Teaching and Learning Technology Resource

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DESCRIPTION OF INNOVATION:

(1) Development of a flexible learning M Ed programme for experienced teachers which allows teachers to up-date their IT skills whilst gaining a postgraduate qualification.

(2) Development of a 20 hour flexible learning programme for beginning teachers which can be studied as part of their initial teaching qualification.

REASONS FOR DEVELOPMENT/INTRODUCTION OF THE INNOVATION:

The State Department of Education for Western Australia has identified Information Technology (IT) literacy as a key skill area for both beginning and practising teachers in West Australian schools. Currently, there is no provision for developing teachers' IT skills in the programmes offered by the Graduate School of Education.

TEACHING/LEARNING AIMS:

To develop an Internet-delivered programme designed to enhance teachers' IT skills, which can be studied on a flexible learning basis in the workplace.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES:

The learning materials are based upon the view of the role of the lecturer as facilitator of learning rather than disseminator of information. Approximately 30 courseware modules have been developed to meet the needs of both beginning and experienced teachers. These modules include technical modules concerned with issues such as preparing instructional materials for the Internet and managing IT in schools and sociological modules examining topics such as gender issues and ethical and moral aspects of using IT.

USE:

The flexible learning programmes are essentially "stand alone" programmes, delivered via the Internet with computer-mediated communication with students used to provide tutorial support.

For 1997, the materials have been trialled with approximately 20 experienced teachers and a second group of approximately 20 beginning teachers. For the 1998 academic year, the programmes will be offered to approximately 200 Diploma in Education students and approximately 50 experienced teachers.

STUDENT SUPPORT:

All of the courseware modules are passworded and Internet-delivered to enrolled students. Students have dial-up access and are thus able to study on campus or elsewhere. E-mail (both synchronous and asynchronous), facsimile and telephone are the primary communication strategies used at present, but desktop videoconferencing for students in remote locations will be introduced during 1998.

ASSESSMENT:

Each of the courseware modules has a built in assessment which students must complete and e-mail to the programme co-ordinator.

EVALUATION:

The FECEL Teaching and Learning Committee has funded an evaluation of the programmes which is currently in progress.

EFFECTIVENESS:

Preliminary findings of the evaluation suggest that the programmes enhance teachers' use of IT in the classroom and that their perceptions of the place of IT in teaching and learning are changed so that a wider range of possible usages is perceived.

HINDRANCES TO DEVELOPING INNOVATION:

Low funding levels, problems with network access, increased workload resulting from mistaken administrative perceptions that flexible learning programmes "run themselves".

ENABLERS TO DEVELOPING INNOVATION:

Students' enthusiasm for flexible learning

ECEL computing staff, especially Gee Lightfoot, Tim Villa and Doug Boyder

COST/BENEFITS:

An enormous amount of time went into developing the programmes and this work is continuing. Myself and 3 graduate students were involved in developing the programmes. The programmes were radically under-funded but I found that my graduate students were willing to put is a great deal of unpaid effort which saved the day. I would be prepared to make similar time investments again, but only with adequate funding.

LESSONS LEARNT:

Do not assume that administrators will understand the investment of time and effort required to set-up and maintain a flexible learning programme. You may find your workload increased because flexible learning programmes are thought to be "easier" to run than lecture programmes.

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