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Scope

Developing Personal Repositories to Support the Development of Part-Time Tutor Communities – a First View of the PROWE Project Roger Dence, University of Leicester and Anne Hewling, The Open University “Pushing the Boundaries” Beyond Distance Research Alliance Conference

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  1. Developing Personal Repositories to Support the Development of Part-Time Tutor Communities – a First View of the PROWE Project Roger Dence, University of Leicester and Anne Hewling, The Open University “Pushing the Boundaries” Beyond Distance Research Alliance Conference Leicester, 10th January 2006 http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  2. Scope • Profiling the JISC-funded PROWE project – • Personal Repositories Online: Wiki Environment • Outlining the research approach • Tutor communities of practice (CoPs) in context • Identifying barriers to adoption and enabling factors • Further research and development issues http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  3. Project Profile • A JISC-funded digital repositories project • Led by OU (Library, Institute of Educational Technology), with UoL (Beyond Distance Research Alliance) • Investigating use of wikis / blogs as informal repositories • Aimed at part-time tutors on distance education programmes • Focus on potential for sharing and storing resources to meet professional development needs http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  4. Institutional Context • Associates in several faculties < ~ 100, mostly in UK • Mainly distance-learning tutors, but some on full and part time courses • Diverse terms and conditions of engagement • Limited, ad hoc access to staff development activities • Mostly own email services; a few ano00@le.ac.uk • Blackboard VLE deployed April 2005 - now ~1000 sites, but used by few tutors http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  5. Quotes “There is little sharing at the moment. Staff may do something on an ad hoc basis between close associates.” “With uncertain objectives and benefits, a light touch is needed. A simple interface is a vital necessity, otherwise barriers will be created.” http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  6. Some Enabling Factors • Technology use needs to be intuitive • Must have clear benefits for associate tutors re meeting interests and opportunity cost of time • Needs current and relevant material in repository • Meeting specific needs / opportunities • Encouragement needed – difficult to mandate • Identifying advocates and champions http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  7. Institutional Context - OU • More than 7000 tutors with diverse backgrounds • Around 180 000 students with diverse backgrounds • All dispersed around UK, Europe and elsewhere • Highly-structured learning / teaching / working environment • Distance-only institution • Moving towards Moodle in 2007 http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  8. Activity Timeline • Focus groups and survey • Appraisal of options • Technical specification • Small trial for volunteers • Reappraisal • Larger trial – open group (s) • Evaluation and ‘toolkit’ with demonstrator http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  9. Progress to Date – OU … User aspirations: • Integration • Ease of use • Control • Themes and pointers • Multi-media capture and storage http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  10. … continued Project developers’ aspirations: • Possibility for widespread integration • Web hosted not server bound • Transferable • Largely self-moderating • Light touch infrastructure http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  11. Some Initial Issues Arising • Encouraging the routine sharing of resources for altruistic reasons and social ideals • Acknowledging the context of successful CoPs, ie being self forming, self managing and self sustaining • Facilitating professional and personal development in pedagogy, as well as in subject / discipline areas • Recognising and rewarding contributions http://www.prowe.ac.uk

  12. Thank you for your interest and attention! Anne Hewling, The Open University email: a.hewling@open.ac.uk Roger Dence, University of Leicester email: rdd13@le.ac.uk http://www.prowe.ac.uk

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