Wanted: Instructional Designers expert in [insert subject here]

As the recipient of a weekly job notification email for higher education services of various kinds, I keep an eye on what jobs related to learning development and online learning are on offer. I pass along good opportunities through my twitter feed, and I like to comment on trends, issues and other points of interest here in…

E-Learning is not IT

This is not really a follow-on from last week’s post but it deals with the same topic: the differentiation between E-Learning and IT. The two photos below may be a bit overstated, but they serve to illustrate the key difference between these two computer-related areas. IT E-Learning “IT” stands for “Information Technology” and contains within it all things…

Why our online discussion didn’t work*

*(But yours can) “Why didn’t our online discussion work?” This is a depressingly common question in schools/universities and workplaces, when attempts are made to get people using online systems for collaboration and conversation. The idea is a good one: online environments offer great opportunities for people to get connected almost anywhere and any time to…

Updating Learning Programmes V: 7 Recommendations

This is the fifth and last in a series of posts aimed at organisations and educational institutions who wish to overhaul existing learning programmes. I bring together keypoints from the earlier posts along with new ones. 7 Recommendations 1. Planning Before rushing ahead to ‘blend’ a programme or implement any major changes, it is important…

Updating Learning Programmes IV: Active online participation

This is the fourth in a series of posts aimed at organisations and educational institutions who wish to overhaul existing learning programmes. Active online participation The early work of Etienne Wenger, Gilly Salmon and Nancy White* brought to the attention of educators interested in making use of online and remote technologies the benefits of online…

Updating Learning Programmes III: Assessment

This is the third in a series of posts aimed at organisations and educational institutions who wish to overhaul existing distance and blended learning programmes. Assessment According to the Assessment Reform Group, a task force set up by the British Educational Research Association, formative assessment or “assessment for learning” is a key tool for raising…

Updating Learning Programmes II: Assumptions that form obstacles (DL in HE)

There are often assumptions about teaching and learning embedded in university courses and programmes that can create obstacles to real innovation and change, especially for Distance Learning. These assumptions are best laid bare in order to understand if they are valid and shared by everyone involved in programme design and delivery.

Updating Learning Programmes I: 10 First Principles

With any anticipated major change to a programme of study, it is imperative to go back to first principles and re-examine the purpose for the programme, the learning aims and objectives, tacit assumptions about learning embedded in the programme, and the assessment practice resulting from these. We must make sure that these are still valid and worthy of driving the outcomes of the programmes.