Author: Sarah Nicholoson, s.nicholson@arts.gla.ac.uk

JISC e-Learning Activity Area: Technology-enhanced Learning Environments

Higher Education Academy Subject Centre: Philosophical and Religious Studies

This case study illustrates...an effect on learning, an effect on student personal development, student satisfaction with e-learning, innovation in learning and teaching, staff satisfaction with e-learning, staff personal development, a positive effect on recruitment, a positive effect on retention, an influence on policy, use of resources, modifications to learning spaces, management of learning assets, an effect on social equality

Lessons Learned

Summary and Reflection

This e-learning approach works reasonably well in pedagogical terms, though pedagogical grounding is improved by making use of more of Moodle's facilities. It also depends on student willingness to engage with the technology. In practice this is rarely a problem.

More of a problem is the perception that developing Moodles is difficult and time-consuming. There is some truth in this, especially for staff who are not confident with technology, and there is a real problem of lack of resources allocated to Moodle development within the department. Learning support is available through the university's teaching and learning service, but time needs to be made available in departments, possibly through the workload model.

The project certainly delivered some tangible benefits in line with institutional strategies. Since the courses were developed in 2005, the University has strengthened its resolve to make more use of the VLE, and our department has a greater number of experienced staff than some other departments in the University, which means we ought to be able to meet some of the challenges.

On the other hand, it is difficult to make a case for tangible benefits given that we put only a small fraction of the distance modules onto the Moodle, and given that only one of the department's lecturers has incorporated e-learning into his teaching. The decision to discontinue the distance degree was the reason the project was never completed: we had barely begun when the decision was taken. The number of students who were both distance learners and involved in the e-learning courses was too small to draw significant statistical conclusions. Despite these issues, student feedback has been very positive on the e-learning we do deliver.

I personally have learned that students are keener than many staff to get to grips with technology in learning. Some of my colleagues may be easily persuaded to use the VLE, but many others see it as a chore. Therefore I think it is necessary for students to be given opportunities to insist that staff provide what they need and expect from technology in teaching. At the same time, staff ought to recognise their responsibilities to provide for student needs without waiting for student pressure before a response is made.

I strongly believe that in the initial stages of using a VLE most staff need support. It's not just about learning the new technology; there are pedagogical concerns to be dealt with when using a VLE. Although institutional hand-holding to support course development through VLEs is costly and time-consuming, I think it would be helpful for many staff. Fortunately the benefits of using a VLE are quick to emerge and staff enthusiasm should carry things forward.

My own teaching has been interrupted by personal circumstances, but next year I shall return to a normal teaching load and I am keen to use Moodles and podcasts with my students. My experience of using e-learning materials in the distance degree and in conjunction with my two colleagues in Old Testament/Tanakh has fuelled my enthusiasm for the flexibility that e-learning can offer in terms of learning styles, teaching styles, assessment and student collaboration. e-Learning also makes me reflect on my pedagogical approaches and provides opportunities to consider new possibilities. One lesson I have certainly learned from the project is the need to keep better records, because evaluating the success (or lack of it) is a complicated procedure when it comes to e-learning: there are many factors to be considered. One problem with this case study is the lack of data available, simply because it was either not collected or it was not kept past the initial stages of course delivery.

Done well, e-learning seems to foster a sense of community that has been disappearing in recent years among students, who have so many more responsibilities than was the case 20 years ago. It seems to me that the more learning opportunities we give them, the more they demand, and such engagement with the learning process should, in my opinion, be encouraged.