elearning, NIC and post-primary review Post-Primary Review Working Group Thursday 4 th September 2003

1. elearning, NIC and post-primary reviewPost-Primary Review Working GroupThursday 4th September 2003 John Anderson Richard Wallace

2. What is elearning? • ‘elearning’ refers to teaching and learning enhanced by information and communication technologies (ICT). The term is often used broadly to refer to any use of digital resources in the classroom, but in the context of this elearning partnership it means teaching and learningonline, delivered 'anywhere, any place, any time' using communication tools, content and resources which can be accessed online. • … it is not just using ICT in a lesson!

3. Main Messages • eLearning is “already here” • But, little is known about elearning in schools • Northern Ireland is well placed to take forward R&D • eLearning • has the potential to improve teaching and learning in schools. • can substantially broaden curriculum choice • will provide greater flexibility where there are limitations to provision. • Further independently-evaluated R&D should be planned & coordinated to create a Northern Ireland Virtual School

4. eLearning applications can help to: • overcome limitations to curriculum provision in small schools; • support consortia of schools (and colleges) to mount joint programmes; • allow, otherwise non-viable, classes and courses to be offered; • give access to a wide range of searchable global resources; • promote collaborative approaches to learning; • extend the range of high quality teaching expertise available; • improve the quality of online provision as a result of quality assurance; • support the professional development of teachers; • improve access opportunities for excluded pupils; • extend pupil profiles through the use of digital portfolios.

5. C2k platform • £250 million over 5 years • Broadband in all schools, widely distributed • Common schools network; data-centre • Secure access/mailboxes 400,000 users • 40,000 networked systems, 12,000 laptops • Learning NI … online learning environment • Licensed content and assessment tools • Video conferencing

7. First-step Competence • 21,000+ teachers and school librarians voluntarily completed NOF ICT training; • pupil entry to CCEA KS2 and KS3 ICT accreditation schemes are rising rapidly, with portfolios submitted indicating an increasingly high level of expertise

8. 1998 – 2003 common infrastructure and network universal broadband connectivity reliant managed ICT service common curriculum content teachers’ professional development instances of excellent practice awareness of need for change Education Technology Strategy

9. 1998 – 2003 common infrastructure and network universal broadband connectivity reliant managed ICT service common curriculum content teachers’ professional development instances of excellent practice awareness of need for change 2003 – 2008 a context of systemic change changed practice for the learner enhanced professional practice for the teacher and the school leader· whole-school improvement building collaborative approaches to curriculum provision and professional development capacity-building across the service · service enhancement and innovation emPowering Schools Strategy

10. elearning pilots 2002/03 • Curriculum • GCSE ICT – 2 modules – 165 pupils • GCSE ICT – 1 assignment – 111 pupils • A2 Geography – 1 module – 130 pupils • KS3 Citizenship – 1 module - 52 pupils • Teacher Education • Student teachers - 39 (UU) 8 (QUB) • Teachers - 24 (SELB and NEELB) • Head teachers - 8 (BELB) • PQH tutors - 26 (RTU) • CASS advisory - 8 (SEELB)

11. Blackboard Learnwise

14. Discussions on real issues … Is the Internet a menace?

15. Insert websites for discussion here Main points here Type responses here

16. What are they talking about in your class? … another significant difference Chat transcript … can be viewed over and over by pupils and teachers. 8pm on Tuesday 6th May More than one group can be controlled by the teacher ‘Overall I thought the virtual classroom meeting was a really good experience. I found I tried to answer questions more clearly because I was talking to strangers, rather than my normal class. Also I learnt far more about teleworking and uses of the Internet than I would have done in class. This was because I was concentrating on listening to EVERYONE and answering everyone. As there are so many people in the classroom many different points were expressed, this meant I had a wider understanding.’

17. Assessment • Instant feedback for pupils • Scaffolding for wrong answers • Pools of questions • Gradebook for pupils (parents) teachers • All answers displayed in essay type questions • Help included at the assessing stage Word Qns

18. Multiple choice • Multiple answer • Order • Fill in the blank • Matching • True/false • Short Essay

19. Feedback for teachers All responses

20. Online Gradebook

21. Pupil Tracking Where have they been … when were they there?

22. Combining the VLE and the CCEA Web Site

23. Teachers can now plan for different learning styles … don’t look for a single lesson plan. Look at how a topic will be delivered Let’s look at part of the site

24. The Garden Centre

25. Support for Pupils and Teachers Teacher’s guide with all the site content and hints on its use Face to face visit to schools to meet with pupils and teachers

26. The two pilots …one with 6 schools in NEELB and the 5 below Lumen Christi Ballyclare High Six schools in the North Eastern Board 5 other schools … one from each Board area Ashfield Girls St Patrick’s Keady St Malachy’s Castlewellan

27. Factors influencing effective elearning • Course design, planning and preparation • Project management and coordination • Learning materials • Technological requirements • Access and accessibility • Effective online teaching and mentoring • Prepared online learners • Learner assessment • Course evaluation

28. The pilots have taught us that • The hybrid model guarantees most success • The role of the teacher is changing • The online learner must be adequately prepared • Evaluation and QA are axiomatic

29. The Challenges • Technology • Timescales • Economic justification • Pedagogical, organisational and cultural change

30. Possible curricular areas • vocational education 14-19; • Science; • Learning for Life, Work and Citizenship; • courses in the Irish language; • mentorship; • Critical and Creative Thinking; • KS3 taster for KS4 courses; • EOTAS (Education Other Than At School)

31. 2nd phase R&D - project focus • Blended learning approaches • Content adaptation • eAssessment • Management of learning

32. 2nd phase R&D - evaluation focus • eModerating • Effective online learning factors • Professional Development • Quality Assurance