Implementing the new blended learning

Having written, "Where is the new blended learning? Whispering corners of the forum" with Richard Francis (Francis & Roberts 2014), I and colleagues are starting to develop underpinning frameworks for communication and dissemination and to suggest programme developments and tools for teaching. The following abstract for a 45 minute workshop session, submitted to a conference … Continue reading Implementing the new blended learning

Open Learning Designs

I came late to the Teaching online open course #TOOC14 discussion on learning designs. But wanted to think about this both for tooc as well as courses I currently have a hand in designing. There were frameworks presented. Personally I take a checklist approach evolved from a number of frameworks: Chickering and Gamson's (1987) Principles … Continue reading Open Learning Designs

Jisc is very different – or is it?

So says Martyn Harrow, CEO of Jisc. It appears to all be about power now: power to deliver solutions, power to realise vision, power to make the UK the leading ... whatever. The world is even more extraordinary than it has ever been extraordinary because of its connectedness, which is enabled by our extraordinary digital … Continue reading Jisc is very different – or is it?

Reflecting on reflections

I have just spent a rewarding hour reading initial reflections on teaching by participants on First Steps into Teaching in Higher Eduction. The people on this course are, for the most part, new to teaching in higher education and are entering into the identity of a teaching academic in their many ways. There are many … Continue reading Reflecting on reflections

FutureLearn Pedagogy Platform: does big matter

Went to a webinar yesterday: OWLET - Open Webinars for Learning and Enhancing Teaching from University Campus Ipswitch. First time using Hangouts. (does not afford "proper" chat). There were according to the G+ post 9 people who "watched" Mike Sharples, Professor of Education Technology speak on "Innovating Pedagogy". Very much a "presentation" with some interaction … Continue reading FutureLearn Pedagogy Platform: does big matter

Renewing our PG Cert in Teaching in Higher Education

After an 18 month period of analysis and reflection involving the course team, student representatives, feedback documents, coursework, outcomes, and external and internal examiners and advisers, we are putting Oxford Brookes University's Postgraduate certificate in teaching in higher education (PCTHE) forward for periodic review and revalidation. Why? We wish to: Enable contextualised workplace-based professional learning … Continue reading Renewing our PG Cert in Teaching in Higher Education

Outcomes-led learning in an open online course, #FSLT14

"Outcomes-led" is still very contentious for many (e.g. Hussey and Smith 2003; Scott 2011). On the one hand, there will be outcomes. Taking any of the reflective cycle models (Kolb in particular) allows one to anticipate some outcomes through an intentional design process. These may be expressed as "intended" outcomes or "expected outcomes". There may, … Continue reading Outcomes-led learning in an open online course, #FSLT14

Designing FSLT14 week 3 – a reflection

Week three is a fulcrum point in the #fslt14 open online course: First steps into learning and teaching in higher education. I have decided not to introduce a new tool, wiki or Google Doc at this point. I had briefly considered a doc-based exercise developing Kolb and Activity Theory. In addition to two short (4 … Continue reading Designing FSLT14 week 3 – a reflection

College of Higher Education: a third space or a thousand miles?

Colleges of (or including) higher education teach - among other courses at other levels - courses leading to degrees of higher education: Foundation Degrees (UK QCF levels 4 and 5), Bachelors Degrees (sometimes just called higher education degree, UK QCF levels 4, 5, 6) and Post Graduate Certificates, Diplomas and Masters Degrees (UK QCF level … Continue reading College of Higher Education: a third space or a thousand miles?

More philosophical wondering

Popper says that there is a method of gaining knowledge that IS better than other methods (the scientific method) but we have to understand that there is no outside observer and that all observations are infected with our beliefs. Different people have different belief systems (Popper calls these frameworks). Armed with the understanding that all … Continue reading More philosophical wondering