JISC

Start date: 3 March 2008

End date: 31 March 2009

Funding programme: e-Learning Capital programme

Project website: http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/reformproject/

JISC theme(s): e-Learning

Committees: JISC Learning and Teaching committee

Background / Context 

Edge Hill’s commitment to widening participation and inclusion has, over the last decade, seen a year on year increase in the numbers of students presenting with Dyslexia and other SpLDs. With Dyslexic students forming the largest proportion of all students with disabilities in HE, there is a constantly growing need for appropriate learning support.

This module has the potential to engage with a wide range of stakeholder groups and address the shortage of dedicated training in this field. Although principally aimed at support staff working within the Higher and Further Education sectors it also has relevance to classroom teachers, teaching assistants and school administrators. To this end, it fulfils some of the key principles behind the Leitch Review to provide highly skilled workforces with development opportunities, and fully aligns with the QAA’s position on systematic enhancement of the quality of the student experience.

Aims and Objectives

Redevelop an existing Professional Development 10 week, 15 credit, level 6 module, CPD304: Dyslexia and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) in Higher Education – Support Issues.

Objectives

• Develop an improved understanding of the potential for reuse of learning objects at practitioner level
• Learn from the process what constitutes effective practice in creation, design and use of learning objects: distillation and dissemination from this experience internally and externally
• Develop an improved understanding of the workflows underpinning the design, development and reuse of learning objects
• Successfully deliver CPD 304
• Raise the profile of reusable learning objects among key stakeholder groups within the University and its partners

Project Methodology

The project will embed this module within existing University processes utilising existing staffing, skills and expertise wherever possible with a view to remodelling/developing as the first step of an iterative process to inform use and reuse of learning objects across the University. It consists of a number of inter-related activities, leading to the selection and use of learning objects.

Through the processes involved in completing this project, we hope to become more aware of a number of issues, pertinent to the future use of RLOs:

• An improved understanding of the potential for reuse at practitioner level
• Raised awareness of IPR in relation to reuse of learning objects
• Improved understanding of what constitutes effective practice in creation, design and use of learning objects
• An improved understanding at senior management level of the strategic implications of the potential for reuse. This is timely in the light of an institutional initiative to implement a baseline entitlement of technology enhanced learning for all students

Deliverables

• Project blog
• Project website
• Development and delivery of the module (conforming to the deliverables of the project as specified at section 25 of the JISC Circular 4/07)
• Learning materials from the module made available through Jorum
• A research-informed framework for the systematic selection of resources for adaptation and reuse: asking a series of key questions (e.g. adherence to standards, pedagogy, level, potential for adaptation). This will build upon the work of previous JISC projects’ guidelines and case studies
• Recommendations to inform institutional policy and practice via the Annual Monitoring Review (AMR) process and the senior Academic Managers’ Group (AMG)
• Information and guidance (from final report, website, case studies, papers etc.) for improved understanding of the potential for, approaches to, and challenges of, reuse at practitioner and institutional level
• Workshops for colleagues within institution or in partner institutions in the region on themes relating to the project

Internal Stakeholders

• Learning Technologists - Developer
• SpLD expert and practitioner - Developer and Module leader
• SpLD Advisers - Expert consultants
• Academic Librarians - Resource discovery
• Students - Learners
• Academic Quality Unit - Administrators
• SOLSTICE - E-learning strategy
• Project Steering Group - Project monitoring and advice
• SOLSTICE Fellows - Champions
• Faculty of Education CPD Programme team - Teaching & Learning monitoring and advice
• Finance - Budget monitoring
• Research & Knowledge Transfer Department – University profile

External Stakeholders

• North West Academic Libraries (NoWAL) - Staff development
• JORUM - National repository of learning objects