Notes from eSTEeM workshop on OpenStudio use in MCT
27/1/15
Chris Winter (LTS)
There are two versions of OpenStudio (and its variants) in use: the original standalone version and
the newer VLE version. The new version was piloted in U101 and is now in use by 8-9 modules.
OpenStudio has received popular feedback from students. It has been evaluated in IET using
students and the usability labs.
There is an OpenStudio demo site – http://learn3.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=300388
This includes:
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material authored by Derek Jones on using OpenStudio for effective learning and teaching
playsites for individual use
a demo site
FAQs
New developments include (to be available in the June 2015 release):
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‘sets’ of work (slots which are related and grouped). These are good for when more than one
related artefact (slot) needs to be uploaded. This will possibly replace the current ‘collection’
tool.
the ability to lock down for assessment (this can be under OU or tutor control).
Participation view in OpenStudio is useful to get an overview of who is uploading/commenting and
who isn’t.
Jon Rosewell (T189 Digital photography)
Peer review and sharing is central to the module. Students share photographs.
Module aims include critically evaluating others’ work, which helps develop self-evaluation skills,
and experimenting with photography in a supportive community.
There are no tutors – just moderators.
Students carry out photographic tasks each week. They work in a different set of students each week
(automatically created from those who submit work previously).
Initial idea was to use Flickr, but this was not used, partly because there was a perceived need to
lock down assessments (though this was never actually done in the end).
In OpenStudio the comment is visible next to the image – this is a different feel from e.g. a forum
posting with an image attached. Images can be tagged.
There is a ‘virtuous circle’ of learning and feedback (see Jon’s slides).
A portfolio of photos is submitted for assessment. This is done via the eTMA system not OpenStudio.
There is also a reflective question.
Leonor Barroca (TM354 Software engineering)
One aim of TM354 is to develop students skills in modelling. In previous modules students focussed
too much on the syntax of the modelling diagram, rather than the meaning of the model, and how
well that meaning can be understood .
OpenStudio is used in TM354 to support sharing and discussion of models, and what models can do.
It is also meant to (loosely) mimic agile approaches, where developers meet regularly to share their
work.
Each TMA includes an OpenStudio activity. So far students have completed TMA01 and are working
on TMA02.
An issue with TMA01 is that students did not engage in time. This is a problem when each student is
dependent on feedback from others. Engagement 2 weeks prior to the assessment deadline is
crucial so students are sent an email (camel) if they have not engaged by this point.
In TMA02 and TMA03 students are asked to post models and then compare their own with someone
else’s, so there is less dependency on others’ feedback.
ALs expressed the need for easy information, and an overview, on what each student had done so
far for collaboration e.g. who had given comments and who had received them.
The discussion and feedback was also not as in-depth as ALs would like.
Rachel Slater (T219 & T319 Environmental Management 1 & 2)
On T219 students have already been using OpenStudio; T319 is in its first presentation and students
are only just reaching the part of the module where OpenStudio is used.
In T219 and T319 the OpenStudio environment is called ‘Display Wall’, to provide a better match to
the way it is used in the modules. Students post and discuss artifacts related to systems techniques
and diagrams.
T319 has group work. In some blocks students work in tutor-led groups, or later in student-led
groups, to jointly produce a diagram.
The OpenStudio work is not directly built into the module assessment. The MT was concerned that,
if it was, students would engage only for assessment.
Challenges/issues:
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Students are asked to add a description of each diagram they post, but not many students
do this.
Not many students add comments to others’ diagrams.
Students find the environment rather difficult to navigate and use (e.g. the sorting tools),
especially compared to Facebook etc..
There is restricted use on mobile devices.
There are some accessibility issues.
Anne-Marie Gallen (Y033 Science, technology and maths access module)
Y033 is an access module which sits across several faculties and prepares students for study in STEM
areas. There are 300-400 students per presentation. The module will move to the new version of
OpenStudio in 16J.
In Y033, use of OpenStudio takes place in Block 3, which is about engineering, design and computing,
and is all online. In this block students carry out tasks related to the theme of their home and local
environment.
They upload photos, diagrams etc. which are shared across the whole cohort. Examples include a
photo of a model bridge they have built, or of a real bridge, or a diagram showing the layout of their
house.
They are asked to comment on their own images, but there is no required collaboration. The
activities are meant to be fun and not stressful.
All continuous assessment is formative-only; the EMA is pass/fail.
Currently there is very high engagement with OpenStudio.
This could be because 50% of the EMA is based on what they share in OpenStudio and the other 50%
is largely maths based. Students prefer the OpenStudioS activities to the maths ones.
The current weightings mean that some students avoid the maths altogether, only doing the
OpenStudio part and the associated reflective question. The weightings are being reviewed for
future presentations, to reduce the amount accounted for by OpenStudio.
Elaine Thomas (TU100 My digital life)
Students use lots of technology and software and are expected to work with audio, video, images.
In TU100 OpenStudio is called ‘ShareSpace’.
The ShareSpace work takes place in Block 4 ‘My Friends’ and forms part of the TMA. It involved
creating an audio-visual presentation, uploading it to ShareSpace, and commenting on the
presentations of at least two other students.
There are also associated reflective questions in the TMA, which include saying how they might use
the feedback they received from other students.
Students enjoy creating and sharing their presentations, and they enjoy the block as a whole. But
they often leave adding feedback to the last minute. This causes problems for other students.
As part of the block, students are given some guidance on how to provide useful feedback.
Note: At this point other workshop participants mentioned that guidance on giving feedback is
provided in their modules. We should share experiences and resources on this aspect.
David Morse - and Rita Tingle - (M258 IT project and service management)
Module includes team working (as required by BCS accreditation). M258 has team working running
through the whole module. This begins with an icebreaker activity where students produce a team
name and logo.
M258 has recently switched from the old version of Openstudio (which they call ShareSpace because
TU100 did) to the new one. There were some administration problems with the old version, which
the new one resolves. These are to do with allocating VLE tools to teams.
There is not such a visual focus as other modules.Later work is mainly sharing Word documents, but
with some sharing of diagrams.
In TMA01 students share results of individual work.
In TMA02 they discuss and comment on their work and produce a team document.
Interim deadlines are used to encourage students to participate in time. The tutor checks against
these deadlines. This is built into the TMA and students lose marks if they miss the interim deadline.
If a student receives no comments, they are asked to say in the TMA what sort of comments would
have been useful to them.
Note: Chris Winter pointed out that there is a visual participation tracker. David asked if this sort of
facility could be available across all collaborative tools in the VLE.
Anne-Marie Gallen – and Jim Moffatt – (T174 Engineering the future)
The 14J presentation is using ODS; the 15B one will use the newer OpenStudio. In T174 both are
described as the Open Engineering WorkSpace (OEW).
Engineers need to use team working right from the start – but they don’t like it. They also need to
demonstrate analysis skills. The module has small team work (typically 6 students).
The MT has tried to keep the use of OS as ‘visual’ as possible. Images are the usual focus of uploads.
In Block 1 students post a picture of a household item, and comment on others’ pictures. There is
good engagement.
In Block 2 teams of 6 students produce a diagram to design and build a birdbox. Individual bits are
combined.
In Block 3 there is a discursive activity. This did not work well in OEW so it has been moved to a
forum.
Block 4 had an activity in a wiki, but this meant that students needed to use too many different
collaboration tools. So this has now been moved to OEW [check that I have got this right].
A facility for students to vote, via ‘favourites’, will now be used, in a fairly large activity.
The module uses assessment to ensure students engage with teamwork tasks – there is assessment
related to OEW for all TMAs and the EMA.
Nicole Lotz (U101 Design thinking)
Use of ODS is linked to most of the module learning outcomes.
42 uploads (“slots”) are required, with a further 34 optional.
A starting activity is a photo of a banana – to illustrate the variety of perspectives.
Assessment of ODS work is mostly indirect.
The only direct assessment is in TMA02, and students do not like it. This is a particular drop-out
point for the module.
ODS is not good for discursive activities, so these are done in forums.
The EMA includes reflection on use of ODS.
All assessed work is uploaded to ODS. Tutors provide formative feedback.
Quantitative analysis of students’ ODS activity is being carried out e.g. in 13J there were 20,000 slots
(uploads) and 18000 comments.
Note: Nicole’s slides contained some interesting figures regarding number of uploads/comments etc.
– worth taking a detailed look at this and how it could be used for the second stage of our project
when we are looking at TU100 and TM354 in more detail?
Georgy Holden (ODS in Q61: T217 Design essentials & T317 Innovation)
OpenDesignStudio (ODS) is used across the qualification for cognitive skills development learning
outcomes.
In T217 an aim was to emulate a physical design studio, where students collect and curate their own
work, and develop a community with others.
Currently the old version of ODS is used. The module needs to use ‘sets’ of slots, so will move to the
new version now that these will be available.
Some slots are used for reflective activities.
There are workbook activities to develop students’ drawing skills.
There is also a place to collect web links.
In T317 there is a journey towards using ODS in project work. An aim is to create a community of
practice.
Initial analysis of ODS data suggests: about a third of uploads have comments; there is a correlation
between the numbers of views a student makes and their level of success in the module.
Note: Again, more interesting figures here that we should take a look at. Number of views and
comments per student – does this correlate to success? Look at assessment scores compared to these
figures?
Notes from the discussion before lunch
Karen: Reasons for using OpenStudio (as opposed to other tools)?
Rita: Somewhere to collect stuff together and see others’ work. “The feel of having a container”
Georgy: “A portfolio” – would really like one that goes across modules.
Rita: Would like to see a ‘miniature’ word document – give the feel of a collection.
David: In a forum: you get no preview of an attachment; the words are the important bit. In OS it’s
the other way round.
Chris: For many students writing is difficult. In OS comments can be short. Because it is visual the
barrier is gone. Students do something then write something.
Elaine: Students begin to discuss among themselves.
Overall: OpenStudio is best for uploading and sharing activities, where the artefact is the focus – not
the discussion. This was compared to forums where the discussion came first.
Flipchart notes from the discussion after lunch
Engagement – some good, some less so
How to organise students into groups
There is a problem about student expectations about OU study, online-only study and
group/collaborative work. Generic descriptions from the OU are not helping.
Aligning activities to a particular time
Students see things coming in (e.g. the bananas activity in U101)
Commenting and reflection – the quality of this. Tutor feedback helps overcome the fear.
Is reflection on a visual artefact the key factor?
Need accessibility w.r.t. visual elements.
Finally, OS based activities – a doodle!
Reflection
Description
(by artefact creator?)
Artefact
sharing
Discussion
(compare to forums?)
Comment/feedback
(compare to wikis?)