Here is Pete Phillips reply to the Church Mouse:

“But I wasn’t there and nor was Mouse.  I have to say that I was able to pick up a new media vibe from the Conference through receiving lots of tweets about what was happening (several saying that CODEC seemed to get a good few mentions during the Conference).  If you’re interested, Bex Lewis kept a record of the tweets made with the #cmn10 hashtag here: http://export.twapperkeeper.com/cmn10-4c1365ca31c75.tar.  Don’t you just love the name ‘twapperkeeper’?

Although CODEC wasn’t officially there, Andrew Graystone, CMN Chair, is a good friend of CODEC and is on our Steering Group.  Andrew is working with us next week on our Media training event for clergy and Christian professionals (Medialit).  And the indefatigable Bex Lewis (a polymath, no less) was there and fielding some questions about CODEC and the work we are doing – more on Bex below.

Having said all that, certainly, we’d be more than happy to talk with CMN about #cmn11 and increase our involvement in this important conference.  It is important to push into new areas of thinking (and yes, I think there is a difference between traditional media and new media) – cloud networking, the implications of new technology and the age of distraction, the instantaneous nature of contemporary news media, and the democratization of reporting are key factors of how the media engages with the contemporary world.  I heard of the West Cumbria shootings on Twitter long before the BBC had picked it up.

And talking of the news, Mouse says I can plug some of what CODEC are doing at the moment – so briefly…

Bex Lewis and the Big Read

While I’m posting, Bex Lewis is starting work with us from July 1^st for 2.5 days a week based at Premier Christian Media in Pimlico, London.  Bex is going to working with a number of agencies (Premier, SPCK, Biblefresh, Methodist Church, and others) to develop a national version of The Big Read – an initiative launched by Bishop Tom Wright in the NE of England last year.  Watch this space for lots more in preparation for Lent 2011.”

There’s lots more exciting things on, so keep an eye on Pete’s blog too!

Mark Russell, Dominic Byrne

Issues in the sector with assessment…

Assessment is one of the drivers of learning, all learning leads to assessment..

End-loaded assessment, lack of student engagement in the course itself & rising student numbers. Summative assessment model has pushed out the formative assessment largely… chances of low-stake assessment/feedback & feed-forward opportunities are lowered – and students don’t get a great experience from this.

Uni of Herts perspective – support transformational change across the institution not just the ESCAPE project – what are the barriers stopping change. Provide guidance & resources to practitioners so they could use them without having to be as engaged as the central teams are. Transcend disciplinary boundaries.. very strong usually – Blended Learning conferences are unusual…

Trying to support the whole institution, not just the enthusiasts. Help staff make transformational changes esp round assessment. Hints & Tips, some quick how-tos… needed to built on those things that work (so look at the literature)

Good assessment:

• Engages students with the assessment criteria
• Supports personalised learning
• Ensures feedback leads to improvement
• Focuses on student development
• Stimulates dialogue
• Considers student & staff effort.
  • Not hard to see principles, Graham Gibbs, David Wheat, etc
  • 2 Centres for Learning – Uni of Herts & Oxford Brookes.
  • Liz McDowell, Assessment for Learning– esp student characteristics, etc..
  • Hard for those interested in using, but confusing – which to use?! And are they institution specific…
• Now 6 themes of good practice (see above!) – supported by all the other principles, etc named above… Not just engaging at hints & tips level = but at a conceptual level.
• Magic Number around 7 – can be remembered …
• Tool Kit approach – 1-2-1 or workshop type sessions. Stimulates dialogue & conversation, and raises the perception of assessment practices.
  • Assessment Learning Diagnostic. Appreciative approach (what are you doing well & what could do you more of?) but essentially, what is the problem that you have? Uses the questions from the other principles (e.g. Gibbs, NSS, etc.) – stimulates thinking as to what good practice looks like… identify which is ‘the biggest hole in the bucket’ to focus on first…
  • Features & Consequences – helps staff understand what their diagnostic might mean… Tie into bigger debates/strategies, etc. re: retention.
  • Collected case studies as to what has happened with assessment, staff don’t know what is to be done with the data they give in, then track over (using Word comments) how this fits within the big 6 themes.
  • Not expecting everyone to want to engage – so use 3 minute TIPS (themes in practice). Camtasia stuff.
• About people, barriers/boundaries. Not all volunteers – some were volunteered by Heads of School… So used ‘appreciative enquiry’ – look at & grow the positive. We’re not here to ‘fix a problem’, but wanted to do an audit of what was good about what they were doing & grow that – improve or increase elements that work. Very reflective on practice. Mapped those to the themes… Give a short presentation about what their module was about… Helen started to ID how mapped to a theme.. Fishbone analysis & timelines…
• Ideas came from the tutor, about what was/wasn’t working, and started to look at the strengths of sports students & found assessments that built to strengths (sociable, practical, etc.). Students undertook Belbin tests… Wiki discussion working really well – can see the discussions – he had a fixed time of the week to log in & see what was going on. Tutor using Wikis, videos, discussions, etc. – he had support initially and now the tutor is do it himself. Students can critique the video…. e.g. students say I don’t understand x – students/tutor can help each other. Ongoing engagement. Nearly didn’t do it as felt too risky – would be easy to leave it as it was, but felt confident of support so felt ready to try it.
• Respond to the challenge on a local level (module leaders effect the change – take the risk to take the change – have ownership of the change).
• Hard to get people to reflect on their own practice in a way that will effect change.
• USE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT THE PEDAGOGY. All passionate about the subject, but not about the technology – so have to show them that it works…

QUESTIONS

• Can access StudyNet, ask via Cloudworks.
• JISC funded project, intention is to provided the community with stuff – is available on StudyNet.
• The module worked on, was it a module that had a high failure rate? Student engagement & staff time was the issue – what is the evidence that it worked? Got congratulations on exam performance, etc. – the bottom line things that others are interested in! (Wasn’t low failure rate, was lack of attainment)
• Drivers – doing things better in less time. Satisfaction, able to provide good feedback & get to know our students.

Canterbury Christ Church: DEBUT

1 technologist available per 5 Faculties.

Every new piece of software, staff needed training – wanted a new system where staff were CONFIDENT to experiment with new types of software.

Allan Martin, DigEULit Project

What is digital literacy? Not about the technology, about the culture – socially situated (what do you NEED? Different for different people).

Ask staff to evaluate themselves:

Awareness

Confidence

Evaluation

Reflection

Adaptability

Initial year – HEA funded, only academic staff. Offer 20-25 digital tools – participants are asked to choose 6 to learn which are appropriate to them! Their needs, their context.

Dealing with ‘unknown unknowns’. 2 launch events at beginning of the year, each participant must come to one. Explain what debut is, participants meet the developers (Each 5 minutes to ‘sell’ their tool).

Staff Development workshops are offered, depending on popularity of the tool, offer number of times on PRE-SET programme days. Build opportunity to share what they do with other participants & colleagues. Ongoing attendance to DEBUT (now taking in year 4). Initial HEA funding, crucial – blended learning researcher works in the system to evaluate (use evaluation from participants (& tools?)).

Internal marketing & senior staff buy in are crucial – now Heads of School build it into appraisals, etc. Offer programme of tools over the year – some nothing to do with the university, find gets people engaged. Essentially offer consultancy on what is needed, then the IT Trainers offer the training. (Other feedback, most using for T&L, but if linked to appraisal gets the staff into it.)

Participants have close working relationships with their learning technologists & carry on working with them after specific project. Range of approaches favoured, most efficient with group workshop. Participants wanted training grouped together as ‘debut days’ for all workshops, rather than individual workshops – at preferable times of year (start/end of term) & WHOLE days – more intense but more time efficient!

Did people see their digital literacy rise as a part of their input… Marked increase in digital literacy levels, very significant progress, but also more CONFIDENT in any digital tools…. Many have immediately integrated the use of their chosen tools into their practice.

Evaluate the tools – overall experience of DEBUT, but also the SPECIFIC tools… and then re-rank their perception of their digital literacy. Average score in 15.9, out 19.3 (out of 25). Later scores = lower entry levels – and they showed even more marked improvement – much better for them rather than tech whizzes!

Key success factors – awareness raising events at the outset of the programme, contextualised staff development… (can use it even if so no applicability, just have a go with it). Opportunity to range digital tools, explore intensely in short time frame. The support provided – get more support that others… are ‘debutantes’.

Main issue – TIME to spend (difficult to just spend time ‘playing’); mixed ability groups (more proficient = intimidating & time-hogging); relationships built on expertise and trust!

Have more understanding, more confident, can see how can add value and integrate, and see how their skills have developed.

Continue to run, evaluation changes with each cohort – now starting to assess IMPACT.

Now a recognition that digital literacy is really important, but the focus is on students, whereas if the staff are confident, then they are able to enable the students!

Su Westerman

http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/lteu

QUESTIONS

• Tried to manage expectations more now, and say it’s better for whizz-kids, if you’re good, come and work 1-2-1 on a consultancy basis.
• Workshops of around 8-10 participants. The day, book out 3 rooms, mix of workshops. In sessions primarily using the tools, whereas rest of work is consultancy. Most work is not standard staff development…
• Now conducting research on impact to close the loop.
• Have around 2000 staff, doing about 30 a year.
• Assimilated into the work of the central unit.
• What about if staff let you know of new software? Will then evaluate it – e.g. currently Prezi
• These courses are very much about digital literacy – core training provided by IT.

• Developing blended learning communities to support and enhance different aspects of the curriculum, e.g. employability, internationalisation, lifelong learning, learning that lasts, research informed teaching, student support and pastoral care, study skills and personal development, the student experience and the student voice
• Developing a community of blended learning practitioners
• Extending the blended learning community Within and across disciplinary groups For pre-university entrants With Alumni
• Theoretical perspectives on blended learning communities”

The University of Hertfordshire’s Blended Learning Unit and the UK Higher Education Academy, in association with the University of Calgary and the University of Queensland, are delighted to announce that the Fifth International Blended Learning Conference “Developing Blended Learning Communities” will be held on 16th-17th June 2010 at The Fielder Centre, University of Hertfordshire.

This two-day conference attracts delegates from across the globe who want to discover and share the innovations in blended learning which are happening in the UK and at higher education institutions around the world.

• Conference Cloudworks page.
• ‘Good CoP, Bad CoP? Twitter for Communities of Practice (abstract, the slideshare should be visible tomorrow)
• “Do you use Twitter?“, discussion on Cloudworks.

Thinking Digital 2011
Thanks to my work with CODEC, I (and @pmphillips) will be going to #TDC11, and I’m really looking forward to it, even though I have no idea what the programme is yet! I tweeted about having booked my tickets, and shortly after received a Tweet from @herbkim welcoming me to the conference – he then clearly checked out my website and I received the following Tweet: “@drbexl I am a big fan of polymaths and polymaths tend to be big fans of @ThinkingDigital ”

What is Thinking Digital About?
If you’re wondering what Thinking Digital is about, read below (courtesy of @herbkim, the organiser):

“Thinking Digital is an annual conference where the world’s greatest thinkers and innovators gather to inspire, to entertain, and to discuss the latest ideas and technologies.

Defining exactly what to expect at Thinking Digital isn’t easy. We pride ourselves on the eclectic nature of our schedule. One moment you’ll be experiencing a first UK appearance of Live Mesh (as attendees where treated to in 2008) and the next you’ll be hearing about the science behind creating a million dollar perfume from a world class expert.

But what you can always count on is getting the chance to hear talks by, and build relationships with, some of the most thought provoking, influential and inspirational figures you’ll ever meet.

The conference is run by Codeworks, a not-for-profit organisation set up to support, develop and help grow the digital industries in North East England. Thinking Digital is not intended to make a profit, and any extra revenues generated will be used to support the region’s digital sector.”

Pretty much unedited notes from the conference (I may add in a few links,  or a few other things I remember!)

Digital Environment, Andrew Graystone

Most of world now speaks same language (1/0) – live in a cloud of digital information. Whichever form of media you work in, are working within this environment.  A cloud = hard to see what’s ahead! Cloud – obscure vision/living under a cloud – for faith = more positive resonance – God – to speak directly – wraps himself in a cloud. Maybe God disorientates us when he wants to tell us the really important stuff!

Our job – share ideas/encourage each other, but also discern what digital environment is saying to us & how we reflect this back to the production community! Launch of Medianet.org.

Roger Bolton (TV/Radio, BBC inc editing Tonight Panorama Nationwide. ITV factual programmes).

Information easily available on the web –“the gutter and the stars are within easy reach” – easy to get ourselves out there, if we can be found. Everything has been sped up except the response of our Christian organizations. 24 hour news service doesn’t have 24 hour response.

What can the digital world NOT do – can’t make new programmes that require large resources…. Programmes get 1million + visitors. The net then is living off the past – a lot of the material made in the past and thought to have no further value – is placed online. So who is paying for the NEW material – ensure that it’s not a piece of propaganda. Often websites don’t say who has produced it…Religious programmes – off higher quality, but fewer – most produced by BBC. Channel 4 peak/budgets – but not replacing person in charge of religious programming. Now – someone with responsibility for about 4 other things. Quality not quantity re: PSB. Only PSB does this – unless those who are producing propaganda.

What is PSB? Broadcasting Research Unit: geographic universality, catering for all interests/tastes, catering for racial minorities, concerned with ??, not funded by government/advertising, competition in true programming rather than numbers, guidelines to liberate not restrict programme makers.

Can the digital world go there? For regulators – have we given up the ability to regulate (Ch 3-5), present thinking of Channnel 4. License fee, not banned, cap expenses/funding, etc but in short time have license fee.

Language of journalism – changing. [Wasn't as good in my day, etc.] – distinguish between cynicism & scepticism. [Jenny Russell – David Lawson sage]. Interviewers hunting for weaknesses & contradictions rather than insights… Difference, present ‘the facts’, not a moral judgement…

If working for the BBC – working for ideals, not the organisation itself… Channel 4 – significant audiences, because has genuine staff who are interested. BBC – seen as tiresome obligation – secular producers! Licence payers have a right to decent programming in this area. Can see from recent push on Science programmes what can happen when have keen people behind it… ‘Taking Belief Seriously’ – BBC seminar paper – download… v. stimulating seminar – largely ignored. Support should be given for PSB/Religion broadcasting – with promises extracted – BBC needs pressure from the community!

Why interviewees don”t fight back from interviewers – why absent/wimpish! Voice of the Church often not heard until long after the event really happened… Come out straight, say got it wrong, apologise, etc. but use argument for your agenda – why don’t people really do this? Too many trapped in the headlights and not ready to deal directly with the questions…

Need broadcasters for national conversations, to manage expensive programming – PSB has a place, regulation needs to continue. Keep pressure on BBC/Ch 4 re: religious programming. Need Religious/Ethics Editor working at the centre – to make a difference to the news.

Retain values in new digital world – by being there!

QUESTION: So many CofE – BBC finds it convenient to dismiss people as complainers who have lost something, rather than those with vast range of expertise in everyday culture, etc. Religion – collapse of authority, and also most editors – liberals who are baffled by the importance so many have in their life. We don’t necessarily want our man/woman inside the machine, but that this is neglecting the needs of people – needs to be framed constructively.  Great common cause with Muslim community… most associate Islam with terrorism… Not looking for privileges, just want better reporting, etc.

PR & COMMS STRAND

I presented this information “Top Tips for Social Media“, although WITHOUT the Prezi, because the venue had been struck by lighting the previous day and taken out the internet connection! I got a great response, with lots of people asking me for more information afterwards – which I always take as a good sign!

NEW MEDIA STRAND

I managed to join the last 15 minutes of this, where we were chatting about the need for digital literacy, and the need to be open, authentic and to be ENGAGED – there’s no possibility to just shut down!

PANEL ON CATHOLICISM:

Alexander des Forges – Catholic Communications Network

Integral human development – faith = integral part of life – message which is coming from the Pope shorty – message for whole human society.

Digital possibilities available to us today – can celebrate locally – thepapalvisit.com… Send in pics/films – communicate with each other.

Visit can demonstrate that UK – integrated. Catholics – not ghettoised..

Hope – bring the Pope’s words to as many people as possible (rather than noise of 24/7 media coverage – polemics/confrontation). Affirming good things in society. Bringing hope to all…

Jack Valero – Beatification of John Henry Newma n

Communicate – discover his writings, etc – so widest range of society has access to him. Promote

Using controversies to generate news stories –be a resource for media & interested publics.

Controversies: Homosexuality (celibate life); the battle for the soul of Newman; Holiness; The Miracle….

Austen Ivereigh - Catholic Voices

“A media-friendly, studio-ready of articulate, ‘ordinary’ Catholics ready to answer questions on issues spotlighted during the papal visit.”

Duty to communicate/obligation to communicate – being willing to witness in every context. Trained to be authoritative but not official. Don’t speak for the Church… but lay Catholic – theologically versed & media tranied.

Intelligence Square Debate. Where are those willing & able to debate in ‘hot’ environments… Worked well for team formed in 2006 able to talk to the Da Vinci Code Response Group.

Kathleen Griffin – The Forgiveness Formula.

The Catholic Union – blessing of the bishop, but not speaking for them = flexible.

Range of voices for the Catholics – pretty much all young… briefing on ‘hot button issues’ every 2 weeks – media skills training… TV studio training & retreat.

Neuralgic point – why squeal when these issues are pressed – where is the divergence between Catholics and the ‘everyday world’. Briefing paper – know the issues, grill an ‘expert’ – can see either example of a good answer or a thought ‘need to do better’. Prepared for any question. Reframing… what is positive intention behind it & how can we answer that! Practical exercises followed by a post-briefing paper.

Potential errors in Church communications – scepticism or hostility/defensiveness

Naivete – idea – media = a place for evangelism       ?

Positive – media have every right to ask these questions – public wants to know – understand constraints, etc. that media is under. Need to understand/admire the purpose of media.

Generate light not heat… illuminate not entertain!

Want thinking articulate Catholics who think through the issues for themselves… not trying to train robots to toe the party line… ID heart of issues/nailing the issues.

QUESTIONS: The media ‘loves a dog collar’ – how well trained are they? Maybe not as so – but this is AN ADDITION rather than instead of. Logistically – demand means others will be required.

Credibility – how can to terms with perception (e.g. sex abuse) – can’t ‘wish it away’, so have to answer honestly… as Pope has done repeatedly. Controversies open doors – can respond calmly… Requires an early intervention – before damage becomes worse… Most not interested in Church saying ‘it’s terrible’ – they want to see it put right – e.g. ensure doesn’t happen again (awaiting Peter Tatchell’s documentary pro-gay-rights campaigner – will it be a documentary or an anti-Pope documentary).

RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC SPACE

Andrew Copson, British Humanist Association

What is religion? What is the public square? Emerges from conversation than pontification.

Last 4-5 years, decline religious belonging & also in belief. Surveys demonstrate this. Professor Boas, Manchester. Not just Christian – with associated decline in identity, etc. Difficult to get media/religion in discussion – identities/values/meaning, etc. – even more difficult in Humanist – ethics/morals, etc… What is Christianiphobia (building of a mosque/wearing of a cross?).. Oppression & dilution – but see results of most tribunals, etc. – almost always say is not what has gone on…(Archbishop would say even legal against – is this true?). Lack of proportionality – Daily Mail, etc. outlets for e.g. Christian Institute news feeds.. Desire for conflict/combat/extreme positions… rarely reflects what’s really happening! Every year – asked to say ‘we want to ban nativity plays’ – says no – but they always find someone! Honest disagreement can be proper, but not continual conflict… Extremists tend to be prepared to come in and say this kind of material  – get name for selves…

Elaine Storkey, Chair C&M Council

Public sphere… hold back on proportionality – e.g. sense of prosecution, etc. The public/private dichotomy engaged in culture (e.g. art, politics, economics, etc. = objective, public values), then private (intimacy, relationships, belief, etc. – like sex, between consenting adults in private). Notions of neutrality/objectivity – for public… Polly Toynbee – should get out of public AND private space – contributes detrimentally to society so should be gone… Often journalism – says won’t privilege ‘Christianity’ – essentially says WILL privilege secularism.

Don’t start here – go back further to identify what governs our economics/policies – what are they based on – markets are not mere mechanisms = imbued with moral/spiritual issues that underly them – e.g. economic values…

Andrew: Secularism – neutrality – no influence on the state… growing default assumption that materialistic, atheist approach – normal & Christians are weird… But ARE secularist Christians so use term with care…  Who is being privileged?  E.g. if ex-Bishops are in House of Lords = gain religious privilege. Don’t need to have Bishops in the HoL to have Christians in there…

Elaine: Looking for pluralism rather than secularism – a need to hear all voices – see secularism as not ALL voices.

Andrew: Not possible for e.g. PM to hive off faith outside of their work. Many people’s beliefs are composite.. shared/diverse society…

Notes from iPhone

Initial Speeches

• Next 10 years hard – value & impact. jisc – making it possible. 200 institutions – small pump priming – impact. Advice, saving around #12 per #1. Collective licensing, saving around #43 million. Digitised 6.5million hard too access items.
• Better collaboration – not about tech but about teachers.
• Martin Bean. Trends & changes. Globalisation (250million) Massification (lifelong learning), Privatisation (1/3, expect increasing role).
• Collective challenge – educate citizens for new types of work. Will you leave some behind because of access to new technology? No favours if don’t implement it. STEM – key for competitive workforce. Transforming information into meaningful knowledge. [book - Megatrends, 1982] No longer where/how ton find info, but making sense/understanding trust. Big trend – trusted content & where to go for it.
• Learning in the workplace needs to become integral. Artificial barriers we have constructed – between sectors & institutions – need more flexible/credit based!
• Importance of ‘The Student Experience’.
• Students value – autonomy, authenticity, connecting & sharing, creativity, individuality, constant stimulation. Priorities – friends, fun, music, real time interaction, self presentation [see slide]. Look at our l&t & assessment systems – complete mismatch. As students pay more, will ge bigger designs. So little f2f time with students, so move as much of this knowledge transfer to different spaces… Polling, simple, but profound impact -Carl Wyman – clicking & polling.
• Digital lifestyles & digital workstyles – no it’s just m life… HE must remove artificial barriers. Ou moved from tv to online… Active collaboration from phones/ipad, etc – eg real time Uploads from volcanoes – excite & inspire in informal world, move towards formal… Open Learn – open educational resources… Full video conferencing, mind mapping. OER – real power in 3rd world countries, etc.
• Start with people & process – not the technology – don’t get so excited with tech, forget the brains that need to use them!
• So why are we trying to move people into our system? Branding, credentialling, etc…expecting to move from free to fee .. Use technology for what it’s good for, allows space to do more exciting things …. Move from content centric to people centric. What is trusted content – eg used to trust Encyclopeadias … Where might we be in 10 years? Will we be subsumed by commercial factors?

World War I Poetry Archive

• University of Oxford, Ww1 Poetry archive – published a no of famous materials. Others indicated had materials so decided to do a sweep of the nation – march 08, piggy backing on top of build up. Self submission f data – via website -had experts who were crowdsourced who checked was valid – then went to museums & libraries for live submission… Risky venture, didn’t know who would turn up/what submit… Had about 3000 items (no porn bots)
• Often accepted any quality of images – good enough for research & teaching… Costs v low, every single item has a sort behind it – mix of academic/general…
• Workshops of creating community collections… About to crowdsourced Anglo Saxon Britain @katiedigital
• Anyone can do galaxy research – collaborators not users, contribute to real research, don’t waste people’s time. 6 x day – boats test water temp etc – so lots of ships logs data. [Afron]
• Content produced locally by general public – story starts in King’s Cross 2002. Deprivation area – got involved in local communities – drowning in paperwork – set up blog on Typepad – started to bring info – now has strong working relationship with Council – put pics up – now public so moral pressure to deal with it… Getting a snapshot of the local picture — wanted to keep – still not clear how such things can be archived… Ugly web 2.0 site – no social media – 4.1 million posts in a basic forum in Sheffield. Many examples of site – many subsidised by locals – few pints of lager a month… Often via Ning.
• BBC 2002 – led by broadcaster – sceptical about Ww2peoples war – target audience 66, not digitally literate? Thousands of stories contributed, many completely original – needed a lot of community support as was a lot of skepticism in the BBC (post blog & ww2 community still going). Making a difference for researchers, local communities, families etc. 100 objects. Already about 400. BBC.co.UK/historyoftheworld. Add your own items … More ‘people’s history’! Podcasts, etc… Users can categorise own objects – but users can also find same material… Contributors maintain copyright but give BBC opp to share it!! Valuable way to get people engaged in history…
• Want to understand more about how this types of engagement aids existing collections &/or university links with other external bodies.

Hmm, thought had taken more notes than that!

Great conference ongoing in Plymouth, hope to put some more content up shortly, but meantime, follow the Tweetstream. We had a great debate earlier, above are my slides… (debate abstract)

At TALL he is responsible for the production and delivery of a wide range of online distance courses. The courses include philosophy, art, literature, economics, history and even nanotechnology. Over 1000 students based around the globe enrol on these each term.

David released some of the first data on ‘web 2.0’platforms which contained the type of diagrams that have ‘social’, ‘studying’ and ‘professional’ nestling alongside each other to highlight out how these boundaries are blurring. He has also researched the wild frontiers of Virtual Worlds and Massively Multiplayer Online games in the context of teaching and learning.

He is keen to see beyond the technology to the larger underlying trends that are emerging as society moves online, exploring the motivations and aspirations of students as they engage with the web and with each other. His musing on these subjects can be found on the TALL blog.

Recently David has been closely involved in the work of the HEFCE Online Learning Task Force, which has been set-up with the aims of maintaining and developing the position of UK higher education as a world leader in online learning.

Notes taken on my netbook

• Technology and education, why we’re in the room… digital technology – just a fancy tool – is this a good enough framing for the discussion… or should we think about learning/pedagogy first?
• Students in Second Life – philosophy discussion – moved from 3^rd person to 1^st person… – how many layers away is that from ‘real’? Early 1980s, computing started to appear in schools… his Dad moved from teaching RE, to teaching computing, because he was interested… asked him how teaching computing would happen.. his Dad said in future would just be part of everyday life… BBC ‘The Computer Programme’… (1982)
• Culturally what has happened – we can now get computers in every colour… in many ways more important than what’s inside it…  The iPad – same to 1982 – just the latest technology for this year… the difference, in 1982 – was ‘a geek’ with authority, whereas iPad = a model in jeans… – mostly because of visibility of the web – who’s in space…
• The Hierarchy of Digital Distractions.. to many, this is what technology actually is…  So many things are under the banned of ‘technology’…  if we’re not clear how we think, then others will tell us how to think!
• Role of technology?
• Disappearing into use; disrupting the status quo – can do both…
• Desire: ‘Disappear (Want), Disrupt (Need) – most of us want the tech to disappear, don’t want to have to think about it, but maybe they need it to be a bit disruptive… We need to challenge students, why have we talked about ‘the student as consumer’ – when have we ever given them what they want…
• Pedagogy – want to pass assessment, need to do group work/collaboration [difficult/messy]
• Technology – to pass assessment – use VLE, Email, Content; Group work – blogging, social media, content – multiple points of feedback/need to be human beings… If being innovative, going to be disruptive and not necessarily easy to embed, otherwise wouldn’t be labelled as innovation…
• Motivation – http://bit.ly.pi2qv – visitors, residents – most students/tutors, choose to engage/not engage for particular reasons and have their own strategies for getting through…
• Bickering. Between those who want to stick with what they have, versus new tech – we argue too much – we need both & need to talk to each other constructively… it’s like talking about the internal combustion engine, rather than stepping back about where we’re trying to head… e.g. the phone – post-technical, culturally normalised (as has email) – the phone is the conversations we have on it, rather than the phone…
• http://bit.ly/5mh790 – we should be involved early so we can influence the development so it’s useful for us… too often a tool-specific solution.. all moves to post-digital as they are culturally normalised…how many of you are players/innovators, how many pragmatists? Difficult.. Don’t get tied up with specific platforms, but recognise are somewhere in this flow… Need to talk to each other, not geeks being gatekeepers…
• [Images, should put the origins in the base left corner...]
• Think about where you sit on these issues…. Much of what we’re doing is mainstream – we need a good grasp on strategy, maybe even politics… maybe able to influence how education is moving forward as a whole…
• Henry Ford, if he’d asked, people would have said they wanted faster horses… so do we give people what they want or pay lip service?
• All tutors/teachers are also learners – should be less clear cut distinctions. Govt saying we should just listen to the student voice… IS our job to challenge…
• Good to create some anxiety to make them think, but not anxiety re what room they are in – how much technology just causes anxiety?
• Web contact/communication not content… online learning, find if more than 20-30 they start dropping out as want the contact.. get a better deal than f2f. Blurred boundaries as many are presented in both formats…
• What’s the difference between education and training? Discussion not just eating content…
• Don’t be afraid of the banal… we spend 80% of our lives … if it contributes to learning!
• Twitter – content – merely a bridge to relationship building..
• If you’re not teaching, you’re talking…
• How do you recreate those conversations that you can best have down the pub? Best places – have someone centrally focused, dragging them out of their faculties, talking to each other – but innovations generally come from grass roots – if you can’t draw that out, the individual leaves, and the institution loses, we keep re innovating the same thing… really skilled thing to make that work as people are talking different languages – don’t sit in own silos assuming that we know what the others think…
• Is it beginning to appear in strategies – started to realise that e-learning strategy shouldn’t be around the technology but about the communications strategies… may be difficult/delicate job, but will find there tends to be a technical solution for things… We need the cakes… v. important..
• Any large institution has problem of separate kingdoms – in role – understand politics, look good at big meetings, but talk on a human level…
• Lots of places thinking that we can solve by offering with ‘online learning’ – UK education still hugely recognised as leading – we are in a global environment…  Think reassured that education not about to be industrialised, and can maintain our essence…