My task for this week is to:
- Select two elearning guidelines relevant to my area of practice - these will be used in my evaluation project
- Identify two issues related to quality in eLearning - these will provide part of the rationale for my evaluation project
- Post the two eLearning guidelines I have chosen with an explanation of my reasons for choosing them
Well...[shuffles feet] the above was all I was able to write (as a draft) over the Easter Break! However during the past week I have been reflecting on what I've read...so, for what it's worth:
Intro and rationale:
We have been using BlackBoard for approximately 6 years - mainly for online-summative-assessments of the theory elements of Level 2, Hairdressing unit standards.
These assessments are conducted under 'exam conditions', on site, in a computer lab.
When we introduced this form of assessment we had excellent feedback from our younger students (ie those <25)>
- will the technology work on the day of the timetabled class assessment?
- do I have a Plan B if the technology doesn't work?
- if a student cannot attend the timetabled assessment time, how do I get them onto a computer and ensure the same 'exam conditions' ?
With the above in mind, I have chosen guidelines which I hope will address both my students' and particularly my colleague needs.
Two Guidelines relevant to my area:
1: TD7 Can students practice using the assessment tools used in the summative assessment?
Comment: IMHO our next step is to update our formative assessments to better familiarise my colleagues and our students with the summative assessment.
Issues:
- "Brain Shift". While my colleagues can see the value in online assessment there seems to be some reluctance to produce online formative assessments. Currently we still seem to be 'stuck' in a paper based formative assessment style which (to me) has no bearing on the summative assessment conditions.
The issue here could possibly be related to...(see next issue)
- Professional development of the potential of e-learning, the tools that can be used, and the people who can produce them.
2: TO8 Is subject and instructional design expertise available to staff to develop and support quality e-learning courses?
Comment: I think this is very much related to point 1. Yes it is available...but do we make the most of it? I doubt that we do.
Issues:
- Moving from "chalk and talk" to empowering the learner to have a variety of opportunities to learn (another 'brain shift'?)
- Time...I'm sure we can all relate to this one. Especially time for training. Having, for eg, Templates makes life much easier but staff still need to be trained in how to use them.
Hmmm...reading back on this I'm not sure that I have completed the task for the week 3 - I look forward to your feedback :)
1 comment:
Sue, looks like you had a good Easter anyway!!
Although we are all trying to achieve a student centred learning culture, there is much change required at the instructor level in order for this to happen. You appear to acknowledge this in your comment "..I hope will address...particularly my colleagues needs."
The issue of on-line assessment is often raised, both in terms of its effectiveness, e.g. are lots of multi choice questions really going to be able to assess what you want to assess, and in terms of authenticity. I found a nice short article that gives a few things to think about when creating on-line assessments here:http://www.ion.illinois.edu/resources/pointersclickers/2006_07/Bathe.pdf
You ask the question whether help is available for staff to develop and run quality e-learning courses. I am quite big on this issue - I think PD for staff is critical and perhaps under rated by organisations. As we know there is a vast difference between facilitating on-line and teaching f2f. This comes down not only to course design, activities, content, assessments etc, but also in the course management, what tools to use, discussion forums, blogs, wikis and the actual facilitation.
I'm glad it is available to you, but I wonder how much will be available to teachers, discussed in Gerards Blog (http://oneteachersview08.blogspot.com/), lecturers and other instructors around the various institutes.
Gordon
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