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Hi Caroline - all your ideas are worthwhile, and meeting face to face is probably essential to make the virtual elements a success.
It might be useful to share some of the problems we've had here at Brighton and something that (fingers crossed!) seems to have made a real difference. Our PGCE in Learning & Teaching in HE has always been successfully structured around fortnightly (face to face) action learning sets - a bit of a trek for some colleagues as we have 5 main campuses spread over 35 miles, but one which participants have always rated too highly for us to want to abandon. In between set meetings they work on their own projects, supported by a number of 'study packs' which replaced workshop sessions a few years ago and involve a mix of practical advice, theoretical readings and prompts for reflection.
All fine as far as it goes, but we have worried about the fact that apart from a 3 day introductory programme at the beginning of each semester and a course conference at the end, the cohort now rarely meets as a whole, and until this year we had struggled to find a way to develop real debate across the whole group between set meetings, or to expand numbers by enabling a distance learning option. We have a Blackboard-based VLE and more recently a blog, but real online discussion was still almost non-existent - despite the fact that most of them use e-learning in their own teaching, so need to experience the highs and lows from a student's eye view.
However, we have now developed one of the study packs into a wholly online version which requires them to post responses to some of the questions and readings and to share experiences online. It's still early days but I have been thrilled with the level and depth of discussion that this more structured approach has already generated, even during the very busy start of the teaching year.
We are using Community@Brighton, a social networking environment based on Elgg software, which allows for much more nuanced access restrictions than commercial applications like Facebook, so people can choose whether to share individual postings, comments, uploaded pictures, documents etc, with the whole course cohort - the default option - or make some items more or less public than this. Community also incorporates a tool for e-portfolio development, which they will be using at the end of the module to edit & collate their contributions and to add commentary, attach media files etc - again a good opportunity to experience things they may be asking their students to do.
What has helped make this year better than previous attempts? - well I hate to admit it, but finally making it a compulsory part of the course was probably crucial to get people started; making sure all the readings are available online with a couple of clicks through choosing ebooks and online journals; the software itself which makes some things easier than before; uploading photographs from the introductory programme as we went along so the virtual space was immediately linked to that experience; and generally trying to follow all the usual advice about supporting e-learning. However, it could still go horribly wrong once the novelty wears off so I'm trying not to count my chickens....
On a slightly different track, I know you are already familiar with FlashMeeting for videoconferencing, so you may be interested in the use of FM for virtual action learning sets to support new tutors on a very dispersed foundation degree - something we piloted recently with the Open University as part of the Sussex Learning Network. There is a summary of the project and resources to support similar use at http://labspace.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3402 (I don't think you need a Labspace log-in, but if so let me know)
Sorry this is so long - I look forward to hearing about how you go on.
Best wishes
Pauline
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Pauline Ridley, Learning Area Co-ordinator (Visual Practices) Learnhigher CETL,
Centre for Learning and Teaching
Room 113, Mayfield House, Falmer Campus, University of Brighton Brighton BN1 9PH
Telephone 01273-643406 Email [log in to unmask]
Visit the CLT website at http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt
Visual Practices website http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/learnhigher
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Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 14:01:38 +0100
From: "Cash, Caroline" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Cross-campus PGCHE
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Here at Falmouth we have had an enthusiastic response to our PGCHE in
its first year and already there is a waiting list of applicants for the
second intake of the course, starting in January 2009.=20
UCF now incorporates Dartington College of the Arts, still located in
Totnes but in 2010 due to relocate to Falmouth. A few colleagues at
Dartington also wish to take the PGCHE course in January, but with
limited resources (personnel and budget) I am trying to develop creative
ways of including colleagues from both Falmouth and Dartington across a
90 mile distance. Given that participant evaluation repeatedly
highlighted one of the strengths as the cross-subject pedagogic
discourse, and also that the PGCHE may support colleagues who will have
to make the transition to Falmouth in two years' time, I would very much
like to find interesting ways to deliver the course across the
geographical divide.
So far I have considered:
Use of VLE
Video-conferencing sessions with a mentor acting as mediator in the
'unfacilitated' group.
Participants videoing own teaching sessions for peer observation/review
Use of wikis for collaborative conversations around particular strategic
L&T issues.
Residential 'summer school', 3 days in Dartington, 2 in Falmouth.
An on-line 'reading group'
Visits by each group to the other campus (conscious that this will mean
a whole day out)
I am sure I'm not the first to have grappled with this type of issue in
delivering a 'real-time/blended' course but would very like to draw on
your experience and ideas.
Best wishes,
Caroline
Caroline Cash
Course Leader PGCHE
Research Fellow Learning & Teaching
University College Falmouth
[log in to unmask]
01326 214390
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Here at Falmouth we have had an =
enthusiastic response to our PGCHE in its first year and already there =
is a waiting list of applicants for the second intake of the course, =
starting in January 2009. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">UCF now incorporates Dartington College =
of the Arts, still located in Totnes but in 2010 due to relocate to =
Falmouth. A few colleagues at Dartington also wish to take the =
PGCHE course in January, but with limited resources (personnel and =
budget) I am trying to develop creative ways of including colleagues =
from both Falmouth and Dartington across a 90 mile distance. Given that =
participant evaluation repeatedly highlighted one of the strengths as =
the cross-subject pedagogic discourse, and also that the PGCHE may =
support colleagues who will have to make the transition to Falmouth in =
two years' time, I would very much like to find interesting ways to =
deliver the course across the geographical divide.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">So far I have considered:</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Use of VLE</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Video-conferencing sessions with a =
mentor acting as mediator in the 'unfacilitated' group.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Participants videoing own teaching =
sessions for peer observation/review</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Use of wikis for collaborative =
conversations around particular strategic L&T issues.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Residential 'summer school', 3 days in =
Dartington, 2 in Falmouth.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">An on-line 'reading group'</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Visits by each group to the other =
campus (conscious that this will mean a whole day out)</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">I am sure I'm not the first to have =
grappled with this type of issue in delivering a 'real-time/blended' =
course but would very like to draw on your experience and =
ideas.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Best wishes,</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Caroline</FONT>
</P>
<BR>
<P><I><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Caroline Cash</FONT></I>
<BR><I><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Course Leader PGCHE</FONT></I>
<BR><I><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Research Fellow Learning & =
Teaching</FONT></I>
<BR><I><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">University College =
Falmouth</FONT></I>
<BR><I><FONT SIZE=3D2 =
FACE=3D"Arial">[log in to unmask]</FONT></I>
<BR><I><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">01326 214390</FONT></I>
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End of SEDA Digest - 7 Oct 2008 to 8 Oct 2008 (#2008-158)
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