TUTORIALS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY- ENHANCED LEARNING AT THE DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Mr Sipho Zulu Centre for Excellence of Learning and Teaching (CELT) This Pathfinder report-back seeks to answer the following questions: a) What has been the PURPOSE of the PATHFINDER? b)What are ENABLING and/or CONSTRAINING FACTORS? c)RECOMMENDATION REMARKS Why A Technology-Enhanced Learning Environment (TELE)? Mainly because of its focus on a student-centred model of education (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student-centred_learning), that it integrates themes that are given real-life applicability through technologically supported delivery methods (Hannafin & Land, 1997). Tutors/students are immersed in "learning by doing" with an emphasis on learning, and less on the delivery. Based upon constructivist pedagogy, it provides learners with opportunities to explore their own interests in a flexible (e.g., tablets, iPads, PCs, SMART Board, Laptops, wikis, moodles, virtual classrooms, etc.) and in an enriching manner. In turn, students utilize their background knowledge in synthesizing new information through the support of technology while acquiring new knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Mostly underprepared students = 6000 intake. Covers First-Year Students/At-Risk Subjects Serves ALL Six (6) Faculties Collaboration with Academic Staff Criteria: Competent/Senior Students Tutor Training & Development Programme has trained 218 tutors INSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND SCENARIO Post-Merger Phase During the time of 2007 CHE Audit, it is documented that: The faculties identified the need for tutor training and development and were awarded funds from the institutional Teaching Development Grant to offer a tutorial programme. Various departments would approach the Learning & Teaching unit for training of appointed tutors. A project team was formed to design, implement and evaluate the tutor training and development programme. One of the objectives of the project team was to investigate, interrogate and finalise the policy that will inform the tutorial model that was adopted. Currently, the only guiding document is a draft Policy on the Use of Senior Students as Tutors. This was the start as an amount of R was seeded and 44 tutors were trained. The current high student dropout rates highlight the need to focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning support through the higher education system. The response needs to focus on improving the quality of higher education, through flexible curricula, encouraging excellence in teaching, providing technology to support teaching and learning, continued support for academic development and the professionalization of teaching in higher education. Specific attention should be given to making the higher education environment more welcoming for black students, students from poor backgrounds and women. (National Development Plan, 2011, pg 293) Student Engagement Bridging & foundation programmes, Work off-campus Financial Aid & Policies Economic Forces Globalism National Policy * Transfer Enrolment Choices Academic Preparation - Language and Numeracy Skills Aptitude & University Readiness Family & Peer Support Motivation to Learn Demographics Race, Gender, SES Enrolment Choices Academic Preparation - Language and Numeracy Skills Aptitude & University Readiness Family & Peer Support Motivation to Learn Demographics Race, Gender, SES Pre-Tertiary Experiences Student Behaviours Study Habits Peer Involvement Interaction with Staff Time on Task Motivation Other Grades & Graduation Student Learning Gains Employment Graduate & Professional Study Lifelong Learning Institutional Conditions Demographics Accountability Provincial Policy/ Needs First Year Experience Academic Support Campus Environment Peer Support Teaching & Learning Approaches Other Higher Education Experiences Post-Tertiary Outcomes What Matters to Student Success: A student engagement framework (Adapted from Kuh et al, 2007, p. 11) DUT Tutorial Model At DUT, we adopt an eclectic model where we have used aspects from other successful models from around the world. In keeping with the dynamic nature of Higher Education, this is an evolving model. We regard Tutorials as: Consisting of small classes (15 20 students); At DUT, 1 TUTOR : 30 STUDENTS Focusing on learner-centred approaches to facilitate learning Encourages group work Underpinned by various learning theories Fosters personal relationship amongst group that facilitates learning Provides a less threatening environment where discussion of problems is made easy. Encourages peer learning Integrates the use of various study skills into their subjects Integrated into the mainstream programme rather than an add-on offering The Tutorial Programme at DUT adopts an ONLINE BLENDED COURSE. Faculties, Programmes identify Tutors? CELT involvement VS TDGs. Evaluation, Monitoring and Reporting FROM THE DUT VISION: DUT DNA Strands: Student-centredness and Engagement Building Sustainable Student Communities of Living and Learning Building a Learning Organisation STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS Provide enabling living and learning environments that promote student success Deepen use of technology to improve the quality of learning and broaden access. Defining Projects: CRP; QEP; e-Learning Strategy PURPOSE THEMATIC SLOGAN! [TUTORIALED] = TEACH-EDUCATE-TUTORIAL-LEARN-EXPERIENCE TITLE: Introduction to Blackboard Learn 9.1 for Tutors ITBL9FT_14_ZULS TITLE: Introduction to Blackboard Learn 9.1 Additional Tools ITBL9AD_14_ZULS Blackboard Learn 9.1 e-Learning Course specifically designed for training of Tutors at DUT. Focus is to move towards offering blended tutor training courses that complement flexible modalities that, for our purposes of achieving effective tutorials, enhances student success and experience by gaining grounding in tools and concepts used in educational settings hence technology-enhanced learning. PURPOSE An online resource-base tool aimed to; Support a two-day face-to-face training event; Support further training in academic and information literacies, and collaboration among Tutors. E-Learning Strategic Direction Pathfinder: Online Blackboard Learn 9.1 virtual classroom for training and having a cascading effect for tutors as designers/instructors including usage of Publisher Softwares as Additional Tools e.g. MyFoundationLab, MyITLab; MyEmployabilityLab; e-books, media mobile apps, videos, podcasts, wikis and other reading, grammar and writing add-ons. Learning how to design innovative learning environments and activities, using existing Blackboard Learn 9.1 and/or custom-built software, media mobile apps and other technological tools like videos, with a focus on practical uses in classrooms and other learning contexts. Engaging in active learning driven by peers supported by student-centred pedagogical models. Technical support for users by open laboratory staff and tutors as already envisioned by E-Learning Project (technical staff already trained). And all of the above, will see Tutors creating their own classrooms, using amazing web- based apps, bringing their own devices, using web-cam to video their tuts, expanding learning spaces and communities of practice flipping the classroom! Isnt that what Student-Centredness and Engagement are about? CHE Audit Report 2007 QEP: Focus Area 2: Enhancing Student Support and Development (Including career and curriculum advising, life and academic skills development, counselling, student performance monitoring and referral) Curriculum Renewal Project DUT E-Learning Strategy ENABLING FACTORS Promotion criteria Student cohorts (SSTUD9-4) Absence of a TUTORIALS POLICY = T & L Strategy OWNERSHIP OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION of Implementation and Running of Tutorials in Mainstream Programmes Measuring the TREND ANALYSIS AND/OR IMPACT OF PASS RATES AND SUCCESS RATES in particular for At-Risk Subjects TIME, RESOURCES AND CAPACITY MANAGEMENT to learn more on Bb 9.1 to put interactive content using Chatroom, Discussion blogs, etc. Simply allocating TIME to familiarise oneself with Bb elements and tools. RESEARCHING CONTENT choices suitable for Active learning e-books, journal articles etc. Simply put, inculcating vibrant activities, feedback to be shared among Tutors. CONSTRAINTS Interaction with Tutors using STATISTIC TRACKING Analysis of how many logged in or out, downloaded stuff, read or not read Issues of attendance of tutees by tutors uploading their registers into Bb. Analysis of impact on success and pass rates, capturing test scores, dps, etc. Capturing video clips of tutorials using YouTube g-mail accounts taking into consideration issues of size, quality, privacy consent of all students, explain use for purposes of training and designing a disclaimer agreement for participation and research like agreeing for sharing your marks What I liked about this session This session was good and a little challenging. It touched me when the clip of the Story of Thandi was projected. It related with my life years back when I finished matric in Strategies of learning and teaching. I liked firstly the presentation from the tutors and we got more evaluations and suggestions from our lectures, in which we gained a lot in what to apply. MNAMBITHI & MTHASHANA FET COLLEGES COLLABORATION WITH DUT CELT RECOMMENDATION REMARKS: Inviting a community who wish to participate in this initiative to work with me!!! Recommendation that SUBJECT LECTURERS include TUTORS as INSTRUCTORS to their own Bb Classrooms, maybe putting limitations in enrolling or grading. CELT will still provide training of Tutors as designers and instructors. Budgetary constraints of securing licences for publishers packages like Pearsons The Tutorials through Technology-Enhanced Learning has created an opportunity to contribute to the continuing work on A Data-Driven Student Development Initiative for At-Risk Students and Subjects Workshop: Siyaphumelela Student Success! held on the 12 November 2014 and a follow-up is planned for 24 March 2015 which is a collaboration of many Supporting Units at DUT. The structure is in place we just need to put elements of this Pathfinder in right places and boxes!!! Siyaphumelela Kresge Foundation: Need for an Institutional Research Planning Curriculum Renewal Project General Education Integration & Student Attributes using adapted AAC & U Rubrics and now High Impact Practices (George Kuh, 2008) Quality Enhancement Project Reporting on Focus Area 2: Enhancing Student Support and Development offered an opportunity to collect data Community Engagement Collaboration with JET- DHET-DANIDA on Tutoring English; Mathematics and Literacy at Mnambithi & Mthashana FET Colleges in KZN. Raising highest expectations from Tutors! REFERENCES Huang, Ronghuai, Kinshuk, Chen, Nian-Shing (Eds.), The New Development of Technology Enhanced Learning: Concept, Research and Best Practices, Lecture Notes in Educational Technology, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg DUT Strategic Plan 2015 2019: Towards Relevance, Responsiveness and Resilience. Durban University of Technology: Institutional Audit Council on Higher Education Higher Education Monitor No. 6: A Case for Improving Teaching and Learning in South African Higher Education. Pretoria: Council on Higher Education. Beekman, L, Dube, C, Underhill, J. (2012). Academic Literacy. Juta Kuh et al. (2010). Student Success in College: Creating conditions that matter. First Edition. Jossey-Bass Upcraft et al. (2005). Challenging & Supporting the First-Year Student: A Handbook for Improving the First Year of College. First edition. Jossey-Bass. Cassazza, M. E, Silverman, S. L. (1996). Learning assistance and developmental education: a guide for effective practice. First Edition. Jossey-Bass. Sometimes people hold a core belief that is very strong. When they are presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new evidence cannot be accepted. It would create a feeling that is extremely uncomfortable, called cognitive dissonance. And because it is so important to protect the core belief, they will rationalize, ignore and even deny anything that doesn't fit in with the core belief.