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Ros O’Leary
Economics LTSN
Bristol University Learning Technology Support Service
Students Online Learning Experiences Project
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VLEs: Innovative Practice in Higher Education
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Innovative HE case studies
Virtual Seminars in Economic Principles at
UWE
Online tutorials & assessment in Philosophical Issues in Modern
Biotechnology
Vets Virtual Clerking Station
Using PDAs in Economics
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Virtual Seminars in Economics Principles
• 220 year 1 students, 1 year, 30 credit course
• 2 lectures, 1 seminar per week
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Virtual Seminars in Economics Principles
• 2 lectures and 1 workshop per week
• 1 in-class seminar and 1 virtual seminar per fortnight
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Nature of Virtual Seminars
• Run in group discussion board
• When and where– in seminar groups (same as in-class)
– synchronous
– but not location specific
• Role of tutors
• Personal Development Planning
• Types of activity
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Strengths and Limitations
• Strengths
–more contribution per student
– better thought-out contributions
–more equal contribution between students: shy and dominant students
– contributions remain visible
– potentially time saving for staff
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• Limitations
– limited interactivity, just posting
– no whiteboard• not suitable for graphs and maths
– lack of face-to-face dynamic with tutor
– students may treat it casually• must address protocols and incentives
Strengths and Limitations
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Online tutorials and assessment in Philosophical Issues in
Modern Biotechnology
• 25 students, year 2, open unit, 10 credits
• New unit
• Philosophy knowledge a prerequisite
• Biological knowledge not required
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Philosophical Issues in Modern Biotechnology
• 10 lectures, 2 overview sessions
• 4 online tutorials including self-assessment
• E-test two-thirds way through
• Essay paper
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Nature of online tutorials
• Designed to worked through independently
• Designed by postgraduate + eLearning specialist
• Discussion board for general discussion
• Tutorials and online assessment not marked but condition of award
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• Strengths
– focus on philisophy during face-to-face discussions
– supplementary interactive material
– biology expert support
• Limitations
– no structured opportunity to discuss biology (focus on individual learning)
– not assessed (linking assessment to VLE)
Strengths and Limitations
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Vets Virtual Clerking Station
• Final year vet students
• Whole year spent in clinical placements
• Assessed on write-up of clinical cases
• Complained about range of clinical cases
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Vets Virtual Clerking Station
• As part of Vet VLE/Intranet case study upload
• Can include video, sound, images
Echocardiogram showing left atrial
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• Strengths
– increase clinical exposure
– archive cases and can be used as a database for:
• other students
• clinical research
• Limitations
– no structured opportunity to discuss (focus on individual learning)
Strengths and Limitations
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Using PDAs in Economics
• Year 1, Introduction to Microeconomics, 13 students
• Blackboard
• Weekly lecture and seminar
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Using PDAs in Economics
• Repurposed material for PDAs
• Content +discussion
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• Strengths
– Could do all the things on a VLE they could do on a PC; more portable and flexible
– Could submit questions during lectures, lecturer could review during lecture
• Limitations
– Had to repurpose content so more readable – even so students preferred PCs
– Some technical difficulties transferring Microsoft files
Strengths and Limitations
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Other HE case studies
• http://www.sole.ilrt.org/
• http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/
• http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/genericcentre/
• http://www.economics.ltsn.ac.uk/
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VLE events
• Colston Research Symposium, 'The Evolution of Learning and Web Technologies: Survival of the Fittest?‘ http://www.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/
• ‘Thinking outside the VLE box: innovative and creative ideas for improving the student experience’ http://www.ltss.bris.ac.uk/
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Thankyou
Any questions?
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