Ros O’Leary

1. Ros O’Leary Economics LTSN Bristol University Learning Technology Support Service Students Online Learning Experiences Project

2. VLEs: Innovative Practice in Higher Education

3. Virtual Seminars in Economic Principles at UWE Online tutorials & assessment in Philosophical Issues in Modern Biotechnology Using PDAs in Economics Vets Virtual Clerking Station Innovative HE case studies

4. Virtual Seminars in Economics Principles • 220 year 1 students, 1 year, 30 credit course • 2 lectures, 1 seminar per week

5. Virtual Seminars in Economics Principles • 2 lectures and 1 workshop per week • 1 in-class seminar and 1 virtual seminar per fortnight

6. Nature of Virtual Seminars • Run in group discussion board • When and where • in seminar groups (same as in-class) • synchronous • but not location specific • Role of tutors • Personal Development Planning • Types of activity

9. Strengths and Limitations • Strengths • more contribution per student • better thought-out contributions • more equal contribution between students: shy and dominant students • contributions remain visible • potentially time saving for staff

10. Strengths and Limitations • Limitations • limited interactivity, just posting • no whiteboard • not suitable for graphs and maths • lack of face-to-face dynamic with tutor • students may treat it casually • must address protocols and incentives

11. Online tutorials and assessment in Philosophical Issues in Modern Biotechnology • 25 students, year 2, open unit, 10 credits • New unit • Philosophy knowledge a prerequisite • Biological knowledge not required

12. Philosophical Issues in Modern Biotechnology • 10 lectures, 2 overview sessions • 4 online tutorials including self-assessment • E-test two-thirds way through • Essay paper

13. Nature of online tutorials • Designed to worked through independently • Designed by postgraduate + eLearning specialist • Discussion board for general discussion • Tutorials and online assessment not marked but condition of award

14. Strengths and Limitations • Strengths • focus on philisophy during face-to-face discussions • supplementary interactive material • biology expert support • Limitations • no structured opportunity to discuss biology (focus on individual learning) • not assessed (linking assessment to VLE)

17. Vets Virtual Clerking Station • Final year vet students • Whole year spent in clinical placements • Assessed on write-up of clinical cases • Complained about range of clinical cases

18. Vets Virtual Clerking Station • As part of Vet VLE/Intranet case study upload • Can include video, sound, images

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22. Strengths and Limitations • Strengths • increase clinical exposure • archive cases and can be used as a database for: • other students • clinical research • Limitations • no structured opportunity to discuss (focus on individual learning)

23. Using PDAs in Economics • Year 1, Introduction to Microeconomics, 13 students • Blackboard • Weekly lecture and seminar

24. Using PDAs in Economics • Repurposed material for PDAs • Content +discussion

25. Strengths and Limitations • Strengths • Could do all the things on a VLE they could do on a PC; more portable and flexible • Could submit questions during lectures, lecturer could review during lecture • Limitations • Had to repurpose content so more readable – even so students preferred PCs • Some technical difficulties transferring Microsoft files

26. Other HE case studies • http://www.sole.ilrt.org/ • http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/ • http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/genericcentre/ • http://www.economics.ltsn.ac.uk/

27. VLE events • Colston Research Symposium, 'The Evolution of Learning and Web Technologies: Survival of the Fittest?‘ http://www.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/ • ‘Thinking outside the VLE box: innovative and creative ideas for improving the student experience’ http://www.ltss.bris.ac.uk/

28. Thankyou Any questions?