Billie\u27s Message: An original dance-drama in the modern dance idiom

Billie\u27s Message is a forty-five minute dance drama expressing through dance and narrative the life of Billie Holiday and the consequences of drug abuse in Holiday\u27s life. It was created in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Education (MEd) degree. The project was presented on October 31 and November 1, 1987, in a public concert at the Judy Bayley Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Focus was placed on the life of Billie Holiday and the anti-drug message found in the last chapter of her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues (Holiday, 1956). The choreographer danced the role of Billie Holiday, wrote the script, was the recorded voice portraying Billie, selected the performers and directed all dramatic sequences; The written account of this project includes an investigation of Billie Holiday\u27s life, a review of related literature, a discussion of production elements, rehearsal photographs, the script, evaluation and future consideration; A videotape of the performance has been placed on file in the Department of Dance Arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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

Toolbox Talks: Insights for Improvement

Tool box talks (TBTs) have the potential to improve communication, empower workers, reduce injuries and improve safety; however, they can also be “missed opportunities” for providing important safety messages in construction. The goal of this paper is to share the results from two research projects designed to improve the frequency, delivery, participation, and outcomes of TBTs. The results of these projects provide suggestions for planning and delivering TBTs in construction. METHODS: In the first project, 86 residential carpentry foremen from 8 different residential contractors in the St. Louis region participated in training for delivering TBTs as part of an 8-hour fall prevention and safety communication intervention. We compared baseline measures of safety behavior and fall prevention knowledge items to follow-up between participating foremen and their crewmembers. Concurrently, surveys of 300 apprentice carpenters were collected to describe the frequency and delivery methods of TBT and to serve as a comparison group for the TBT intervention. In the second project, we evaluated the utility of ergonomics TBTs delivered by a safety representative to 36 carpenters and laborers. Workers rated their perceptions of topic relevance, delivery method, similarities to traditional TBTs, and intent to change behaviors. The safety representative provided feedback regarding the TBTs and reported their observations of improved worker use of ergonomics in work tasks post-training. DISCUSSION / CONCLUSIONS: Both interventions described in this paper improved workplace safety. The interventions demonstrate how to simply shift from non-collaborative TBTs to participatory, context-driven TBTs by using a pre-printed TBT template, modified to address the hazards present at the worksite. Delivery suggestions relate the information to the workers, and include workers in the identification of problems and safety-related solutions. These participatory methods for preparing and delivering TBTs have the potential to improve construction workplace safety practices

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

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

Institutional and Student Transitions Into Enhanced Blended Learning

This presentation provides an overview of the ‘Transitions into blended learning’ project, which has focused on three areas: developing an institutional transition framework, researching student experiences, and identifying interventions to support effective transitions. The framework identified external drivers for blended learning, a set of considerations for institutions, and a set of processes to facilitate change involving three stakeholder groups at the heart of the model. The work included learner experience research with students newly engaged in blended learning. This work identified support needs around access (to technology and learning materials), attitudes (towards learning online) and attributes (skills) needed to engage autonomously in blended learning. The institution-wide Enhancement themes team identified a set of interventions or ‘anchor points’ to prevent the institution ‘drifting back’ into purely traditional approaches to learning and teaching. These included the recognition and promotion of good practice through case studies, development of an institutional e-learning framework, and an event to encourage staff and students to share good practice in blended learning. This three-year project was largely led by a PhD student (JA), working with the principal investigator (VHD) and the institutional representative (KG)

Bridging the Transition into Credit Bearing Online Distance Learning

Online distance learning (ODL) is increasingly used by the University of Glasgow, to offer flexibility and access for a more diverse learner profile, including professional learners. This research-led institution also uses MOOCs to provide open access to learning materials, for outreach and recruitment purposes. This presentation highlights the results of learner experience research with participants of the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Art Crime and Antiquities Trafficking, who also completed the associated MOOC prior to programme entry. A pilot study incorporated semi-structured interviews with students enrolled on the PGCert, who had previously completed the MOOC. Participants were invited to reflect on how the MOOC contributed to their 1) foundation knowledge, 2) study skills, 3) digital literacies and 4) readiness for self-directed learning. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was undertaken (Braun and Clarke, 2006). Nine of 30 learners volunteered to participate in the study. The MOOC stimulated enrolment by raising prospective participants' awareness of the programme, as well as enhancing motivation and confirming interest, and promoting self-efficacy. Students' preparedness for ODL was enhanced by unifying their prior knowledge, strengthening digital literacies, and promoting readiness for self-directed learning online. This presentation will explore how this research is informing the direction of ODL at Glasgow, and how the disruptive potential of MOOCs is being leveraged to enhance the student learning experience

Evaluation of a MOOC design mapping framework (MDMF): experiences of academics and learning technologists

With the increasing strategic importance of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) in higher education, this paper offers an innovative approach to advancing discussions and practice around MOOC learning design, in the context of staff development. The study provides a deeper understanding of staff (academic and learning technologists') experience when designing MOOCs, through the evaluation of a novel MOOC design mapping framework (MDMF) at one higher education institution. The MDMF was developed to enhance the MOOC design process for staff involved, providing dedicated, tailored support in this area. This study considers and contributes to the literature on learning design, differences between face-to-face and online learning and the role played by academic staff and learning technologists in the design of MOOCs. The study is based on rich qualitative data drawn from 12 semi-structured interviews with nine academics and three learning technologists who used the framework for constructing MOOCs. This study evaluates: (1) how the framework was used and supported; (2) benefits of the framework to support good practice in learning design and the design process; and (3) limitations of the framework. We also considered suggested enhancements to the framework. The study highlighted new areas that could influence the design process, such as the importance of the learning technologist as a facilitator of the MDMF, the benefits of the visual aspects of the framework, technological challenges, and users’ level of digital literacy

Evaluation of a MOOC design mapping framework (MDMF): experiences of academics and learning technologists

With the increasing strategic importance of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) in higher education, this paper offers an innovative approach to advancing discussions and practice around MOOC learning design, in the context of staff development. The study provides a deeper understanding of staff (academic and learning technologists') experience when designing MOOCs, through the evaluation of a novel MOOC design mapping framework (MDMF) at one higher education institution. The MDMF was developed to enhance the MOOC design process for staff involved, providing dedicated, tailored support in this area. This study considers and contributes to the literature on learning design, differences between face-to-face and online learning and the role played by academic staff and learning technologists in the design of MOOCs. The study is based on rich qualitative data drawn from 12 semi-structured interviews with nine academics and three learning technologists who used the framework for constructing MOOCs. This study evaluates: (1) how the framework was used and supported; (2) benefits of the framework to support good practice in learning design and the design process; and (3) limitations of the framework. We also considered suggested enhancements to the framework. The study highlighted new areas that could influence the design process, such as the importance of the learning technologist as a facilitator of the MDMF, the benefits of the visual aspects of the framework, technological challenges, and users’ level of digital literacy

A MOOC Design Mapping Framework (MDMF): Evaluation ofAacademics’ and Learning Technologists’ Experiences

A MOOC Design Mapping Framework (MDMF) was introduced to streamline and enhance the development of MOOCs at the University of Glasgow. The MDMF is built on RealTimeBoard platform to enable development of and sharing of high level course designs among the course team and affiliated learning technologist(s), and to serve as exemplars for future MOOCs. Combining the core FutureLearn activities and ABC Learning Design Framework, it was anticipated that the MDMF approach would save time on development and encourage a more learner-centred approach to the course design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants (nine academics and three learning technologists). Relating to process, reported benefits included collaborative development (among course teams and between academics and the learning technologist) as well as a focused concentration on the type, sequence and balance of activities, and the ability to see a big picture overview and any gaps. Reported challenges included the tool not capturing the details of discussions and some technical limitations. However, all participants agreed they would use the framework again in relation to the design of MOOCs and other courses. Presenter details: John is leading the development of MOOCs at UofG from strategic and operational perspectives. Current areas of enquiry include mainstreaming MOOCs as a standard prerequisite to online distance learning programmes, to facilitate successful student transitions, and progressing the potential for micro-credentialing MOOCs (@johnkerr001) With an interest in Learner Experience Research, Vicki champions technology-enhanced learning and teaching in the context of formal and informal staff development opportunities at UofG (@vhmdale)