Adrian Kirkwood

Learners and learning in the twenty‐first century: what do we know about students’ attitudes towards and experiences of information and communication technologies that will help us design courses?

This article reports on issues relevant for teachers and instructional designers anticipating using information and communication technologies (ICTs) in higher education, particularly those wishing to adopt a flexible learning approach aimed at improving the quality of the student experience. The data that are reported on span more than five years, and have been gathered from a range of large quantitative postal surveys and smaller qualitative surveys, with total respondents numbering around 80,000. The large‐scale surveys cover annual course reviews, computer access, students’ use of media, access to media technologies and ICT access and use. The smaller qualitative studies include students’ use of CD‐ROMs and online tuition. This article describes the students’ backgrounds and how this can affect their studies. It discusses students’ access to media technologies and what their perceptions of media are in the context of independent learning. The conclusion is that, although ICTs can enable new forms of teaching and learning to take place, they cannot ensure that effective and appropriate learning outcomes are achieved. It is not technologies, but educational purposes and pedagogy, that must provide the lead, with students understanding not only how to work with ICTs, but why it is of benefit for them to do so. Knowing about students’ use of media as well as their attitudes and experiences can help teachers and instructional designers develop better courses.

Technology-enhanced learning and teaching in higher education: what is ‘enhanced’ and how do we know? A critical literature review

The term technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is used to describe the application of information and communication technologies to teaching and learning. Explicit statements about what the term is understood to mean are rare and it is not evident that a shared understanding has been developed in higher education of what constitutes an enhancement of the student learning experience. This article presents a critical review and assessment of how TEL is interpreted in recent literature. It examines the purpose of technology interventions, the approaches adopted to demonstrate the role of technology in enhancing the learning experience, differing ways in which enhancement is conceived and the use of various forms evidence to substantiate claims about TEL. Thematic analysis enabled categories to be developed and relationships explored between the aims of TEL interventions, the evidence presented, and the ways in which enhancement is conceived.

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in Higher Education Teaching--A Tale of Gradualism Rather than Revolution

The widespread adoption of information and communications technologies (ICT) in higher education (HE) since the mid 1990s has failed to produce the radical changes in learning and teaching than many anticipated. Activity theory and Rogers’ model of the adoption of innovations provide analytic frameworks that help develop our understanding of the actual impact of ICT upon teaching practices. This paper draws on a series of large‐scale surveys carried out over a 10 year period with distance education tutors at the UK Open University to explore the changing role of ICT in the work of teachers. It investigates how HE teachers in one large distance learning university have, over time, appropriated ICT applications as teaching tools, and the gradual rather than revolutionary changes that have resulted.

Examining some assumptions and limitations of research on the effects of emerging technologies for teaching and learning in higher education

This paper examines assumptions and beliefs underpinning research into educational technology. It critically reviews some approaches used to investigate the impact of technologies for teaching and learning. It focuses on comparative studies, performance comparisons and attitudinal studies to illustrate how under-examined assumptions lead to questionable findings. The extent to which it is possible to substantiate some of the claims made about the impact of technologies on the basis of these approaches and methods is questioned. We contend researchers should ensure that they acknowledge underlying assumptions and the limitations imposed by the approach adopted in order to appropriately interpret findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding Independent Learners' Use of Media Technologies

Independent learners study in highly varied circumstances that impact upon the educational process. Media technologies can provide many new educational opportunities, but are context dependent. As educators, we need to develop a better understanding of learners by considering their attitudes and preferences for using media technologies in their studies. This paper reports research studies undertaken with UK Open University students aimed at developing an understanding of their attitudes to and preferences for various media technologies, both in general and, more specifically, in relation to the courses they study. It aims to provide insights into why they choose to devote more time and attention to certain media-based materials than to others; how they develop their own priorities within the curriculum and how these can change over their study career with the university. The research reported here indicates that independent learners value the richness and flexibility they derive from having a range of media components in their courses. However, decisions about the extent to which students use particular media components are based at least as much upon the perceived benefits to be gained from them, as from any intrinsic characteristic or quality of the particular materials or resources.

New media mania: Can information and communication technologies enhance the quality of open and distance learning?

Many educational institutions are attempting to use new technologies to solve their problems of increasing student numbers (possibly in a variety of geographical locations) and limited resources (human and financial). Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are merely means to an end, but decisions about their use are infrequently based upon an educational analysis of teaching and learning problems or needs. The rationale for using ICTs in teaching or learning should focus on the educational purposes they can serve. Some media technologies are primarily for one‐way communication; they extend the possibilities for delivering pre‐prepared educational materials to learners. Others are essentially two‐way and offer the potential for intellectual interaction between humans. ICTs can only enhance the quality of open and distance learning when they contribute to the full range of educational experiences available to learners.

Assessment and student learning: a fundamental relationship and the role of information and communication technologies

This paper reviews the role of assessment in student learning and its relationship with the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). There is ample evidence of technology‐led innovations failing to achieve the transformations expected by educators. We draw upon existing research to illustrate the links between aspects of student learning, assessment practices and the use of ICT. Assessment influences not only what parts of a course get studied, but also how those parts are studied. While the adoption of ICT does not, in itself, change student behaviours, appropriately designed assessment that exploits the potential of ICT can change students’ approaches to learning. We argue that ICT can enable important learning outcomes to be achieved, but these must be underpinned by an assessment strategy that cues students to adopt a suitable approach to learning.

Learning at home with information and communication technologies

Digitisation and the convergence of computing and telecommunications have led to a range of information and communication technologies (ICT) that have the potential to transform education. ICT are being used by teachers and learners in conventional universities and colleges as well as in tertiary institutions that serve the needs of distance learners, be they home‐based or in some other off‐campus location. They can enable distance learners to receive and interact with educational materials and resources and to engage with teachers and peers in ways that previously may have been impossible. However, the domestic contexts within which home‐based learners undertake their studies are complex and highly varied and these circumstances impact upon the educational process (Kirkwood 1995). There is a need to examine not only the nature of the relationships between learners and the technologies, but also the social relationships within the domestic setting. It is important for course designers and developers to consider issues of access to ICT ‐ both quantitative and qualitative ‐ in the homes of their target student audience in order to develop a better understanding of their learners. Significant disparities in access exist, both within and between countries, and these can exacerbate existing educational advantages and inequities. Greater awareness of the diverse environments within which home‐based learning takes place should help inform the planning and design of courses and materials that are appropriate for such varied contexts.

Getting Networked Learning in Context: Are On-Line Students' Technical and Information Literacy Skills Adequate and Appropriate?

Information and communication technologies have the potential to enhance teaching and learning in higher education by improving access to and interaction with information and resources, and by facilitating dialogue between people. The benefits for learners studying independently are considerable. From the students’ perspective, networked learning offers opportunities that both draw upon existing ICT expertise and present new challenges. However, studies with UK Open University students indicate the potential for mismatches between teachers’ assumptions and learners’ actual ICT experience and competencies. Effective networked learning involves operational and intellectual components and students need to be well prepared for both.

Teaching and Learning with Technology in Higher Education: Blended and Distance Education Needs "Joined-up Thinking" Rather than Technological Determinism.

In higher education (HE), some of the distinctions between conventional, campus-based universities and those dedicated to distance education are being eroded through the use of information and communication technology. Despite huge investments in technology to enhance teaching and learning, there has been a considerable lack of clarity about what this actually signifies in practice. Implementation decisions are frequently technology-led rather than being focused on clearly defined educational goals. This article attempts to examine key issues and synthesise a number of important debates relating to teaching and learning with technology in HE. It examines some of the key factors influencing how technology is utilised in HE teaching and learning. It argues that decision-making by managers and teachers with regard to technology use needs to be founded upon evidence that takes account of all of those factors, not just a narrow selection of them. Rather than just considering technical issues and/or the idealised promises made about technologies, ‘joined-up thinking’ is required to integrate the multiple contextual factors that all influence how technology is actually used in teaching and learning.