E-Learning for all

If you’re wondering what e-learning has to offer, then a series of Staff Development courses could be for you. Students typically record only 20-40 percent of important lecture ideas (Kiewra, 2002)  so it’s worth considering other methods to support their learning. There are 4 distinct (but related) workshops held once a month over four months which concentrate on the pedagogy side of e-learning rather than the mechanics of using tools (for which separate sessions are available). I recently attended the first round of these and would recommend them to others.

e-Inform is a useful starter workshop which presents examples where e-learning interventions have enhanced or even substituted face to face teaching and learning. These interventions have been particularly useful for students who are struggling, whose first language is not English or who have additional needs and in one particular case resulted in a dramatic reduction in the failure rate for the module.

e-Assess covers familiar ground for lecturers including options for CAA, either within or external to Learn. There is also an opportunity to get familiar with the plagiarism detection service, Turnitin.

e-Collaborate showcases web conferencing whilst in the practical part of the session participants work on tasks posted to a discussion forum and respond to each other’s ideas.

e-Innovate considers ways in which learning can be enhanced by new technologies such as the use of simulations to bring a topic ‘to life’ or increasing student engagement via a texting facility.

Each session includes some theoretical and practical elements as well as appropriate supporting materials both online and offline. Naturally the real benefit of courses like this is the opportunity to learn with and from colleagues on campus.

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Reference: 

Kiewra, K (2002) How classroom teachers can help students learn and teach them how to learn. Theory into Practice 41(2) 71-80