The focus of the OULDI project has been on developing and piloting tools, resources and approaches that support institutional curriculum design processes and design  practice/cultures. The Evaluation Report (PDF 91pp) reviews each of these in turn, including tools for sharing learning design expertise (Cloudworks), for visualising designs (CompendiumLD, Module Map, Activity Profile) and for supporting design and reflection in workshops (Course Features Facilitation Cards, Information Literacies Cards, workshop activities, etc.). The Report evaluates how effective these have been and what this tells us. For example: how do communities of practice use a shared design space? How well do university processes map actual practice? What benefits and barriers can we discern? What discourses of resistance and case studies of personal success have we recorded?

One clear message is that it is possible to be successful in changing or improving the process, practice and perception of curriculum design but has found this requires a combination of elements working together: selection of effective design tools; well configured institutional and informal design processes; proper opportunity for collaboration; reflexive working and dedicated time away from the day-to-day to work on a design; positive and real management endorsement; staff with positive attitudes and adequate tacit knowledges of the art of teaching and the discipline of designing learning; and an expert consultant role to guide and advise teams. The success of embedding learning design is therefore dependent both on the internal quality of the particular design approach or tool and on the capability of the (institutional/professional skills) context to ‘receive’ it

Building on the Evaluation Report, the final Project Report (PDF, 21pp) presents a concise project summary offering an overview of the educational, learning design and technical context and documenting the benefits seen to the design process, design communities, design practices, design software and visualisation and the sector. The Project Report concludes with some ‘lessons to share.’

HEA Intro to OULDI 2012

Abstract

Cloudworks (Cloudworks.ac.uk) is a social networking site designed for sharing, finding and discussing learning and teaching ideas and experiences. Design and development of the site has been based on an iterative analysis, development and implementation approach, underpinned by ongoing research and evaluation. To this end, we have been seeking to establish strategies to enable us to systematically position transactions and emerging patterns of activity on the site so that we can more reliably use the empirical evidence we have gathered (Galley, 2009a, Galley 2009b, Alevizou et al., 2010a, Conole et al, 2010). In this paper we will introduce a framework we have developed for observing and supporting community development on the site. In building our framework we have used empirical evidence gathered from the site, then related it to the literature from a range of disciplines concerned with professional and learning communities. We link research relating to distance learning communities with studies into Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), self-organising communities on the web, and wider research about the nature of learning organisations and continuous professional development. We argue that this framework can be used to capture the development of productive communities in the space (i.e. how far cohesive, productive groups can be said to be emerging or not) and also help focus future development of the platform, and provide guidelines for community support.

This chapter explores these concepts in the context of analysis of emergent patterns of behaviour and activity in Cloudworks, a specialised networking site, and a public space for aggregating and sharing resources and exchanging ideas about the scholarship and practice of education, with particular emphasis on the relationship between ICTs and teaching and learning. Performance and expression within the site are analyzed through combining notions of self-representation and collective intelligence with dimensions of expansive learning and activity patterns. The chapter contextualizes findings through a critical lens, and offers insights that can shape the future research agenda for productive learning in networked environments.

Authors
Panagiota Alevizou, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
Rebecca Galley, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
Gráinne Conole, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

Book Chapter, Pages 75-97

Book Exploring the Theory, Pedagogy and Practice of Networked Learning

DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-0496-5_5
Online ISBN 978-1-4614-0496-5
Print ISBN 978-1-4614-0495-8

The activity that goes with slide 14 is as follows:

1. Identify your module’s key features. Choose a maximum of 12 cards from the module features prompt card set (10mins).

Note: The cards correspond to the aspects drawn out in the module map. Orange=Guidance and support, Blue=Content and experience, Green=Communication and collaboration, Purple=Reflection and demonstration. Are there any colour cards you haven’t chosen? How might this impact on learners’ experience?

2. Add your 12 keywords to the keywords box on the module map and begin to complete the boxes (see the example module map for more guidance) (10mins).

3. You want to ensure that these students are given the opportunity to practice a wide range on level 1/4 Information Literacy Skills. Using the Information Literacy Facilitation Cards, consider whether you need to amend or enhance any aspects of your module map (10mins)

We’ll be using these three resources in the activities (links below). Please feel free to download and try them but please do let us know how you get on!

Course Map Spreadsheet

Information Literacy Facilitation Cards

Module features prompt cards

The presentation was well attended and questions were raised by the members from the audience about the sustainability of these initiatives and plans for embedding such initiatives into institutional processes.  More details about both partner institutions’ sustainability plans will be included in their final project report which will be finalised soon.