Transcript PowerPoint 97/2000 format

Linking
development and
innovation with
mainstream
activities
Grainne
Conole
&
Paul
Browning
Belfast, 25 June
[email protected]
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a national centre of excellence in the
development and use of technology-based methods in teaching, learning and research
1
ICT R&D - it can only get better?
• The current picture looks rosy, we have
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a wealth of good ICT research
a growing mass of resources and developments
new types of specialist ICT professionals
emergence of niche units of expertise
a wealth of supporting national and international
agendas and initiatives
– Having lots of R&D activities must automatically
benefit mainstream university activities?
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
2
But there is a gap…..
– R&D findings don’t always relate to university strategy
– R&D activities often occur in isolation and don’t link to
mainstream university activities
– There is a lack of communication and understanding
– Developments/resources are often built without enough
reference to end users needs
– Resource are often not widely used across university
– There is sometimes a conflict between ICT R&D interests
and mainstream needs/focus
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
3
Key factors
– ICT research and development
• is a moving target
• will have a significant and growing impact in the future
– Scale up
• evidence of the area maturing, eg emerging standards
• need to look at issues of scale up and impact on
organisational change
– Joining up
• imperative that wide range of disciplines impacting on this
research area are brought together
• need wide range of skills and a multidisciplinary approach
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
4
Harnessing the potential of ICT
• We need to
– close the loop between R&D and mainstream activities
– have a clear understanding and focus on university needs
– provide mechanisms for best using ICT R&D expertise
into mainstream activities
• Benefits
– a more cohesive and focused set of activities
– more directly relevant to the university and end users
– better integration with mainstream activities and agendas
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
5
A complex matrix of issues
Technical: Functionality, interoperability, robustness
Pedagogical: Types of learning, integration, support
Structural: What structures, who should do what
Support: Training and staff development, student help
Strategy: Institutional leadership, Joined up strategies
Culture: organisational change, ownership, time to adapt
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
6
Resources Drivers Research
The wider agenda
Research findings
The Virtual Society and PACCIT
Link to practice
National drivers: NGfL, ufi, e-university
The International context: globalisation,
competition/collaboration
University learning and teaching innovation funds
Hefce quality enhancement funds
CTI, LTSN, TLTP, FDTL, JISC e_Lib and DNER
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
7
Strategies for closing the loop
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a better understanding of the underlying factors
provision of a communication route for R&D activities
reflection on experience in the field and feed back
articulating the link between R&D and strategy
awareness of key university political agendas and
drivers
Constant communication and dialogue
Representation on appropriate formal structures
Mutual respect and understanding
Critical projects - to act as flagships or testbeds
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
8
Case study
ILRT within a University of Bristol context
– Outline of underlying philosophy
– Overview of
• ILRT’s research and development activities
• main ingredients for sustaining R&D activities
• key strategies for linking to mainstream activities
– Example of a ‘critical’ project for joining up
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
9
Institute for Learning & Research Technology
A diverse range of R&D, services and consultancy
Information gateways, digital libraries
Internet design, research and development
Digital image research and services
Virtual worlds, learning tools and environments
Pedagogical research and evaluation
Consultancy, courses, conferences
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
10
People and support
good practice, expertise and resources
Cross-disciplinary
Expertise, research and
development
Project-based, supportive structure
Encourages creativity, track record of
sustainability, supported by a strong virtual
presence and networking structure
70-80 staff with a wide range of expertise
Technical, pedagogical, research and development, digitisation
and imaging, teaching and learning, project management,
knowledge management & organisational change
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
11
Inter-linked activities
Advice and consultancy
Projects and services
Technical R&D
Pedagogical R&D
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
12
Conferences
Renardus
Advisory services, TasiServices and resources,
modules teaching, staff LTSN digital libraries and
development & Economics
information gateways
ETS masters training
Sosig
Short courses
Workshops
BB-LT
LTSS
Reviews
Evaluation
Filter
ID
Biz/ed
RGSS
Web design &
usability
WinEcon
RDN VTS
Regard
Toolkits
Bopcris
Pedagogical and
M/VLEs
technical research
Easel
Medcertain Cultures
Harmony
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
13
LTSS - harnessing project expertise
Internet
Catalogue
Show
cases
Lunchbytes
Workshops
Learning
resources
Discussion
fora
Interact
Try it
VTS tutorials
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
14
ID - build and consultancy
Usability
& design
Show
cases
Virtual worlds
Bespoke
VLEs
Advice &
consultancy
Data
Intranet
build
VIOLET
Workshops
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
15
A ‘critical’ project - VIOLET
• VIOLET
– Virtual Integrated OnLine Environment for Teaching”
• Sister project to IRIS
– The UoB "Research & Enterprise" portal
• VIOLET aspires to
– deliver a "Teaching & Learning" portal
• IRIS and VIOLET together
– underpin efforts to realise the vision of a University
Portal.
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
16
Builds on
• Internal Research and Development work
• Growing cross-institutional need
• Timely recent report from Learning and
Teaching group
• Institutional strategies
– Learning and Teaching strategy
– Information Strategy
– Emergent C&IT strategy
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
17
Timescale and aims
• Four-month feasibility study
– which will conclude at the end of July 2001
• The project aims to
– explore the issues around an appropriate Virtual
and Managed Leaning Environment for the
University
– to make recommendations for the future
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
18
3 main strands
– To implement
• a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf VLE (Blackboard)
– To ensure
• that the DataHub is populated by authoritative student and curriculum
information from the Dolphin student system
– To create
• a bespoke VMLE (building on Medici and Law Intranet) that uses the
DataHub information to provide a framework into which learning
resources may be added
– Evaluation - Cross institution team
• To compare COTS & bespoke, explore use, make recommendations
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
19
Themes and strands
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
20
Stakeholder involvement
• COTS VLE strand
– Medicine (link in with bespoke)
– Education (to explore learning aspects)
– Conversion from existing systems
• Bespoke VLE strand
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Builds on Medici and Law sites
Reworking of Medici in zope
Vets, Dentists, Education
others in the pipe line
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
21
Critical factors
• Key Strengths
• Key Issues
– Pragmatic approach
• based on current need and
demand
• the state of the technology
– Joined-up thinking
• Combining expertise across
UoB
• Generating shared ownership
– Eye to the future
• Educating stakeholders
• Strategic perspective
– Joining up can be hard!
• Technically - closed MIS systems,
but glueware like Zope really helps
• Culturally - closed MIS mindset, but
an Information Strategy really helps
– Adequate resources
– Problem still seems huge
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Integration of COTS and bespoke
Resource implications
Fostering ownership
Training requirements
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
22
Compromise
• Integration requires
– cross-institutional
collaboration
– an understanding of the
different perspectives and
agendas involvement
– a belief in the
process/expected outcomes
and benefits
• It’s a tricky balance!
– Researchers don’t want to
link into ‘real’ activities
– What funders want doesn’t
always match local
aspirations
– Developers not listening to
end user needs
– Tension between
commercial, local & research
But….
Thorough integration of R&D activities
with mainstream agenda benefits everyone
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
23
Whole greater than the sum of the parts?
• Each project builds on other R&D activities
• There is ongoing communication with other projects in
ILRT. What are they doing? How can the outputs from
one project feed into another?
• The feedback loop is cyclical with research informing
development and experience of use in the field feeding
back into research
• Outputs are fed into other ILRT activities, the University
and appropriate external channels
• Individual expertise and interests, role of staff
development
• Influence of proximity
• Academic credibility and respect, mutual understanding
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
24
Success factors
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a clear link between R&D activities and mainstream
a mechanism for communication back and forth
evidence of relevance to end user needs
utilisation of sector expertise and niche specialities
a broad multidisciplinary perspective
appropriate utilisation of national/international initiatives
integration with local agendas
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology is a centre of excellence in the
development and use of Information and Communication Technologies for learning and research
25