study are relevant to educators seeking to incorporate MOOCs into blended courses

Student transitions to blended learning: an institutional case study

This paper examines the experiences of students transitioning to blended learning in the University of Glasgow as part of the QAA Enhancement Themes work on Student Transitions. We draw here on exploratory, qualitative research to examine the benefits, challenges and skills developed by students during transitions to blended learning as a means of advancing understanding, and informing future curriculum design. Data from home undergraduate and international postgraduate students were collected over two years through focus groups, individual interviews and end-of-course quality assurance surveys. We found that while home/undergraduate and international/postgraduate students have similar transition experiences, international taught postgraduates encounter additional challenges in terms of acclimatising to UK higher education (HE), especially within shorter programmes of study and where pedagogical and language differences exist. The findings are integrated in a conceptual framework highlighting the importance of access, acculturation (attitudes) and attributes (skills) to enable learner autonomy to engage effectively in blended learning. The findings have implications for institutional infrastructure, curriculum design and learner development. Further research is required to collect a larger data set as a means of developing the study’s conceptual framework, in order to better understand and support diverse student transitions to blended learning

How a MOOC can effectively facilitate student transitions to an online distance postgraduate programme

A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) was developed to help promote awareness of, and support student transitions into, a fully online distance, credit-bearing postgraduate certificate (PGCert). A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was undertaken with participants on the PGCert to investigate learner experiences of both the MOOC and PGCert, and to establish the extent to which the MOOC supported learners’ transitions into the PGCert in terms of their (1) foundation knowledge, (2) study skills, (3) digital literacies, (4) readiness for self-directed learning, and to determine whether additional efforts could have been directed to more effectively support student transitions. Findings revealed that the MOOC informed participants’ decision to undertake the fully online PGCert, and that this was due to the effective learning design and a strong teacher presence throughout. The participants already possessed some background knowledge and a number of essential learning skills (though not uniformly), questioning assumptions around MOOCs as an aid to widening participation in higher education; however, the MOOC helped to enhance and unify these. Not surprisingly, there were some challenges encountered on entering online postgraduate study that the MOOC design could not anticipate or solve; therefore, we recommend that online learners are appropriately supported throughout their studies. This work has implications in terms of how MOOCs may help facilitate student transitions into other fully online, credit-bearing programmes of study

Early adopters versus the majority: characteristics and implications for academic development and institutional change

The concept of early adoptersversus mainstream majority has become common parlance when considering the uptake of technology-enhanced learning and teaching (TELT) in higher education, and relates to the readiness with which individuals adopt new technologies.This study used a questionnaire to explore the views and experiences of staff at one research-led institution within one of four colleges, to determine whether there were differences between the characteristics and digital academic practices of teachers, based on their self-identification as one of five types of technology adopters (innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards). Subsequently, two focus groups allowed comparisons between early adopters and early majoritystaff.Thequestionnaire found differencesbetween the groupsin relation tousing a VLE to foster deep thinking through discussion, teachers’ digital practices and attributes, previous engagement with developmental TELTopportunities, perceived level of support from management, and perceived usefulness of continued professional development (CPD)opportunities. Focus groups revealed qualitative differences in terms of the amount of time participants invested in learning new technologies, sources of TELTsupport, preference for different types of academic development, and how they engaged with exemplars in their own or other disciplines.In addition to recommendations for different types of academic development for different groups, the study highlighted the importance of early adopters in leading digital practice. Institutions need to recognise and support the unique contribution made by early adopters. They contribute to the resilience, agility and digital capabilities of an institution in responding to rapid changes, such as the Covid19 pandemic, in terms of supporting and leading other staff, and prompting the institution to expand its digital education infrastructure

Learner experiences of a blended course incorporating a MOOC on Haskell functional programming

There is an increasing move in higher education to blend university courses to include a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). This article reports on the learner experiences of such a course, which incorporated a purposely designed MOOC as part of the blend, to teach Haskell functional programming. A survey revealed that students most valued the programming exercises, quizzes and instructional videos, while the follow-up focus group highlighted the flexibility of the MOOC, usefulness of the videos, drop-in sessions and programming exercises. The overall mix of activities was regarded as particularly useful. While discussions were not rated as highly in the survey, students in the focus group commented on their value, particularly for getting support from external learners. The perceived lack of face-to-face contact was the biggest issue; however, this reflected a lack of awareness of lab sessions which could have been better signposted. There was perceived to be a gap between the MOOC and the rest of the course in terms of level of difficulty and authenticity of learning tasks. These issues were positively addressed in subsequent runs of the course. The outcomes of this study are relevant to educators seeking to incorporate MOOCs into blended courses

Student experiences of transitions into blended learning

The University of Glasgow, like other UK higher education institutions, is expanding its blended learning provision. We use Garrison and Kanuka’s (2004) definition of blended learning as an optimally designed combination of online and face-to-face learning. This presentation conveys the experiences of diverse cohorts of students transitioning to increased blended learning, and discusses institutional implications for supporting learners. Data were collected from a focus group with postgraduate learners enrolled on a research methods course, and four surveys from two undergraduate Classics courses, all delivered online as part of a blended programme. Findings reveal that participants are positive about the opportunities provided by the blended approach in terms of affording them flexibility and control over their learning. However, issues emerged around the need to balance opportunities for independent learning against a need for more face-to-face interaction, to overcome a sense of isolation. In addition, a one year Masters’ degree allows little time for students to transition to this new way of learning, which requires them to more effectively manage their time. A ‘one size fits all’ approach to blended learning is therefore not appropriate for diverse cohorts of students; this has implications for curriculum design and student support

Student experiences of transitions into blended learning

The University of Glasgow, like other UK higher education institutions, is expanding its blended learning provision. We use Garrison and Kanuka’s (2004) definition of blended learning as an optimally designed combination of online and face-to-face learning. This presentation conveys the experiences of diverse cohorts of students transitioning to increased blended learning, and discusses institutional implications for supporting learners. Data were collected from a focus group with postgraduate learners enrolled on a research methods course, and four surveys from two undergraduate Classics courses, all delivered online as part of a blended programme. Findings reveal that participants are positive about the opportunities provided by the blended approach in terms of affording them flexibility and control over their learning. However, issues emerged around the need to balance opportunities for independent learning against a need for more face-to-face interaction, to overcome a sense of isolation. In addition, a one year Masters’ degree allows little time for students to transition to this new way of learning, which requires them to more effectively manage their time. A ‘one size fits all’ approach to blended learning is therefore not appropriate for diverse cohorts of students; this has implications for curriculum design and student support

Student transitions in blended learning

Blended learning approaches are increasingly being adopted in UK Higher Education Institutions, and the University of Glasgow has made a substantial strategic investment in this area. In this context, we defer to Garrison and Kanuka’s (2004) definition of blended learning as an optimally designed combination of online and face-to-face learning. Such technology-enhanced learning approaches provide affordances for more flexible, student-centred learning experiences (Gordon, 2014). This presentation captures the experiences of students transitioning to increase blended learning at the University of Glasgow, particularly as they relate to a blended experience at the programme level. The outcomes from evaluation data from two undergraduate Classics online courses, and a focus group with learners enrolled on an online research methods course as part of a blended programme in a business school, will be presented here. Data collection is ongoing to capture and compare the experiences of blended learning by home versus international, and undergraduate versus postgraduate, learners. In terms of advantages of blended learning, participants identified clear pedagogical benefits including the ability to study flexibly, and enhanced engagement with the course material. However, some learners felt isolated and considered that there was scope for more immediate feedback from – and greater interaction with – their teachers. Studying an entirely online course within an otherwise face-to-face programme was seen as challenging; although participants considered that the courses promoted independent working, some struggled with motivation and time management. The experience of blended learning by international students revealed particular benefits and challenges. The ability to replay online resources was seen to be especially helpful for students with English as a Second Language. However, one semester was seen as too short a time for international master’s students to acclimatise to a blended programme format. The findings have implications for curriculum design as well as study skills support around blended curricula

The veterinary nurse and teamworking

Teamwork is regarded as a core skill within the veterinary nursing profession. The ability to work with other members of the clinical team is critical to the health and welfare of veterinary patients, client satisfaction and the success of the veterinary business. The stages of teambuilding and Belbin team roles are presented here as examples of teamworking theory that may be applied in practice. An understanding of how teams are formed, and the individual roles played by members of the team, will help to ensure that healthcare teams function more effectively and efficiently