Course being developed: Risk Management: The balance between risk containment and therapeutic risk taking (Level 8).
As this is a course being developed for the School of Occupational Therapy Postgraduate Programmes there will be no face to face teaching opportunities. The programmes are 100% by distance and students enrol from all over New Zealand and often internationally. Therfore it is important that there is no expectations for those students to attend workshops or lectures at a designated location. This means costs can be contained for the student.
Therefore this means the teaching strategies involve a mixture of online forums and tasks through the learning management system (MOODLE) and fortnightly group sessions through a web based conferencing system (Adobe Connect). The group sessions are an important component to the courses as this is one of the few opportunities the students get an opportunity to talk to each other (and form connections with peers) and to their lecturer in real time. They do get opportunities to communicate via email and discussion forums however this is not often in real time.
Existing learning activities critically reviewed – what works and what doesn’t.
I have identified a range of learning activities as being possible options for this course based on what has worked for other distance based postgraduate courses. As this course is yet to run for the first time my review of these learning activities is based on what I know about the students from past postgraduate courses and my experience in teaching at this level and teaching that is 100% by distance.
The table that I have developed to reflect on each learning activity is attached to the forum which this blog was access through.
Proposed learning objects, media and activities are described, as well as the way in which they will be used
Moodle – The Moodle shell will be kept relatively simple. The main shell is used as the first point of call for all the students. All information will be made available through the course shell. They will see photos of the lecturers (with contact details), weekly work outlined in separate boxes, external links to helpful resources, links to other Moodle shells (such as the PG Community Resources shell) where they will find material on the library etc. Students will be encouraged to log on regularly, edit their profile which will include their preferred email address.
Moodle books – The books will be used for the weekly work/tasks. They will be titled with the relevant week dates and this will be where students can go to find out what they need to do for that week. By having this in a book it keeps the main shell less cluttered and easier to negotiate. Postgrad at OT school prefers to use the books rather than eXe packages. By continuing with this limits the confusion for the students.
Adobe Connect – Will be used fortnightly as an opportunity to discuss the material the student have been asked to work on in the previous two weeks. They will be used as an opportunity for students to ask questions and to connect with each other as well as the lecturer.
Moodle Discussion Forum – Forums will be opened each week to invite the contributions and discussions from students on the weekly work. The very first discussion forum will allow students to introduce themselves and give a brief background on their practice area and postgrad study to date.
Wiki (Wikispaces) – The wiki will be used in the group work. This will be the place students will go to add their contribution to a piece of work that everyone is building on. Students will be introduced to this in the first weeks of the course and it will be demonstrated in the first group session.
Moodle Quizzes – These will predominantly be used at the beginning of the course. Quizzes will be used to help students hone the way they critique their literature. Students will be given a research article/s which they will be encourages to critique themselves and then a week later they will be given an opportunity to complete a quiz on the article to see how well they had critiqued the reading.
Reflection on resourcing, including any new technologies, staffing and training provided.
New Technology
Adobe Connect – As the Otago Polytechnic is moving away for Elluminate in 2012 this course will use Adobe Connect as the web based conferencing system. The OT school is attempting to use this software in second semester in 2011 which will allow staff and some students to become used to using the new technology. Therefore by the time this course runs (second semester 2012) staff should be familiar with it. Students potentially will never have used it (or in fact any type of web based conferencing system).
Moodle – Moodle has now been running for 3 years at the Otago Polytechnic. For existing students the use of this learning management system is known and reasonably straight forward. However it will be anticipated there will be students new to the programme who have never used web based learning technology. The Postgraduate Coordinator (happens to be myself) is usually the first port of call to help talk through issues with students. They are advised they are welcome to contact the coordinator to ask questions.
Training
Adobe Connect – Students are offered training sessions in Adobe Connect in the first week of the semester. They are given opportunity to log onto it, use some of the basic features and talk with the facilitator as well as the other students there. This will occur at least a week before their first group session for their course begins. They are also provided with IT support 0800 number and email so they can contact them when needed. Staff will also be offered the opportunity to take part in these training sessions.
Resources
Guides – All postgrad students are email a guide on using Moodle and (soon to be) Adobe Connect at the point of their enrolment. They are encouraged to follow through the advice given on these guides. For example there will be the web page they need to go to, to ensure they have the needed software for running Adobe Connect (eg Adobe Flash). They will be encouraged to have downloaded this prior to their training sessions. They will so be advised in this guide they will need to purchase a microphone head set prior to the training session.
Readings – Postgrad students are sent a CDRom of readings that contain essential readings for the course. These will be collated by myself however the readings wont be the entire literature that will be used. Students are expected to search for more literature during the course.
Staffing
IT Support – The contact details for IT support are given to all students enrolling in the course. They are encouraged to contact the support when the have issues with both the web based conferencing system as well as Moodle.
Robertson Library – We also give contact details of Paula Whitlock (OT subject librarian) to enable students to contact a person when they are having problems accessing needed library resources.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Design Overview
Course being developed: Risk Management: The balance between risk prevention and therapeutic risk taking (Level 8)
Overview
This course is being designed for the Occupational Therapy Postgraduate Programmes. Students will be able to select this course (as one of their electives) and when it is successfully completed it will count towards a variety of qualifications including: Bachelors of Occupational Therapy (Honours), Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Therapy Practice, Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Therapy Practice and the course work component of the Masters by coursework.
Courses are developed at 20 credit level which recommends students spend 200 hours on a course within a 16 week semester. As students are often working they often choose to only enrol into one course at a time. 60 credits is required for a PG Cert, 120 credits for a PG Dip and 240 for a Masters.
Theoretical Perspective
Initially when looking at both the structure of the School of Occupational Therapy as well as how the courses which sit within the Postgraduate Qualifications I was under the impression a Constructivist model of learning would be the most appropriate theory to guide this development. Constructivism assumes that the learner will develop their knowledge as part of a process they undergo in making sense of their own experiences (Fiume, 2005; Rolloff, 2010). Learners are not seen as “empty vessels” just waiting to be filled with knowledge but bring with them their experiences which they seek meaning to (Rolloff, 2010). Vygotsky’s contribution to this theory of learning was around how students learn, that is how they construct meaning. To learn, Vygotsky emphasised the importance of problem solving within the process and this is reflected in his notion of learning by doing. Vygotsky emphasised the importance of experiential learning and the role lecturers/teachers have as facilitators of the process of problem solving (Jaramillo, 1996). I was comfortable with this sitting well with the Bachelors of Occupational Therapy students and see how the teaching and learning the programme uses fits within this theoretical perspective. I decided to read further because though I do see this as an important factor to how our Postgraduate students work I believe there were some important key areas missing. It was when I came across the Connectivist perspective that I thought this had more relevance to what we do in our programmes.
Connectivism acknowledges the shifts that have occurred in view to learning. It acknowledges learning is no longer an individual activity. It acknowledges the changing technology involved and how learners interact with these in an attempt to learn (Siemens, 2004).
The principles of Connectivism are:
Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.
Learning is a process of connecting specialised nodes or information sources.
Learning may reside in non-human appliances.
Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known
Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.
Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.
Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision (Siemens, 2004)
Forming connections are the key to network learning. Yet not every connection has equal weight and influence in the entire structure. Connections can be strengthened based on a number of factors: Motivation, Emotions, Exposure, Patterning, Logic and Experience (Siemens, 2005).
To embrace connectivism then consideration to design of learning opportunities that place the person, their social behaviour and their community at the centre is important (Ravenscroft, 2011).
MacKey and Evans (2011) investigated how teachers engage in professional development. Like occupational therapists they are increasingly looking for online or blended learning as a means to combine work and study. They noted that web based technologies can improve access, equity and quality of professional learning opportunities. Establishing a cohort of professionals from different backgrounds in courses can provide rich interactions regardless of location and work commitments. This research found that the participants blended their formal learning into their daily work. They constructed their own network of practice selecting those they connected with both within the online and professional community. They concluded that a connectivist perspective is a useful tool when interpreting how working professionals access and interact with academic expertise alongside peers from different locations and practice areas. It enables learners to connect to others and learn from those who are expert in scholarly material and experts in professional practice (Mackey & Evans, 2011).
After reading all of this I could see clear links to our postgraduate programmes and how our postgraduate students learn. The vast majority of the students are working in the profession full time and are studying as part of their professional development. They utilise (though confidence and ability vary) the online technology to both build connections with each other and the learning environment. Facilitation occurs to form connections with each other. Students are taken through learning activities which encourages them to connect their learning to what they are doing in their professional life. For me this perspective has clear links to what we do in our Postgraduate programmes.
Please refer to the Discussion Forum on Design overview to view the table I have created that looks at Learning Outcomes, Learning Activities, Teaching strategies, Content and Assessment.
The following web site is where I got the criteria outlined by NZQA regarding a level 8 course.
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/studying-in-new-zealand/nzqf/nzqf-levels
Level 8 requires students to not only apply their specialised knowledge but critique and evaluate material relevant to their practice area. I believe the course above will enable students to do this. Learners come to these programmes and courses with the expectation they will both develop the knowledge they already have and develop further skills in analysis and evaluation. Often this can be daunting to a new postgrad student who has been away from study for many years and it is the responsibility of the lecturers to facilitate their learning.
The profession has expectations that the students who have completed these courses are better skilled to use evidence to guide their practice, confident in articulating their reasoning and more confident to present their own knowledge to colleagues and other health professionals. Though the OT board does not oversee these programmes (they are not required to as this isn’t the programme that gives registration) they are interested in ensuring practicing OT’s are involved in professional development and are insuring they have the most up to date knowledge.
References:
Fiume, P. (2005). Constructivist theory and border pedagogy foster diversity as a resource for learning. The Community College Enterprise, 11(2), 51-64.
Jaramillo, J. (1996). Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and contributions to the development of constructivist curricula. Education, 117(1), 133-140.
Mackey, J., & Evans, T. (2011). Interconnecting networks of practice for professional learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 1-18.
Ravenscroft, A. (2011). Dialogue and connectivism: A new approach to understanding and promoting dialogue-rich networked learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 139-160.
Rolloff, M. (2010). A constructivist model for teaching evidence-based practice. Nursing Education Perspectives, 11(5), 290-293.
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved 13 May, 2011, from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: Learning as network-creation Retrieved 13 May 2011, from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/networks.htm
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Evaluation - Designing Flexible Learning Plan
Evaluation of Designing for Flexible Learning Plan
Analysis and synthesis/Original thoughts/References, hyperlinks, attributions
Introduction
3/4/n/a
Is this the executive summary? It was difficult to concisely summarise all of the information
Project background
4/4/3
There are a number of reasons to completing the project. It wasn’t till I started writing them that I realised how many.
Aims, objectives, outcomes
3/3/3
As the project is developing I’ve realised a number of aspects I need to include, this seems to be increasing.
Flexible learning analysis includes: Perceived flexible learning needs of target audience
3/3/3
The learning needs of the students are varied. They all however require consistent and reliable information.
Flexible learning analysis includes: Type of flexible learning services provided
3/3/3
An online support tool which the librarians from the Bill Robertson Library will be involved in. There was a lot to consider while completing this section.
Flexible learning analysis includes: Type of services which already exists.
Use of complimentary or competitive services
3/3/3
Though the library already has services available it is about working with them rather than in competition. The project and future projects will require open and honest communication.
Flexible learning services include: Sustainability - social, ecological and economical factors
3/3/3
Definitely an aspect that needs to be incorporated into the plan. It considers all aspects of the Triple Bottom Line.
Flexible learning services include: Access & equity
3/4/3
This is the aspect the project aims to achieve equity amongst students.
Flexible learning services include: Cultural diversity
3/3/3
There is a unique culture associated with online learning and addressing those needs is vital.
Alignment with (or change) to organisation's strategic direction
3/3/3
This definitely aligns with the Otago Polytechnics Strategic Goals. It aims to provide creative ways of addressing the needs of the students.
Budget
3/4/4
Finances to get the project up and running will come from within the Polytechnic while funding for a research project to evaluate the usefulness will come from outside agencies.
Time line for development
3/3/3
This has already begun and it’s anticipated it will be up and running by semester two. So far it is on track.
References
3/4/4
The learning theories relate to getting the students to try out the tool and then incorporate it into their learning.
Evidence that feedback has been incorporated
3/3/3
I’ve attempted to incorporate the feedback and answer the queries within the body of the plan rather than highlighting individual statements. I sourced feedback from face to face, pole on my blog, librarians and my colleagues.
Includes realistic ideas and solutions
4/4/3
I believe this is a realistic project, which I have already got underway. I think it will provide solutions to the difficulties/challenges the students have highlighted in the past.
Analysis and synthesis/Original thoughts/References, hyperlinks, attributions
Introduction
3/4/n/a
Is this the executive summary? It was difficult to concisely summarise all of the information
Project background
4/4/3
There are a number of reasons to completing the project. It wasn’t till I started writing them that I realised how many.
Aims, objectives, outcomes
3/3/3
As the project is developing I’ve realised a number of aspects I need to include, this seems to be increasing.
Flexible learning analysis includes: Perceived flexible learning needs of target audience
3/3/3
The learning needs of the students are varied. They all however require consistent and reliable information.
Flexible learning analysis includes: Type of flexible learning services provided
3/3/3
An online support tool which the librarians from the Bill Robertson Library will be involved in. There was a lot to consider while completing this section.
Flexible learning analysis includes: Type of services which already exists.
Use of complimentary or competitive services
3/3/3
Though the library already has services available it is about working with them rather than in competition. The project and future projects will require open and honest communication.
Flexible learning services include: Sustainability - social, ecological and economical factors
3/3/3
Definitely an aspect that needs to be incorporated into the plan. It considers all aspects of the Triple Bottom Line.
Flexible learning services include: Access & equity
3/4/3
This is the aspect the project aims to achieve equity amongst students.
Flexible learning services include: Cultural diversity
3/3/3
There is a unique culture associated with online learning and addressing those needs is vital.
Alignment with (or change) to organisation's strategic direction
3/3/3
This definitely aligns with the Otago Polytechnics Strategic Goals. It aims to provide creative ways of addressing the needs of the students.
Budget
3/4/4
Finances to get the project up and running will come from within the Polytechnic while funding for a research project to evaluate the usefulness will come from outside agencies.
Time line for development
3/3/3
This has already begun and it’s anticipated it will be up and running by semester two. So far it is on track.
References
3/4/4
The learning theories relate to getting the students to try out the tool and then incorporate it into their learning.
Evidence that feedback has been incorporated
3/3/3
I’ve attempted to incorporate the feedback and answer the queries within the body of the plan rather than highlighting individual statements. I sourced feedback from face to face, pole on my blog, librarians and my colleagues.
Includes realistic ideas and solutions
4/4/3
I believe this is a realistic project, which I have already got underway. I think it will provide solutions to the difficulties/challenges the students have highlighted in the past.
Designing for Flexible Learning - Evaluation of Blog Posts
Evaluation of Blog Posts
Analysis and synthesis/Original thoughts/References, hyperlinks, attributions
Orientation and introductions
n.a/n.a/n.a
It was a good way to start into the process of blogging. I received the most comments to this post!
What is flexible learning?
4/4/3
I still hadn’t grasped the idea of hyperlinks at this stage. Little did I realise at this stage the amount of learning I was to embark on when it came to Flexible Learning!
Why we need flexible learning
4/4/3
As above, I was yet to learn how to hyperlink. Flexibility should be a priority when it comes to working with students. It’s more than just providing everything online!
Examples of Flexible Learning - distance, correspondence, online
4/4/3
I was able to relate this to postgrad courses at the School of Occupational Therapy as all three examples are used within the courses.
Examples of Flexible Learning - part time, block, blended
4/4/4
This is an area which needs to be investigated further, especially as the postgrad courses are by distance. Using a blend of online and teleconferences have aided feelings of community.
Examples of Flexible Learning - open, networked, RPL
4/4/4
RPL is definitely used within the School of Occupational however Open courses pose some difficulties. Students are required to meet entrance criteria to enrol and WFOT monitor the standards of the undergraduate programme.
Planning for flexible teaching and learning
4/4/2
Beginning to think about how I can develop a flexible learning project which would be appropriate to my area.
Issues with flexible learning - The modern Internet
3/4/3
The modern internet poses many issues, both with the speed that we can access as well as the issue of trying to validate the information that is available.
Issues with flexible learning - Sustainability
2/2/3
Sustainability is an increasingly important aspect to consider in my flexible learning project. This relates to the triple bottom line
Issues with flexible learning - access and equity
4/4/3
Access and equity is a large issue about why I have developed the project. Students and different levels of ability when using the internet and the hope is to create equity within the cohort.
Issues with flexible learning - Cultural diversity
4/4/4
Highlighted the different issues for me. Online courses have a culture in themselves and I found it interesting that internationally there are high drop out rates in online courses.
Flexible learning in educational organisations
3/4/3
It was good to see the commitment that the Polytechnic has to Flexible learning. The challenge is keeping it creative.
National and International support for flexible learning development
3/3/3
Research will be an important aspect to evaluating the success of this project.
Self assessment of Learning Outcomes
4/4/3
On the whole I believe I have achieved the learning outcomes as outlined on the Designing for Flexible Learning Wiki.
Analysis and synthesis/Original thoughts/References, hyperlinks, attributions
Orientation and introductions
n.a/n.a/n.a
It was a good way to start into the process of blogging. I received the most comments to this post!
What is flexible learning?
4/4/3
I still hadn’t grasped the idea of hyperlinks at this stage. Little did I realise at this stage the amount of learning I was to embark on when it came to Flexible Learning!
Why we need flexible learning
4/4/3
As above, I was yet to learn how to hyperlink. Flexibility should be a priority when it comes to working with students. It’s more than just providing everything online!
Examples of Flexible Learning - distance, correspondence, online
4/4/3
I was able to relate this to postgrad courses at the School of Occupational Therapy as all three examples are used within the courses.
Examples of Flexible Learning - part time, block, blended
4/4/4
This is an area which needs to be investigated further, especially as the postgrad courses are by distance. Using a blend of online and teleconferences have aided feelings of community.
Examples of Flexible Learning - open, networked, RPL
4/4/4
RPL is definitely used within the School of Occupational however Open courses pose some difficulties. Students are required to meet entrance criteria to enrol and WFOT monitor the standards of the undergraduate programme.
Planning for flexible teaching and learning
4/4/2
Beginning to think about how I can develop a flexible learning project which would be appropriate to my area.
Issues with flexible learning - The modern Internet
3/4/3
The modern internet poses many issues, both with the speed that we can access as well as the issue of trying to validate the information that is available.
Issues with flexible learning - Sustainability
2/2/3
Sustainability is an increasingly important aspect to consider in my flexible learning project. This relates to the triple bottom line
Issues with flexible learning - access and equity
4/4/3
Access and equity is a large issue about why I have developed the project. Students and different levels of ability when using the internet and the hope is to create equity within the cohort.
Issues with flexible learning - Cultural diversity
4/4/4
Highlighted the different issues for me. Online courses have a culture in themselves and I found it interesting that internationally there are high drop out rates in online courses.
Flexible learning in educational organisations
3/4/3
It was good to see the commitment that the Polytechnic has to Flexible learning. The challenge is keeping it creative.
National and International support for flexible learning development
3/3/3
Research will be an important aspect to evaluating the success of this project.
Self assessment of Learning Outcomes
4/4/3
On the whole I believe I have achieved the learning outcomes as outlined on the Designing for Flexible Learning Wiki.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
DFLP - Final version of my Flexible Learning Development Plan
Project Name: Flexible librarian support for Occupational Therapy postgraduate students through the use of Blackboard
Date: May 2008
Organisation: School of Occupational Therapy
Project plan author contact details: Penelope Kinney, School of Occupational Therapy
Executive summary:
Students within the Postgraduate Programmes at the School of Occupational Therapy complete their courses by distance. A blended mixture of online discussion and teleconferences are used to deliver the material. The students backgrounds are wide and varied with some coming soon after graduating with degrees and others returning to study 20 years or more after their training. As a result students confidence and knowledge with digital literacy is varied. Also though the courses are classed as distance students within the Dunedin city boundary are unable to access the remote library service within the University of Otago. This has created inequality amongst some students.
· sustainability - In terms of the triple bottom line, this project will address social benefits, that is it is fair and beneficial for all the students enrolling in the courses. Though it doesn't address the issue at a institutional level it is a step to allowing Dunedin students access to librarians, with a more flexible manner. Environmentally this project may eliminate the need for students to get in their cars to drive to libraries. Potentially with the sharing of information students may choose not to print resources if they realise they don't need to. Finally Economically, potentially if this project makes studying more streamlined and user friendly then the likelihood of students remaining in programmes increases and this will also encourage those apprehensive about study to engage as we will be able to use this as a marketing tool.
By ensuring all of the resources are in one place and therefore easily updated this will reduce the amount of time needed to complete the task and therefore ensuring both the students enrolments and the access to appropriate information will be more likely to continue. It should be acknowledged however that there are potential limitations associated with having the access/links to the resources on a learning management system which is unable to be accessed by anyone not enrolled in courses. This is the reason the librarians are going to be involved in the discussion area of the Community Tab - this area of Blackboard is accessible to any of the Occupational Therapy Postgraduate students, including Masters and those completing Negotiated Study (both don't have a blackboard shell). However this is not available to those not enrolled in the Postgraduate Courses and on consultation with other staff within the school currently this is the preferred option, focus is to remain on up skilling our own students as a priority.
In terms of Sustainability by having these resources all on the same site it will mean students do not have to look for different web pages, thus simplifying their workload and ensuring they continue with their enrolments. It also means for staff that there is only one area to update and ensure links are active.
· access & equity - For me I think this has been addressed in the above statement. One of the concerns that led me to thinking of this project was the fact that Dunedin based students are disadvantaged. Also for some students the prospect of searching on databases can be confusing and daunting so by having librarians accessible this makes life easier for them. By providing materials and support to students to improve their digital information literacy, access and equity will be enhanced, ie, making it more likely that all learners will be able to access the materials they need for their study and therefore reducing the barriers for students who are currently disadvantaged.
There are many issues when looking at Open, Networked and RPL in relation to courses. The Postgraduate courses are closed, that is students need to apply and provide entry criteria before they are accepted. However much of the support and resources the librarians are to provide is already available to everyone. Now I realise that many people have wondered why I am planning to create a resource within a closed environment as much of the resources which will be added to the blackboard community tab, and monitored by the librarians is already in the open arena. Links to the library web page, OIL modules etc are already available to be used by others. So why place them on the blackboard site? Because it is for the students. They will then only have to go to one site to access all the information they need. Its about making it simple for them and by having the librarians involved in discussion threads if the students have difficulty with searching etc they can then go into the Discussion forum and ask questions while it is still fresh. They don't have to move away from that site to do it.
. cultural diversity - Cultural needs and cultural differences need to be taken into account at every phase of the design and delivery of online materials and support if courses and learning content are to meet learner needs (Australian Flexible Learning Framework). For me this hit home, especially as my project is about adding to an online component of the distance courses we provide in our Postgraduate Programmes. Thinking of cyberspace as having a culture in itself means there is much more to think of. In terms of my own project often the thought of using "new fangled technology" for some of the students puts them off before they start and by not meeting their needs in the first place we get the withdrawals from programmes. By adding this more personal support tool the aim is to address some of the needs the clients have.
. strategic plan - I believe this project complements the Otago Polytechnic's Charter. It aims to provide students with better learning opportunities, creating better equity between students, providing relevant, flexible and accessible learning opportunities and providing an environment which supports innovative thinking.
References:
Learning theories/models and/or examples does your plan refer to?
The main learning theory that I see this plan relating to is that of Kolb learning styles. Students have an opportunity to try this new support tool (experiencing), reflect on their learning (reflecting), processing what happened and what they did (thinking) and finally incorporating it into their study (acting).
The other learning theory that I identify as being relevant to this plan is that of Constructivism. This has a believe that students form their own understanding by engaging and then reflecting on what they have done.
Budget:
Rough list of costs and resources of key steps in your plan
The cost for this project will involve staff input and training.
For future development of this project then an application to the Teaching and Learning Innovation fund will be appropriate.
Training - Of the librarians about the use of Blackboard, how to post announcements, add discussion threads and oversee the relevant areas.
Set Up - Time take by myself to meet with relevant personal to create log on and passwords for the librarians. To set the blackboard sites up for the courses and to ensure all the relevant information was available.
Running/Maintenance - Both the librarians and myself will be required to provide input into the blackboard sites while the students are enrolled in the courses. This is anticipated at being approximately 2-3 hours per week.
Evaluation - For the time taken by both the librarian staff and myself to evaluate the success of this project. This will initially take a few hours.
It is anticipated that an application to Ako Aotearoa for funding to complete a research project on the success and viability of the project would occur.
Time line for development:
To be set up for the semester two courses, evaluation to occur at the completion of the courses and a research project to occur during 2009.
Rough dates that indicate the time needed for key steps in your development plan
June 2008
- Set up usernames and password for the reference team.
- establish the scope the librarians will be responsible for.
- Promote this resource to potential/current students
July 2008
- Set up the discussion threads.
- Train the librarians on the use of blackboard, familiarise them to the environment.
- Librarians to take over the scope they are responsible for and make adjustments to the resources as appropriate.
July - November 2008
- Librarians actively participating in the discussion threads.
- Monitoring the library information
- Programmes Coordinator monitoring usage of the different areas.
November 2008
- Seek feedback from students/lecturers/librarians on how this worked.
- Evaluate the success.
January/February 2009
- Implement changes where necessary.
Semester One 2009
- Complete a research project to evaluate the success of this project.
Feedback:
Feedback was sort from a variety of areas. These included a pole on my blog site,comments from the slideshare presentation, from colleagues, face to face with both students of the Designing Flexible Learning course at the presentation, lecturers from the course and postgraduate students from the Occupational Therapy courses. I have attempted to incorporate the feedback into the above plan.
Overall the feedback has been positive though there has only been a few people participate in the pole and one comment from the slide share presentation. Please feel free to make comment regarding my plan. I am hoping this will be my final one but am happy to incorporate any further feedback as it develops.
Date: May 2008
Organisation: School of Occupational Therapy
Project plan author contact details: Penelope Kinney, School of Occupational Therapy
Executive summary:
Students within the Postgraduate Programmes at the School of Occupational Therapy complete their courses by distance. A blended mixture of online discussion and teleconferences are used to deliver the material. The students backgrounds are wide and varied with some coming soon after graduating with degrees and others returning to study 20 years or more after their training. As a result students confidence and knowledge with digital literacy is varied. Also though the courses are classed as distance students within the Dunedin city boundary are unable to access the remote library service within the University of Otago. This has created inequality amongst some students.
There have been number of comments from students about the library service. Some are frustrated due to living in Dunedin while others are intimidated, nervous or daunted by the prospect of having to do all the searching online. A plan to introduce the librarians to the students through the current learning management system was developed. This is to enable to students access to knowledgeable staff who would provide the students with answers to their questions, helpful hints on searching databases and links to relevant resources they have validated and ensured are reliable.
Project background
As part of my coordinator of the Postgraduate Programmes role I have had a lot to do with the day to day needs of the students enrolled in the courses. One of the things that became obvious to me is that within the institution not all students are equal. The courses that we run are entirely by distance and advertised as such. This means we can get students not only from all over the country but also the world enrolling in the courses. Accessing library catalogues and databases is an important part of completing the assignments. Due to the students coming from around the country those students can utilise the remote library services within the Otago University. This allows them to access books, journal articles and other resources from both the library shelves within the Otago University as well as other libraries. The remote service is willing to send these books and articles across the country if they require.
What happens for the Dunedin based students is that they are required to come into the Bill Robertson library (and in fact any of the Otago University libraries) if the book or article they require is held on the shelves (if it is only available via the University of Otago online network then it is classed as not being on the shelves).
Now for some you might think well whats the big deal? Our students all work full time, often they have work loads that require them to be a work longer than the 40hrs per week. The bottom line is they don't have the flexibility to have to come to the school or to the library to access what they need. What has happened in the past is that I end up photocopying, scanning and sending articles to students. I had one student who was considering pulling out of the distance course due to her frustration she was experiencing with the library.
Another aspect that has become clear to me during this semester is that for a large number of students (either Dunedin based or remote), getting back into study is new and accessing library services can be daunting. As a result I have done a lot of the running around and being the middle person between the librarians and the students. Making the library service more user friendly would be better for all the students. I am currently talking with a potential student whose main concern about enrolling in the courses is that they have not completed any further study since completing their Diploma of Occupational Therapy in the late 70's.
Finally the other consideration, for this plan, was as a result of our NZQA External Monitors visit at the beginning of the year, one of the recommendations made, was to have librarian access to the blackboard sites of the postgraduate courses, to allow the librarians the access to place announcements, be involved in discussion threads and to monitor and upgrade the information and resources that were available.
Taking all of this into account, and realising there was more flexibility that could be put in place, a plan for the above project came to fruition.
Aim
The aim is provide flexible online library access, resources and librarian support for Occupational Therapy Postgraduate students. Annand 2007 talks about the fact that the silent struggle to implement the use of technology in academia is far from resolved. This project is about changing these problems into challenges and working to find solutions to the barriers and the aim is that this is one of the solutions for our students!
List of objectives
* Create a user name and password for either the reference team or individual librarians to be attached to both the individual course blackboard sites and the Postgraduate Programmes Organisation.
* Set this group up with instructor status.
*Discuss the scope the librarians will be responsible for.
* Explore and negotiate with the librarians/reference group, the types of resources students need and the best way for the library to provide them.
* Change all the library information to the Community Tab of the Postgraduate Organisation.
* Enable the statistical tracking to monitor the usage
* Set up a number of discussion threads - these will be determined with discussion with the reference team from the library.
* Prior to courses commencing there will be an announcement created to draw students attention to the change, this will be emailed to all participants.
* Engage students into discussion threads - create FAQ.
* Evaluate success of support tool - this will be carried out in a range of ways.
- evaluate the statistical tracking
- approach students to ask for feed back
- talk to the librarians regarding their evaluation
* Implement changes as necessary
List of performance indicators (outcomes)
The librarian will be actively involved in the discussion threads.
The librarian will make changes and monitor the information on the blackboard site.
Students will be utilising both the discussion threads and information folder.
Flexible learning analysis
What are the perceived flexible learning needs of the people that your plan is targeting?
The students need an ability to access library information simply and easily (that doesn't require them to get in their car).
There is diversity amongst the students on their level of knowledge when accessing databases etc.
Access to updated information as the distance students don't use their student email addresses and at times have missed out updated information that goes out as global emails.
What type of flexible learning services will you provide?
· Enrollment - Enrollment into the Postgraduate courses is dependent on an number of criteria being met. They must have a registration from a World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT)approved course, relevant Diploma or Degree and preferably they are currently working as an Occupational Therapist. There is no criteria about the level of achievement they must have reached in their Diploma or Degree.
As a result this plan is about ensuring ongoing re enrollments from previous and current students - that the support is enough for them to feel as though they can complete the study. A possibly is that this could be used as a marketing tool for new students who don't have as much knowledge about how to search databases or who are not able to go and look around the library.
· Communication strategies - this is one of the main reasons for the project, ensuring good communication is maintained with all the students and everyone is hearing the same. Students will be encouraged to utilise the discussion threads, that no question is too small and in fact these could be questions that all actually have. One of the reference team will attend the Postgraduate teaching team meeting to hear what the school is doing and provide information as appropriate too.
The Learning Management System used with the courses is the Blackboard programme. This flexible plan will initially be linked within this tool because this is where the students expect to find their information and they have spent time learning how to use it. It has been chosen to enable ease for the students. However due to its closed nature of the system the plan would be to move the links and resources to the Library web page in the future, this would then ensure that if Blackboard was to change or close the resources etc would not then need to be moved. Before this could be done a meeting with the Bill Robertson Library and University of Otago would need to take place to discuss this option and the viability of it.
· Information formats - Librarians will be able to update any new information for all students to be aware of. It is planned the librarians will be involved in a number of ways. They will be able to establish discussion threads, to encourage students to ask questions. These can then be developed into FAQ to also be put onto the site. It is anticipated a range of threads can be included from - Searching databases and catalogues to Assignment preparation. They will also be responsible for overseeing the information that is on the blackboard sites regarding the library, updating as this changes, ensuring it is all current and this includes relevant links to other appropriate resources. They will eventually provide links on blackboard to the library web page. This will include initially providing guides for the different databases the students may use. The Online Information Literacy Modules will also be linked in this area, eventually these modules will be developed to be more specific for the occupational therapy courses, so that they provide specialist support for the students. Eventually the aim will be to transfer this resource to the library web site.
· learning support services including technical support - The students will be able to use the librarians as a support tool for their on going study.
Week Eight's discussion around issues with the Modern Internet highlights how, with Web 2 tools anyone and everyone is able to add to a body of knowledge and therefore that must impact on those people who aren't as digitally literate to ascertain whether the information they are reading is actually of value and reliable. By having the librarians present on the blackboard site will provide a sense of security to the those students who don't have the confidence in their own ability to ascertain reliable knowledge or even how to search for it.
Indicate the type of services which already exist that compliment and/or compete with your plan.
Access to the library services already exist within the postgraduate courses. Students can access the library web page through the Otago Polytechnic home page. The remote library service (within the University of Otago) is available for students outside the Dunedin city boundaries. Students are currently required to access different sites to get the information or to either ring or enter the library if they live in Dunedin.
How will you use complimentary or competitive services favourably?
This project aims to complement what already exists. For the Dunedin students they will now have a contact within the Bill Robertson Library and will be able to find out information regarding their courses quickly without having to drive to the library.
For all the students the hope of having librarians attached to the blackboard sites will be to make accessing databases, catalogues etc more user friendly. They will be informed of any changes and are able to ask librarians for help directly. Answers that are given to questions will benefit all those enrolled.
By having the links to the information in one place the students will no longer be required to leave the blackboard site to search. They will have the confidence that the links to specific web pages have been validated by the library staff and therefore attempting to address some of the issues associated with the modern internet.
Outline how you will address the following items in your flexible learning services:· sustainability - In terms of the triple bottom line, this project will address social benefits, that is it is fair and beneficial for all the students enrolling in the courses. Though it doesn't address the issue at a institutional level it is a step to allowing Dunedin students access to librarians, with a more flexible manner. Environmentally this project may eliminate the need for students to get in their cars to drive to libraries. Potentially with the sharing of information students may choose not to print resources if they realise they don't need to. Finally Economically, potentially if this project makes studying more streamlined and user friendly then the likelihood of students remaining in programmes increases and this will also encourage those apprehensive about study to engage as we will be able to use this as a marketing tool.
By ensuring all of the resources are in one place and therefore easily updated this will reduce the amount of time needed to complete the task and therefore ensuring both the students enrolments and the access to appropriate information will be more likely to continue. It should be acknowledged however that there are potential limitations associated with having the access/links to the resources on a learning management system which is unable to be accessed by anyone not enrolled in courses. This is the reason the librarians are going to be involved in the discussion area of the Community Tab - this area of Blackboard is accessible to any of the Occupational Therapy Postgraduate students, including Masters and those completing Negotiated Study (both don't have a blackboard shell). However this is not available to those not enrolled in the Postgraduate Courses and on consultation with other staff within the school currently this is the preferred option, focus is to remain on up skilling our own students as a priority.
In terms of Sustainability by having these resources all on the same site it will mean students do not have to look for different web pages, thus simplifying their workload and ensuring they continue with their enrolments. It also means for staff that there is only one area to update and ensure links are active.
· access & equity - For me I think this has been addressed in the above statement. One of the concerns that led me to thinking of this project was the fact that Dunedin based students are disadvantaged. Also for some students the prospect of searching on databases can be confusing and daunting so by having librarians accessible this makes life easier for them. By providing materials and support to students to improve their digital information literacy, access and equity will be enhanced, ie, making it more likely that all learners will be able to access the materials they need for their study and therefore reducing the barriers for students who are currently disadvantaged.
There are many issues when looking at Open, Networked and RPL in relation to courses. The Postgraduate courses are closed, that is students need to apply and provide entry criteria before they are accepted. However much of the support and resources the librarians are to provide is already available to everyone. Now I realise that many people have wondered why I am planning to create a resource within a closed environment as much of the resources which will be added to the blackboard community tab, and monitored by the librarians is already in the open arena. Links to the library web page, OIL modules etc are already available to be used by others. So why place them on the blackboard site? Because it is for the students. They will then only have to go to one site to access all the information they need. Its about making it simple for them and by having the librarians involved in discussion threads if the students have difficulty with searching etc they can then go into the Discussion forum and ask questions while it is still fresh. They don't have to move away from that site to do it.
. cultural diversity - Cultural needs and cultural differences need to be taken into account at every phase of the design and delivery of online materials and support if courses and learning content are to meet learner needs (Australian Flexible Learning Framework). For me this hit home, especially as my project is about adding to an online component of the distance courses we provide in our Postgraduate Programmes. Thinking of cyberspace as having a culture in itself means there is much more to think of. In terms of my own project often the thought of using "new fangled technology" for some of the students puts them off before they start and by not meeting their needs in the first place we get the withdrawals from programmes. By adding this more personal support tool the aim is to address some of the needs the clients have.
. strategic plan - I believe this project complements the Otago Polytechnic's Charter. It aims to provide students with better learning opportunities, creating better equity between students, providing relevant, flexible and accessible learning opportunities and providing an environment which supports innovative thinking.
References:
Learning theories/models and/or examples does your plan refer to?
The main learning theory that I see this plan relating to is that of Kolb learning styles. Students have an opportunity to try this new support tool (experiencing), reflect on their learning (reflecting), processing what happened and what they did (thinking) and finally incorporating it into their study (acting).
The other learning theory that I identify as being relevant to this plan is that of Constructivism. This has a believe that students form their own understanding by engaging and then reflecting on what they have done.
Budget:
Rough list of costs and resources of key steps in your plan
The cost for this project will involve staff input and training.
For future development of this project then an application to the Teaching and Learning Innovation fund will be appropriate.
Training - Of the librarians about the use of Blackboard, how to post announcements, add discussion threads and oversee the relevant areas.
Set Up - Time take by myself to meet with relevant personal to create log on and passwords for the librarians. To set the blackboard sites up for the courses and to ensure all the relevant information was available.
Running/Maintenance - Both the librarians and myself will be required to provide input into the blackboard sites while the students are enrolled in the courses. This is anticipated at being approximately 2-3 hours per week.
Evaluation - For the time taken by both the librarian staff and myself to evaluate the success of this project. This will initially take a few hours.
It is anticipated that an application to Ako Aotearoa for funding to complete a research project on the success and viability of the project would occur.
Time line for development:
To be set up for the semester two courses, evaluation to occur at the completion of the courses and a research project to occur during 2009.
Rough dates that indicate the time needed for key steps in your development plan
June 2008
- Set up usernames and password for the reference team.
- establish the scope the librarians will be responsible for.
- Promote this resource to potential/current students
July 2008
- Set up the discussion threads.
- Train the librarians on the use of blackboard, familiarise them to the environment.
- Librarians to take over the scope they are responsible for and make adjustments to the resources as appropriate.
July - November 2008
- Librarians actively participating in the discussion threads.
- Monitoring the library information
- Programmes Coordinator monitoring usage of the different areas.
November 2008
- Seek feedback from students/lecturers/librarians on how this worked.
- Evaluate the success.
January/February 2009
- Implement changes where necessary.
Semester One 2009
- Complete a research project to evaluate the success of this project.
Feedback:
Feedback was sort from a variety of areas. These included a pole on my blog site,comments from the slideshare presentation, from colleagues, face to face with both students of the Designing Flexible Learning course at the presentation, lecturers from the course and postgraduate students from the Occupational Therapy courses. I have attempted to incorporate the feedback into the above plan.
Overall the feedback has been positive though there has only been a few people participate in the pole and one comment from the slide share presentation. Please feel free to make comment regarding my plan. I am hoping this will be my final one but am happy to incorporate any further feedback as it develops.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Week Thirteen: National and International support for flexible learning development
When it came to thinking about funding for this project I was initially confused about what the cost of this plan would be and if I would actually need any funding.
It took a minute but I soon realised funding is an important factor to be considered. The main funding opportunity, initially would be through the Otago Polytechnic Teaching Innovation Fund. An application here would be to cover the costs of the initial set up, such as:
Training - Of the librarians about the use of Blackboard, how to post announcements, add discussion threads and oversee the relevant areas.
Set Up - Time take by myself to meet with relevant personal to create log on and passwords for the librarians. To set the blackboard sites up for the courses and to ensure all the relevant information was available.
Running/Maintenance - Both the librarians and myself will be required to provide input into the blackboard sites while the students are enrolled in the courses. This is anticipated at being approximately 2-3 hours per week.
After looking at the other sites provided on the Designing of Flexible Learning Practice site I began to look at other possibilities also.
Ako Aotearoa provides funding for activity or research proposals which should align with their vision to create and support the best possible educational outcomes for learners in the tertiary sector. This would be an appropriate possibility for when I want to complete a research project about the success of the plan, as I think its going to be an important aspect to assess the success of this plan
It took a minute but I soon realised funding is an important factor to be considered. The main funding opportunity, initially would be through the Otago Polytechnic Teaching Innovation Fund. An application here would be to cover the costs of the initial set up, such as:
Training - Of the librarians about the use of Blackboard, how to post announcements, add discussion threads and oversee the relevant areas.
Set Up - Time take by myself to meet with relevant personal to create log on and passwords for the librarians. To set the blackboard sites up for the courses and to ensure all the relevant information was available.
Running/Maintenance - Both the librarians and myself will be required to provide input into the blackboard sites while the students are enrolled in the courses. This is anticipated at being approximately 2-3 hours per week.
After looking at the other sites provided on the Designing of Flexible Learning Practice site I began to look at other possibilities also.
Ako Aotearoa provides funding for activity or research proposals which should align with their vision to create and support the best possible educational outcomes for learners in the tertiary sector. This would be an appropriate possibility for when I want to complete a research project about the success of the plan, as I think its going to be an important aspect to assess the success of this plan
Thursday, June 19, 2008
DFLP Presentation
Please follow the attached link to view a copy of my presentation.
My Presentation
Please feel free to add comments if you would like to
My Presentation
Please feel free to add comments if you would like to
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