Image source: brunkfordbraun, ‘Idea’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/67961268@N00/330793963/

Image source: SkyWaker kj2043, ‘海風輕吹... 樂逍遥’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/21099071@N03/3731709213/

Image source: cuellar, ‘Unforgiven’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/49503180180@N01/447379393/

Source: OFSTED, (2009) “VLE an evaluation of their development in a sample of educational settings”, [online] http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/Virtual-learning-environments-an-evaluation-of-their-development-in-a-sample-of-educational-settings, p.4

Source: OFSTED, (2009) “VLE an evaluation of their development in a sample of educational settings”, [online] http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/Virtual-learning-environments-an-evaluation-of-their-development-in-a-sample-of-educational-settings, p.4

Image Source: Max Braun, ‘Heinrich’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxbraun/104431360 Source: OFSTED, (2009) “VLE an evaluation of their development in a sample of educational settings”, [online] http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/Virtual-learning-environments-an-evaluation-of-their-development-in-a-sample-of-educational-settings, p.4

Source: Shirky, C. (2008) “Here Comes Everybody”, p.105 Image Source: ArtByChristi, ‘Flourish’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrysti/2250223529/

Image source: Jnarin, ‘The One Chosen…’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/54448386@N00/2993803017/

Stuff that makes it meaningful for students. Stuff that makes it meaningful in teaching and learning. Using the content area in an effective way to organise your learning materials to support students.

Insert video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkhpmEZWuRQ

Narrative, clarity of writing, signposting, linking in and out of each section etc…

Source: http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/files/crashCourseInLearning.pdf

Image Source: Fabian Blanca, http://www.flickr.com/photos/faby74/3022829811/

Where does the BLEND come in? (i.e. What can ‘online’ add to ‘F2F’?)

How can online enhance F2F?

How can online enhance F2F? Preparation

How? Revision

I’m using the term ‘diagnostic’ in a very general sense here. What I’m getting at is that all these three uses of online activities tell you something about how students are getting on. You can: Identify individual students who are struggling See the bits students are struggling with in general, and tweak your teaching to suit

How can online enhance F2F? Managing group activity Makes it easier to manage groups – each group can be given their own: Group File (storage) area Discussion area Dropbox (to electronically submit work to) Also brings transparency to group activity: Makes individual contributions more visible Shows reliably and at a glance, who submitted what and when, when feedback was given, when marks were given, etc.

Integrate activities (content area allows you to organise your stuff, write around activities, include a narrative) Integrate the activity into your material. Introduce it, say why it’s important or interesting, say how it relates to the assessment task or learning outcomes Be explicit about the task and how you want people to engage with it (you might say that’s self-evident but one of the main reasons e-learning activities fail is that this kind of direction is missing)

This page introduces the activity. It says: What the topic is why I think we should be interested in it What the activity tasks are

This page is the external resource I want people to look at as part of the activity

This page sets out the activity in more detail, listing: The ILOs addressed by this activity The task type and duration Explicit instructions, explaining how I’d like people to engage with the task

And here is the discussion itself.

Make activities purposeful and relevant What is the purpose of the new blended activity? If you can’t say why it’s better than your old approach, it almost certainly won’t work. (this might sound obvious but it’s often overlooked. The obvious example is discussion activities...) Get people to engage with the activity by stressing its relevance to module assessment tasks or learning outcomes. (to assessment task or learning outcomes)

Consider workload How demanding should activities be… a) for participants, and b) for me, as course convenor and moderator (again, this is something you would normally do anyway but Leave time to plan – start in the preceding term if possible (talk to EDU if you want) If there’s a learning curve in terms of your own skills, plan for that as well

Don’t lose heart if Take advantage of the medium Print run As you go Also about tweaking your F2F Conditional release allows you to be more flexible and responsive

Image Source: Alan Cleaver, http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4447694983/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516172/in/set-72157622354789320/ Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914729343/in/set-72157622354789320/ Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516040/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914730605/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516172/in/set-72157622354789320/ Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914729343/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915515628/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915515536/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915514588/in/set-72157622354789320/

Enhancing life-long learning, teaching and research through information resources and services

Organisation for Learning Sarah Horrigan, Senior eLearning Developer Barry Gregory, eLearning Developer Laura Skelton, eLearning Developer

What is this not going to be about? Jargon A sales pitch for NOW Technical waffle Acronyms Step-by-step instructions Edu-speak Boring stuff Geek-speak

So…

…what is this going to be about?

Ideas! Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67961268@N00/330793963/

Some things to think about… Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66164549@N00/2260970300/sizes/l/

I’m going to share a secret with you…

Useful Not useful Interesting Dull

Useful Not useful Interesting Dull Virtual learning environments Watching paint dry Things your 6 year old says Chocolate teapots Engaging learning Raincoats NTU buffets

VLEs aren’t that exciting Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21099071@N03/3731709213/

Don’t aim for the minimum! Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/49503180180@N01/447379393/

“… The best VLEs reviewed allowed learners to reinforce their routine work, or catch up on missed lessons. In those best cases the material offered was fun and helpful and was being used well by learners…” Image source: Maccio Capatonda, http://www.flickr.com/photos/gattomimmo/2217134329/

“… In the least effective examples, documents had been dumped on the system and forgotten.” Source: OFSTED, 2009 Source: Sandman, ‘Storm Cell at Sunset’, http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotdoubledot/1281864495

“The common factor in effective VLEs was the enthusiasm of the subject teacher; that is enthusiasm for the subject and teaching and learning as much as any competence in computing” Source: OFSTED, 2009 Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxbraun/104431360/

“… communications tools don’t get socially interesting until they get technologically boring” Source: Clay Shirky, 2008 Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrysti/2250223529/

Teaching’s still teaching… right? Source: amarola, http://www.flickr.com/photos/amarola/268642793/

What’s the difference? Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54448386@N00/2993803017/

What might help make NOW more engaging? Source: batintherain, “Europe, puzzle”, http://www.flickr.com/photos/batintherain/227028853/

Plan your writing… Source: Jenna Carver, http://www.flickr.com/photos/babyowls/2329783873/

Make the most of its potential

Narrative and writing style? Source, mrclean, http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrclean/371372515/

Source: http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/files/crashCourseInLearning.pdf

Some guidelines… Make Text 'Scannable‘… Highlight keywords Provide meaningful headings and subheadings Include one idea per paragraph

Some guidelines… Keep your tone reader-friendly: Be conversational Be welcoming Try to get a sense of narrative running through your text

Above all… use plain English! Image Source: Fabian Blanca, http://www.flickr.com/photos/faby74/3022829811/

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/feverblue/3992916003/sizes/l/ Where does the BLEND come in? (i.e. What can ‘online’ add to ‘F2F’?)

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jvk/19081705/sizes/l/ Consolidation

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orangeacid/4347579138/ Preparation

Revision Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edduddiee/4187082665/

Diagnostics http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranchis/4188645140/sizes/l/

Managing group activities Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmcdee/3756828160/sizes/l/

Some considerations...

Integrate activities Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunface13/2597074553/sizes/l/

1. Activity introduction...

2. Resource used in the activity...

3. Detailed instructions for activity...

4. The discussion forum itself...

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/epublicist/3546059144/ Make activities purposeful and relevant

Consider workload (yours as well as your students’) Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kubernan/478413420/sizes/l/

Experiment, tweak, reiterate Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wader/11827393/sizes/l/

Neil Hughes Latin American Studies 2, 2008/09

Image Source: Alan Cleaver, http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4447694983/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516172/in/set-72157622354789320/ Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914729343/in/set-72157622354789320/ Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516040/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914730605/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516172/in/set-72157622354789320/ Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3914729343/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915515628/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915515536/in/set-72157622354789320/

Image Source: 姒儿喵喵, http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915514588/in/set-72157622354789320/ Before we go…