Judith Williams

Using information and communication technology in a modular distance learning course

This paper describes how information and communication technology (ICT) is used in the modular Open University course ‘T209 Information and Communication Technologies: People and Interactions’, first presented in 2002. In this course ICT is used to provide students with practical experience and to support an active and collaborative approach to learning. The paper provides some background information on the course and an explanation of its general use of ICT, before going on to discuss the particular applications of ICT in each module. These include design and modelling tools, computer-mediated communication, and use of the Web and CD-ROMs for resource-based learning. The authors include an evaluation of the contribution of ICT to the achievement of the learning outcomes for the course, and also discuss lessons learned for the future.

Critical Evaluation as an Aid to Improved Report Writing: A Case Study.

Report writing is an important employability skill for Engineers and Technologists, and this case study describes how a Technology degree module took a novel approach to developing students’ report writing skills. Students learned how to use a criterion-referenced critical evaluation framework for reports and other technological documents. They were given opportunities to practise using the framework both through exemplars and through evaluating the work of their peers. They also carried out self-assessment. The authors’ analysis of this novel approach shows that most students responded well to it and benefited from it. Lessons are drawn from this work for others who wish to improve their students’ report writing skills.