Learner Voices
Linda Creanor
Development Director, Caledonian Academy
Glasgow Caledonian University
www.academy.gcal.ac.uk
Learning Futures: the campus and beyond
University of Leicester, 8-9 January 2008
Overview
• Who are our learners?
• Researching the learner experience
• Increasing autonomy:
– Re-engineering assessment practices
– Approaches to professional
development
• Institutional implications
Generation Z ? (2001 - )
Millennials /Generation Y /Net
Generation (1981 – 2001)
X-Genners (1964 – 80)
Baby Boomers (1946 – 64)
(Strauss & Howe, 2002; Oblinger, 2005; Redmond, 2007)
“ Today’s students are no
longer the people our
educational system
was designed to
teach.” Prensky, 2001
“.. a generation of
students that has been
born with a PC mouse
in their hands and a
computer screen as
window to the world”.
Veen, 2005
Who are our
learners?
A Vision of Students today
Learner EXperience
• Led by Glasgow Caledonian University and
The Open Learning Partnership, London
• A UK-wide research study across the post16 sectors
• Informed by a Scoping Study that identified
need for cross-sector, integrated research
(Sharpe et al, 2005)
• A holistic approach putting the learner’s
voice centre stage
Research Questions
• What might characterise effective learners in an elearning context?
• What beliefs and intentions do effective learners
display?
• What strategies do effective learners display?
Research Methodology
Innovative methodology –
Interpretative Phenomenological
Analysis (IPA) and Interview Plus
55 learners interviewed
Who are our Learners?
Generational influences
“Its actually helping me with my kids as well because …
now we can discuss things and look at things together.
without it going right over my head.”
Paul, mature undergraduate
“I just didn't feel I needed to know the inner workings of a
computer, as long as it works I'm fine with that and if it
breaks I give it to dad.”
Laura, young undergraduate
Approaches to study
“I was writing my project, I was doing my Blog, and doing
my homework for economics all at the same time, and
listening to music in the background ... Who says men
can't multitask!”
(mature undergraduate student)
Control & choice
Q: … you’ve got the [online] calendar there where you
arrange meetings and set deadlines etc?
A: Well … we’re kind of keeping them happy by having
that pretend meeting up there because we don’t meet
every Thursday.
Q: So you’ve got to make it look as if you’re doing it?
A: Oh we are, just not on a Tuesday and Thursday!
(postgraduate student)
Personal devices
“I couldn't live without my mobile phone …”
“Mobile phones again another way of communicating
because everyone has a mobile phone on them …”
“I always have my phone and I-Pod with me …”
“I use my laptop, I take it away, it's attached to me, I couldn't
survive without it … “
Characterising effective e-learners

Believe technology should enhance their learning

Willing to engage with technology for learning &
expect tutors to engage also

Learn to deal with strong emotional reactions towards
technology

Highly skilled networkers – know WHO as well as
where and how.

A new ‘underworld’ of digital communication
Pre-session survey, Sep 2007
55 second year Media Policy students
22 fourth year Media Ethics students
Age mainly 18 – 22;
33% male, 67% female
Non-university internet use
93%
Use Wikipedia
95%
Social Networking
88%
Bebo 83%; Facebook 35%; MySpace 63%
Write Blog
18%
Second Life account
5%
Use De.li.cious
3%
(Chalmers, 2007 )
We need to ….
Acknowledge learner use of
personal gadgets and tools
Involve learners more in the
design of learning activities &
assessments
Integrate learner-created
resources
• focus on assessment for learning rather than of
learning
• Assessment to promote student self-regulation
• Strathclyde (lead) Glasgow Caledonian, Glasgow.
• Integrate technologies for assessment
• Focus on large classes - esp.1st year
Figure 1: Assessment and feedback practices: dimensions of implementation
EMPOWERMENT/
SELF-REGULATION
ACADEMIC
EXPERIENCE
SOCIAL
EXPERIENCE
ENGAGEMENT
(Nicol, 2007)
Figure 1: Assessment and feedback practices: dimensions of implementation
EMPOWERMENT/
SELF-REGULATION
ACADEMIC
EXPERIENCE
• Students create criteria
• Students add own criteria
• Students identify criteria
from samples of work
• Exemplars of different
performance levels
provided
• Students rephrase criteria
in own words
• Provide document with
criteria
SOCIAL
EXPERIENCE
ENGAGEMENT
(Nicol, 2007)
Figure 1: Assessment and feedback practices: dimensions of implementation
EMPOWERMENT/
SELF-REGULATION
ACADEMIC
EXPERIENCE
Students create MCQs,
distractors and feedback for
wrong and right answers and
present to class
Students create MCQ and
distractors
Students self-assess own
performance using MCQs
[individual]
ENGAGEMENT
(Nicol, 2007)
SOCIAL
EXPERIENCE
Preparing lecturers
• Traditional professional development approaches
inadequate
• Community approaches supported by collaborative
tools (Falconer et al, Mod4L final report,2007)
Caledonian Academy
Aim:
• to develop innovative
teaching and learning within
GCU and further afield.
Mission:
• to lead the University in the
development and
implementation of pioneering
forms of learning
• to extend its international
reputation as a centre of firstrate, applied research in
education.
Caledonian Academy
Embedding e-learning
within mainstream
teaching and learning by
integrating scholarship with
pragmatic development activities
across programmes.
E-Learning activities
• Academy Futures – technology ‘sandpit’ events
• Community forum – highlights evidence-based practice
• Blogs, wikis, GCU Second Life project
• i-learn framework under development
• Collaborate with Heads of LTQ – School based activities
• Projects – LEX, REAP, LDN – link to practice
Institutional perspectives
Now:
• learner access to information
managed through on-campus IT
facilities
• access blocked to websites and
tools not associated with formal
learning
• Appropriate use of IT agreements
are compulsory for learners
• Learning resources not always
accessible off campus
(JISC, 2007)
Institutional perspective
Future:
• access to own choice of software
and tools, with support available
• multiple online communities for
networked learning
• Explore identities and develop
skills via social software, virtual
worlds & simulation
• Collaborative physical learning
spaces
(JISC, 2007)
In conclusion …
I think it depends on the teacher
really….If they're on board with it a
hundred and ten percent then
you'll be included. If they're not,
then they won't use it and neither
will you.
Vanessa, LEX project interviewee