Video update – October 2009

A brief video update focusing on our latest developments on coaching for the PC3 project.

Developing Learning Objects for Coaching

Day one of the learning object workshop started with defining and looking at examples of learning objects. Then we got on to the hands on process of developing PLC’s first learning object.

We chose to focus on one particular element of the modules content, intentional change, and delivering content and activities to develop understanding of one particular model of intentional change. This was a very creative process, part of which we captured on flip, almost an LO in it’s own right. Tam had the initial idea and with Alex doing the writing (an honorary team member), created an image of the model and defined the sort of content that would assist in understanding. We used one of the templates the presenters had brought with them. The resulting LO framework look like this:

Sketch of the Kite exercise which was made into an animation

Sketch of the Intentional Change Model

Screen Shot of Leaning Object: Views of the Intentional Change model

Screenshot of Intentional Change model: interactive learning content

The things we felt are associated with each part of the Intentional change model

Screenshot of animation used within Learning Object

An important point came up during out discussions around the development of this LO. There was some confusion over whether we were designing this LO for the student to gain knowledge of the content or knowledge about themselves. We kept sliding from one to the other. Something we need to be clear about as we develop the PLC module, when the topic is learning content and when it is an activity for self development.

Day two brought us to the refinement of ideas and production. We were introduced to a handy little tool called GLOMaker. This provides a step by step process for producing an LO from a pedagogical, learning outcomes approach. This is very different to the other tools I have worked with which have focused on the conversion of current material, PowerPoint and Word docs, to a web based bit size chunks. Using just the kit in our bags which says a lot about the majority of the group 3 Laptops (2 Macs) Flip camera and mobile phones, and the materials around us, marker pens and flip charts, we produced a prototype learning object, some screen shots shown above.

(Download will be available as soon as our repository goes public, see Repository Blog for updates)

Will need to work on the assessment at the end, only one question at moment, but the ruff and ready look really captured the audience at the demo we did later in the day. Well done to all the Team: Director Janet Finlay, Content and Art designer Tam Mason, Film and Audio Production Habib Lodal, Alexander Prokop Technical Designer and Scribe, Dawn Wood A bit of everything.

Creating a poster for PC3 events

On return from an enjoyable couple of weeks break, the first job is to finish the Poster I started for various forth coming PC3 events. The aim is to capture the developments we have made since the our initial conception of the PC3 framework. One the primary moves forward has been in investigating and choosing the technology to underpin the process. These are reflected in the changes to the over view framework (diagram at the top of poster). The next step in this process is work out the best way to integrate or present all this individual systems to students as a coherent set o tools. At the moment XStream looks to be the main entry point. I have a workshop next week on Campus Pack Fusion so hopeful should be able to start that development soon.

Introduction to PC3 project and the PLC module structure

The second main development has been the creation of the *PLC module* discussed earlier. I’ve tried to capture the main elements of the module and show clear links between the process and the technology framework. There is a lot to cover over the next few months, including gathering as many LOs in the topic areas, improving access to course specifications and creating the competency maps within PebblePad.

Talking PC3

I have had a day of talking about PC3, once again exploring the potential application of the approach we are proposing this time with senior Faculty staff and researchers. This morning it was off to present the project to the leadership team of our Faculty of Arts and Society. There was considerable interest in my brief presentation and a recognition that, perhaps more than most, staff in this Faculty (which includes art and design) are most familiar with a coaching style of teaching. There was strong support for the approach and one course potentially ready to run in parallel with our first user group this summer. A promising start.

This afternoon I joined the university’s professors and readers to discuss the future of postgraduate awards. Here again there was clear recognition that the PC3 model offers a way of supporting one of the types of postgraduate provision that we need to provide. After a general discussion on the challenges and progress being made, we broke into more intensive discussion groups and I joined a group to discuss professional and employer driven masters programmes and the challenges they present. One of the very useful elements of this for the project was finding out more about the new postgraduate schemata that is being developed, a simplified version of the Regional University Network’s “content free” validation structures. I will find out more about this as I know it is something of interest to our cluster – and it is certainly something which will help us enormously in the project.

Eureka moments…

The PC3 team has just had a very profitable meeting with the team from JISC/HEA led by Sarah Knight. It is always a pleasure when meetings that could be simply routine prove to be stimulating and thought provoking on both sides and, as well as clarifying some of the more mundane project issues such as reporting requirements, the meeting raised many significant lines of enquiry and potential contacts for us to follow up.

One that has particularly caught our attention is the idea of developing a flexible module around the PC3 model. I can’t remember who suggested this (through a question I think) but I have a feeling it may have just triggered one of those “eureka” moments for the team. Two “objections” have frequently been raised to the model of personalised curriculum creation through coaching that we are proposing. The first is how we can enrol students into the institution without enrolling them on a specific award. The second is how we can fund the role of coach when it is not associated with a module or award. The idea of a flexible module to introduce students to PC3 has the potential to resolve both of these issues: we can enrol a student into the University by attaching them to a single module and we can cost the coaching activity by associating it with a module (which can then be allocated etc). The module could include principle and practice of coaching and being coached, personal critical reflection and self-assessment, developing evidence of learning and an introduction to the role of the technology involved.

We are definitely going to explore this further – in some ways it is of course blindingly obvious – but we hadn’t thought of it before today! So thank you Sarah and the team for a stimulating discussion and for serendipitous “eureka” moments!

A conversation about coaching

PC3 team members Margaret Christian and Tam Mason from Carnegie Leaders in Learning Partnership discuss coaching and, in particular, how it is different from tutoring and mentoring.

Serendipity

Yesterday I was invited to attend a dissemination meeting for the HEA/JISC DEL-2 programme at the HIgher Education Academy in York. I was invited by our ICS subject centre as I had had a small grant under the programme to develop some learning resources. I went along dutifully prepared to report on our modest developments but in the end (with the agreement of the subject centre rep who had invited me!) sat in on some extremely useful discussions of the ePortfolio strand of the programme. The experiences described and the resources collected will be very useful to us as we begin our own institutional evaluation of ePortfolio systems next week. An unexpected benefit to the project.

Today saw another useful meeting – this one planned – with Margaret Christian and her colleague Phil Warren, who is an expert on coaching. I am still working on persuading Margaret to be interviewed on video on coaching (watch this space) but this morning we had a very useful discussion of what kind of coaching we would be looking for and how we might develop support and induction for staff and students to support this. On the basis of the discussion Margaret and Tam will outline an initial coaching model that we will start with, with the intention of iteratively revising this (and the training) as we work with different groups. We anticipate that different groups may need different approaches to coaching – with some requiring more or less mentoring, some focusing more on support, others on goal setting and self-realisation. For me, I hadn’t realised coaching was such a complex area. So one of the first groups to experience the coaching training will be the project team – led by Phil – we all agree it is important that we practice (or at least understand!) what we preach!

PC3 Project Launch

The PC3 Project will be officially launched at an event at Old Broadcasting House, Leeds Metropolitan University, on September 15th 2008. The event is being attended by around 40 senior staff and learning advisors from around the institution and will aim to introduce the project and address key questions, as well as engaging participants in initial consultations about the project.

The event will include a presentation of the project and of coaching followed by small group discussion on the implications of the project, its benefits to staff and learners, and the issues that it raises. It will conclude with a plenary discussion.

The slides used can be viewed here: