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posted by Unknown @ 11:24 am 0 comments

Rationale for a blended approach to Induction

Outline Proposal

It is proposed that the new student induction process become a blend of face-to-face and e-learning via WebCT for all students who register at an Edge Hill Campus. The material placed online will have the added bonus of being accessible as a stand-alone induction by distance learners. If this proposal is found acceptable, it should be available for Health Cohort 34 (April 06) and Fastrack (June 06) for beta testing and a final version available for September 2006.

Rationale for using WebCT

There are a number of strong reasons for incorporating WebCT into the new student induction programme:

• LTD will find it administratively more convenient to upload all students too WebCT. The current version of WebCT has the capability for this, however, a WebCT vehicle is required for all students to be uploaded into.
• All campus-based students will have an opportunity to receive a hands-on introduction to WebCT facilitated by Learning Services staff. Current thinking in the use of online learning suggests that the blend between face to face and online can combine the best features of both provided there is alignment between learning outcomes and learning activities in both parts of the blend.
• This is an opportunity for us to draw upon the lessons learned with EXPERTease and take them to a wider student audience.
• The introduction of WebCT for support of new students is consistent with the SOLSTICE model and it is hoped, will play a significant role in enculturation of students into online learning at an early stage of their time at Edge Hill.
• There is potential for some customisation to take into account geographical differences between students although it is not intended to make the content subject specific.
• Materials already exist that can be ‘re-purposed’ within this new context, for example, interactive animations and informs used within the EXPERTease tutorial. It is not envisaged that much material will be developed from new.
• Printed material for all students could be massively reduced. An information sheet with access instructions would still be necessary but the booklet and workbook would be redundant. This has the potential to save £## p.a.
• It will be possible to evaluate induction by drawing upon a much richer variety of data, for example, an online evaluation form, tracking data, discussion postings (if used).

Can we think of any more?

posted by Lindsey Martin @ 10:07 pm 0 comments

Next step for the online induction

At today's SMT meeting we discussed the potential for an online induction vehicle. We have been asked to provide a briefing paper and storyboard/ outline for the February SMT meeting. I think that such a paper needs to take into account:

• Content (including reusable/ repurposable learning objects)
• Scaleability to all students
• Relevance to outreach/ off-campus students
• Methods of delivery - face to face or online and self directed
• Robustness of the network and the version of WebCT we will be using
• Apropriateness of using WebCT (our rationale)
• Timescales, actions and authors
• How we propose to evaluate

Another thought ... what about the student portal we keep hearing about? Will this complement or conflict with the induction?

posted by Lindsey Martin @ 7:46 pm 0 comments

Sunderland University Induction Materials

Sunderland have produced what they call 'Infobites' using Microsoft Producer. The Self Help part of their web site has a number of examples of how they support new students.

posted by Lindsey Martin @ 10:26 pm 2 comments

Searching Google for online library inductions

I have started a brief search on Google for anything relating to online library inductions. A couple of links stood out for me. The MMU one (which is also on the links list on the right) is familiar and uses Boxmind. Boxmind however does not work with Firefox which is a bit of a problem as Firefox is increasing in its market penetration.

The other one I found was a document called Searching for the Holy Grail – Student Inductions Made Easy written by Allen Dunn and colleagues at Wirral Metropolitan College . Although aimed at FE, it addresses the same issues that we have here at Edge Hill. Also, Allen was on the same course at JMU with me! Small world.

posted by Unknown @ 9:26 am 0 comments

LIBRARY project blog

This blog has been set up to document the progress of the LIBRARY online induction module for students. All students are going to be added to WebCT and this module is being created so that every student will have at least one module to view if they log in.

The module will also hopefully help with the induction process.

posted by Unknown @ 9:22 am 0 comments