It may be of interest to note that on a recent trip to the States I came
across a medical curriculum the preclinical years of which could be
accomplished with as little as 10% attendance. Even in clinical years there
were examples of elective modules being delivered completely online. This
approach had not had any perceptible negative effect on student performance.
By default, all lectures are video and audio recorded and made available
through the VLE.
Here's where it gets interesting...
All faculty teachers saw attendance dropping severely as students elected to
access the lecture series in their own time. Some faculty took this as a cue
to complain bitterly about falling standards and demanded that videos be
withdrawn so everything could return to what it was. Others saw that the
time spent delivering lectures that were already available online was a
waste of that time and chose to fill the time period with alternative, new
activities.
The use of technology is not a means and an end. It cannot be discussed in
isolation as providing clear benefits since it is tied directly to its
context of use and that context of use is as responsible for delivering
learning opportunity as the technology itself.
I think this anecdotal case is a lovely illustration of how a technological
intervention provokes reflection on existing process. It is the outcome of
that reflection, rather than the tools themselves that should be looked at
in detail.
All Good Things,
Michael
=======================
Michael Begg
Special Projects Manager
Learning Technology Section
College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
University of Edinburgh
Hugh Robson Building
15 George Square
Edinburgh
EH8 9XD
-----Original Message-----
From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Wright Mr DN
Sent: 15 June 2005 14:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VLES] Coventry University send lectures to 3G Phones
I'd love to know if this method actually improves the performance of those
students who can't quite make it to the lecture theatre. I'm all for the use
of technology to support learning and teaching methods where the benefits
are clear, but I am concerned that this approach does not actually address
the problems of attendance and motivation. Or perhaps I'm just too
inflexible these days!
Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: Virtual Learning Environments [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
Of James Clay
Sent: 14 June 2005 10:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VLES] Coventry University send lectures to 3G Phones
The Daily Mirror is reporting that Coventry University are recording their
lectures and sending them
to the students with 3G phones (also providing access to them over the
internet).
http://www.mirror.co.uk/printable_version.cfm?objectid=15623619&siteid=94762
How many institutions out there are using technologies for portable devices
to distribute learning
and learning content?
By the way I found this out from another news source. ;-D
***************** List information: *****************
Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle
--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by the Cranfield MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.
***************** List information: *****************
Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle
***************** List information: *****************
Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle
|