Technology Enhanced Learning at University How can learning

Technology Enhanced Learning at University How can learning enhancement be demonstrated? Adrian Kirkwood & Linda Price IET, The Open University 1

What does ‘enhancement’ mean? n n Expression Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) used frequently - but without a clear, shared meaning ‘Taken for granted’ – few explicit statements ‘Enhanced’ implies a value judgement What is being ‘enhanced’? q n Teaching? Learning? Operational arrangements? How is ‘enhancement’ understood by teachers, students, policy-makers, senior managers? 2

HEFCE e-Learning Strategy, 2009 Benefits might be felt at three different levels, depending on the type of intervention: n Efficiency Existing processes carried out in more cost-effective, time-efficient, sustainable or scalable manner n Enhancement Improving existing processes and the outcomes n Transformation Radical, positive change in existing processes or introducing new processes 3

Demonstrating ‘enhancement’? n n What must be done to demonstrate an enhancement in learning? Much depends upon the type of enhancement being sought Interpreted in many ways - a contested issue Often difficult to discern from published accounts of innovations or interventions q Need to reveal the underlying assumptions. 4

Technology as Agent The potential agent for change is often assumed to be the technology itself (i. e. device and/or software) If teachers use and/or get their students to use a particular technology, this will in and of itself improve student learning. 5

Teacher as Agent Less frequently, the main agent for change is seen as the teacher, through what they are trying to achieve by using a technological tool. What matters is how teachers – as agents – have chosen to design teaching & learning with technology, using appropriate tools to achieve significant outcomes. 6

Literature Review A review of published articles (2005 -2010) of evidence-based learning and teaching with technology The Abstracts were scrutinised to ensure that they fulfilled the following criteria: – Use of technology for specific teaching and/or learning purposes in higher education; – Use of technology for specific teaching and/or learning purposes associated with one or more particular courses/modules or groups of students; – Provided some form of evaluative evidence of the impact of the technology use described. 7

Literature Review These criteria enabled us to eliminate articles that were wholly or primarily about – technology innovations in schools – students’ attitudes to and use of technologies in general – plans for uses of technology that were yet to be introduced with students – the generalised or idealised potential or affordances of technologies in education 8

Literature Review • After applying the criteria, 47 unique articles and papers were selected for review. • Variations found in terms of ‘enhancement’: – Differing conceptions of ‘enhancement’ being used by teachers / researchers – Different methods employed to demonstrate enhancement – Differing forms of evidence considered necessary to demonstrate achievement of enhancement – Problems with the appropriateness and adequacy of evidence in relation to conception of enhancement. 9

Literature Review • Various research approaches had been used, from quasi-experimental to case studies. • The approaches and methods used to collect data provide some indications of the ways in which the practitioners/researchers involved conceptualise learning and teaching in higher education and the types of evidence that they consider to be salient. 10

Categories of Intervention - 1 Replicating existing teaching practices a. b. An element of conventional teaching replicated and delivered to students via some form of technology A comparison of different technologies for delivering the same teaching 11

Categories of Intervention - 2 Supplementing existing teaching a. b. Making available versions of existing teaching that students can access and use whenever they want Developing additional learning resources or tools 12

Categories of Intervention - 3 Transforming the learning experience a. b. Re-design of learning activities to promote active learning Effective use of TEL activities for richer learning 13

1. Replicating existing teaching practices n n Nature of ‘enhancement’ sought often imprecise ‘Comparative study’ method often used (i. e. only the means of delivering teaching changed) Learning gains usually confined to test or assessment scores – the acquisition and retention of knowledge (i. e. quantitative view of learning) Positive student (and teacher) attitudes sought 14

2. Supplementing existing teaching n n Nature of any ‘enhancement’ often imprecise – often linked to flexibility for students Self-report student attitudes & experiences q q n n n Problems of interpretation The 4 -stage model of evaluation (Kirkpatrick, 1976) Some comparative studies (how appropriate? ) ‘Enhancement’ often taken as a quantitative change rather than a qualitative improvement (e. g. Säljö, Perry) Type of test and assessment used not always sensitive to nature of enhancement sought 15

The 4 -stage model of evaluation Effectiveness is best evaluated at four progressively challenging levels (Kirkpatrick, 1976) n Reaction q n Learning q n to what degree participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence and commitment Behaviour q n to what degree participants react favourably to what degree participants apply what they learned to their situation Results q to what degree targeted outcomes are achieved as a result 16

3. Transforming the learning experience n n Interventions often responded to identified learning / teaching issues Often associated with achieving qualitative changes in student outcomes Qualitative analysis of individual / group interviews about processes and products of learning activities Scrutiny of student-generated materials / presentations for richer outcomes 17

But … technology or pedagogy? n When the student learning experience had been changed, what was the main driver q q q n use of technology? redesign of the learning and teaching approach and goals? both? Teachers’ differing conceptions of teaching and learning with technology are an important influence (Kirkwood & Price, 2012) 18

Differing conceptions of teaching Perceptions of Academic Context Conceptions of Teaching & Learning with Technology Perceptions of Technological Context Approaches to Teaching & Learning with Technology 19

Review of Findings • There remains a considerable lack of clarity – and little consensus – about what constitutes an enhancement in student learning. • Considerable differences are expressed about the form(s) of evidence that are necessary to demonstrate ‘enhancement’. A clearer articulation of what is meant by ‘enhanced learning’ in higher education might help advance the effectiveness of TEL. 20

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