EDU720 Week 8 Designing Online Learning Environments

Summary & Learning Outcomes

In the first half of this module, we mainly focused on blended learning approaches, especially in relation to your work on designing, piloting and evaluating flipped classroom approaches, and doing this for your Assessment 1.

In the second half of this module, starting this week, we will shift the focus to developing your capabilities for designing and facilitating fully online learning environments.

This week, you will first share your personal perspectives on key things to think about when designing and creating online curriculum. Then you will engage with information about designing and creating online learning activities. You will create, share and discuss your initial draft design ideas for a fully online course that could be used to support student learning in your own HE contexts. Finally, there are the usual weekly opportunities to reflect on your learning, explore further reading and attend the webinar.

By the end of this week’s learning activities for Week 8, you should be able to:

• Apply your previous learning about curriculum design to identify and discuss key things to consider when designing fully online courses;
• Apply information about online course design to produce, evaluate and discuss your initial design ideas for an online distance-learning course;
• Critically reflect on what and how you have learned this week, identifying potential implications for you and your colleagues’ current and future practice of developing flexible learning environments, in your local teaching contexts.

Reflect / Discuss

This week, we are focusing on the design of online curriculum. If you think back over the last few weeks and in the previous PGCHE module, you have been learning and practising a range of different aspects of curriculum design. Much of what you have learned already is also relevant and can be applied to the design of a fully online curriculum. However, there are ways in which the conditions of a completely online learning environment can be very different from face-to-face and blended learning environments. Such differences can impact on how you may need to approach the design and facilitation of online learning.

To get us started with thinking about this, reflect on what you have learned already about the different aspects of curriculum design. Reflect also on your experience of online learning in the previous module and over the last few weeks. It would also be useful to reflect back on some of the good points you raised about online learning in the very first discussion forum in Week 1 of this module. Consider the following questions:

• What key three things do you think are most important to consider when designing any curriculum and learning environments in HE (face-to-face, blended and online)?
• If you think about this question again, but only in relation to fully online curriculum and learning environments – does your list of three things change? How and why?

Provide a brief outline and explanation of your answers to the above question (150 words). Post this to the discussion forum.

Comment on the posts of two fellow students, sharing any reflections prompted by their outlines and explanations.

Dejan Levi

20 Jul 2020 20 Jul at 8:43

3 important things for any curriculum & learning environment design (f2f, blended, online)

– Constructive alignment between course LOs, learning content & activities, and assessment (curriculum)

– Consideration of employability and transferable skills (curriculum)

– Ensure a safe, welcoming, accessible, and supportive environment in which students can learn/develop (learning environment)

For online courses specifically, my list remains the same, but the particulars of how each point is implemented shift – especially with regard to the third point. This is the only one where I feel a radically different set of considerations manifest when compared with f2f courses for example. Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Nick Raven Nick Raven 22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 7:04

Hi Dejan, I agree with your notion of creating a supportive learning environment. And I think considerations of making this ‘safe, welcoming, accessible and supportive’ are often overlooked. In my experience this empathic sensibility can make a positive impact on a group of learners. I also like Alex’s proposal for a learning ‘community’. Taking this online in remote environments, across different modes with asynchronous activity is going to be a real challenge…  Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Katie Welch

Katie Welch

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 11:31

Agree with all of these. The last point is increasingly important now, I think. Maybe I’d add into this about making any approach ’emotionally rich’, if possible/appropriate. Read an interesting article yesterday on the BBC, which I’ve just tried to find but have failed, about how how employers attitudes have shifted towards viewing employees as people first, and resource second, and how they acknowledge that wellbeing is conducive to productivity…which, I think, in our case, means it’s conducive to meaningful learning.  Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Anna Dovey Anna Dovey 25 Jul 2020 25 Jul at 20:19

• Hi Katie,   I’d love to see that article if you can find it! That’s an interesting shift – I wonder what influenced that…   Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Safia Shahid

Safia Shahid

23 Jul 2020 23 Jul at 10:05

• Dear Dejan, All looks good. As you said, your third point of ensuring a safe learning environment etc is important for online learning. It can be more challenging to keep online learners engaged. Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Alex Bailey

Alex Bailey

20 Jul 2020 20 Jul at 10:53

1. Value to the learner – either objectively to improve employment prospects for example or subjectively to enhance the learners collective knowledge and perspective on their key practice for example an MA in photography that is often geared to developing one’s artistic pedagogy and application range.
2. Engagement – whether it’s an on-line or F2F course to achieve the LO’s leaner engagement is crucial.
3. Community.

1 & 2 remained the same but in an on-line context 3 changed for me because on reflection a sense of community became the preference over motivation because I feel that community supports motivation with on-line learning… Being part of something, like on this course. Peer interaction is important as a reference point and as a support to ones learning and the learning of others.  Also, how that on-line ‘community’ is managed will effect and ultimately support motivation. In other words how we are encouraged to interact and support each other.  Reply Reply to comment (2 likes)

• Collapse Sub discussion Suzanne Strudwick Suzanne Strudwick 21 Jul 2020 21 Jul at 15:44

I agree Alex, community and engagement are so important to a fully online course. The commitment and motivation stem from self motives of wishing to complete the course but the social aspects of connected community are just as important. As we all have experienced here, not wanting to let our teachers down in being late for an assignment, not engaging with eachother after making the connections are very important to the success of the course and evaluation.  Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Nick Raven

Nick Raven

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 7:00

Hi Alex, I really like the idea of community and the ambition for this to support the learning activities. Along with Dejan’s idea for creating the best learning environment, the idea of community could profoundly affect the value of the learning.  Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Katie Welch

Katie Welch

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 11:33

Community. Lovely. We had some great feedback from our students this week, and community came up again and again. They really value it, and consciously appreciate efforts to create and sustain it.  Reply Reply to comment (1 likes) Collapse Sub discussion Safia Shahid

Safia Shahid

23 Jul 2020 23 Jul at 10:09

• Dear Alex, The community point sounds great. Agree that community and feeling part of something supports motivation. Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Suzanne Strudwick

Suzanne Strudwick

21 Jul 2020 21 Jul at 15:32

The three most import design features should include considerations for Aims; LO’s and Assessment convergence. How do these aspects fit together with the content, pedagogical theories, schools overview of scholarship, accreditation of course and methods, environment and location of the course delivery?

How does the content fit with the delivery of the knowledge and how best to engage, motivate and teach the learners? Is prior knowledge expected for this course or are the learner’s novices? (This aspect matters in how the design of the delivery of content is undertaken). 

What resources are going to be required? What methods of delivery and media will be used? 

Teaching art, sports, media or any form of performance, production etc will be difficult in a fully online enviroment. Teacher feedback, visually watching learners produce actions or learn new skills asynchroniously will be difficult to fully evaluate how the learner is adapting, adjusting and gaining the correct understanding. Real-time video feedback would be difficult due to time difference, location, technical issues etc. 

I would welcome my peer’s feedback on how they have possibly overcome some of these issues.  Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Alex Bailey Alex Bailey 22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 7:29

Hi Suzanne 

I have often though of the specific conundrum in your practice of how to evaluate and support learners golf motions when practising – virtually. I can totally appreciate how challenging it is not to be ‘hands on’ adjacent to see how they are holding themselves balance and posture wise, something that is bordering on impossible to convey via a video link no matter how well it is filmed. David Paton one of our peers on this course muted a similar issue with sculpting: How there was limit to what could be done when you are detached from the learner via a video link. Some times you just have to be hands on right there with them to really convey the emotion of an action or a creative raw material. The only way I could potentially see this changing is with the advancement of  a virtual environment. The type of technology that is used in gaming, relatively complex and pretty expensive for this type of application. Perhaps the reality is that there are limits to all possibilities and this might be one? 

Alex Reply Reply to comment (1 likes)

• Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr Toby Carr 24 Jul 2020 24 Jul at 9:36

• • Hi Suzanne,  I agree with Alex (and David) that perhaps there are limitations to this. I have found it useful to start to think through which bits of my teaching practice might lend themselves to a fully online version and which bits of them don’t.  In this respect, perhaps there may be opportunities for a new course. One which might appeal to remote and distance learners and is fully online but misses the face to face sessions and another which is more blended and supports students that want the practical experience.   In my own experience as a learner being coached on improving skills using a video coaching tool (coaches eye) I found it really cemented the need to improve when I could see the mistakes I was making in the recording as I felt I was doing what I should have been but clearly wasn’t!  This reflection on my own practice was important and has made me more critical in subsequent training.  It also acts as a record and reminder when coaching others.  In practical terms we did it in groups with someone recording but I could imagine it could work with a tripod if recording alone.  In terms of the limitations, again I agree, what substitute it there for actually positioning someone’s hands correctly, subtly tweaking their technique or resetting their posture.  It could be argued that there is a deeper learning outcome if the student discovers this by themselves but in reality this can be a very slow learning process not fitting to a fixed course structure!   Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Nick Raven

Nick Raven

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 6:55

1. Constructive alignment
To consider the construction of the learning and its alignment to ensure the design of the activities is most appropriate for the intended learning outcomes.

2. Integration and convergence
To ensure that the range of activities, content, communications, interactions, environments for the learning are holistically considered, integrated and convergent with the intended learning of the design.

3. Flexibility and Motivation
To facilitate flexibility and engagement with student motivation through a student-led, student-focussed and empathic approach to the particular set of learners.

And I think these translate across both physical and remote environments.

These have developed over the weeks and similar to the others here I’ve had to wrestle with the balances of ambition to try and create, as Dejan puts it, an environment for learning, or, as Alex notes, a community of learning. I think the idea of a learning dialogue is brilliant (Bloxham and Boyd) and reading about F-L-I-P has made me consider the idea of a ‘culture’ of learning which I really like. Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Katie Welch Katie Welch 22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 11:38

To your last point, yes, I can only see positive outcomes from creating such a culture. And so it should be, in higher education, where people have elected to be. Having been a student at Falmouth previously, it always felt like it already practiced it. There was a huge amount of respect for the direction of other students. Now teaching, I have noticed, as is to be expected, a motivation-to-learn gap between the BA and the MAs, but for the most part they seem to take it seriously. Anything we can do to further encourage it will have far-reaching benefits, I’m sure.  Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr Toby Carr 24 Jul 2020 24 Jul at 9:23

• • Hi Nick and Katie,  Reading this I just thought I would add to the last point the importance of skills for lifelong learning, taking this approach beyond the course and university context. In this respect the ‘culture’ continues.  Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Katie Welch

Katie Welch

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 11:46

1. Constructive alignment across the board – of course. Making sure it’s doing what it needs to do. Making sure the assessment is both effective, and useful as a further learning tool. 

2. Cohesion with a wider context – impact on present and future learning, ‘future-proofing’ too; provision of lifelong skills; scope for flexibility on different vocational application

3. Creating a supportive learning environment. I think Alex has put it most succinctly: community. A sense of community enables the most meaningful activities, it drives retention, and increases motivation. It also increases intimacy which, as we are also now tasked with having an increasingly pastoral role, and looking out for signs of diminishing mental wellbeing, can hopefully go some way to breaking down barriers that students feel are preventing them from getting the help (academically or personally) that they might need.  Reply Reply to comment (2 likes)

• Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr Toby Carr 24 Jul 2020 24 Jul at 9:18

• Hi Katie,  Totally agree with 3 and this is very much the case in my role too.  I am a relatively new employees and have undergone a lot of training on student wellbeing, prevent, neglect, safe guarding etc. It is interesting on reflection how much of this was based on face to face encounters, conversation, informal support or check in’s when you actually see the students.  I would be interested in how this changes in an online environment where it could potentially be much easier for students to get lost in the system.  Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Michael Berthaume

Michael Berthaume

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 15:55

The most important thing is always the learning outcomes: everything centres around it, from content to assessment to use and implementation of blended learning. Without a consistent, reliable set of learning outcomes, the entire module falls apart. Therefore, it is the most important part, and backbone of the curriculum.

I am unsure what the next two most important ones are, as I feel this might be a bit subjective. For me, it would be an understanding of your class. From the learning outcomes, you have an end goal, but it is important to have a starting point. What prior knowledge do you expect students to have? What gaps do they have in that knowledge, and how will you address those? Do you have mature students with jobs and families, who have little free time, or young, eager students who would readily read a textbook in a week if asked? Do you have well off students who all have laptops, or do they share laptops with their partners and families, and cannot reliably access online materials? Having this base provides you with the necessary information for planning out how you will accomplish your learning outcomes and what type of differentiation would be required.

Finally, the third (and this is largely driven by covid), is what platforms will be used to teach the students. Will it be in person, in the lab, online, etc.? This will guide the types of activities you can partake in. Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr Toby Carr 24 Jul 2020 24 Jul at 9:13

Hi Michael, 

Good points, especially the second one.  As I am emerging from the second round of marking, assessment and feedback from external examiners following the switch to online, these points are really true for our students and can’t be ignored. In more than one case, students had to run to campus in thunderstorms with their laptops to use the wifi outside closed uni buildings to upload their work due to unreliable connections at home, family using bandwidth or poor coverage. It’s areal problem. we are trying to counter this by setting up COVID safe bookable workspaces on campus, but this still may disadvantage these students if they have to get there and doesn’t support remote working.  Not meaning to dismiss online learning but for me it has meant trying to rethink the e-tasks into things that are more accessible, broken into smaller bits and do not require large file uploads.  

First point, yes totally agree too. We have standard learning outcomes across the course for all 3 years, sometimes tricky to get to fit with a topic. I really see the benefit of breaking this down into module specific and week specific aims. Reply Reply to comment (1 likes) Collapse Sub discussion Angela Coskey

Angela Coskey

25 Jul 2020 25 Jul at 8:55

• Hi Michael,   I completely agree with how you prioritize your different areas of importance.  I too believe that the outcomes are the most important and everything else is secondary.  Reply Reply to comment (1 likes)

Collapse Sub discussion Safia Shahid

Safia Shahid

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 20:51

Hello everyone,

Here’s my list:

1- Plan and design of the lessons/ curriculum

2- Assessment strategy 

3- Feedback strategy 

Regards a fully online curriculum, I don’t think my list changes. However, the plan and design of the curriculum and the assessment and feedback strategy would just be different to overcome some of the challenges of fully online learning such as potentially lower student engagement and other challenges. For example, in terms of the plan and design of the lessons/ curriculum, e-tivities suggested by Gilly Salmon (2013) would be helpful. Likewise, an adapted assessment and feedback strategy that is suited to online learners guided by scholarship would be better. 

Many thanks,

Safia. Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr Toby Carr 24 Jul 2020 24 Jul at 9:00

HI Safia, 

I’m looking back through this thread having worked through the draft learning design exercise and totally agree with you on the importance of the assessment and feedback strategy. I found thinking through the steps of weekly e-tivities that build to form the assessment was a useful way to think about this and in line with scholarship on constructive alignment and scaffolded learning. 

My main driver for this was to keep the students engaged on a weekly basis and to make a clear structure that supports learning, then makes the output useful in their future work.  I need to revisit the reading for the week. On reflection I might add ‘pace’ into my first point and ‘outcomes’ as a third, rolling in ‘community’ with learning environment which is probably cheating!  Reply Reply to comment (1 likes)

• Collapse Sub discussion Safia Shahid Safia Shahid 29 Jul 2020 29 Jul at 17:38

• • Dear Toby, Sounds great. I think one of the key points that you have identified to support student learning is student engagement and a clear structure. Best of luck. Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr

Toby Carr

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 21:27

3 keys things for curriculum design from me: 

– Structure, methods and tools you will be using 

– The learning environment 

– As lots of others have already said, Community 

Loosely summarised as how, where and who.  Considering the purely online scenario, I think this would be similar although I would emphasise the first one and the importance for learners to become familiar with online learning tools.  the environment can be flexible and the challenge of creating a ‘community of practice’ still remains I think and may be more significant in an online scenario. Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Michael Berthaume Michael Berthaume 3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 10:22

• Coming at this nearly two weeks late (busy week followed by holiday week!) but I like how you summarised the concepts into question words, it helps make it more broadly applicable. I guess if I were to do that with mine it would be what, who, how, so similar! Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Anna Dovey

Anna Dovey

25 Jul 2020 25 Jul at 21:07

• What key three things do you think are most important to consider when designing any curriculum and learning environments in HE (face-to-face, blended and online)?

Having read some of the below replies got me reflecting on this. Which is most important – what we think is important OR what the students think is important? Do these considerations coincide at all?

Do they change? Given the current situation (for example), I suspect employability and earning potential might be uppermost in most student’s minds. The recent Gov discussions around dropping degrees that typically lead to low paid jobs (archaeology is one example) is interesting.

That having been said; from a teacher’s perspective the three most important things I think are:

1. Constructive alignment with LO’s / logical flow. In a curriculum this is not just in regards to your module but how that fits with the overall programme and possibly other LO’s such as lifelong learning skills. Does the way the curriculum has been designed flow? Is it a logical progression of knowledge / skills that are scaffolded?
2. Engagement  / enjoyability / accessbility.  Does the content engage a variety students in a variety of ways? Does it offer options for accessibility? This includes the assignments. Does it inspire the students? Does it speak their language? Does it include elements that are fun / humerous?
3. Employablity / earning potential. How is the curriculum going to support students into employability? What skills will it give them that will perhaps allow them to stand out above the competition?

• If you think about this question again, but only in relation to fully online curriculum and learning environments – does your list of three things change? How and why?

I don’t think anything does change that much. One is still creating and delivering content to encourage the development of skills and knowledge, just using a different medium to encourage that. Perhaps no. 2 is ‘dialled up’ more due to the need to engage students more and increase accessibility?

The need to ensure elements of social learning – such as our weekley webinars – becomes more important. That appears to be the major concern for most students looking to start degrees in Sept this year.

Further thought; if 3 is important, then LO’s etc. also need to take into account what employers are looking for in graduates. Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Dario Faniglione

Dario Faniglione

26 Jul 2020 26 Jul at 23:19

Thanks for sharing your ideas here. As we have mentioned a few times, this activity is meant to trigger thoughts and reflection around designing fully-online learning environments. Therefore, it might be useful to capture key learning points from this discussion in your CRJ.

A common theme across the contributions is that most of the things that are important to consider when designing face to face or blended teaching/learning are key in an online course too. What tends naturally to be different in a fully-online environment is how the teaching is delivered and how/when students take part. Collectively, you came up with the following as key things to consider when designing a course for online delivery:

• Clearly define the purpose of the session/course (what are the goals/learning outcomes)
• Constructive Alignment
• Take account of the likely needs of the students
• Inclusivity
• Utilise group feedback and peer learning approaches again so as to facilitate crucial thinking and reflective practice as well as to support inclusivity
• Employability
• Authentic assessment methods that encourage ‘deep’ learning
• Identify the instructional and assessment methods to be used
• Utilise assessment approaches that facilitate student learning, are authentic and incorporate good, actionable feedback strategies
• Connect the content of the course tightly to the learning outcomes
• Assess the depth and breadth of the content to be used and focus on depth rather than breadth so as to help ensure critical thinking can come strongly into play as a learning outcome
• Use curriculum delivery methods that support and are appropriate for both theoretical and practical outcomes
• Design in activities that are practical, authentic group based tasks

With respect to online learning, pretty much the conclusion was that all of the things important in design for face to face were just as important in online course design.

However, due to the fundamentally different nature of wholly online experiences there were differences to take into account. There was a thread that focussed more on the benefits and constraints of online learning as well. For the former, flexibility and content availability were highlighted and for the latter remoteness, quality and access to content as constraints.

There are some different views around the significance of instructional methods and how their choice was key. On the one hand assessment, considered as an instructional method, was seen as key and indeed delivery online meant that a course curriculum could benefit from a much wider range of ‘vehicles’ through which assessment could happen. Another view of instructional methods focused more on content and held the view that as content could be delivered in so many different ways perhaps instructional method (in that context) was less significant. In a sense, the large variety of instructional methods for content delivery would be such that any student would be less likely to not be able to find one to suit them.

Group feedback and peer assessment could potentially be more effective in a fully online course, but that it is difficult to envisage how practical components in many subject areas could be effectively delivered in an online course. It is certainly true that a number of subject areas have such key ‘hands-on’ elements to their curriculum that reproducing these at a distance looks impossible, and currently generally is. I wonder though, when one hears of the advances in virtual and augmented reality, with surgeons operating on patients from thousands of miles away, whether that need to be in a physical space will be there for all subjects that currently rely on this in 20, 10 or even 5 years from now? Reply Reply to comment (2 likes) Collapse Sub discussion Stanley Mbelu

Stanley Mbelu

28 Jul 2020 28 Jul at 12:54

The 3 key things that I think are most important to consider when designing any curriculum and learning environment in HE.

–  Planing, planing and planing. I believe that it is very essential to properly plan your session, especially if you are going to give the students materials they are to study or practise on their own and at their chosen time within the stated time frame you provided.

–  As a Business Tutor, I will consider the applicability of what I am teaching to them towards employment when they are in the labour market.

– Achieving and meeting the learning objective is among the three key things to consider during this proces. Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Mia Tedjosaputro

Mia Tedjosaputro

29 Jul 2020 29 Jul at 7:00

I had a read through W1 forum again and it is nice to be reminded what we discussed in previous week based on our experience as an online learner and our observations. The key three things I have in mind in relation to fully online curriculum and learning environments are:

– Technical consideration

– Retaining student’s engagement, and

– Addressing learners’ needs through differentiation.

If it is a 100% online, a reliable infrastructure is important. Not just the VLE, but also how materials are delivered. It is also related to my second consideration on retaining student’s engagement, which is ideally being monitored with timely feedback from facilitators. Another consideration is the broad methods on differentiation strategy. I imagine learners’ need can be identified and facilitated in weekly basis with the use of online tools. Reply Reply to comment (1 likes) Collapse Sub discussion Angela Coskey

Angela Coskey

30 Jul 2020 30 Jul at 9:24

1. What key three things do you think are most important to consider when designing any curriculum and learning environments in HE (face-to-face, blended and online)?

1. Learning Outcomes is a way to quality assure a framework of study in which you are working in. These are they key elements used by a curriculum developer or designer which will indorse and make clear to the external bodies, students, colleagues which aluminates the rational of a successful graduate on a particular course of study.
2. Skills developed Skills development is the first step in the journey of further education and training. This is why skills development matters. It is how we can ensure that the South Africa of the future, the South Africa we leave behind for our children, is built upon a solid foundation that will stand the test of time.
3. Assessments (summative and formative) Though students don’t always like them, assessments are important to ensure students learn everything they should in a manner that is appropriate. The importance of assessments in schools emerges primarily from the assessment’s role in helping teachers and administrators determine the type and manner in which material is covered in classes.

1. If you think about this question again, but only in relation to fully online curriculum and learning environments – does your list of three things change? How and why?
2. No, I don’t think these three things would change because they will be a standard in any course regardless of the learning environment.

Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Rachel Butt

Rachel Butt

30 Jul 2020 30 Jul at 15:22

Hi

i agree with the majority that constructive alignment is key to ensure learning outcomes/activities/assessment make sense and flow so they are aligned with each other

differentiation is also very important as meeting the needs of a class within the f2f environment can be very different to when trying to do the same via virtual means as we have discovered throughout this module

I also empathise with Suzanne, in that teaching subjects that are traditional “hands on” for want of a better term, can be difficult via virtual means as you never quite get the true ability to thoroughly assess technique and accuracy. In Nursing whilst I can see many modules that could be taught differently via flipped or virtual means, I also feel the value of face to face sessions in physical assessment skills and also in peer support and development Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Michael Berthaume Michael Berthaume 3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 10:23

• Differentiation is a concept first brought to my attention in this course, and one I like a lot. Up there with (a)synchronous learning for me! Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Harriet Beesley

Harriet Beesley

1 Aug 2020 1 Aug at 17:09

For me, reflecting on my personal experiences in online teaching and what I have learned through this course, th three key things to consider when designing content/environments for HE are:

1. really focus on a couple of key outcomes for the students. Don’t overwhelm them with information. Just tackle a few really well, making sure they are relevant to the learning outcomes and industry relevant.
2. Experiment with different activities and approaches, so that the students don’t get bored by repetition. This will also help both students and educators discover which methods resonate with them the most, as it can be very personal.
3. Leave a buffer of time for the unexpected, or in fact expected questions. Not all students will pick up the tasks at the intended speed, plus there will inevitably be questions that push the boundaries of the designed content. This is higher education, so we should be encouraging this questioning! We also need to factor in IT issues and language skills here too, especially in online courses where we are not always working synchronously.

Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Michael Berthaume Michael Berthaume 3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 10:25

• • I hadn’t thought about the “leave a buffer” component, but that’s a really good idea. The module I taught this past spring was for final years, who basically never asked questions because they were waiting until the end to cram, but it would have been nice if they asked questions along the way 🙂 Maybe my first years next month will be better at this! Reply Reply to comment

Introduction

As you have hopefully already seen from the previous forum, there are many different things to think about when designing online curriculum.

As you know, one key aspect of any curriculum design is to think through what kind of learning activities you want the learners to engage in. Let’s have a look at what a prominent expert in this area, Gilly Salmon, has to say about designing online learning activities for e-learning. She uses the term ‘e-tivities’ for this.

Reading Salmon:

She talks straight off about establishing ENJOYABLE & successful e-tivities (I hereby name these ‘ETs’ 🙂 ), & talks of emotional aspects of learning which echoes Race.

pg. 81 “…create short term goals with satisfying progress & flow of actions…” – this echoes book ‘What video games have to teach us about learning & literacy’. Gamification of learning.

Timing & pacing – I note in this course, when an assignment is due the week’s learning is frequently less onerous.

pg. 83 Salmon talks about getting students to deisgn their own assessments in groups – I have issues around this; how are you going to compare and mark different group’s assessments if the assessments themselves are very different? This does not fit with good practice around assessment (quality etc.).

Ah. I’m learning a lot about the roles of designers, moderators and appreciating more now the amount of work that goes into this course. Thank you!

Very good point about tech and emotions pg. 86 – 87. Whilst working on this course at one point this laptop (older) was snail-like and kept dropping the Wifi. I felt like drop-kicking it out of the window. That frustration is not conducive to study and the impact of the tech issues was to slow me right down.

I like Salmon’s point about expect the unexpected – students may not do what you expect them to, or in the manner / order you expected them too (Anc. Hist. field trip- 1 group completely misunderstood the task which rendered their overall contribution to the project unviable).

Relevant to Assignment 2 , on reflection; “… make clear looking for views, feelings, experience and ideas. Use ‘I’.”

Relevant point about not providing too many resources – I recall a (Falmouth!) games reading list – for ONE module, note – that was 4x A4 pages long, each resource listing about 3 – 4 lines long. I rang up to check it was right. The comment was; ‘Yes, we’re surprised when someone reads them all’. Then why the bl**dy hell have you listed them all? You’ve just presented your students with a daunting list that most will run a mile from, with no annotation r.e. prioritisation. What, exactly, do you think will happen? That demonstrates a total lack of empathy with their students and requires dragging that lecturer off for a strong word or two. And possibly sent for a test on autism.

Do some lecturers provide a reading list based on what *they* want to have access to – if it’s on a student reading list, the Uni has to get it it?

Also like her point on a similar topic – considering that students, esp. online, are not in a bubble but have many demands on their time and distractions (I can relate to that).

Also EQUITY. Because online access requires ££ – for broadband access and the devices to use it. She mostly means around use of language, how easy it is to mis-interpret something and be offended. ((this could be addressed by some introductory ET’s, also on how to debate etc.! MH issues might well come out online too)).

Clear instruction

Based on what Gilly Salmon said and proposed in the reading above, consider the following questions:

• What have you learned about designing online curriculum?
• How has your thinking changed about this?
• What key things will you want to keep in mind for designing an online distance-learning course in the future?

Reflect / Produce

For this Challenge Activity, we would like you to:

• Produce and describe your initial draft design ideas for a fully online course, that could work in your subject discipline and teaching context in HE.
• Consider and describe different key elements of the draft design of that course / programme eg aims, learning outcomes, learning activities, resources needed, how it would link with the wider programme of study, characteristics and background of the learners, differentiation for different learners, etc.
• Consider in your draft design ideas what you have learned so far from different practitioners in online learning (indicate who – it could also include your PGCHE colleagues).
• Consider what you have learned about the different learning concepts and theories, and their associated practices and assumptions (eg from Week 3 in the last module, EDU710), and how this might shape your design ideas.

You will be sharing your ideas and thoughts in the discussion forum on the next page.

Dejan Levi

20 Jul 2020 20 Jul at 9:00

This activity is timed well for me since I’m currently working on a pitch for a new online-only MA at Falmouth anyway. 

I’ve attached the pitch document which I was drafting for this last week. Looking at it now, I can see there’s probably not enough emphasis on the online aspects of it from a pedagogic perspective (the doc mentions the online aspects more in the context of a broader recruitment pool for the course).MA Storytelling for Video Games.pdf Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Alex Bailey Alex Bailey 20 Jul 2020 20 Jul at 13:20

Hi Dejan 

This is really interesting to me as I am developing a concept for photography courses with a similar emphasis: ‘An industry facing portfolio‘ (as you so eloquently put it) as the outcome, this is exactly the same as what I have in mind. The whole course structure being  ‘hung around’ the production of a tangible end product: An online, practice specialisation  portfolio driven web site . Therefore as you say mimicking typical industry benchmarks seems very appropriate and  relevant for the course you are pitching as does flexibility to adapt into different industry disciplines. All that came across very clearly when I read your pitch. 

I’d like to contribute some constructive criticism to support your pitch, but I need a bit more time to think or more to the point develop my own in order consider what aspects I will be including that might X over to you, my only comment at this point is: Do you have a particular very strong area of specialisation yourself that you could promote in the pitch? That might appeal to a leaner audience as perceived by Falmouth. And I get what you say about the online pedagogic perspective emphasis. I guess your lead by Falmouth’s own view on that as to how much you need to promote in the pitch document. They certainly seem pretty hot in that area. But isn’t that what they would bring to the party? Support with the online pedagogy methods. Surely it is the core idea that is the sell?  Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Suzanne Strudwick

Suzanne Strudwick

23 Jul 2020 23 Jul at 10:38

• Hi Dejan I learned a lot reading your proposal, the format read like a mini research paper with relevant information. I do agree with your own assessment and also with Alex, that within the paper a proposed method of pedagogical delivery should be inserted. What would be the underlying course structure be based on? a scaffolding approach which supports learners maybe more in line with the undergraduate learners and a more research self-learning approach for the graduate course.  Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Alex Bailey

Alex Bailey

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 10:43

Please find attached my first draft for a module for a blended learning photography course. To start with I drafted an outline for the complete course with a colleague and and I am now focussing in on key modules. Which is a very interesting exercise as I can quickly see other modules that will need to be prepared and delivered to support (feeding backwards) this module and make up the course curriculum as a whole. Film & TV M&P 1-1.pdf Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Nick Raven

Nick Raven

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 16:35

More questions than answers right now, but here’s a draft of my ideas so far…BA Graphic Design – Draft Design Ideas – Nick Raven.docx Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Harriet Beesley Harriet Beesley 2 Aug 2020 2 Aug at 19:38

• Hi Nick, Snap! Looks like we have similar inspiration sources, the double diamond is a great place to start and I think the Salmon’s 5 point model is broadly in action already. We use padlet as a forum for student peer feedback, but I also want to explore group projects in this distance asynchronous environment. I have found that the students in my module do really engage with the weekly challenges, but I do worry about burnout – is it possible to introduce some longer projects into the schedule too?   Reply Reply to comment

((these are:

Delivery

The ambition is to follow Falmouth University’s new week-by-week structure of a 5-point model:

1. Introduction (spark)

2. Lecture

3. Task Activity

4. Reflect

5. Consolidate Activity

Framework

Double Diamond

The Design Council’s Double Diamond is already embedded into the course design with modules orientated around the four stages: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. Students are briefed on what the expectation is for each stage of the model, for example, Discover = ‘divergent’ research and exploration of the project; Define = ‘convergent’ evaluation and definition of the needs of the project; Develop = divergent exploration of possible opportunities to respond to the brief; Deliver = convergent design and consolidation into a proposal or outcome.))

Collapse Sub discussion Suzanne Strudwick

Suzanne Strudwick

22 Jul 2020 22 Jul at 17:19

Initial design idea for a fully online learning module for beginner golfers. This is going to be quite a challenge as traditionally all these types of PE courses are delivered face-2-face. The most significant challenge is the loss of teacher to student feedback, visual observations, body language, movement patterns during the foundational learning stages. The progress and flow of this particular learning challenge have to be both intrinsically and extrinsically motivating for the learners to stay engaged and empowered to continue the course. 

Draft:

Aims: To deliver an online instructional and knowledgable module of content that inspires, engages learners and who will gain understanding in both the fundamentals of the golf swing and the movement patterns associated with successful execution.

LO’s:

• Learners will have an understanding (conceptual) and procedural knowledge in performing and executing required tasks.
• Learners will demonstrate declarative knowledge of the content and understanding and context of how and when to apply new skills.
• The quality of critical and creative thinking of the learners will be demonstrated in the discussions forums, assessments and assignments of tasks. 
• Different forms of media will be utilized during the module and each learner will demonstrate the correct application of using and applying these forms. 

Assessment:

• Visual observation of assigned tasks
• Peer feedback and evaluation of cohorts work
• Reflective Journal 
• Demonstration of application of video, podcasts and photographs 
• Q&A quizzes both formative and summative 

Feedback:

The student-centred learning environment and activities will provide feedback opportunities on a weekly basis both Synchronously and  Asynchronously during the delivery of the module. This is an important challenge for the success of the module for learners as frustration could easily result if they continue to practice incorrect movement patterns without corrective feedback from the instructor. 

A scaffolding design strategy will be used to provide the learner with support on how to improve through the learning process. Support will be given in a variety of ways, including; visual aids, helping to prioritize information, procedural strategies, metacognitive reminders to reflect on prior knowledge and understanding.

Week	Fall Course Outline – PE Online Golf
1	Syllabus/Goals / Basic Fundamentals 1
2	Review of Equipment / Basic Fundamentals 2
3	Short game Fundamentals 3 / Rules of Golf
4	Short game Fundamentals 4
5	Full Swing Fundamentals 5
6	Swing Fundaments 6
7	Playing the Game, Course Management
8	How To Practice / Play Effectively
Finals Week	Final Exam – Play 9-Holes or Written Exam Q&A

Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Alex Bailey Alex Bailey 27 Jul 2020 27 Jul at 13:01

Hi Suzanne 

It looks well planned, you obviously know best with your extensive  experience. What struck me from the first of was you saying: This is going to be quite a challenge as traditionally all these types of PE courses are delivered face-2-face.  Which in itself is very intriguing, actually fascinating really – ‘A Blank Canvass. What a wonderful opportunity. Sure there will be improvements and  adjustments over time but what a wonderful experience to be at the cutting edge of a new concept.

Alex  Reply Reply to comment (1 likes)

• Collapse Sub discussion Suzanne Strudwick Suzanne Strudwick 28 Jul 2020 28 Jul at 16:30

• Hi Stan and Alex Thank you for evaluating my initial thoughts. You are right Alex, this is a blank canvass which is such an opportunity for developing something new. (And I love challenges)! As we discussed in an earlier post, one of the aspects that intrigues me is the student’s ability to learn a movement pattern without the anxiety and perceived feeling of embarrassment or feeling judged about how they look while trying to perform. They are not in a drama where actors need that feedback, and most learners are beginners so learning the beginner / foundational stages may actually be better in isolation.  I do believe at the end of the course, most learners would need interaction because golf is inherently a social sport.  Stan, I’m glad you saw something in my approach and design for yourself. I need the structure of a weekly plan to keep me on track, i would easily get off track and down the ‘rabit hole’ if i didn’t!   Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Stanley Mbelu

Stanley Mbelu

28 Jul 2020 28 Jul at 13:30

Hello Susan,

this looks quite impressive, seems like you have quite an experience with such design. I like that you also structured your weekly approach, which if I am designing mine, I will incorporate most of your approach as well. Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Michael Berthaume

Michael Berthaume

3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 19:28

• I really liked how you took something that is difficult to be online, and made it work in an online environment! Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr

Toby Carr

24 Jul 2020 24 Jul at 8:50

HI All, 

I’ve decided to focus on a 4 week module I teach in the second year of our BA Architecture course.  It has the all encompassing title of ‘Environment’ and is slightly more technical and theory based than some of our studio design courses although still applied to student design projects. In the past an element of it has entailed making a large scale 1:10 sectional model of a part of the building.  Students often find this time consuming and it is questionable what the learning experience is aside from understanding the layers of the construction.  This year because of COVID restrictions there will be limited access to the workshops so this scale of output is not possible.  I also noticed last year when quizzing the students on their knowledge of environmental design and building physics, there were some fairly big gaps.  I intend to shift the focus a bit and use a series of e-activities that build to form thinking from a broad scale to detail and form the basis of an ‘environmental design’ report on their projects. This will then form the basis for this section of their reports in future projects and provide a framework for approaching it.  Current thoughts as follows, has been in my head for a while, good to get it down in writing, sorry for the long post!

Week 1 

Large scale, environmental issues in context, history of the environmental movement, current actions. challenges with the construction industry. 

Speaker: Mat Osmond, Extinction Rebellion, MA Illustration,  https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/staff/mat-osmondLinks to an external site. 

E-tivity: Write, draw or record a 10 point environmental manifesto stating how you, as a designer will act to slow the effects of climate change. Share with peers and comment. 

Week 2 

Strategy, energy sources, utilities, off grid living, use of resources, pollutants, waste and the circular economy

Speaker: Gareth Jones, Head of Design, Eden 

E-tivity: Using diagrams, draw and represent the way your project will use, generate and share resources, including energy, productive land, water, nutrients and social benefits

Week 3

Modelling, energy use predictions, calculations, building physics, tools and processes, u-values and legislation

Speaker: Chris Warboys, Etude environmental engineers

E-tivity: Using a pre made model of a familiar building (Kathmor, Fal campus) test environmental modelling software.  Using a simple model of your building, simulate the energy useage, overheating, solar gain and thermal performance 

Week 4 

Materials and construction, details, fabric energy efficiency, thermal bridging, insulation, natural, recycled and bio materials. 

Speaker: Prof Ruth Morrow, Hub for bio technology in the built environment, Newcastle Uni. 

E-tivity: Draw in 3D a corner of your building proposal showing the layers of construction and materials proposed

Submission:  Environmental design section of project report containing the e-tivities from each week and a summary of how your proposal addresses the challenges set in your own manifesto  Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Alex Bailey Alex Bailey 27 Jul 2020 27 Jul at 13:03

Fascinating – what a wonderful course. What an inspiration Mat Osmond is.

Alex  Reply Reply to comment (1 likes) Collapse Sub discussion Katie Welch

Katie Welch

28 Jul 2020 28 Jul at 15:12

Looks great, Toby. 

I love how the online nature of the design enables access to such great speakers. Personally, I’m definitely going to weave this kind of invaluable resource into my modules going forward. 

Your E-tivities get meatier as you go along: how do you imagine the timings working out on those? Are they as much work as they sound, to me, the uninitiated?  Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Toby Carr Toby Carr 29 Jul 2020 29 Jul at 16:59

• • Thanks Katie,  Yes I think this is a great opportunity with online content, to invite speakers who wouldn’t normally travel to Falmouth. I’m considering a pre recorded talk by the guest and me to introduce them as an asynchronous activity then a synchronous online Q+A or discussion on the points raised.   Not sure about all the activities /e-tivities as usual it is probably over complicated and needs simplifying! They are intended to be more work as it progresses and the students become familiar with the pace and tools.  Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Katie Welch

Katie Welch

28 Jul 2020 28 Jul at 15:09

Apologies, very late to the party…

Draft Online Module: BA Creative Advertising, Work Placement

LOs:

• Preparing students for the realities of working in the advertising industry
• equipping students with the skills to conduct themselves professionally, with awareness of the wider social/cultural issues that effect the workplace 
• Emphasise the importance of proactivity and enable them to progress their own careers through networking effectively

Assessment:

• Securing a relevant work placement 
• Research, approach and invite a relevant guest speaker to participate in a short, online webinar/Q&A session with your peers, to be conducted as part of the module itself
• Reflection on the whole process, and peer feedback

Weekly topics:

Week 1

• How the workplace works. Practicalities of living and working in (probably) London/another large city/for mainstream agencies. A day in the life of an ad creative.
• Introduce assessments

E-activity thoughts:  Research the ‘culture’ of an agency you’ve heard of/think you want to work at. Discuss with peers why it appeals to you. Share any experience you might have already had working in an agency. Reflect on what three things you are most looking forward to about working in the ad industry/most apprehensive about. 

Week 2

• How to get a job. Who to speak to. How to speak to them. Networking. Resources. Keeping your contacts fresh. 

E-activity thoughts: Ask yourself what are the most important things to consider when looking for a job. Plan an approach – who, how, what channels, what prep? Watch interview with Shannie Mears on building your professional network and getting the most out of platforms like Linkedin. Set up a Linkedin profile, if you don’t already have one. 

Week 3

• Freelancing and The Gig Economy. Diversifying your offering. Working outside of London. Working remotely (very important now)

E-activity thoughts: Write your website bio. Put together an invoice template. 

Week 4

• Social and cultural issues: sexism; racism and diversity; ageism

E-activity thoughts: Watch ‘Extracurricular’ interview with Kate Moross about navigating the modern workplace. Discuss. 

Week 5

• Mental wellbeing. Work/life balance. Handling rejection/disappointment. Separating work from your personal life. 

E-activity thoughts: Read Who Moved My Cheese? Join webinar with Hollie Newton, bi-polar ex-ECD and ad industry defector. Think about your future, and formulate some guardrails. (Note for me: look into life coaching to see if there’s anything that could be useful resource here)

Week 6

• WORK PLACEMENT WEEK

Week 7

• The ‘wash-up’: reflection and learnings. Securing employer feedback.

E-activity thoughts:  Reflect on your hopes/fears from Week 1. Share your experiences with your peers: did they meet expectations? What surprised you? What challenged you? What have you learned going forward? What will you change? 

Week 8

• Q&A/webinars with guest speakers (perhaps by contacts they’ve met via their work placement)

E-activity thoughts: 

Week 9

• Q&A/webinars with guest speakers (perhaps by contacts they’ve met via their work placement)

E-activity thoughts: 

Week 10

• Reflections and peer feedback.

Hand in of written reflection.

Feedback:

• Given throughout. 
• From employer, via me
• From peers
• Written feedback given upon marking and evaluation

Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Mia Tedjosaputro Mia Tedjosaputro 30 Jul 2020 30 Jul at 4:44

Hi Katie, 

I enjoyed reading your draft of the plan. It is so much in depth compare to what I have considered so far at this stage. From the plan I can see how learners can positively, constructively and interactively contribute, which are the ideal aims of e-tivities really. The topics are so engaging too!

Mia Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Joel Ferguson

Joel Ferguson

3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 15:31

• The on-boarding in week 1 looks really good! Your weekly topics look really engaging and pertinent. Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Anna Dovey

Anna Dovey

29 Jul 2020 29 Jul at 17:07

I based mine on the 10 week Study Skills course I designed for L0.

I’ve re-purposd the session planning form as I found that really useful last time!

I tried to follow the logical path of writing an academic essay, but some areas overlap (e.g. linfo. lit. and critical thinking).PGCHE Module Planning.docx Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Mia Tedjosaputro Mia Tedjosaputro 30 Jul 2020 30 Jul at 4:48

• Hi Anna,  I did not think to use the session plan but from reading yours it also works well! I generally produce mine without looking at others’, then going through peers’ posts so this is quite refreshing to me. The use of the form also means that differentiation strategies is well captured, which I am missing at the moment. Mia Reply Reply to comment (1 likes)

Collapse Sub discussion Mia Tedjosaputro

Mia Tedjosaputro

30 Jul 2020 30 Jul at 3:13

I have re-structured the fall semester module (17 weeks long) I developed to be fully deliver as online module. Although it was delivered online at the end (an abrupt shift due to the pandemic), when I started designing it was not meant to be online. The draft version focuses on encapsulating the five-stage framework and e-tivities by Gilly Salmon. The more prominent change was at the beginning of the module, expanding on stage 1 (access and motivation) and 2 (online socialisation) more than when it meant to be delivered F2F. Building the micro community and the  community in practice idea. Although at this point I have not gone in depth related to each week’s activities (stage 3-5) from W3 onwards, but I hope it will evolve in the next few weeks.20200729_draft_online module.pdf Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Rachel Butt

Rachel Butt

30 Jul 2020 30 Jul at 17:17

Hi

I’ve chosen a subject that traditionally is done face to face, but I think this is just because it is a health and social care module and thus deemed as required to be face to face. However due to its content, I feel i could deliver it with some adjustments online, which would as we know create more benefits to the students hopefully.

Research methods and methodology in Health and social care

Aim: To gain an overview of the main research methodologies and strategies in health and social care, and to develop a research based quality improvement proposal 

Learning outcome: 

1. critically appraise the rationale for the use of qualitative and quantitative research methods and methodologies in health and social care
2. critically appraise published research and systematic reviews, identifying implications for practice and policy development
3. demonstrate the ability to integrate the stages of the research process in qualitative/quantitative and literatiure based research within a quality improvement proposal 
4. awareness of the need for ethical review and research governance
5. awareness of barriers to health and social care research and quality improvement dissemination

Module content

week 1: how to access, use and develop information systems, databases, libraries and reflective journals online and assessment criteria

online activity: familiarise self with online IT systems, set up reflective journal, complete week one of journal and post to group for peer discussion

week 2: an overview of the main research methodologies and strategies

online activity: complete week 2 online reflective journal and post to group for peer discussion. write 3 main points learnt from this weeks learning and include in reflective journal

week 3: quality improvement methodologies and health service evaluation

online activity: complete week 3 online reflective journal, include initial ideas for quality improvement proposal 

week 4: ethical issues, barriers and research governance

online activity: complete week 4 online reflective journal and include what ethical issues, barriers and governance concerns may be pertinent to your quality improvement proposal 

week 5: evaluation criteria, reliability, validity, issues of corroboration and triangulation

online activity: complete week 5 online reflective journal and consider 3 aspects of weeks learning that may impact or develop your quality improvement proposal 

week 6: developing a research quality improvement proposal 

online activity: complete week 6 online reflective journal and submit a draft quality improvement proposal using the proforma provided to your reflective blog for group discussion

Feedback

feedback will be provided by peers weekly via access to group blog and from tutor both via blog and individually weekly

feedback will also be given re draft proposal via personal email from tutor to student

feedback will be given in written format after assessment marked

Assessment:

300 word quality improvement proposal, outlining the design and methodology of a quality improvement project 

weekly reflective journal blog 

Employability skills

this module can contribute towards the following programmes: MSc Specialist Practice, MSc Advanced Practice, and Professional Development awards

and provides skills in reflective approach, and critical appraisal of research Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Harriet Beesley

Harriet Beesley

2 Aug 2020 2 Aug at 19:43

The attached proposal is a first draft for the 4th module of the part time online graphic design MA. This is the penultimate module, before students tackle their final major project. My aim with this proposal is to help point students towards industry, making them more aware of the arena they will be entering after graduation. Employability or at least a good knowledge of where they see themselves in the industry is key! GDE740 content proposal.pdf Reply Reply to comment

• Collapse Sub discussion Michael Berthaume Michael Berthaume 3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 19:27

• Hi Harriet – glad to see im not the only one two weeks behind! I liked how you divided up the segments of the module based on the segments of the double-diamond approach, making the module more tangible to the students, and allowing them to better draw parallels between what they are learning in the module and a model they will use for the rest of their careers. Reply Reply to comment

Collapse Sub discussion Joel Ferguson

Joel Ferguson

3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 15:18

I am currently designing a blended module called for an MA Creative Advertising at Falmouth. Essentially 40% of the module is currently situated online. So it will require putting some thought into how I move the workshop activities I have planned online.

Module Level: 7

Module Duration: 11 weeks

Assessment Breakdown: 60% Portfolio, 40% Essay.

Module Aim:

To introduce and explore the role of promotional messaging and experiences in a world transformed by digital technology.

Learning Outcomes:

• Students will learn about and explore the impact of digital culture on brands’ communication strategies and tactics, and vice versa.
• Students will learn to develop messaging that will work across a symphony of media, assume novel forms, and those that experiment with different ways of interacting with audiences, and create new experiences.
• Students will be able to evaluate information from a range of credible and relevant sources, providing visual, contextual and/or business research as appropriate.
• Students will learn to apply iterative approaches and processes to problem-solving, exploring unfamiliar territory and ideas, embracing uncertainty and risk as the drivers for change and innovation.
• Spark and manage collaborative partnerships whilst embedding principles of inclusivity and empathy.

Employability Skills:

• Critical analysis
• Technical literacy
• Written communication & oral presentations
• Computer literacy
• Ethical sensitivity & acting morally
• Coping with complexity & problem solving

Weekly Breakdown

Each week is currently planned to consist of 4h30m of content including: 30 minutes of video/podcast lecture, a 60 minute seminar, and 3 hour face to face workshop. The week starts with online content which students should complete in order to prepare for the workshop on a Tuesday. The week ends with a webinar on Thursday.

Week 1: Introduction to major themes

Week 2 – 5: Online videos/podcast/lectures, case studies, online activities

Week 6: Formative Feedback Week – This is the first major formative feeedback session students will have. Typically I would have students present to me, and I have had students successfully present online via Microsoft teams so I am considering continueing with that format.

Week 7 – 9: Online video/podcast lectures, case studies, online activities

Week 10: Formative Feedback Week – This week is the last time students can get feedback. It’s here to help students finalise their summative submission.

Week 11: Final Hand In week – I like to dedicate this week to making sure students feel confident about their hand-ins and have everything formated properly for online submission.

Submission Assignments:

Portfolio Assignment: Working in teams of 2, collaborate complete creative briefs from weeks 2,3,4,5,7,8,9 and submit a portfolio of work. Best 3 marks will count towards summative mark.

Essay Assignment: 1500 word individual reflection on collaboration students have done through the module.

Feedback:
There will be feedback given throughout the module via bookable tutorial as well as the two major formative assessment weeks. Reply Reply to comment Collapse Sub discussion Michael Berthaume

Michael Berthaume

3 Aug 2020 3 Aug at 19:22

This was an interesting project!Week 8 module descriptor.docx Reply Reply to comment

Dario Faniglione

Sunday 26 Jul at 23:19

Thanks for sharing your ideas here. As we have mentioned a few times, this activity is meant to trigger thoughts and reflection around designing fully-online learning environments. Therefore, it might be useful to capture key learning points from this discussion in your CRJ.

A common theme across the contributions is that most of the things that are important to consider when designing face to face or blended teaching/learning are key in an online course too. What tends naturally to be different in a fully-online environment is how the teaching is delivered and how/when students take part. Collectively, you came up with the following as key things to consider when designing a course for online delivery:

• Clearly define the purpose of the session/course (what are the goals/learning outcomes)
• Constructive Alignment
• Take account of the likely needs of the students
• Inclusivity
• Utilise group feedback and peer learning approaches again so as to facilitate crucial thinking and reflective practice as well as to support inclusivity
• Employability
• Authentic assessment methods that encourage ‘deep’ learning
• Identify the instructional and assessment methods to be used
• Utilise assessment approaches that facilitate student learning, are authentic and incorporate good, actionable feedback strategies
• Connect the content of the course tightly to the learning outcomes
• Assess the depth and breadth of the content to be used and focus on depth rather than breadth so as to help ensure critical thinking can come strongly into play as a learning outcome
• Use curriculum delivery methods that support and are appropriate for both theoretical and practical outcomes
• Design in activities that are practical, authentic group based tasks

With respect to online learning, pretty much the conclusion was that all of the things important in design for face to face were just as important in online course design.

However, due to the fundamentally different nature of wholly online experiences there were differences to take into account. There was a thread that focussed more on the benefits and constraints of online learning as well. For the former, flexibility and content availability were highlighted and for the latter remoteness, quality and access to content as constraints.

There are some different views around the significance of instructional methods and how their choice was key. On the one hand assessment, considered as an instructional method, was seen as key and indeed delivery online meant that a course curriculum could benefit from a much wider range of ‘vehicles’ through which assessment could happen. Another view of instructional methods focused more on content and held the view that as content could be delivered in so many different ways perhaps instructional method (in that context) was less significant. In a sense, the large variety of instructional methods for content delivery would be such that any student would be less likely to not be able to find one to suit them.

Group feedback and peer assessment could potentially be more effective in a fully online course, but that it is difficult to envisage how practical components in many subject areas could be effectively delivered in an online course. It is certainly true that a number of subject areas have such key ‘hands-on’ elements to their curriculum that reproducing these at a distance looks impossible, and currently generally is. I wonder though, when one hears of the advances in virtual and augmented reality, with surgeons operating on patients from thousands of miles away, whether that need to be in a physical space will be there for all subjects that currently rely on this in 20, 10 or even 5 years from now?”

1. What have you learned this week regarding the design of online learning activities to support student learning?
2. Where and how did you learn this, during your work for this course this week? What particular activities or prompts helped you?
3. From what you have learned this week, how has your understanding of designing online learning activities changed? How has it stayed the same, or your existing understanding and perspectives about this been reinforced and confirmed?
4. What has this suggested regarding your current strengths in your practice, that could help you design online curriculum?
5. What has this suggested regarding what you might do to further develop this in the future? How might you do that (specifically)?
6. What has challenged or surprised you, during your learning this week?
7. To what extent do you think you have achieved each of the learning outcomes for this Week 8? If you think there is room for you to achieve these more fully, what could you do to help yourself achieve that?

So this week was largely about designing PURELY online learning environmentS.

What have I learned? I didn’t know much about the roles of e-moderators or designers, and I’d never heard of e-tivities before, so that was a large learning curve. This was from Salmon’s book.

I learnt quite a bit from the dicsussion on the forum r.e. the importance of a community of learning. This I recall from my student days, when we had opportunitys to discuss our subject, and it was disappointing at MA level to find fellow students weren’t really interested in holding conversations outside the classroom about the subject. There were several mentions of ‘welfare’ by Katie and how supporting good welfare is conducive to good learning, which makes sense. I didn’t envy today’s students *before* Covid – debt, competition for jobs, too many graduates etc. – I really feel for them now; so yes, this makes a valid point. Toby makes a very strong point about students access to decent internet connections and how this could impact equitable access when delivering online. This is something I touched on in my last assignment (BIM for some not having the latest hardware etc. may be an ecological choice).

Alex B makes an interesitng point in his response to Susie’s post r.e. teaching creative subjects- that sometimes you have to be hands on with students to convey the emotion of an action etc. He mentioned VR as used in gaming which is a very interesting point – I wonder if VR envronments like Second Life are still around and if they’ve offer some sort of solution?

I like Salmon’s focus on emotions – how students may be feeling frustrated at technology whilst they’re trying to study online (oh yes, I can relate to that one!). This chimes with Race’s approach to learning – not to leave out emotions when considering how people learn.

She particuarly emphasises ensuring e-tivities are active, add value, are clearly aligned to the LO’s etc. She also highlights the social element as essential to online learning and how it can motivate students (also possibly reduced urge to plagiarise from otehr studens as there’s more of a ‘collab.’ feel to the course then). This is an interesting point – I wonder how efficacious that approach actually is, especially in economic climates such as that we are entering?

The section on students essentially designing an approach to online study for themselves – rhythym etc. – would have been useful for me at the start of the course! I am *not* a creature of habit (unless it’s procrastination!); the Friday webinars are the one thing I make a real effort to attend.

Her sections on moderators and e-designers are interesting. I didn’t know much about what they did tbh – my apprecation for their work has increased as a result of reading that chapter. I wonder if it would help with student’s motivation / engagement if they were introduced a little to the role of moderator, e-designer a little at the start of the course, so they understood a bit more the amount of work that does go into setting up and running these courses?

I learnt from the forums, the reading and the activity (drafting an online course). I don’t think I learnt more from one than another; they imparted learning in different ways, therefore re-inforcing learning in some respects.

3. My existing knowledge of designing online activities has increased dramatically, since I knew very little to start with! It looks like some of my initial insticts were right – keep content and activites relevant to what students are studying (Librarians are frequently asked to deliver inputs on academic skills to students on a variety of courses).

4. My current strengths are minimal – I’ve had no prior experience in this field and have not studied it before. This means there are plenty of areas for improvement! My understanding has improve considerably, which will help me improve any future designs.

5. To further develop; learn from this course as an example of an online course. As I ‘ve learnt, I’ve identified more and more elements we have studied (e.g. social learning), that have been incorporated into this course (Friday webinars, forums), so I have both learnt about them and experiecned them as a student – experiential learning. It would be intrifuing to hear from other students what aspect of the course worked best for them / was the most enjoyable. For me it would be the Friday webinars (annoyed I’ve missed a couple), particularly during a pandemic! Learn from other sources – specific Library communities, online information. Try out some of the technology that’s available to support online learning. Talk to other professionals – that chat with Rosie for example, wherein I learnt about MS Sway.

6. Challenged or suprised me – not a lot. I’m still concerned about the focus on ‘engaging’ students etc. – I can see that tipping over into treating them like children with limited concentration spans and failing to stretch them / they fail to learn self-discipline (which has been a complaint from employers). Back in myyyy day, if you wanted to learn and wanted the qualification you were there, at every lecture and you grimly pushed on through the really boring bits (history of corn laws, anyone?). It seems we almost have to entice them into learning…? Ok, I was surpised by the e-tivities; I have never, ever heard of them before.

7. Hard one. I think I have to varying levels of success. I currently don’t have a local teaching setting so that’s a hard one! I don’t think I engaged as well as I could have with the online forum. Noted for the future…

I know I tend to be a very independent learner. This is a result of previous negative experiences of fellow students at school. This worked fine at University as independent learning (as it was then – I feel ancient!) was expected (Race on learner’s ‘incomes’!). Engaging with the forum has been harder than engaging in the webinars that somehow feel less formal and more collaborative – Alex’s community – than the forum, where it feels like everyone’s on their ‘best’ behaviour.

Reading chapter 3 in ‘Blended learning and inline tutoring’ – pg. 28 MacDonald reflects on the various different ‘qualities’ of interventions and media choice: she notes that some qualities are already recognised as necessary, but the relative importance of others will depend on the context, subject and discipline. I had already been reflecting on that as I was reading the various comments on the forums for week 8 & 9 (which is where having fellow students from a variety of different disciplines can be helpful); those teaching more physical or hands-one subjects such as golf (Suzanne) or sculpture may find asynchronous videos less useful than, e.g. face to face sessions where, as Toby I believe put it (?), you need to show the emotion in an action, or correct a student’s posture.

There maybe other tech in development that could benefit – e.g. the use of VR – perhaps a student could be shown a VR 3D silhouette, for example, of a golf poise that they then’step into’ and fiddle about until it goes green, to indicate (within degrees) they have achieved the correct pose. This lends itself to gamification too.

Note; on using a variety of interventions / media; as mentioned elsewhere, we must be careful not to assume all students are familiar with all apps just because we are. Especially for freshers, everything is initially quite daunting and distracting; hitting them with a load of new software immediately may well end up losing some. MacDonald p. 30 backs this up – also familiarity with self-directed study (oh, the temptation to procrastinate!).

http://www.elearning.ac.uk/effprac/index.htm