Jen Harvey

Using a toolkit to support the evaluation of learning

Many resources have been developed to support particular evaluation methodologies. However, the more complex problems of helping academics decide which methodology best suits their needs and then create a plan that will allow them to implement this remain largely unaddressed. In this paper, a toolkit is described that attempts to tackle these problems. A two-part evaluation of the toolkits impact is then presented, which demonstrates that this approach does enhance design, supports reflection and prompts users to consider the most appropriate, not just the most familiar, approach to evaluation.

Critical Design and Effective Tools for E-Learning in Higher Education: Theory into Practice

Introducing change to higher education has always been a difficult and slow process. But over the last two decades, information and communication technologies have served to transform the traditional classroom and break down the barriers to education despite any insecurity educators have felt. Online education is now viewed as an opportunity.; ; Critical Design and Effective Tools for E-Learning in Higher Education: Theory into Practice is a collection of stories that provide those who work in higher education a source of both information and inspiration. The stories are told by some 40 professionals from all across the English-speaking world, detailing their theoretical and practical perspectives on the impact technology has had and will have on the learning experiences of higher education graduates.

The Management and Creation of Knowledge: Do Wikis Help?

Wikis are frequently cited in Higher Education research as appropriate and powerful web spaces which provide opportunities to capture, discuss, and review individual, group, project or organisational activities. These activities, in turn, offer possibilities for knowledge development by utilising wiki collaborative active spaces. The chapter uses selected case studies examples to illustrate the use of wikis to support online community based tasks, project development/process, collaborative materials development and various student and peer supported activities. A key focus of the chapter centres on evaluating the effectiveness (or otherwise) of wikis to create online communities to support knowledge management (development, retention and transfer). See Choy & Ng (2007), Lamb (2004), Elgort (2008), Raman et al. (2005). By way of contextualising the studies, a variety of uses of wikis in higher education are reviewed as part of this chapter. See, for example, Lamb, (2004) Choy, & Ng, (2007), Doolan, (2006) Jones P. (2007) Raman, et al. (2005) Grierson, et al.,, (2004). Creation of knowledge sentence + refs? The chapter concludes with a review of the emergent themes arising and lessons learned from the case studies. This leads into a series of recommendations relating to the effective establishment, design, management and support and use of wikis to support knowledge creation and collaborative enterprise.