Norah Jones

Blending learning: widening participation in higher education

Widening participation has increased in emphasis in Higher Education over recent years. While there has been some progress in making higher education more accessible to students who have traditionally been excluded, widening participation is still being described as one of the major challenges facing Higher Education Institutions. Likewise technological development has led to an increased use of online learning in Higher Education and this has also challenged educators and their practice. The focus of the paper is a case study which reports on a European Funded project and its innovative approaches in changing teaching, learning, assessment and student support via blended learning in response to the widening participation agenda. The data collection methods used in the case study involved questionnaires, focus groups and documentation. The initial part of the paper provides a context and key themes are then identified. The second part of the paper explores how blended learning successfully contributed to widening participation, entrepreneurship and created innovative support to non‐traditional students. Some of the challenges including the persistence of traditional teaching and learning practice and the diverse needs of non‐traditional students are examined.

New Approaches, New Vision: Capturing Teacher Experiences in a Brave New Online World

The paper is an exploration of how a group of tutors involved in a major e‐learning project reacted to developing and teaching in this environment for this first time. All were experienced face‐to‐face teachers but had different levels of experience in using technology. Our aim was to capture their individual views on working in an online environment. The import of this cannot be under‐estimated, as different views on learning influence the role and potential of technology in an e‐learning environment. As the research is an exploration in understanding the impact that e‐learning can have on the role of the teacher, it seemed appropriate to frame the work in a grounded theory approach and to deal with themes as they emerged. The data for the paper are the product of focus groups, questionnaires and observation. The sample for data collection was the total population of tutors in seven institutions involved in the delivery of the course. The questionnaire captured tutors’ profiles (experience of information technology, e‐moderating, e‐learning, gender, college, module taught), their personal online tutoring style, their opinions on pedagogy and the student learning experience, training and development issues and general reflections on being an online tutor. The initial findings reveal varied reasons for becoming involved with online learning and a wide variety of styles for interacting online with students. All respondents were keen to keep an element of face‐to‐face teaching in their modules and felt it was difficult to gauge depth of learning without ‘normal face‐to‐face interactions at some point’. A number of staff felt that e‐delivery is much more difficult than they envisaged and challenged them in ways that face‐to‐face teaching did not. Materials and approaches that work well in a classroom environment are not always effective online. Tutors faced challenges in both design and delivery.

Managing collaboration across further and higher education: a case in practice

This article captures the different perspectives of those involved in a collaborative project which implemented an e‐learning initiative with higher education and further education institutions in partnership. The initial part of the article provides context and considers some of the debates in the literature on collaboration. It reflects on what makes collaboration work, namely environment, management, trust, history, individual experience, process, communication, purpose and resources. The focus of the article is a case study which critically examines the experiences of one project. Data collection for the case study involved interviews, questionnaires, focus groups and documentation. On the positive side, the project was an excellent staff development experience for many staff, enabling them to see the potential of e‐learning. This project has been a huge learning curve for staff and students alike and the project gave them the opportunity to look at technology from different perspectives and find ways to work in a collaborative manner to tackle the issues. However, the case study raised concerns for the future development of the project, namely equality, resources, communication between all groups, technology infrastructure and course development.

Quality Assurance and E-learning : reflections from the front line

This paper describes the experience of one university in quality assuring higher education courses that were to be delivered by E‐learning, or blended learning. The form of blended learning relies upon the use of staff from partner institutions who may not have been employed primarily solely to deliver higher education courses, be it by face‐to‐face or E‐delivery. The paper examines approaches to quality assurance, transformation and enhancement used at the university. It describes a four phase, or dimension, model of quality assurance specifically designed to ensure that the quality of the new forms of delivery was as robust and rigorous as that of the more traditional face‐to‐face delivery methods. Finally, the paper reflects upon the efficacy of the new approach to quality assurance and comments upon the changes that have been provoked by these new approaches to learning and assurance.

Jumping the Hurdles: Challenges of Staff Development Delivered in a Blended Learning Environment

When the University of Glamorgan embarked upon an ambitious e‐learning development project, it quickly became clear that before teaching online, academic staff would need a training programme, which could introduce them to the pedagogy associated with this very different form of teaching and learning. This paper addresses the challenges for the staff development process when delivered in a blended learning environment. The paper is presented in three sections, the first outlines the development process of an e‐learning initiative, the second examines the model of teaching and learning, and the final section outlines the challenges to change encountered along the way. The paper concludes that a blended learning environment lends itself well to staff development for e‐learning initiatives. The authors also explore future developments including further module and course development inspired by this successful model.

The Changing Role of the Primary School Head Reflections from the Front Line

The role of the primary school headteacher has undergone significant changes since the Education Reform Act (1988). This article explores the headteachers’ perceptions of change from anumber of perspectives; change as a result of their career paths; change due to imposed legislation and changes in their relationships with key stakeholders. Many of the changes are contradictory and generate paradoxes. Nevertheless what is unequivocal is that there is now a much greater emphasis on the formal dimensions of management. The heads manage but are more than managers, their management performance is guided by an underpinnning of educational knowledge and educational practice.

Critical Review of the Blended Learning Models Based on Maslow's and Vygotsky's Educational Theory

Blended learning involves the combination of two fields of concern: education and educational technology. To gain the scholarly recognition from educationists, it is necessary to revisit its models and educational theory underpinned. This paper respond to this issue by reviewing models related to blended learning based on two prominent educational theorists, Maslows and Vygotskys view. Four models were chosen due to their holistic ideas or vast citations related to blended learning: (1) E-Moderation Model emerging from Open University of UK; (2) Learning Ecology Model by Sun Microsoft System; (3) Blended Learning Continuum in University of Glamorgan; and (4) Inquiry-based Framework by Garrison and Vaughan. The discussion of each model concerning pedagogical impact to learning and teaching are made. Critical review of the models in accordance to Maslow or Vygotsky is argued. Such review is concluded with several key principles for the design and practice in blended learning.

Over the Worst or at the Eye of the Storm

Purpose – Using the analogy of e‐learning as “the perfect storm”, the aim of this paper is to explore the disruptive nature of e‐learning in higher education.Design/methodology/approach – Taking a case study of a university, the paper explores the movement from an e‐intensive approach to e‐learning into an on‐campus blended learning approach. What are the lessons for higher education and how responsive are we to the new challenges. Is blended learning creating a new stability after change, or is it placing the university in the eye of the storm, a still small moment within an ongoing change process?Findings – The paper presents findings from the E‐College Wales (ECW) project, looking at the disruptive effect on such a learning organisation from student, staff and management perspectives. It concludes by moving the focus from the e‐intensive ECW project to focus on the developments during the first year of a blended learning project and the disruption endemic in such a developmentOriginality/value – The pa...

Critical Reflections on the Development of a Foundation Degree

Abstract Work undertaken on the development of Foundation degrees at the University of Glamorgan directly addressed employer and higher education concerns that the new award should aim to build on, and not reinvent, the HNC/HND awards it sought to replace. One of the key factors in this was to reconsider the role and purpose of ‘work experience’. Within this, the forms and type of involvement that employers might adopt in creating an experience of work that aims to develop characteristics of employability or job readiness in graduates were reviewed. In particular, and consistent with other parts of the United Kingdom, a regional perspective was adopted. This approach aimed to be reflective of the devolved nature of economic policy, and the location and market for business and economic activity. The particular desire to pursue an employability agenda linked to its unique role within the economy of the region, through the involvement of its network of further education (FE) partner colleges, has characterised the commitment of this University to the development of a set of ideals associated with Foundation degrees. This article critically discusses the development of the Foundation degree award and reflects on the opportunities that such a scheme offers for part-time students in particular and for the institution, for example, in utilizing technology to support workplace delivery.

Inter-organizational Collaboration and Partnerships in Health and Social Care The Role of Social Software

Inter-agency collaboration in the public sector remains chronically difficult, especially in the field of health and social care services; yet governments understandably remain enthusiastic about it. This article critically examines the potential of networked collaboration, which involves IT to facilitate inter-organizational collaboration, with particular reference to health and social care services. Networked collaboration can be implemented by the use of social software such as blogs, wikis and online discussion groups, which have been designed for the purpose of communication and collaboration. As a result of technological innovations it is now possible to engage in synchronous (real time) interactions that are not limited by location. The role of virtual collaborative conference facilities offers open access to shared information in health and social services, a place for collaborative activities and discussion tools. What current developments in social software can do is to offer ways of facilitating and enabling the necessary partnerships in health and social care services to move forward by reducing some of the main barriers to communications between managers and professionals across organizational boundaries.