Report of the Working Party on Teaching and Learning
at Victoria using Digital Technologies
April 2011
Executive Summary
This report is the outcome of a working party group that met on seven occasions during the period
October 2010 to March 2011, chaired by Professor Peter Thirkell. The terms of reference were to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Assess the scope, quality and coordinated management of the current use of new media
and technology in teaching and learning at the University for distance and local students,
including the use of learning management systems.
Gather representative examples of national and international best practice in managing
access to learning opportunities through new media and technology.
Recommend a clear strategy for the development of new media and technology for
teaching and learning at the University consistent with established strategy, resources and
standards in teaching and learning at the University.
Make recommendations on the appropriate academic goals, leadership responsibilities,
technology requirements, pedagogies and resource needs arising from the strategy.
Advise on any other issues that the Chair considers relevant to the working party role.
The working party, representative of a number of academic and central service groups across
Victoria University, drew on a range of published sources, internal documents, Web-based
materials and shared professional experience in formulating its strategy. For the most part a good
degree of consensus emerged around the insights that emerged, the recommendations made and
the strategic direction proposed. The report includes eight specific recommendations that are
summarised in Appendix 1 and explained in the body of the report. In summary:
•
Victoria University has adopted a number of media and technological innovations over the
last decade, but during that time there has been rapid development of technologies that
have implications for learning and teaching, and a growth in expectations about their use.
Despite continued investment, the use of learning-related digital technologies at Victoria
has primarily been an ad-hoc bottom-up process – and the level of digital adoption varies
considerably across schools and programmes. In themselves these developments are very
positive, but there has also been little coordinated management and therefore limited
sharing and evaluation of innovations or processes to encourage further innovation.
•
The most pervasive digital teaching and learning platform at Victoria is Blackboard, with
usage approaching 90% of all undergraduate courses. Most usage however is for content
delivery and announcements, whereas empirical evidence shows that learning is most
enhanced when digital capabilities become integral to course pedagogy and design. In that
respect Blackboard has had only a modest impact upon fundamental teaching practices.
•
New Zealand is behind other countries such as Australia and the US in terms of learning
about, assessing and incorporating digital technologies into teaching and learning practice.
Victoria has a good core IT infrastructure and generally high quality teaching spaces - the
challenge is to utilise the latent potential of our learning management systems (currently
Blackboard) and core IT capability. Victoria is also the least resourced NZ University in
terms of support staff capability for developing and implementing digital technologies in
support of teaching.
•
The rate of change in digital technologies and devices is accelerating to the point where the
objectives and actions of the Learning and Teaching Strategy 2010-2014, and its call for
teaching excellence, are unlikely to be realised without a strategic commitment to building
and resourcing a core capability to systematically monitor, evaluate, adopt and implement
digital technologies that advance teaching and learning in pedagogically sound ways.
•
The main recommendation of the report is that Victoria University make a high-level
strategic commitment to embrace and embed digital technologies across a broad range of
academic programmes in all faculties. The ultimate objective of the strategy is to realise
the vision that “Students at Victoria enjoy a high quality and engaging learning experience
enhanced through the widespread adoption and use of digital technologies and applications
as an integral part of programme teaching and sound pedagogical practice.”
•
Four main strategy elements are seen as critical to success. These include:
1. Committing to the vision and preparing the ground;
2. Strategic leadership and an integrated approach;
3. Advancing teaching and learning and the student experience; and
4. Staff capability development and incentives, and extended support.
•
The starting point when considering a major shift towards a digital culture is pedagogical
intent, as this is what will have the most significant influence on the effectiveness of
integrating digital technologies into teaching praxis. The working party believes that the
strategy proposed, along with a strong organisational will to change, will allow Victoria to
harness the significant potential of digital technologies in a pedagogically sound and
ultimately transformative manner.
•
The report proposes a two-phased implementation approach. The first phase of three years
will be to focus upon promulgating the vision, providing leadership to lay the groundwork
for widespread digital technology deployment and adoption, establishing required groups
and related reorganisation, resourcing additional specialist staff and ‘digital support’
capabilities for academic staff and students, and initiating a process of ‘digital culture’
change and development marked by selected projects across all faculties.
•
The second phase will be characterised by a continued and rapid mainstreaming of the
vision whereby a digital culture will become increasingly commonplace and a distinctive
part of ‘who we are’ at Victoria.
_________________________
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Introduction
Victoria University has adopted a number of media and technological innovations over the last
decade, including the use of Blackboard (as a learning management system), extensive use of
technology in lecture and seminar spaces, limited video streaming services and clickers. In
addition, there have been a number of innovations in the use of new computer tools and media by
individual staff members across all faculties.
A report on flexible and distance learning was commissioned by UTDC in 2005 but the detailed
recommendations were not integrated into the Victoria’s strategic and operational plans. Since that
report was created there has been an international growth in expectations about the use of
technology by universities as well as ongoing development of technologies. The use of digital
technologies has continued to grow both through the steady expansion of distance and flexible
learning offerings, and through continuing experimentation and innovation in the ways and means
of delivering courses on-campus. The generation of students currently coming to university belong
culturally to a digital age. These social and technical changes present opportunities and challenges
for programmes to offer a wider variety of teaching and learning methods than those traditionally
available through lectures, tutorials and other face-to-face settings.
The working party (WP) was established to develop a policy-orientated viewpoint on the use and
support of new and emerging media and technology (hereafter referred to as digital technologies)
for teaching and learning at Victoria. It became quickly apparent to the working party that digital
technologies and related devices continue to evolve and develop at a rapid pace, but the focus of
this report remains primarily at the strategic policy level rather than on specific technologies and
digital devices that will themselves continue to evolve over time.
Five terms of reference were set down to guide the WP in its deliberations.
1. Assess the scope, quality and coordinated management of the current use of new media
and technology in teaching and learning at the University for distance and local students,
including the use of learning management systems.
2. Gather representative examples of national and international best practice in managing
access to learning opportunities through new media and technology.
3. Recommend a clear strategy for the development of new media and technology for
teaching and learning at the University consistent with established strategy, resources and
standards in teaching and learning.
4. Make recommendations on the appropriate academic goals, leadership responsibilities,
technology requirements, pedagogies and resource needs arising from the strategy.
5. Advise on any other issues that the Chair considers relevant to the working party role.
This report reflects the conclusions of the WP, which are primarily at a strategic rather than
operational level, although some actions are proposed. Having considered the terms of reference,
the WP is firmly of the conviction that Victoria must strengthen its commitment to the evaluation,
adoption and implementation of digital technologies if we are to properly achieve the objectives
and goals set down in the Teaching and Learning Strategy 2010-2014 (LTS).
In summary, four key areas of change are proposed. These include the articulation of a clear vision
for the adoption and use of digital technologies in support of learning; strong leadership that
encourages, equips and enables staff to realise the vision; an encompassing of digital technologies
fully within the scope of the LTS objectives and actions; and staff capability development,
including recognition for staff showing leadership and innovation in technology-enabled teaching.
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Section 1 - Background and present situation at Victoria University
Victoria has invested significantly in the creation and maintenance of a modern information
technology infrastructure. Despite this investment, the use of digital technologies in support of
learning and teaching at Victoria has primarily been an ad-hoc bottom-up process, and the level of
adoption varies considerably across schools and programmes. Subject-specific technologies and
media are already used in creative and innovative ways across many programmes, including
architecture and design, engineering, science, psychology, languages and linguistics, music, film
and media studies, marketing, and information management. In broad terms, however, the impact
of digital technologies upon ‘mainstream’ teaching pedagogy and practice at Victoria remains
modest. It is timely that the subject be revisited in light of self-evident progress in the suite of
digital technologies, devices and capabilities rapidly becoming available.
The Victoria University Strategic Plan 2009-2014 does not address the potential impact that
digital technologies may have on the future direction and form of learning and teaching at
Victoria. This absence is recognised in the LTS, and has led to the formation of the WP. A related
review of the platform used to specifically support access to course materials and supporting tools
is also to be undertaken. By far the most pervasive digital platform currently used to support
teaching and learning at Victoria is Blackboard™ and its accompanying tools. In addition,
Victoria has invested in additional technologies, such as a classroom response system (clickers)
and lecture recording webcasting (Mediasite) – although the incidence of adoption and use of
these tools is significantly lower than for Blackboard.
A 2009 survey of online technologies completed by over 190 staff and over 1800 students at
Victoria showed that online tools and resources were used in the large majority of Victoria courses
and that students were mostly satisfied with the overall amount of technology used in their
courses. However, the proportion of staff (66.7%) and students (63.6%) who viewed the use of IT
by lecturers in teaching as 'effective' or 'mostly effective' was relatively low, and about 15% of
students believed that very few lecturers used IT effectively in their courses.
Students thought that the use of IT tools and resources should be extensive to moderate, while
staff in contrast preferred limited to moderate use. Although statistics show that Blackboard is
now used in 86% of undergraduate courses, over 90% of staff and students in the survey indicated
that Blackboard was primarily used as a platform for online delivery of course content (e.g. web
pages, documents, images, multimedia, electronic journals) and for announcements. Yet, a largescale meta-analysis of technology integration over the last 40 years (Schmid et al., 2009) indicated
that effect sizes pertaining to computer technology used as “support for cognition” were
significantly greater than those related to computer use solely for “presentation of content.”
Looked at in this light, it would appear that the usage of Blackboard at Victoria, although
widespread, has had only a modest impact upon the more fundamental aspects of pedagogy and
teaching practice.
The Academic Audit Report for VUW (2009, pp 13, 14) noted that Blackboard usage had grown
to around 85% of all taught courses, but primarily as a repository rather than as a fully embraced
learning management system. Students were keen to see more in-depth and more effective usage
of Blackboard in support of their learning. There was considerable reliance on personal sharing of
technology expertise among staff members rather than a systematically organised support system.
More generally, the Audit Panel was not clear as to whether there had been enough strategic
thinking by the University community around learning technologies at Victoria.
One of the factors that appear to facilitate the adoption of digital and communication technologies
is distance delivery. Programmes offered by distance have actively adopted both proprietary and
4
free software and online technologies. Interesting examples of such use can be found in graduate
and postgraduate programmes offered by the Faculty of Education, undergraduate courses in
Marketing and International Business, Master's programmes in TESOL and Applied Linguistics,
and in Information Studies, as well as postgraduate programmes in Nursing and Midwifery. While
these innovations are encouraging, distance delivery represents only a tiny proportion of all
courses and programmes offered at Victoria, and hence their flow-on impact upon ‘mainstream’
learning and teaching approaches has been minimal.
On their technology “wish list” (based on the 2009 survey), students identified webcasts and
podcasts as their top choice, followed by communication and collaboration tools (groups, forums,
email, shared workspace) and YouTube. Staff also wanted to expand their use of such social
software tools as blogs, wikis, and Second Life – as well as online surveys and a wider range of
rich communication and collaboration tools, including podcasting and video conferencing tools
such as Elluminate and Access Grid.
In face-to-face teaching, staff indicated that they would be more inclined to use new media and
technologies if they knew what was available, if they received appropriate training and support, if
the cost of software licences was not prohibitive, and if, in particular, they were supplied with
information as to how these technologies might serve to enhance the learning experience. These
factors help to explain the apparent degree of reluctance on the part of many academic staff to
make greater use of IT tools and resources, in contrast to the relative enthusiasm on the part of
students towards their increased usage. It also highlights that staff are not inherently resistant to
the greater use of digital technologies in support of teaching, but rather that they are cautious
about moving too quickly without knowing the full implications and benefits of such a move. This
caution on the part of academic staff has in all likelihood grown over recent years given the
increased emphasis upon research productivity and output under the PBRF regime.
The quality of what can broadly be termed technology infrastructure (networks, wireless, email,
web and computing equipment) at Victoria is good, and in some respects evidently among the best
in New Zealand. The quality of many of our lecture and seminar room digital capabilities for
example is demonstrably ahead of other universities in the country. The WP also heard evidence
of continuing investment (enterprise recording and delivery; videoconferencing via SCOPIA;
lectern redesign; collaborative discussion tools; wireless upgrade in support of mobile tablet
devices) that should maintain a solid core infrastructural capability.
A survey of Victoria Class Representatives undertaken during the 2010/11 summer by VUWSA
revealed that most were in agreement with the above findings. Furthermore, technological literacy
clearly differs across the spectrum of all students, but it cannot be assumed that all students are
highly technologically literate. The implication is that greater use of digital technologies across
Victoria courses and programmes will need to be accompanied by appropriate technical and
learning support for those students who have not yet developed the required competencies. This is
likely to be most pronounced during the earlier stages of any given programme of study.
The survey also identified a general sentiment that more could be made of even the existing digital
infrastructure to assist students in their learning. This could include more imaginative use of
PowerPoint, a wider range of media used in lectures and classes, and more effective use of
Blackboard tools beyond content provision and retrieval alone. Students also discussed how using
Web 2.0 and the test features of Blackboard could benefit their learning through assessment tasks
that provided more formative and summative feedback. A related finding was that students
acknowledged the need for additional support and training as a key aspect of more fully utilising
digital approaches to learning.
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Section 1 Summary
There are encouraging pockets of excellence, and core infrastructural capability at Victoria
including teaching room fit out is of generally high quality. These positive indications
notwithstanding, the WP saw little evidence of a systematic approach to the assessment,
uptake and implementation of digital technologies in support of teaching and learning. Key
findings to emerge from our assessment of the scope, quality and coordinated management of
new media and technology in teaching and learning at Victoria are summarised as follows:
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
There are pockets of activity and interest in digital technologies to support learning
and teaching across various faculties, but this is small scale relative to what
characterises most of Victoria’s teaching at the present time. Exceptions are education
and Information Management where flexible/distance has a longstanding and
established place in their respective teaching programmes.
Blackboard is a well-embedded technology platform used to support a majority of
current courses at Victoria, and the most recent version of Blackboard has been
deployed. In practice however the usage of Blackboard is primarily as a repository of
content and for course announcements rather than as a facilitator of marked changes in
teaching and learning practice.
Distance, flexible and blended courses can act as a good catalyst for greater
development and adoption of digital technologies, but at present they only represent a
very small proportion of course and programme delivery at Victoria – and the
‘technology transfer’ effects to campus-based courses therefore lack critical mass.
Technologies used for distance delivery may also not serve as a good guide for
technology use when there is significant face-to-face student contact.
The quality of what can broadly be termed technology infrastructure (networks,
wireless, email, web and computing equipment) at Victoria is good, and the standard
of lecture and seminar room digital capabilities is generally higher than other New
Zealand universities. Good ICT infrastructure however is only a necessary condition
for improved digital technology deployment in support of learning and teaching; it is
not in itself a sufficient condition for innovation and change.
Staff are open to the idea of greater uptake of digital technologies in support of their
teaching practices and approaches, but cautious about change in the absence of clear
reasons for doing so – both institutionally and in terms of career enhancement.
There are minimal mechanisms in place at Victoria to identify, assess, embrace and
implement current and emerging digital technologies as a means of advancing and
enhancing teaching and learning. Pockets of expertise and enthusiasm exist in a
number of support and academic sectors across Victoria, and every encouragement
should be provided for such innovation to continue. No unifying mechanisms and
coordinating body exist however to facilitate serious progress in the uptake of digital
technologies as a critical component of the LTS . Supporting resources are minimal,
and staffing numbers to supporting the Blackboard system and providing general
advice necessarily limits assistance provided by the UTDC.
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Section 2 – National and international developments and emerging practice
Investment in technology systems by universities internationally is being driven by the expectation
that increased use of technology will improve the quality and flexibility of learning (Bates 2001;
Bush 1945; Cuban 2001; DfES 2003; Oppenheimer 2003; Ryan, Scott, Freeman and Patel 2000).
This investment has been supported by the widespread adoption of Learning Management
Systems and the computerisation of key administrative functions (Hawkins and Rudy 2006, 52;
Zemsky and Massy 2004). The maintenance of an effective technology infrastructure remains a
key strategic focus for university leaders (Allen and Seaman 2010; McCarthy and Samors 2009).
However, while IT systems have become mainstream and essentially seamless in terms of
administrative and research activities (Carr 2003; Chester 2008), changes in the experience of
learning and teaching enabled by technology are less apparent. Benchmarking of New Zealand
and international universities (Marshall 2010) suggests that technology decisions have been made
primarily with the intention of engaging in forms of change that merely support or extend existing
pedagogical approaches, and that universities generally show little capability to transform their
existing educational models. In particular, the New Zealand universities are trailing the majority
of Australian universities in the mainstream adoption and use of technologies throughout learning
and teaching (Marshall 2009). It is important to emphasise that this difference is qualitative,
reflecting the ways in which technology is being actively used to advance the objectives of the
institution, rather than differences in the level of technology infrastructure investment.
Amongst New Zealand universities, and despite good investment in core ICT infrastructure,
Victoria is lagging behind the leading institutions in its overall engagement with e-learning and
related support staff capability (Marshall 2010). The term e-learning refers broadly to the set of
new and emerging digital technologies and capabilities that can be used to facilitate learning and
teaching. The strategic framework guiding e-learning at Victoria is still in development (hence this
report), and the existing technology infrastructure is not well integrated for most courses beyond
passive delivery of content.
The 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Education in the United States noted that online enrolment
growth (21%) was significantly outpacing growth in the overall student population (< 2% for
all forms of university enrolment). Almost 75% of public institution leaders described online
education as critical to their institution's long-term strategy, although less than half of them
had strategic plans addressing online courses – highlighting the delay between strategic
realisation and strategic implementation. The survey also noted that virtually all recent growth
in online enrolments has come from existing offerings by established providers, not from
institutions new to online delivery – suggesting the possibility of a widening gap between
institutions that are engaging actively and those that are engaging minimally. The Sloan
analysis recognised four levels of online delivery (Figure 2) but it is important to emphasise
that institutions offer a great diversity of modes throughout their courses.
The Horizon Report ( Johnson, Levine, Smith and Stone 2010) provides a considered view of key
trends in the use of digital technologies within education. Currently the focus is on electronic
books, social and open forms of peer review, educational content for mobile devices, and evolving
notions of space and learning environments. Among the challenges identified are the need for
professional development around emerging technology, a mismatch between pedagogical practice
and new technologies, and the need for formal instruction in new skills. Electronic books and
mobile technologies are relevant to higher education in the near future. Electronic books are seen
as potentially transformative because, with their richly visual interfaces, they enable new kinds of
reading experience. Although most electronic books are presently copies of traditional media, they
are seen to present the possibility for self-directed interactive experiences.
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Figure 1: Benchmarked e-learning capability of a sample of Universities (Marshall, 2010)
Figure 2: Sloan categorisation of online learning
Source: Allen and Seaman (2010) Class Differences: Online Education in the United States, 2010
In summary, there are three trends of interest to Victoria within the context of the Horizon Report
- the rapid growth of mobile platforms and applications, the emergence of good quality open
content, and the emergence of electronic books. All of the major publishing houses now have
arrangements established with Microsoft, Apple and Google, making use of the open electronic
publication standard. This means that electronic textbooks and reference books are being released
in formats that can be read across the main platforms including mobile, laptop and desktop.
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The Educating the Net Generation Handbook (Kennedy et al. 2009) has a particular emphasis on
the uptake of Web 2.0 technologies by the so-called ‘Net Generation’ (those born 1980–1994),
and how they shape both student learning expectations and the types of approaches used within
tertiary settings. The report questions the popular labelling of students as ‘digital natives’ and
academics as ‘digital immigrants,’ and the underlying assumption whereby students coming to
university are assumed to be technologically capable whereas staff are lacking in technological
competence. It notes that, whilst most students are high users of digital technologies, many still
lack an understanding as to how certain technologies work and how they can be used to better
their learning. That is, they have a surface understanding of the relevance and potential of
technology, but not necessarily the formal skills to properly harness this potential in support of
their learning. This finding highlights the risk of problems surfacing when new technologies are
introduced without providing adequate training for students (and staff) in their use.
Within a university environment, students tend to use digital technology to gather information
(academic and personal) and to communicate (personal). For learning purposes, digital technology
is often seen as a platform to consume information (ie a passive use) rather than to create it (an
active use). When however students were involved in the active use of technology (such as
blogging, wiki creation and photo sharing) as a part of their learning experiences, they gained
‘unexpected’ benefits. The authors argue that this occurs when technology is not incorporated as
an add-on but rather is integrated properly into the curriculum and assessment schedule. In
summary, a number of key insights relevant to implementing digital technologies were reported:
● Providing opportunities for both students and staff to develop competence. This requires
providing IT support, practice opportunities and modelling of technology use.
● Acknowledging the need to create opportunities for other skills to be developed such as
collaboration and shared knowledge creation.
● Allowing opportunities for content creation, using these opportunities to provide formative
feedback to students as well as to the design of the course.
● Acknowledging the ‘add-on factor’ and the workload implications for staff and students.
Whilst workload implications for staff need to be monitored, student use of technology
should also be monitored to be consistent with the workload requirements of a course.
● Any assessment-based technology activities should be framed within the context of best
practice in assessment (as per the Assessment Handbook).
● Acknowledge that relevant technologies needed to be used for relevant purposes. For
example, ‘Texting’ a lecture cancellation would be more beneficial than posting online.
The report concludes with a call to move towards a purposeful integration of digital technologies
within higher education. In order to achieve this, universities need to create opportunities for
students to become digitally literate and in a way that moves literacy beyond just reading and
simple comprehension to reading, critical comprehension and actual content creation. This higher
level of digital literacy is consistent with Victoria’s graduate attribute profile where students are
able to demonstrate capabilities in both communication and in creative/critical thinking.
As a part of its assessment of national and international approaches, the WP considered examples
of how digital technologies can enhance the learning process across various disciplines. The
purpose of this report is not to advocate any particular technology, but rather to highlight that a
whole array of possibilities emerges once a firm commitment is made to digital technologies –
underpinned by a clear pedagogical approach – in support of higher learning. Appendix 3
illustrates local and international examples of the ways in which digital technologies are being
deployed in science, commerce, education and the arts. They were selected to highlight the
diversity of approaches being followed, rather than to imply support for any particular approach.
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The WP has been impressed and heavily influenced by the significant and sustained commitment
of the University of Sydney to full-scale adoption of digital technologies in support of teaching
and learning across all of its programmes – both on-campus and off-campus (what they term
‘Sydney eLearning’). Their strategy is marked in particular by a strong commitment to the student
learning experience, an integrated approach that seeks to bind together the research and teaching
activities of staff, well-embedded quality assurance approaches, and a joint objective of reducing
teaching workloads while enhancing programme delivery. High-level strategic support for this
initiative, which commenced some years ago, is evidenced by the presence of an eLearning
Governance Group, advising the Vice-Chancellor directly. This group is chaired by the Sydney
University equivalent of our DVC Academic, and encourages project management and
educational design support for faculties, along with full support for individual staff and students.
The overall vision of Sydney eLearning is “to support the University community and enhance the
student learning experience, with sustainable learning technologies that promote research-led,
active and innovative approaches to learning and teaching.”
Section 2 Summary
Having considered current developments as described in various published reviews, and actual
examples that reflect national and international best practice, some key conclusions have emerged:
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
New Zealand generally is behind other countries such as Australia and the US in terms
of learning about, assessing and incorporating digital technologies into teaching and
learning practice. The University of Sydney for example provides a clear example of
innovation and leadership in this area over a period of some years.
There is a spectrum of adoption, but the leading overseas institutions are much better
resourced in terms of support staff capability to train and assist academics in
developing and incorporating digital technologies into teaching programmes. Even
within New Zealand, Victoria is the least resourced university in terms of support staff
capability for established programmes, and for developing and implementing digital
technologies in support of teaching programmes (see appendix 4).
Good practice examples from overseas universities are providing a vision of ‘what
could be possible’ in relation to digital technology capabilities.
The core IT infrastructure at Victoria required to support digitally-based teaching
initiatives is largely adequate assuming that it is actively maintained. The challenge
for now is primarily about taking full advantage of the latent potential that exists rather
than requiring major new investment in supporting technical infrastructure.
Change is becoming increasingly necessary as advancements in applicable digital
technologies continue to accelerate. If Victoria waits much longer as an institution
before making some strategic commitments to the embracing of digital technologies
then a point may be reached where the pace and scale of required change in the face of
external imperatives will not be manageable. Put another way, we have to start
properly investing in and developing capabilities to incorporate digital technologies
into a non-trivial proportion of our programmes.
There are some excellent early examples at Victoria of enhanced teaching practice
incorporating advances in digital capability, but these are generally small scale,
grassroots initiatives that are not impacting mainstream practice in any significant
way. Often, but not always, these examples are the result of the initiative and skills of
one or a few staff members. The challenge is to encourage and reward the continuation
of such initiatives, while significantly broadening their impact on mainstream practice.
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Section 3 - Towards a strategy for the development of new media and technology in support
of teaching & learning
The LTS begins with reference to excellence in learning and teaching, and the working group
considers that attaining and maintaining such excellence will increasingly require the recognition
and application of digital technologies that support specified goals and objectives. The LTS gives
priority to a student-centred view of learning that draws upon a strong culture of research,
engagement with relevant communities, and a tradition of innovation. All of these elements hold
potential to be significantly strengthened and enriched through appropriately embracing options
enabled by digital technologies.
The WP is of the view that we are approaching an inflexion point in respect of the extent to which
digital technologies will shape future teaching environments and learning experiences – to the
extent that they should no longer be seen as optional, but rather as prerequisites for effective 21st
Century teaching practice. This inflexion point is marked by the rapid emergence and maturing of
a set of interrelated technologies, coupled with a cohort of students now coming into tertiary
education with a digital mindset that is second nature. While this predisposition doesn’t
automatically translate into a well-developed capacity to learn using these technologies, it reflects
heightened expectations that will fuel the need for universities to respond proactively. The
VUWSA survey findings confirm that Victoria students are already pre-disposed, if not outright
enthusiastic, to embrace and make full use of digital technologies in support of their learning.
The LTS refers to student-centred learning being predicated upon, among other things, flexibility
in student study modes and in the pace of learning. This has implications for students at all levels
– both on-campus and off-campus using flexible modes. The LTS also underscores the call from
the Academic Audit Unit (2009) for a more strategic approach to learning technologies as a key
driver of more engaging learning environments. The WP is aware that significant change cannot
be brought about overnight. If Victoria does commit however to moving beyond the present
incremental and essentially ad-hoc adoption of digital technologies, then explicit and determined
interventions will be required in relation to initial envisioning, programme design and associated
processes, ongoing fostering of staff capability, and the implementation of consequent changes.
To move beyond our present approach, there will need to be an acceptance at senior management
level that the maintenance of future teaching excellence is increasingly linked to a core capability
within tertiary institutions to efficiently and systematically monitor, evaluate, adopt and
implement digital technologies that advance teaching and learning in pedagogically sound ways.
Our contention has been that this capability presently exists in small grass-roots pockets across
Victoria, but it is not yet embedded in mainstream practices or accepted as a critical strategic
success factor for the University. This sits in contrast to the noted observation that a set of external
trends is in evidence representing a tipping point towards the adoption and integration of digital
technologies into mainstream teaching and learning practices across tertiary level institutions. It is
our view that these forces of change are operating at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels,
and across all disciplines. Most importantly, the forces for change include student expectations
that can only grow as students migrate through from the secondary sector where there is already
rapid uptake and deployment of digital technologies across a wide spectrum of application.
In its deliberations the WP has been very aware of the need to formulate a strategy consistent with
the present LTS, which highlights a commitment to revise the undergraduate curriculum, reassess
Victoria’s graduate attributes, and develop strong curricula frameworks that make pathways for
progression clear and accessible for students. All of these facets will benefit significantly from a
consideration of supporting digital technologies and their associated pedagogical possibilities.
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To reinforce the core premise that an embracing of digital technologies is integral to realising the
aspirations of the present LTS, the WP recommends a succinct but clear overarching vision:
“Students at Victoria enjoy a high quality and engaging learning experience enhanced
through the widespread adoption and use of digital technologies and applications as an
integral part of programme teaching and sound pedagogical practice.”
This vision underscores the priority accorded to student-centred learning in the LTS, builds upon
Victoria’s tradition of innovation, and unlocks the potential of digital technologies to foster
excellence and create a distinctive learning experience. The WP has in fact come to the view that
Victoria’s prospects for realising LTS objectives and goals will be markedly improved through a
strategy that builds capability and the uptake of pedagogically sound digital technologies.
Objective 1 of the LTS makes a call to “establish a distinctive vision for education and the student
experience at Victoria,” and ‘Action 1.5’ specifically requires the University to “give greater
emphasis to active, flexible self-directed learning as a model better suited to supporting Victoria’s
identified graduate attributes.” Action 1.6 sets out the need to “build upon the University’s
strengths as a research intensive university by ensuring that students have structured opportunities
to develop skills in research and inquiry.” Perhaps most ambitiously, ‘Action 1.8’ seeks to
“establish teaching projects (courses or collaboration across courses) that explore integrated
approaches to academic problems using perspectives from different disciplines.” All of these
actions are premised on achieving goals for which the use of digital technology is well suited.
In seeking to achieve the vision, the WP has identified four alternative strategic possibilities:
1. Continue the present approach which is essentially an evolutionary one driven by a variety
of internal forces and characterised by pockets of progress and change, but with no
overarching vision or coherent strategy in relation to the evaluation, uptake and embedding
of digital technologies.
2. Improve coordination and adopt a limited and specific set of standardised digital
technologies, but in a way that sits alongside and complements the present set of
approaches and initiatives in relation to teaching and learning.
3. Make a high-level strategic commitment to embrace and embed digital technologies across
a broad range of academic programmes in all faculties, and formally accept that this is a
critical determinant of realising the goals and objectives laid down in the Learning and
Teaching Strategy 2010-2014.
4. Recognise that we are at an important tipping point in terms of the relative impact of
digital technologies on future approaches to teaching and learning, and commit to a
strategy that fully embraces this potential and puts Victoria at the forefront of
understanding and adopting such technologies as a transformative influence.
The WP recommends that Victoria move to immediately adopt strategy three, but in the
expectation that a highly successful implementation could lead in time to a leadership position
with transformational consequences (strategy 4). Strategy three requires a disruption to current
teaching practices and a significant process of change, but it is nevertheless more measured and
therefore less risky than strategy four. It also sits well with the expressed goals, objectives and
five-year implementation horizon set down in Victoria’s LTS.
Acceptance of the vision proposed and recommended by the WP would stretch Victoria and
require determined and systemic change in agreed areas of learning and teaching planning and
practice. The working party is of the view however that, without intervention and strategic
intentionality, only modest change will occur - and the significant long-term pedagogical and
learning benefits that could accrue from a considered and deliberate strategy will be lost.
12
Section 4 – Strategy to develop digital technologies for teaching and learning
This section of this report outlines four main strategy elements required to realise the vision for
digital technologies to enhance the student experience and maintain continuous improvement in
teaching and learning. It draws from the analysis and considerations of the working party,
including the University of Sydney experience which has been honed over a number of years since
they made a high-level commitment to their eLearning strategy.
The strategy is designed to complement the LTS, in a way that views pedagogical approaches built
upon the embracing of digital technologies as essential to achieving the specified objectives and
associated actions.
Four main strategy elements are proposed by the working party:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Committing to the vision and preparing the ground;
Strategic leadership and an integrated approach;
Advancing teaching and learning and student experience grounded in digital capabilities;
Staff capability development and incentives, and extended support.
Specific recommendations are made throughout the subsequent discussion on academic goals,
leadership responsibilities, pedagogies and resource needs arising from the strategy. The working
party has been more cautious about recommending specific technology requirements or devices,
opting rather to argue the general case that digital technologies per se hold demonstrable potential
to enhance learning and teaching. There is a clear call however to encourage greater and more
imaginative utilisation of the digital infrastructure that Victoria already has in place, along with
the initiation of specific digitally-based teaching projects across every faculty that foster learning
about what is possible, experiment with new digital devices and tools, and create momentum
towards the creation of a distinctive digital learning culture at Victoria.
The report concludes with a two-phased call to action. The first phase of approximately three
years is intended to focus upon implementing strategy elements 1 and 2, with the objective of
embedding the vision and providing strong leadership to lay the groundwork for widespread
digital technology deployment and adoption. This phase also requires establishing processes and
perspectives that will provide a specific focus upon digital technologies as a key enabler of the
objectives set down in the LTS, together with the initiation of a staff capability development
programme through a series of designated projects, and some expansion of centralised expertise
and capabilities to support academic staff in design and implementation.
The second phase will be characterised by a mainstreaming of the vision that sees the widespread
adoption and use of digital technologies as integral to the pedagogical approach of teaching
programmes. By then processes and procedures will have been put in place to develop a fuller
understanding of basic level digital technology (eLearning) literacy across the University, and
approaches to teaching and programme-relevant pedagogical approaches and learning theories will
have been reconceptualised to include one or other facet of digitally-informed learning as a matter
of course. The workload model for academic staff will be able to take into account teaching
activities beyond simply class-contact hours, and there will be demonstrable elements of the
student learning experience that are distinctive. The increased uptake of digital capability and
utilisation will have influenced and changed approaches to both research and teaching in ways that
enhance the broader interests and mission of the University.
13
Strategy Element 1. Committing to the vision and preparing the ground
The start point for widespread evaluation, adoption and implementation of digital technologies
must be an unequivocal strategic commitment at the highest levels of Victoria. In parallel with
strategic intent, there also needs to be a clearly articulated vision towards which staff can work
which focuses upon the quality of student learning outcomes and the student experience. These
requirements form the basis of our first two recommendations:
Recommendation 1
That Victoria University make a high-level strategic commitment to embrace and embed digital
technologies across a broad range of academic programmes in all faculties, recognising that this is
a critical determinant of fully realising the goals and objectives laid down in the Learning and
Teaching Strategy 2010-2014.
Recommendation 2
The vision to be pursued in realising LTS objectives is that:
Students at Victoria enjoy a high quality and engaging learning experience enhanced through the
widespread adoption and use of digital technologies and capabilities as an integral part of
programme teaching.
While the WP is itself of the view that vigorous uptake and adoption of digital technologies as a
basis for pedagogical innovation should be a strategic priority for Victoria, there needs to be a
process for ensuring that senior managers and academic staff see this for themselves and become
convinced on the basis of available evidence. To a degree this is already happening spontaneously
as the number and variety of digital devices being acquired and used by both students and staff
grows exponentially. The number of wireless connections across Victoria for example continues
to grow rapidly, reflecting an underlying desire for ‘anytime anywhere’ access. Some students
report anecdotally that even a laptop is now perceived as “heavy and inconvenient” to carry
around, whereas tablet-type devices provide a good user experience in a very portable form factor
with “all day” battery life. The eBooks now offered by all major publishers are also likely to grow
rapidly in usage in tandem with the rapid adoption of tablet devices.
In the spirit of ‘walking with’ these emerging trends and developments, but in a systematic and
intentional manner, the WP recommends a process of ongoing evidence gathering and evaluation,
in conjunction with the other strategy elements and actions proposed. The purpose is to illustrate
and showcase by means of successful Victoria (and other university) case studies the strategically
significant teaching and learning benefits that accrue to the University, staff and students through
the thoughtful application and use of digital technologies.
The University of Sydney experience has been that organisational learning needs to occur in
relation to the role, function and benefits of digital technologies if they are to become integral to
teaching and learning processes and practices – and that such learning occurs best from staff’s
own experiences as well as the experiences of others. This suggests that, as a part of preparing the
ground for broader uptake, we take advantage of Victoria-based programmes that are already
making effective use of digital technologies. The Ako Victoria Day, and brief ‘advocacy’ slots in
respective faculty meetings for example, would help to prepare the ground in terms of raising staff
awareness of new and innovative digital technology applications. The University of Sydney also
found that key strategic projects, comparisons with other universities, and structures that foster
collaboration and coordination across faculties were very effective catalysts for change. These
aspects of the proposed Victoria strategy are developed further below.
14
Strategy Element 2. Strategic Leadership and an integrated approach
Leadership in the use and implementation of digital technologies is best viewed as a distributed
activity, necessitating close co-operation between a knowledgeable central team and staff located
in faculties and various academic and technical support groups. It is recommended that strategic
leadership for the central ‘digital technologies in learning’ team be located in the Academic
Office, with strong faculty links through Associate Deans (particularly with teaching and learning
oversight), and school-based academic champions. The purpose is to provide leadership that
encourages ongoing staff initiatives while fostering broader uptake. Tighter integration is also
recommended between UTDC, Student Learning Support, Vic Careers, and those staff in ITS and
the Library engaged with digital capabilities (broadly defined) in support of learning.
Recommendation 3
Strategic leadership for achieving the digital technologies vision should be located in the
Academic Office, overseeing a Digital Technologies for Learning Governance Group that includes
Associate Deans with teaching and learning responsibilities, and high level representation from
UTDC, the Research Office, Student Learning Support, Vic Careers, ITS and the Library.
Victoria’s present vision for teaching and learning is heavily influenced by the distinctive
character of Victoria as the Capital City University, and its physical environment. The WP argues
that there needs to be a shift in perspective. A student’s sense of being in a vibrant intellectual
community comes from more than the built environment alone. The LTS needs to also prioritise
and define ways of using technology and physical spaces in a complementary fashion, so that
students become more knowledgeable about, and more active participants in, the broader
intellectual work of Victoria. This is consistent with the results of a recent Library Services
Review, which recognises the complementary role of digital technologies, in conjunction with
flexible study and learning spaces, as part of the student experience. Strategic leadership of digital
technology for learning and teaching therefore needs to be complemented by strategic leadership
of such technologies in support of research also. This call for greater integration in academic work
places a particular responsibility upon senior managers and leaders throughout the University.
The University of Sydney experience suggests that senior managers will play a key leadership role
in helping to embrace best practice in digitally informed learning, taking into account Victoria’s
distinctive character as a research intensive, student-centred and mainly campus-based institution.
The WP therefore recommends that, following acceptance of a strategic commitment to fully
embrace digital technologies in support of teaching and learning, a half-day symposium be
convened to reinforce a vision of what is possible, highlight inspiring examples, explore the broad
implications of such a commitment, and agree on the first phase of implementation. In attendance
should be the VC, DVC’s, PVC/Deans, Associate Deans, Heads of School, Heads and key staff
from within ITS, Library, UTDC, Student Learning, VUWSA and Vic Careers. The symposium
will provide a high profile leadership opportunity to begin the first of two implementation phases.
The working party also proposes that a formal link be established with USyd eLearning (assuming
their agreement) to better understand how they are developing and embedding a digital culture.
Recommendation 4
That leadership from the highest levels of Victoria be shown in support of the digital technologies
vision, initially through a symposium involving key staff from academic, supporting and central
services with the objective of launching phase one of the implementation plan.
Other opportunities for providing strategic leadership that involve additional staff will follow,
building off the vision, examples and implementation processes introduced at the symposium.
15
Strategy Element 3. Advancing teaching and learning and student experience grounded in
digital capabilities
Excellence in learning and teaching is one of the Victoria’s core institutional values, and a key
goal for Victoria’s overall strategy. It has been argued that forces at work will increasingly require
core capabilities in understanding and using digital technologies, and that as these are harnessed in
support of cognition, self-directed learning, vigorous enquiry and collaborative effort, student
insight and learning will be enhanced. Digital technologies will assist in the meeting of recently
articulated teaching and learning standards at Victoria; in particular ‘engagement and autonomy,’
‘connection,’ and ‘meaningful and frequent interaction.’ To meet these aspirations, it is important
for the LTS to be read in a way that embraces digital technologies as a key enabler of the defined
objectives and actions (see Appendix 2). This leads to the next recommendation.
Recommendation 5
That Objectives 1 through 5 of the Learning and Teaching Strategy 2010-2014 be read in a way
that fully embraces the strategic commitment to digital technologies as a means for:
• establishing a distinctive vision for education and the student experience;
• facilitating good leadership in learning and teaching;
• teaching delivery resulting in high quality academic outcomes;
• fostering and rewarding good practice in learning and teaching; and
• drawing upon the cultural diversity of our staff and students
Victoria provides a wide range of programmes that encompass diverse objectives, goals and needs
and a variety of face-to-face contexts including traditional large lectures, seminar and discussion
meetings, and applied activities – while other programmes deliver similar experiences to students
away from the campus. The appropriate starting point when considering change is pedagogical
intent, and this is what will have the most significant influence on the effectiveness of integrating
digital technologies into teaching praxis. Careful alignment of a particular technology with the
teaching focus will enhance learning. For example, using clickers within a lecture to identify a
cohort of students’ misconceptions or to check their knowledge assists the teacher in identifying
the learning that students require to meet course outcomes.
A key focus for the WP has been the student experience, and the challenge of providing greater
flexibility in teaching and learning approaches away from traditional lecture settings alone, while
also fostering student engagement. The embracing of digital technologies at a strategic level will
also, implicitly and explicitly, help to inculcate the graduate attributes of creative and critical
thinking, communication and leadership. Pedagogical approaches could include anything from
using the high-speed digital network to collaborate with student peers in overseas institutions, to
posting a video presentation on some topic of interest for peer and tutor assessment, to sharing in a
real-time tablet-based problem solving exercise during a lecture. The very process of incorporating
digital capabilities into pedagogical approaches and outcomes holds implications for the level of
student engagement, and the student experience itself. This leads to the next recommendation.
Recommendation 6
That the processes and procedures for assessing and adopting digital technologies in support of
learning and teaching specifically consider the potential for increased student engagement and
enhancement of the student experience, and appropriate support to build student digital literacy.
The WP is firmly of the conviction that the development of a vibrant digital culture at Victoria
will enhance learning and teaching, but also strengthen student engagement and enrich the student
experience in a way that has the potential to be distinctive within New Zealand.
16
Strategy Element 4. staff capability development and incentives, and extended support
The central and ultimately most important factor necessary to develop agility in digital capabilities
is the support of academic staff. Put simply, without genuine and widespread staff acceptance of
the teaching and learning benefits to be realised, no strategy is likely to succeed. Staff will require
professional development and specialist help, a reconfigured workload model, and appropriate
recognition for their engagement with digital technologies to explore new pedagogical approaches.
The scale of the changes envisioned requires that the large majority of academic staff be able to
engage at some level with technology in support of their course and programme teaching plans.
Some already do it as a matter of course. Others will need encouragement, guidance and support.
Garnering staff support to engage fully must also include recognition of teaching practices that are
innovative and even experimental. The LTS makes clear reference to distance, flexible and
blended learning (DFLT) to foster good teaching practices. DFLT modes are a strong catalyst for
change in teaching and learning practice – given their inherent tendency to make use of digital
delivery. More generally, teaching and learning informed by digital technologies (TLuDT) is a
catalyst for innovation in pedagogy. Staff who commit to their use will need to be recognised and
rewarded. There is already much worth celebrating in technology-based teaching at Victoria, and
an excellence award for TLuDT would further recognise and celebrate significant achievements.
Recommendation 7
That developments in teaching and learning using digital technologies be encouraged as a catalyst
for innovation in pedagogical approaches across all of Victoria’s teaching programmes – including
the introduction of an excellence award for TLuDT innovation.
University investment in technology for learning and teaching is already substantial, and the core
IT infrastructure to support the digital vision is largely in place. Victoria is the least resourced
university in New Zealand however in terms of support staff capability to provide instructional
design and pedagogical advice, training, and specialist supporting expertise for academic staff.
This is critical for workload management. A key element of the University of Sydney strategy has
in fact been to ease staff teaching workloads while enhancing the student experience. In short
greater investment in a supporting centralised capability is essential to realising the vision.
Teaching using digital technologies imposes real challenges for staff. It is clear, from the literature
and feedback during this project, that different teaching and personal skills are required and staff
have found that online/blended courses make different demands on time. While the main objective
is to raise levels of digital literacy, and care must be taken to avoid undue dependency on a central
resource, increased specialist skills are needed to ensure well-designed and pedagogically sound
courses. Rather than impose the need to acquire such skills on academics alone, they need to be
assisted through dedicated resources. The working party recommends establishing an eLearning
development and design team within the UTDC, with strong links to schools and faculties and
other key central support groups including the Library, ITS, Vic Careers and Student Services.
Recommendation 8
That an e-learning development and design team be established within the UTDC to work with
Schools and Faculties and other key central support groups, including ITS, Library, Vic Careers
and Student Services, on projects and programmes that advance digital technology use
underpinned by relevant learning theory and pedagogical approaches.
This team would assist the implementation of projects and oversee ongoing evidence gathering;
provide pedagogical professional learning opportunities relevant to the digital age, resource staff
support for exploring innovation at programme/major and course level; monitor technical and
learning investments needed to support the student experience; and facilitate a managed
environment supporting and evaluating experimental technologies and approaches.
17
Strategy Implementation and Actions
The effective realisation of even the best strategy requires careful consideration of implementation
issues and associated actions. The brief of the working party was to assess the state of digital
technology implementations within higher education, and formulate a digital strategy for Victoria
learning and teaching in light of that assessment. During its deliberations however the group also
gave some consideration to implementation and initial actions, presuming that the University will
commit to the strategy advocated through acceptance of recommendations 1 and 2 of this report.
Phase 1
The first phase of three years will be to focus upon promulgating the vision, providing leadership
to lay the groundwork for widespread digital technology deployment and adoption, establishing
required groups and related reorganisation, resourcing additional specialist staff and ‘digital
support’ capabilities for academic staff and students, and initiating a process of ‘digital culture’
establishment and development marked by selected projects. Specific actions in summary are:
1. Governance group established and greater integration of interested groups (Rec 3)
2. Digital Vision Symposium (Rec 4)
3. Promulgate 'digitally aware’ teaching and learning objectives and actions (Rec 5 and
Appendix 2)
4. ‘Digitally inform’ initiatives to enhance student engagement and experience (Rec 6)
5. Establish a formal link with USyd eLearning to ‘transfer’ their experience and insights
6. Ongoing evidence gathering including student consultation and input
7. Focus on digital technologies in Ako Victoria Day and similar events
8. Establish a standing agenda item concerning the ‘digital vision’ in all faculty meetings
9. Resource and initiate at least one programme-based digitally-informed project per school
10. Encourage TLuDT developments, including a TLuDT excellence award (Rec 7)
11. Establish and resource an eLearning development and design team within UTDC, working
closely with Associate Deans, Library, ITS, Vic Careers and Student Services (Rec 8)
Phase 2
The second phase will be characterised by a rapid mainstreaming of the vision whereby a digital
culture will become increasingly commonplace and a distinctive part of ‘who we are’ at Victoria.
Faculty planning and programme/course approval processes and procedures will have been
reviewed and amended in line with the ‘digitally-informed’ LTS and will start to take for granted a
basic level of digital technology (eLearning) literacy across Victoria. Approaches to teaching and
programme pedagogy will have been reconceptualised to include one or other facet of digitally
informed learning as a matter of course, and the academic staff workload model will take into
account teaching activities beyond class-contact hours alone. There will be demonstrable elements
of the student learning experience that are becoming distinctive, with a predisposition to explore
the possibilities that remain for ongoing innovation and change in building teaching excellence.
The increased uptake of digital capability and utilisation will have influenced and changed
approaches to both research and teaching in ways that enhance the broader interests of the
University.
During the third year following acceptance of this report it would be helpful to assess progress
relative to the recommendations made. It may also be timely at that point for the University to
initiate a further review of digital technologies in relation to learning and teaching.
………………………….
18
Working Party on new and emerging media and technology in learning and teaching
Membership
Professor Peter Thirkell
School of Marketing and International Business, Commerce and
Administration (Chair)
Dr Fiona Beals
Education Organiser, Victoria University Students' Association
Dr Irina Elgort
University Teaching Development Centre
Jonathan Flutey
Relationship Services Manager, ITS Service and Operations Group,
Information Technology Services
Professor Kevin Gould
School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science
Dr Brian Harmer
School of Information Management, Faculty of Commerce and
Administration (Information Management)
Dr Minette Hillyer
School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies, Faculty of
Humanities and Social Sciences
Dr Stephen Marshall
University Teaching Development Centre, Academic Office
Sue Roberts
University Librarian
Dr Louise Starkey
Education Policy and Implementation, Faculty of Education
Pam Thorburn
Director, Student Academic Services
Jude Brown
Executive Officer, Academic Office (support)
19
Appendix 1
Summary of Working Group Recommendations
Committing to the Vision and Preparing the Ground
Recommendation 1
That Victoria University make a high-level strategic commitment to embrace and embed digital
technologies across a broad range of academic programmes in all faculties, recognising that this is
a critical determinant of fully realising the goals and objectives laid down in the Learning and
Teaching Strategy.
Recommendation 2
Students at Victoria enjoy a high quality and engaging learning experience enhanced through the
widespread adoption and use of digital technologies and capabilities as an integral part of
programme teaching.
Strategic leadership and an integrated approach
Recommendation 3
Strategic leadership for achieving the digital technologies vision should be located in the
Academic Office, overseeing a Digital Technologies for Learning Governance Group that includes
Associate Deans with teaching and learning responsibilities, and high level representation from
UTDC, the Research Office, Student Learning Support, Vic Careers, ITS and the Library.
Recommendation 4
That leadership from the highest levels of Victoria be shown in support of the digital technologies
vision, initially through a symposium involving key staff from academic, supporting and central
services with the objective of launching phase one of the implementation plan.
Advancing teaching and learning and student experience grounded in digital capabilities
Recommendation 5
That Objectives 1 through 5 of the Learning and Teaching Strategy 2010-2014 be read in a way
that fully embraces the strategic commitment to digital technologies as a means for:
• establishing a distinctive vision for education and the student experience;
• facilitating good leadership in learning and teaching;
• teaching delivery resulting in high quality academic outcomes;
• fostering and rewarding good practice in learning and teaching; and
• drawing upon the cultural diversity of our staff and students.
Recommendation 6
That the processes and procedures for assessing and adopting digital technologies in support of
learning and teaching specifically consider the potential for increased student engagement and
enhancement of the student experience, and appropriate support to build student digital literacy.
Staff capability development and incentives, and extended support
Recommendation 7
That developments in teaching and learning using digital technologies be encouraged as a catalyst
for innovation in pedagogical approaches across all of Victoria’s teaching programmes – including
the introduction of an excellence award for TLuDT innovation.
Recommendation 8
That an e-learning development and design team be established within the UTDC to work with
Schools and Faculties and other key central support groups, including ITS, Library, Vic Careers
and Student Services, on projects and programmes that advance digital technology use
underpinned by relevant learning theory and pedagogical approaches.
20
Appendix 2
Digital Technologies in relation to the Learning and Teaching Action Plan
Objective 1
Establish a distinctive vision for education and the student experience at Victoria, including
the widespread adoption of digital technologies as a key element of distinctiveness.
Actions
1.2 Reassess the University’s graduate attributes with an emphasis on the identification of
the learning opportunities that enable students to develop them, including those made
possible through the widespread adoption of digital technologies; then embed this
approach systematically in planning statements, course and programme approval
processes, course outline templates, teaching portfolios, student ePortfolios, and
related processes and documents.
1.4 Prepare a statement of educational principles consistent with the principle of
developing institutional knowledge and skills for teaching and learning within a
digital culture, and ensure alignment between it and the graduate attributes.
1.5 Give greater emphasis to active, flexible self-directed learning as a model better suited
to supporting Victoria’s identified graduate attributes, facilitated by greater
utilisation of digital technologies and capabilities.
1.6 Build upon the University’s strengths as a research-intensive university by ensuring
that students have structured opportunities to develop skills in research and inquiry,
giving particular regard to digital technologies as a means of developing such
capabilities.
1.8 Establish teaching projects (courses or collaboration across courses) that explore
integrated approaches to academic problems using perspectives from different
disciplines, facilitated where practicable through the use of supporting digital
technologies
Objective 2
Foster, support and reward good practice in learning and teaching, including explicit
recognition that digital technologies can helpfully inform good practice.
Actions
2.1 Establish a Learning and Teaching development budget to build leadership, support
innovation and improvement by providing a source of contestable funding support for
activities such as project support, pilot studies, or significant professional development
– with particular encouragement for initiatives that foster and extend the use of
digital technologies in the teaching programmes of the University.
2.2 Review the application of promotions criteria relating to learning and teaching and the
evidence applicants are required to submit to address them, including criteria relating
to contributions in the scholarship of teaching and the use of digital technologies in
support of teaching and learning.
2.6 Actively publicise and celebrate the educational achievements of our students,
graduates and staff, including innovation in the use and application of digital
technologies, so as to increase understanding and enhance perceptions of the value,
distinctiveness and quality of our learning and teaching.
2.8 Develop initiatives that foster active collaboration across the University, including an
expanded use of digital technologies, to enable the development of student-centred
21
learning environments, in particular between programmes and academic support
services. These initiatives should maximise the learning and teaching opportunities
provided by co-ordinated academic support services, particularly at first year level.
2.12 Further develop the availability of flexible delivery, web-based learning resources and
learning support for students who need extra assistance, and as a catalyst for the
broader uptake and deployment of digital technologies in support of teaching and
learning.
Objective 3
Ensure that academic programmes and teaching delivery are of high quality, and specifically
that they (in addition to the four existing requirements):
•
•
develop a basic level of digital technology literacy across the University;
routinely incorporate the use of digital learning technologies efficiently and
systematically in a manner that recognises the pedagogical requirements of the
subject and the needs and expectations of students.
Actions
3.1
3.2
3.5
3.6
3.7
Invest in a staged expansion of [Review] the current model and structures for the
provision of learning support and teaching support, taking into account a muchexpanded utilisation of digital technologies in support of teaching programmes.
Develop incentives for high quality teaching through management of the course
profile and workload management which takes into account new modes of teaching
and learning facilitated by extended use of digital technologies – and extends
beyond the traditional class contact hours workload model.
Develop and adopt continuous improvement processes, informed by evidence on the
achievement of Student Learning Objectives together with research and scholarship on
learning and teaching that extends to a specific consideration of digital
technologies as a means for stimulating and supporting continuous improvement.
Address the role of [Develop and adopt a policy framework in relation to]distance
and flexible learning teaching and assessment in learning and teaching policies and
organisational systems with a view to encouraging more effective use of these modes
of learning and teaching, and their inherent value as a catalyst for greater
utilisation of digital capabilities in support of on-campus programmes.
Review the current technology platform for online learning and teaching to ensure that
it meets institutional requirements and supports a significantly expanded use of
digital technologies across University programmes.
Objective 4
Create an environment of good leadership and evidence-based decision-making, including
specific considerations of digital technology impacts and outcomes, in learning and
teaching.
Actions
4.1
Establish and adopt standard measures of learning and teaching, including the
formative and summative impacts and outcomes of digital technologies, that
facilitate the management of these activities at all levels from the Senior Management
Team to individual courses.
22
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
Establish norms of good practice in learning, teaching and assessment, including the
consideration of digital technology applications, and align all official documents
that refer to learning and teaching so that they use criteria that form a comprehensive
system.
Develop and adopt a set of defined responsibilities (including specific consideration
of digital technology capabilities and integration) in learning and teaching at
University, Faculty, School, course coordinator and programme level that will guide
Deans, Heads of School and programme directors on the best way to fulfil those
responsibilities.
Establish key performance indicators in learning and teaching including digital
technology evaluation and integration processes, together with a schedule by which
appropriate governance and management committees will regularly review progress
measured against them.
Identify and actively engage with a small number of national and international
benchmarking partners in relation to academic standards and learning outcomes,
including the University of Sydney in relation to USyd eLearning.
23
Appendix 3
Examples of learning and teaching using digital technology-based pedagogical approaches
Humanities and Social Sciences
Inquiries into the nature and management of content for humanists and social scientists have been
made urgent in recent years by a digital environment characterised at once by the proliferation of
data and the potential to access previously obscure materials. Such inquiries have been supported
by large-scale funding initiatives in Europe and North America (for example the “digging into
data” challenge project http://www.diggingintodata.org, or DARIAH, the Digital Research
Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities – http://www.dariah.eu), which promote web-based
collaborative research. Individual institutions, meanwhile, are supporting uses of digital
technology to create content more explicitly related to University teaching and learning. MIT’s
“Hyperstudio,” for example, assists staff to conceive of and develop digital learning tools and
integrate new media resources into course curricula (http://hyperstudio.mit.edu/about/). Their
projects to date include Berliner sehen, a hypermedia documentary featuring unscripted video
conversations and archival materials, which is used by students in language and culture courses to
explore everyday life in Berlin since the fall of the wall, sorting and grouping materials according
to their particular projects. Cultura, a “web-based, intercultural project” connects American
students with their peers in other countries through collaborative online analysis of culturally
familiar objects (http://hyperstudio.mit.edu/projects ).
As these projects suggest, the use of digital technologies in Humanities and Social Science
pedagogy does not simply enable access to content, but can support research-driven teaching and
learning, and collaborative student work across diverse locations as well as in the classroom
setting. This can occur using readily available technologies in pursuit of goals such as close
reading, critical thinking and comparative historical analysis which, in the Humanities, have more
typically been pursued in isolation. Wikis used as a way to engage students in the project of taking
more effective lecture and reading notes in an English literature class
(http://jbj.pbworks.com/w/page/13150225/Class-Notes-Assignment), Google’s Ngram viewer
used to visualize the historical production of discourse (http://edwired.org/2010/12/17/visualizingmillions-of-words/), and blogs used to support inquiry-driven learning are examples of this trend.
In comments to a blog post about an undergraduate history course in which in-class discussion
supported by a collaborative blog guiding student research formed the basis of the curriculum, a
writer identifying as a student in the course wrote: “I’m a student in this class, except it doesn’t
feel like a class, and I don’t feel like a student. I feel like a scholar in a joint task force of other
scholars.” (http://edwired.org/2010/09/16/can-you-teach-80-students-without-lecturing)
Commerce
The Business School at Abilene Christian University in the USA has trialled the use of iPads and
apps across a number of its business courses, and researched early student reaction to the devices
in relation to teaching and learning. Early experiences have been generally positive, with students
feeling more engaged with the courses generally and more involved in the classroom experience
itself. Teaching staff also found that the iPad allowed for greater experimentation in alternative
approaches to teaching, and the capacity to move towards a more facilitative mode of delivery.
The School is committed to further projects and innovation based around mobile devices as they
mature, and as additional resources such as eBooks and business-related applications become
available. The general sentiment among teaching staff at Abilene (beyond even the business
school) is that these technologies are creating significant possibilities for new and innovative
teaching practices that enhance student learning and engagement simultaneously.
24
Science
The technology-driven disciplines within science have developed an impressive diversity of
digital resources to improve student learning experiences. In Physics, the University of Colorado
has emerged as one of the leaders. Their website http://phet.colorado.edu/en/for-teachers/browseactivities hosts a compendium of more than 170 interactive, research-based simulations of
physical phenomena for introductory level undergraduates. The software, which is free to
download, encourages quantitative exploration in areas as diverse as wave modelling, gravity,
greenhouse effects, and nuclear physics. By manipulating sets of interactive tools, students can
observe immediately the cause-and-effect relationships in a way that is both engaging and
instructionally beneficial.
For Chemistry, Simon Fraser University (Vancouver) lists more than 40 of the most notable
projects: http://www.chem1.com/chemed/devproj.shtml. For example, Molecular Logic provides
guided explorations of atomic and molecular computational models embedded in a database linked
to a textbook. ChemCollective is a collection of scenario-based learning activities and virtual labs,
and Molecular Rover allows students to explore atomic forces, structures, and motions in an
interactive manner.
Of the many initiatives in Biological Sciences, Leicester University’s Second World Immersive
Future Teaching (SWIFT) is the most striking (http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/swift). The project
provides immersive learning activities in a virtual laboratory using Second Life. Avatars of the
students can explore and experiment the laboratory, and communicate with avatars of their peers
and the instructor. This is seen as a supplement to, but not a replacement for real life laboratory
work, and could be useful, for example, for training laboratory protocols in a safe environment.
Education
Teacher education at Victoria University of Wellington has integrated digital technologies into the
student learning experience in both the online programmes and aspects of the campus based
programmes. This will continue to evolve. In the future there could be the opportunity for student
teachers to practice behavioural strategies within a virtual environment to explore techniques to
manage a learning environment to gain experience prior to going on practicum. Graduating
teaching candidates not only learn through the use of digital technologies, but also learn to teach
using digital technologies. School leaders sometimes expect beginning teachers to be actively
involved in school development in the use of digital technologies, therefore graduates need to be
familiar with using tools to teach particular concepts, facilitate collaborative learning, access
information and expertise and to access support networks. To enable teacher candidates to develop
their academic knowledge of teaching, course coordinators have developed Mediasite videos and
interactive activities as well as making use of the social network tools embedded in Blackboard
and freely available beyond the learning platform. A matrix of pedagogical practices underpinned
by current learning theory using digital technologies is available for use by course coordinators.
25
Appendix 4
Comparison of staff employed for UTDC functions by New Zealand universities
Victori
a
2.0
Auckla
nd
7.0
Masse
y
2.0
Canter
bury
1.5
Lincol
n
2.0
Otago
3.0
Waikat
o
1.4
Academic Development
2.0
E-learning
2.0
5.0
3.0
2.1
6.4
3.0
1.0
6.3
8.0
10.9
6.0
8.0
9.0
4.5
Student Feedback
8.9
1.0
2.0
1.0
0.5
1.0
1.0
0.5
Total
2.6
7.0
22.0
17.9
10.0
17.4
14.5
8.0
21.4
FTE Academics
897.0
1949.0
976.0
625.0
1117
700.0
222
1175.0
FTE Academic/Total Staff
128.1
88.6
54.5
62.5
64.2
48.3
27.7
54.9
FTE Academic/Academic dev
448.5
389.8
325.3
297.6
174.5
233.3
222.0
186.5
FTE Academic/E-learning Staff
448.5
243.6
89.5
104.2
139.6
77.8
49.3
132.0
FTE Academic/Evaluation
897.0
974.5
976.0
1250.
1117.0
700.0
444.0
451.9
Administration/Management
AUT
3.6
Note: This table summarises staff numbers employed in units similar to UTDC, as well as other units in their
respective institutions with responsibility for operational tasks undertaken by the UTDC as at August 2010
26
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