John Kerr | University of Glasgow (original) (raw)
Papers by John Kerr
Online distance learning (ODL) is increasingly used by the University of Glasgow, to offer flexib... more 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 i...
Receiving, understanding and acting on feedback are essential parts of the student journey. Durin... more Receiving, understanding and acting on feedback are essential parts of the student journey. During the academic year 2014/15 the College of Social Sciences launched a small pilot study of returning audiovisual feedback (AVF) on students' formative and summative assignments. Academic staff recorded the student assignment using a screen-capturing tool which picked up on screen annotations and narration. The output MP4 file was then returned to students via the institutional VLE, Moodle. Feedback from this group highlighted this as a superior method compared to traditional written feedback: • 75% strongly agreed or agreed that they preferred receiving AVF to traditional written feedback • 70% strongly agreed or agreed that as a result of AVF they were spending more time thinking about their feedback. the students into two equivalent groups (experimental and control groups). The experimental group received AVF on their second assignment, whereas the control group received traditional feedback for the same assignment. Student performance in the third assignment was then measured within the two groups (control and experimental) to establish whether there was any significant difference in performance between the two groups receiving different forms of feedback. Contrary to our expectations, the implementation of AVF did not appear to have a positive effect on students' performance-this appeared to have actually decreased slightly compared to the previous assignment, but the analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in performance for the AVF experiment group-despite students' enthusiastic attitudes towards AVF. Although the results of the field experiment suggest that AVF may not impact on student performance, students and staff reacted positively to it. Indeed, it is clear that AVF has many advantages over traditional feedback and appears to complement the ubiquitous digital world that learners are immersed within. The authors recommend that future research into this method is explored to ascertain if students may modify or improve an aspect of their behaviour in response to their awareness of being observed and if the results in this report holds true in other studies.
This report aims to provide an overview of a project which explores teaching and learning within ... more This report aims to provide an overview of a project which explores teaching and learning within a blended mode of study. Specifically, it looks to analyse the production of digital media and online social networking with a view to enhancing the learning experience. It was the overall aim of the project to contribute to the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy by developing media content; exploring the production process, analyse digital participation and explore the challenges and opportunities locally within schools. The project has placed emphasis on the production principles which enhance our online courses whilst providing a consistent quality of experience – recognising that our students often access course material produced by staff from across schools and colleges.
A MOOC Design Mapping Framework (MDMF) was introduced to streamline and enhance the development o... more 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 in...
Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 2019
With the increasing strategic importance of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) in higher educati... more 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 cons...
Research in Learning Technology, 2018
The research project that led to the creation of this document was funded by the Learning, Teachi... more The research project that led to the creation of this document was funded by the Learning, Teaching and Development Fund (LTDF) 2014/15. We wanted to supply you with a practical overview of the design and implementation of the University’s first two MOOCs which were delivered in the summer of 2014 by The College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (Cancer in the 21st Century: The Genomic Revolution) and The School of Law (Right vs Might in International Relations).
There is a growing body of research into MOOCs, and already a great deal available to read about the MOOC experiences of other education-providers. However, there is considerably less by way of specific, practical guidance in how to go about actually designing and developing a course of this type based on hands-on experience. Therefore, this document has been designed as a point of reference for future MOOC developments, allowing you to gain at least some insight into the process, resource and timing involved in producing a MOOC.
This document reports some quantitative data about the enrolled participants on the MOOCs such as: how many enrolled; where the drop out points occurred; how many completed each course; where the participants were based; and so on. We also present some qualitative data which comes from participant surveys and interviews with key academic and support staff involved in the design and development of each course. These data are intended to inform and explain the broad patterns of user behaviour and engagement identified via the quantitative analysis.
Finally, we outline the pedagogical approach taken in the design and delivery of both MOOCs, the tools and technologies that were deployed and key content sources the teams discovered in order to make the course a successful learning experience for the participants. We have included several tips and hints which we hope you will find useful in avoiding some of the pitfalls encountered by our MOOC teams.
We hope that this document helps you to get started on your MOOC journey, and we wish you the best of luck in creating your own innovative and engaging courses.
John Kerr
Learning Innovation Officer - College of Social Sciences March 2015
Online distance learning (ODL) is increasingly used by the University of Glasgow, to offer flexib... more 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 i...
Receiving, understanding and acting on feedback are essential parts of the student journey. Durin... more Receiving, understanding and acting on feedback are essential parts of the student journey. During the academic year 2014/15 the College of Social Sciences launched a small pilot study of returning audiovisual feedback (AVF) on students' formative and summative assignments. Academic staff recorded the student assignment using a screen-capturing tool which picked up on screen annotations and narration. The output MP4 file was then returned to students via the institutional VLE, Moodle. Feedback from this group highlighted this as a superior method compared to traditional written feedback: • 75% strongly agreed or agreed that they preferred receiving AVF to traditional written feedback • 70% strongly agreed or agreed that as a result of AVF they were spending more time thinking about their feedback. the students into two equivalent groups (experimental and control groups). The experimental group received AVF on their second assignment, whereas the control group received traditional feedback for the same assignment. Student performance in the third assignment was then measured within the two groups (control and experimental) to establish whether there was any significant difference in performance between the two groups receiving different forms of feedback. Contrary to our expectations, the implementation of AVF did not appear to have a positive effect on students' performance-this appeared to have actually decreased slightly compared to the previous assignment, but the analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in performance for the AVF experiment group-despite students' enthusiastic attitudes towards AVF. Although the results of the field experiment suggest that AVF may not impact on student performance, students and staff reacted positively to it. Indeed, it is clear that AVF has many advantages over traditional feedback and appears to complement the ubiquitous digital world that learners are immersed within. The authors recommend that future research into this method is explored to ascertain if students may modify or improve an aspect of their behaviour in response to their awareness of being observed and if the results in this report holds true in other studies.
This report aims to provide an overview of a project which explores teaching and learning within ... more This report aims to provide an overview of a project which explores teaching and learning within a blended mode of study. Specifically, it looks to analyse the production of digital media and online social networking with a view to enhancing the learning experience. It was the overall aim of the project to contribute to the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy by developing media content; exploring the production process, analyse digital participation and explore the challenges and opportunities locally within schools. The project has placed emphasis on the production principles which enhance our online courses whilst providing a consistent quality of experience – recognising that our students often access course material produced by staff from across schools and colleges.
A MOOC Design Mapping Framework (MDMF) was introduced to streamline and enhance the development o... more 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 in...
Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 2019
With the increasing strategic importance of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) in higher educati... more 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 cons...
Research in Learning Technology, 2018
The research project that led to the creation of this document was funded by the Learning, Teachi... more The research project that led to the creation of this document was funded by the Learning, Teaching and Development Fund (LTDF) 2014/15. We wanted to supply you with a practical overview of the design and implementation of the University’s first two MOOCs which were delivered in the summer of 2014 by The College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (Cancer in the 21st Century: The Genomic Revolution) and The School of Law (Right vs Might in International Relations).
There is a growing body of research into MOOCs, and already a great deal available to read about the MOOC experiences of other education-providers. However, there is considerably less by way of specific, practical guidance in how to go about actually designing and developing a course of this type based on hands-on experience. Therefore, this document has been designed as a point of reference for future MOOC developments, allowing you to gain at least some insight into the process, resource and timing involved in producing a MOOC.
This document reports some quantitative data about the enrolled participants on the MOOCs such as: how many enrolled; where the drop out points occurred; how many completed each course; where the participants were based; and so on. We also present some qualitative data which comes from participant surveys and interviews with key academic and support staff involved in the design and development of each course. These data are intended to inform and explain the broad patterns of user behaviour and engagement identified via the quantitative analysis.
Finally, we outline the pedagogical approach taken in the design and delivery of both MOOCs, the tools and technologies that were deployed and key content sources the teams discovered in order to make the course a successful learning experience for the participants. We have included several tips and hints which we hope you will find useful in avoiding some of the pitfalls encountered by our MOOC teams.
We hope that this document helps you to get started on your MOOC journey, and we wish you the best of luck in creating your own innovative and engaging courses.
John Kerr
Learning Innovation Officer - College of Social Sciences March 2015