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Developing and implementing a cross-college student-led HE academic community to support and improve academic and professional skills. Dr Miodrag Ivanovic Sharon Stone. University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference June 2012. Rationale behind our project.
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Developing and implementing a cross-college student-led HE academic community to support and improve academic and professional skills. Dr Miodrag Ivanovic Sharon Stone University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference June 2012
Rationale behind our project As John Stuart Mill stated: The object of universities is not to make skilful lawyers, physicians or engineers. It is to make capable and cultivated human beings. de Botton, A. (2012; 102), Religion for Atheists A non-believer’s guide to the uses of religion, Penguin Group, London University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
HE in FE Barnett (1997) states that the purposes of higher education should not be framed entirely around narrow vocational agendas… The world of work calls for flexibility, adaptability and self-reliance to be able to support students in teaching and research, critical inquiry. The learning process should be collaborative in nature, almost partnership alliances. Group projects, structured debates and student-to-student interaction by means of the internet can be very effective. Barnett, R., (1997) What role for university? The Independent, London available at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/what-role-for-university-1257935.html [Accessed 11 June 2012] University of Hertfordshire Learning and Teaching Conference 2012
Critical inquiry is essential… University of Hertfordshire Learning and Teaching Conference 2012
Learning and teaching theories Smith, M. K. (2003) 'Learning theory', the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm, Last update: May 29, 2012 University of Hertfordshire Learning and Teaching Conference 2012
Clients Transactional Outsiders Levels of participation Friends and Alumni Peripheral Business Community Expert and Guest speakers Occasional HE Oaklands Academic Community Active HNC/HND HE Students Support HE Staff Core HE Project owners Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner (2012), Community of practice, levels of participation, a common picture, available at, http://wenger-trayner.com/resources/slide-forms-of-participation/ [Accessed, 19 May 2012]
How will we do this? Providing platforms for students to exchange ideas and resources http://academiccommunity.oaklands.ac.uk/ Offering support and advice Finding funding to reward outstanding work by engaging with the local business community Managing co-operation between the main external and internal Oaklands HE stakeholders University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Staff feedback Did you find the site user-friendly, easy to navigate? (1 equals low and 10 is excellent) Source: Result presented as part of primary research by online survey of Oaklands academic staff November 2011 University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Which topics or resources do you think are most useful? (You may select more than one) Source: Result presented as part of primary research by online survey of Oaklands academic staff November 2011 University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Assess our initiative to improve contact and support between HE students across different programmes (where 1 equals low and 10 is excellent). Source: Result presented as part of primary research by online survey of Oaklands academic staff November 2011 University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Student feedback Which topics or resources do you think are most useful? (You may select more than one) Source: Result presented as part of primary research by online survey of Oaklands HE students April 2012 University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Do you use any of the following? (You may select more than one answer) Source: Result presented as part of primary research by online survey of Oaklands HE students April 2012 University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Do you use or would you use appropriate recommended Apps on your phone (or iPod/iPad) if recommended to support your studies? Source: Result presented as part of primary research by online survey of Oaklands HE students April 2012 University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Future challenges To get students engaged with and using the site To get staff engaged with and using the site Management of the site by students Access via mobile devices Engage with business community (adverts, work-based learning opportunities, financial support) University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
Conclusion • Essence of this project is to enhance, encourage communication between, and develop our HE students academic and professional standards • A challenging task to achieve the main aims of the project - especially regarding ownership of the main ideas • Recognition: IQER Feedback (May 2012) Provisional good practice The Summative review team has provisionally identified the following features of good practice: · the development of the overarching virtual higher education community promotes awareness of the scope of higher education provision and enables sharing of effective practice across curricula. University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012
...the future challenge Look to the past to help create the future. Look to science and to poetry. Combine innovation and interpretation. We need the best of both. And it is universities that best provide them. Faust, D.G (2010) The Role of the University in a Changing World, available at http://www.harvard.edu/president/role-university-changing-world, [Accessed 5 June 2012] University of Hertfordshire Learning and Teaching Conference 2012
Any Questions?Discussion Miodrag.Ivanovic@oaklands.ac.uk Sharon.Stone@oaklands.ac.uk Web: http://academiccommunity.oaklands.ac.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/OakHE Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OakHE LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/oak-he/51/a65/178 University of Hertfordshire International Blended Learning Conference 2012