03
Flexible Opportunities in a Digital Future: ascilite Workshop on Good Practice in Technology-enhanced Learning and Teaching
04
05
15
16
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
31
32
33
The workshop focussed on three key questions: How do we recognise Good Practice in technologically-enhanced learning and teaching? How do we communicate/disseminate Good Practice in technologically-enhanced learning and teaching? and How do we integrate Good Practice into learning and teaching? These were somewhat rhetorical questions as most would agree.
The focus of the workshop was an evaluation of 25 complete projects and 8 ongoing projects. The first step was to define technology-enhanced learning. Laurillard, Oliver, Wasson & Hoppe (2009) suggest that the “role of technology [is] to enable new types of learning experiences and to enrich existing learning scenarios” (p. 289). A second step involved determining 10 outcomes which are outlined below.
A focus on learning design allows academics to model and share good practice in learning and teaching
Authentic learning provides a means of engaging students through all aspects of curricula, subjects, activities and assessment
Successful academic development focuses on engaging academics over sustained periods of time through action learning cycles and the provision of leadership development opportunities
Engaging teaching approaches are key to student learning
Technology-enhanced assessment provides flexible approaches for academics to provide feedback to students
Integrating technology-enhanced learning and teaching strategies across curriculum, subjects, activities and assessment results in major benefits to the discipline
Knowledge and resource sharing are central to a vibrant community of practice
Academics require sophisticated online teaching strategies to effectively teach in technology-enhanced higher education environments
Academics need a knowledge of multi-literacies to teach effectively in contemporary technology-enhanced higher education
Exemplar projects focused on multiple outcomes across curricula integration, sustainable initiatives, academic development and community engagement.
Overall, it was a great workshop with around 12 people in the ascilite community. It was interactive and feedback was generally positive. A number of questions were generated from the discussion:
Who decided the topics for the 11 Good Practice Reports?
Who decided the 33 projects that were included in the technology-enhanced learning and teaching report?
What was the threshold for inclusion/exclusion of individual projects under each of the outcomes?