E-teaching as companion to e-learning; supporting digital pedagogies and practice in higher education (original) (raw)
Related papers
Yearning to learn from e‐learning: the experiences of a University of Glamorgan practitioner
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 2009
On the world stage, the use of e‐learning is not a new phenomenon. However, many teachers within higher education favour, and are most comfortable with, the “talk and chalk”, face‐to‐face mode of plying their trade. For them, facilitating learning within virtual learning environments (VLEs) is often alien, and technically and pedagogically challenging. This paper outlines the trials and tribulations of a higher education institution (HEI) practitioner when engaging in the design, use and development of virtual learning environments as a departmental ground breaker within his institution. A model is proposed that will help other practitioners who view conversion of their teaching and learning from the traditional “talk and chalk” mode to a VLE as perhaps daunting and frightful.
Irish Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2018
Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have become a critical part of the Higher Education (HE) learning, teaching and assessment environment over the past two d ecades. The study in this paper complements the longitudinal study designed by the #VLEIreland Project team to examine the key drivers and barriers for uptake and usage of an institutional VLE amongst students. There is a dearth of literature on VLE usage by staff in an Irish context. The findings of the #VLEIreland staff survey, presented in this paper, help us understand staff usage of technology tools including the VLE, and places this in a wider context. In 2014, the project team developed an electronic survey instrument to examine staff perceptions of the VLE and online learning tools. This collaborative study involved seven Irish HE institutes. There were 580 respondents to the electronic survey. Findings show lack of time as a considerable barrier to staff usage of the VLE and that staff usage is primarily for distribution of resources, communication and assignment submission. However, insights can also be gleaned from the data to assist educational developers when designing appropriate interventions for the development needs of staff. When considered in conjunction with findings from student data, the common misconceptions about VLE usage can be addressed including a negative impact on attendance and over-reliance on lecturers. In addition, consideration for the professionalisation of teaching in terms of digital literacy and technological skills is considered of vital importance to empower staff in the era of the digital turn.
A Craft of e-Teaching; lessons from the Digital Practitioner Research
In discussing e-learning at ELSE 2013 the question was asked, "shouldn't we be researching e-teaching?" The authors have spent some years doing this, through their Craft of Teaching work (Garnett, Ecclesfield 2011) and the Digital Practitioner Research (Ecclesfield, Rebbeck, Garnett, 2011-13). The Craft of Teaching work came about when the authors were challenged at the iPED 2009 conference on Pedagogies as to what the role of the teacher would be if Web 2.0 tools allowed learners to generate their own learning contexts, as we argued. We answered this at iPED 2010 with "The Open Context Model of Learning and the Craft of Teaching," This was built around the PAH Continuum (Pedagogy, Andragogy, Heutagogy) which argued that teachers needed to develop learner's ability to manage their own learning using their professional and pedagogical understanding of the educational benefits of self-directed learning. The subsequent Digital Practitioner research for the UK skills development agency LSIS both used an original survey methodology, focused on how lecturers felt about the technologies they were using, and also evaluated the answers against professional critical thinking skills. This survey of 1000 college lecturers surprisingly revealed the importance of the personal development of the use of technologies in social contexts as a key part of the development of professional e-teaching skills in educational institutions, and also that a co-creation model of learning (Garnett, Ecclesfield 2012) around "artfully-crafted, student-centred, learning experiences" was possible. The conclusion would be that e-teaching is best developed by a mix of personal, professional and staff development, both within and outside educational institutions, allied with a deeper understanding of how pedagogies are being changed post-Web 2.0, by new learning and social technologies. The paper will show how we reached these conclusions and how institutions might develop new e-teaching strategies for themselves
2004
Many institutions of higher education in the UK have invested in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). The main reason appears to be the enhancement of teaching and learning. This thesis sought to understand what was meant by enhancement and this thesis provides a richer picture of actual VLE use than that offered by surveys and user numbers. It concludes that the idea of enhancement comes from the association of Web and Internet-based technology (on which VLEs are built) with the creation of student-centred learning environments. This is important because of research showing a correlation between higher quality learning outcomes and a deep approach to learning and between a surface approach to learning and a teacher-focused approach to teaching. The focus of this research is the individual lecturer in face-to-face higher education. The aim was to investigate whether VLEs were being used to support student-centred teaching methods. This research took the form of an interview study t...
2016
Skill retention within a virtual learning environment (VLE) is dependent upon the complexity inherent in skill use (Cahillane, MacLean, & Smy, 2015) and the frequency of skill use (Arthur, Bennett, Stanush, & McNally, 1998). A questionnaire was used to capture demographics and perceptions/attitudes concerning VLE usefulness, VLE ease of use and self-reported VLE use among postgraduate level teachers. Results indicate that self-reported teaching workloads were negatively associated with attitudinal positivity. Further results indicated that the attitudinal concept of Perceived usefulness explained a significant amount of unique variance in VLE Use, however, perceptions concerning the Ease of VLE use did not. Introduction The knowledge and skills of those generating and maintaining e-learning content is pivotal to successful e-learning provision (Rogers, 2003). Skill retention within a virtual learning environment (VLE) is a multi-faceted construct. Cahillane, MacLean, and Smy (2015) ...
Consideration of the uses of e-learning: Does one size fit all?
International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education, 2010
Use of a virtual learning environment (VLE) to enhance the teaching and learning experiences of two groups of students in higher education is the focus of this paper. Through a comparative approach of strategies used, consideration is given to pedagogic implications of the current university policy in relation to e-learning and how it contributes to develop effectiveness in using technology to deepen student's experiences and encourage a deep approach to learning. The outcome of this comparison is the understanding that 'one size' of approach to the use of the VLE will not fit the needs of all the students.
A Reflection on Teachers' Experience as E-Learners
2009
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Learners' experiences of e-learning: research from the UK
At this symposium we describe the methods and early outcomes of research into learners' experiences of e-learning in UK higher and further education. The context for this research is given by learners' increasing use of networked technologies, not only those offered by their institutions but also those they own or use personally, and not only for learning but for many aspects of their home, social, leisure and working lives. Papers are offered from each of four parallel research projects, pursuing different aspects of the question: how do learners experience and participate in learning in this digitally networked age? The symposium will offer an opportunity to hear updates from these projects as well as exploring the issues raised in their presented papers.
Our first time: two higher education tutors reflect on becoming a ‘virtual teacher’
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2005
The rapid development of the Internet as a means of both information distribution and social communication seems to be carrying with it a growing imperative for tertiary institutions to put teacher education, like many other things, 'online'. Often this is done in the name of offering teacher training to distant students who would otherwise not be able to undertake such study. Sometimes it is done in the name of 'growing' the financial base of the institution. Sometimes it is done in the name of teacher or learner convenience, or more efficient use of lecturer or student time. But increasingly it is also becoming done in the name not just of more accessible, but of qualitatively improved pedagogy-or in a higher education context should one talk of andragogy? This paper reports some action research we conducted on our own initial experiences of incorporating 'online' elements into our respective teacher education courses. They have been experiences which have seen us confront issues which go well beyond technical questions of how to teach in a virtual environment, to encompass more value-laden selfenquiries about why we should, and the relationship, if there is to be one, between virtual teaching and virtuous teaching.