Author: Chris Hall, c.m.hall@swan.ac.uk

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

This case study illustrates...staff support, an effect on learning, innovation in learning and teaching, staff satisfaction with e-learning, staff personal development, an influence on policy, modifications to learning spaces, management of learning assets, use of blogging

Background & Context

Why did you use this e-learning approach?

Gilly Salmon once said that 'there is considerable evidence that most HEIs are still struggling to engage a significant percentage of students and staff in e-learning, and a real development beyond projects by innovators has so far been modest.' (Salmon, 2005). During 2006 we spent a lot of time listening to academic staff across the University on how they viewed e-learning. Many weren't sure what it actually was while some felt the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) Blackboard was e-learning and vice versa. Additionally, while there were good examples of e-learning, they tended to be in isolation with little sharing of knowledge.

As a result an idea began to form, to provide a space with useful resources about e-learning for all staff. This would not be a place for the Learning Technologists/e-learning staff to dictate, but to facilitate a community where everyone had the opportunity to participate. Thus was born the idea of the Learning Lab.

What was the context in which you used this e-learning approach?

As part of the listening process we undertook a survey of both student and staff users of e-learning within the University. One of the main findings of the survey was that while e-learning was seen by many as an important addition it was not fully integrated into learning and teaching. The survey also showed that the use and effectiveness of e-learning varied considerably.

The survey also showed a desire from students to use 'Web 2.0' tools such as blogs, wikis and podcasts. While a number of staff were confident in the use of these tools, the majority of staff had little knowledge of them and how they could be useful in learning and teaching.

Our aim was therefore to move towards greater integration and engagement of e-learning in line with Francis and Raferty's (2005) arguments and, in order to achieve this, away from a driving lesson approach to staff training (Collis & Moonen, 2002).

What was the design?

The idea of the Learning Lab is for a loose, fairly informal collaboration between schools and departments on all aspects of e-learning. A forum to discuss, formulate and disseminate ideas and best practice and an area where learning and teaching rather than technology drive the process.

The underlying principal behind the Learning Lab website is that of Learning by doing, we are providing a number of different technologies in the Learning Lab site that allow people to have first hand experience with them, to experiment, to understand how they work, and to help them decide whether using such a technology would be of benefit to their classes.

How did you implement and embed this e-learning approach?

Our online presence started with the idea of providing information about e-learning which did not seem to be accessible to staff. This was in the form of a simple website which provided a number of documents and pieces of information, including the University's e-learning strategy, guidelines for e-learning, and general descriptions of what e-learning is and the tools available; combined with a number of technologies which suited the requirements of our community.

Some of these include:

• a Blog to share information about what's going on (in and outside the university), what things of interest are happening in the community; a place to write pieces to challenge ideas, somewhere where all comment/opinion is welcomed.
• a Wiki which enables staff to share with the entire community, e-learning related links and information, user stories, thoughts and ideas.
• Podcasts about e-learning activities within the university, as well as providing a blog documenting our progress and experimentation with methods of creation for the Podcasts.

It is important that the Learning Lab be what the community wants, and as such it has changed as the community have had ideas about what they want to see. We have recently restructured the site and added new navigation to be able to provide for the ideas that have been requested.