Digital is the convergence of a variety of technologies and social changes that have led to a new way of living our lives. Our students are the epitome of this new digital reality – they create and consume content in a very different way to previous generations.
But what exactly is a digital transformation? The Enterprisers Project define it as:
“The integration of digital technology into all areas of a business resulting in fundamental changes to how businesses operate and how they deliver value to customers.
Beyond that, it’s a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment often, and get comfortable with failure.
Digital transformation is not solely about technology. In fact technology is only one part of the puzzle. Digital transformation is about meeting the needs of the new digital consumer – be they staff or student. It involves new understanding and cultural change. For more on this see Paul Boag’s Digital Transformation: The six questions you need to answer.
At the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) we are at the beginning of this transformation process. There is a commitment to develop and a will to act, but so far efforts have not been as co-ordinated as they could be.
However this is about change. We are working on a new digital-focused strategic approach to be integrated in our IT strategy and Learning and Teaching strategy. It will form the backbone of our digital activity and allow progress to be made in a comprehensive and integrated manner.
We want to share our transformation with you and intend to blog about the journey, bumps and all.
The Computers and Learning Research Group (CALRG) is based at the Institute for Educational Technology (IET) at the Open University. It was founded in 1978, hosts seminars and a conference for individuals with a professional interest in educational technology (The Open University, 2022). I delivered a presentation for one hour exploring techno-auto-Ethnography as a pedagogic approach. The topic has been explored in previous conference presentations here and blog post here (McDonald, 2022).
What can happen when a Learning Technologist working in a higher education reflects in an autoethnographic capacity alongside an experimental pedagogic performance? Techno-auto-ethnography can be framed as a provocation, a pedagogic possibility, and a novel opportunity to explore the performance of our techno-selves.
Eclipse Digital Imaging. Inc (2021)
Why do feel the way we do about technology in different contexts? Perhaps an understanding of both “folk pedagogy” and “pseudo theories” can enable us to make sense of the stories we tell ourselves about technology (Drumm, 2019).
Critical auto ethnography can be defined as a “critique of culture through the lens of the self…”.
(Holman-Jones in Holman-Jones & Pruyn, 2018: p4).
The presentation was inspired by the notion of “identity performance” (Clark, 2020).The drew on n the notion of “critical performance pedagogies” (Campbell, 2020)..
Autoethnography can provide inight into the “nuanced, complex, and specific insights into particular human lives, experiences and relationships”.
(Holman-Jones in Holman-Jones & Pruyn, 2018: p5).
As Learning Technologists, we are familiar with the notion of technology-enhanced learning (TEL), the presentation explored the possibilities of the practice of technology-enhanced poetry (TEP) using a sound-activated wearable technology and LED glasses. To what extent can these creative practices encourage experimental approaches to pedagogy?
You can follow the Computers and Learning Research Group (CALRG) on Twitter: @CALRGatOU.
Bibliography
Campbell, L. (2020) Introduction Critical Performative Pedagogies: Principles, Processes and Practices. In: Campbell, L (2020) (ed) Leap Into Action Critical Performative Pedagogies in Arts & Design Education (New York: Peter Lang) pp1-35.
Clark D. (2020) “Tech and me: an autoethnographic account of digital literacy as an identity performance”, Research in Learning Technology, 280. doi: 10.25304/rlt.v28.2389
Computers and Learning Research Group (CALRG) (n.d.) About Computers and Learning Research Group. open.ac.uk. Educational Technology Blog, [blog] n.d. Available at: https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/CALRG/about/ [Accessed 23 December 2022]
Drumm L. (2019) “Folk pedagogies and pseudo-theories: how lecturers rationalise their digital teaching”, Research in Learning Technology, 270. doi: 10.25304/rlt.v27.2094.
McDonald, P. (2022) Do-Techno-poets dream of electric sheep? Exploring the potential of techno-auto-ethnographic performance poetry as a creative approach to research methodology. In: University of Brighton. Everyday Creativity. Towards an International Research Network conference. Online. June 2022.
McDonald, P., (2021) ‘I’m a Learning Technologist. Get Me Out of Here’. A Techno-autoethnographic Poem’ in Jackson, N (2021) The Creative Academic Magazine Creative Explorations & Practices Emerging from the Pandemic. pp36-40 (Online) Available at: https://www.creativeacademic.uk/uploads/1/3/5/4/13542890/cam20.pdf [Accessed 23 December 2022]
(Eventbrite, 2022 & Eclipse Digital Media. Inc, 2021)
The Association for Visual Pedagogies (AVP) hosted the Pedagogical Provocations online conference on Twitter on October 2022. The event was organised and hosted by Dr Bridgette Redder (Te Rito Maioha ECNZ, @BridgetteRedder), Dr Lynn J. McNair (The University of Edinburgh, @LynnMcNair) and Philippa Isom (Massey University, @PhilippaIsom). For the Pedagogical Provocations conference, presenters had an opportunity to create up to 12 tweets with multimodal additions attached or links external content to “… spark dialogue around the pedagogical provocation posed” (Association for Visual Pedagogies, n.d.).
“The purpose of this Twitter Conference is to share a pedagogical event based on video/image/memes/art/gaming/animation/film demonstration that raises a video provocation – provoking people to think, feel, and imagine the visual possibilities”.
(ASSOCIATION FOR VISUAL PEDAGOGIES, N.D.)
How does Twitter presentation work? I have presented before on Twitter. or example @ukfechat#UKFEchathere exploring drone-enhanced learning and here exploring critical Zoom literacies with Wakelet collection here (Taylerson, 2022). Additionally, I have presented on Twitter at the PressEd conference exploring education, pedagogy and research on WordPress here exploring radio-enhanced learning opportunities (RELO) and here exploring wicked problems and diffractive blogging (pressedconf22).
(Eclipse Digital Media. Inc, 2021)
My presentation explored Bionic Reading. Reading can be argued to be is a critical skill in the second language context. Reading in a digital capacity has become more commonplace for example with e-books and open education resources (OER) (Cohn, 2021). International students are required to reach specific level of English language learning achieved through either an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programme or IELTS equivalent before they start their programme of study.
“Why do we ask students to read?….Reading for most (if not all) of us is the very foundation of learning”
MIHAI, 2022
As a commitment to exploring a variety of approaches to improve the interactive sessions we deliver across our TNE projects, I demonstrated the use Bionic Reading with approximately 120 students as part of the International Business module on Zoom as part of the standalone module project with Shandong Agricultural University in China. Given that it may be possible that short courses are a way to improve inclusive practice in TNE contexts, perhaps Bionic reading can be argued to be an inclusive visual reading methodology (Tsiligiris & Lawton, 2021).
What is Bionic Reading? This is Bionic Text. What does ‘bionic’ mean? The term ‘bionic’ can be understood as a combination of the words ‘bios’ and ‘technology’ (Bionic Reading GmbH, 2022). What are the benefits of the approach? It can help readers to read in a smarter, faster and more focused capacity (Bionic Reading GmbH, 2022). Bionic reading involves the use of “typographic highlights” where the first part of a word is highlighted in bold text (Bionic Reading GmbH, 2022). A significant pedagogic advantage of the using the tool is the possibility to personalise the bionic reading experience which can support a commitment to digital differentiation. How do we read? Do we all read in a different way? The idea of reading and fixation goes back to the 1980s (Just & Carpenter, 1980). How does Bionic reading work? It is possible to use the web application, a browser extension and a mobile application (iOS and Google Play). With regard to the web application, it is possible to type text into the box, upload a file or copy and paste a URL to convert the text. You can customise the bionic reading experience including highlighting the letters or syllables, changing the saccade, change opacity, font size, line spacing, line height and, column width and enable dark mode, change contract and colour scheme for digital accessibility. You can save the text to an Amazon Kindle, as an epub or pdf format (Bionic Reading GmbH, 2022).
Other provocations explored visualising data-ghosts and potentialities in employing Artificial Intelligence using the (AI) apps to animate hauntings in posthuman early childhood education research practice mobile application Dream by WOMBO by Dr Jo Albin-Clark, Edge Hill University, @JoAlbinClark.
Madoka Takemoto’s (@MadokaTakemoto) presentation explored Japanese e concepts for example ‘ibasho’ where it is possible think about a space where you can be feel comfortable in yourself linked to wellbeing in a public area (Takemoto, 2022).
P2居場所Ibasho is a Japanese concept of a space where you can be yourself, and has a strong connection to your mental health. Sometimes you find your ibasho in a public and/or virtual space rather than home, classroom, or workplace. Where do you have your ibasho? #AVP22pic.twitter.com/vciC6G9lji
Just, M. A., & Carpenter, P. A. (1980). A theory of reading: From eye fixations to comprehension. Psychological Review, 87(4), 329–354. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.87.4.329
PressED (n.d.) A WordPress and Education, Pedagogy and Research Conference on Twitter (Online) Available at: https://pressedconf.org/ [Accessed 28 October 2022]
Takemoto, M., [@MadokaTakemoto] (2022, October 27) ‘P2居場所Ibasho is a Japanese concept of a space where you can be yourself, and has a strong connection to your mental health. Sometimes you find your ibasho in a public and/or virtual space rather than home, classroom, or workplace. Where do you have your ibasho? #AVP22’ [Tweet]. Twitter. (Online) Available at: https://twitter.com/madokatakemoto/status/1585530891581161472?s=46&t=5dmEgO447uyNhIGvYPjN-g
Taylerson, L .,[@LyneTaylorson)] (2021) ukfechat curated archive https://wakelet.com (Online) Available at:/wake/n0OovqWy5sLeNx_2cpHIO [Accessed 27 October 2022]
Williamson, S., Heinz, A. (2021). Improving Inclusion: Short Courses as an Opportunity for Transnational Education. In: Tsiligiris, V., Lawton, W., Hill, C. (eds) Importing Transnational Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43647-6_15
Wombo (n.d.) Dream Web Application (Online) Available at: https://dream.ai/create [Accessed 28 October 2022]
Dr. Teeroumanee Nadan, an independent higher education researcher Lisa Mustoe, Learning Technologist at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) and Pip McDonald, Senior Learning Technology Project Officer Royal Agricultural University (RAU) took part in #HEBlogSwap 2022.
(Presenter Media Inc, 2021)
What is #HEBlogSwap is an opportunity created by Santanu Vasant and Emma Kennedy. Participants are invited to find a buddy, write a blog post together and share the post on Twitter using the hashtag #HEBlogSwap It is also possible to share favourite blog posts (Vasnant, 2022). In 2022, Santanu and Emma presented at the PressED, a conference exploring “A WordPress and”… Education, Pedagogy and Research Conference on Twitter” (PressED, n.d.) exploring #HEBlogSwap entitled ‘#HEBlogSwap: Sharing Practice and Building Community in Cyberspace‘.
(Presenter Media Inc, 2021)
The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) Digital Transformation blog was created by Marieke Guy in 2017 using WordPress. Since then, a wide range of blog posts have been created exploring the core tools we use and the projects we have delivered. In order to make the #HEBlogSwap happen, a collaborative document was created with a series of questions exploring a range of themes. We also had an a meeting to explore the #HEBlogSwap.
(Presenter Media Inc, 2021)
Teeroumanee: Yes, I delivered the first Moodle training to staff at one of my previous employers, designed everything from scratch online along with one more colleague, and exposed staff to the functionalities, as most of them were using features blindly and had no clue of the range of features that were available. What works? KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid. When I last designed such tips, I approached it as I would do for any project. I analysed what was existing (there was a long PDF, which from Learning Analytics, it was obvious that hardly anyone viewed/downloaded). Besides, it was so outdated and screenshots were taken from Moodle, and was not customised to the layout that was in use in the institution. So what works, is remembering, at every stage, why you are doing it, for whom, and what is your goal – both tangible and intangible. Of course, best is to have those tips using the very features of the platform. So, if you are preparing something for Moodle, you can set this up as a short module with features such as quizzes, drag and drop, forums, etc. Do not try to overdo it though, remember, KISS. What does not work? A quick job done because you have been given a short deadline and for the sake of making your TEL department Head look good in senior management meetings – a quick job will serve to no purpose to staff and students and you will get little engagement with the material. So take the time needed to design it.
Lisa:I have created ‘tips’ in previous roles. Some were printed as booklets for students to keep with their written work (reminder of methods) others were held electronically (not published) to guide staff through technical tasks. What works?Catering for different ‘styles’ – words and visuals. Simple navigation. Consider prior knowledge – link to or explain foundational knowledge. Accessible (Know where to find it quickly) as well as digitally accessible! Useful – readers should be able to see some value. Cultural change? – can short/sweet/often empower staff (and now students) towards valuing their skills and skill development more? What does not work? Complex dense documents – the tip should be a more attractive route – short and sweet. A tip which is not relevant for your wider audience. A tip which is confusing. A tip which does not start with a common understanding/skill/ or tool (!). Shouldn’t duplicate existing resources – link to them (future maintenance simpler).
What works
Catering for different ‘styles’ – words and visuals.
Simple navigation.
Consider prior knowledge – link to or explain foundational knowledge.
Accessible (Know where to find it quickly) as well as digitally accessible!
Useful – readers should be able to see some value.
Cultural change? – can short/sweet/often empower staff (and now students) towards valuing their skills and skill development more?
What does not work
Complex dense documents – the tip should be a more attractive route – short and sweet.
A tip which is not relevant for your wider audience.
A tip which is confusing.
A tip which does not start with a common understanding/skill/ or tool (!)
Shouldn’t duplicate existing resources – link to them (future maintenance simpler).
Pip: We create TEL and TECH Tips every week to support both staff and students at the RAU. It is always interesting to explore how other educators and institutions have approached the provision of TEL and TECH Tips and exploring what words/does not work and why. KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid sounds like an intuitive approach. What is best practice for TEL and TECH Tips? I try to create a video walkthrough using Camtasia and upload it to Panopto to share. Try to link the tip with examples of activities. Translating tip into tangible pedagogic value can help. Good to have a database so staff can search for tips (Lisa created this).
(Presenter Media Inc, 2021)
Teeroumanee:Digital literacy seems to be having different definitions, in particular focusing on skills. I like to focus digital literacy on the ‘how’ to use digital information. Nowadays, security and fake information are issues we are facing in all organisations and even in the society at large. It is important to not only focus on the hard and soft skills to use technology, but also understand the rationale behind. For instance, one of the reasons why GDPR is often breached, is not because people do not have the skills to keep it in check, but it is that they do not have the whole set of skills needed, which includes alternative use of tech (e.g. how to securely transfer files), but also the legal aspects and business acumen needed to use the tech and stay within legal boundaries, while being ethical at the same time.
Lisa:Having a broad understanding of the digital landscape. Being aware of how entwined digital is with our domestic/social lives as well as working lives. Extending a hand to others so that they don’t miss out – think older relatives, reluctant colleagues. Being confident in the skills that you need. Being confident that you will be able to develop new skills (access resources and support, not be scared). Be confident that you can manage the flow of ‘digital’ in your life without being overwhelmed.
Pip: I have been thinking about the idea of literacy as a “commodity” (Elsasser & Irvine, 1982). Also explored idea of critical Zoom literacies. Is this possible? Explored idea of (techno) auto ethnographic approaches to digital literacy with a research poster here (Leschallas & McDonald, 2022). A blog post was also published exploring this approach here (Leschallas & McDonald, 2022). I explored the idea of Zoom literacy in a blog post entitled Indiana Jones & the Breakout Tombs. Exploring Student Zoom Literacy here and Technology to Transgress. Spinoza, Energy & Expeditions of Joy. Exploring Critical Zoom Literacies with #ukfechat here.
(Presenter Media Inc, 2021).
Teeroumanee:I am the current Chair – vacancy is open for Co-Chair. The group was first founded outside ALT, and then became an ALT group sometime in Nov 2021. Here is a link to the page. I plan to share a link to my own notes from a recent presentation delivered as part of the pre-conference for ALTc2022.
(Presenter Media Inc, 2021).
Teeroumanee:It was my first ever poem, first ever open mic and really grateful for the opportunity. It was an alternative way for me to express my frustrations around social injustice within HE. I felt it was a more acceptable way as well. Here is a little journey of how I started my first ever poem to participating a second time to the Open Mic event. Prepping for my first poem reading! (Nadan, 2022), Celebrating World Creativity & Innovation with #creativeHE (Nadan, 2022). Recording of my creativeHE inaugural Open Mic. Contributing to OER22 serendipity true stories series by CogDog (Nadan, 2022). Finally, I ceated a blog post exploring a poem I wrote and performed at the #altc22 open mic YOU are forgetting me! (Nadan, 2022).
Teeroumanee:Currently, I find myself doing more leadership work and I am really appreciative of the multimodal ways of presenting my ideas, thus targeting different audiences.Pip:during the Association for Learning Technologists (ALT) open mic event in September, part of the event included a pedagogic reflection exploring open mic as a methodology. I argued that it is an that is accessible, inclusive, interdisciplinary and customisable opportunity (McDonald, 2022). I am working on developing open mic guidelines and a re-usable template to help others create an open mic event with Chrissi Neranzti to publish in the National Teaching Repository. A presentation was delivered at the University of Brighton at the Everyday Creativity Conference here exploring combining technology and poetry (techno-poetics) (Everyday Creativity, n.d.). This was also presented at the Women in Academia Support Network (WIASN) Virtually Undisciplined: Diversifying Higher Education and Research Conference in (McDonald, 2022).
(Presenter Media Inc, 2021)
Teeroumanee: Oh, I wrote a blog post on this. Here is a summary, I blog to
pen the little voice in my head
reflect and improve my practice
visibility
document my CPD
for mentoring and reverse mentoring purposes
complement the video series that I have started earlier this year – the blog articles help meprovide further information, references and most importantly my own perspectives
saywhat I want within legal obligations – it is my personal space
showcase my personal projects and in some way a portfolio since I have been in various roles and institutions and have at all times done beyond expectations.
Lisa:Not looking at your replies because I am very new to blogs – here we go:
Talking about things that you know well.
Helps others who are interested in those particular experiences.
Doesn’t have to be major ‘news’ – anything from fitting bathroom to house sitting around the world.
Someone will have done it and their experiences are so valuable – if you are looking! Annoying if they are full of adverts and pop ups though.
Great to ‘publish’ one – very exciting to make a digital footprint.
Pip:Blogs provide an online dialogic space.
“Blogging provided a new form of academic identity”
(Weller, 2020: p70).
I created a blog post. “Staying with the Blog Trouble”. Diffractive Blogging & Wicked Problems based on a presentation at PressED conference in 2022 (McDonald, 2022). It is interesting to think about the future of blogging as a practice for example turning a blog into a podcast (Lau, 2021). Blog swapping creates a unique collaborative reflective space for meaningful sharing and co-creation and an opportunity to create a “community of practice” (Lave and Wenger, 1991: p30).
(Presenter Media Inc. 2021).
Teeroumanee: TEL was already a big part of my work, so was the field of Future of Work. I am actually part of a group of visionary international young leaders, who have been approaching this topic for over a decade now. Our line of work is international – with team members located around the world, working together at different time zones, and making it all happen online, while aiming to reach UN SDGs. Here is an article of when EU and US young leaders met in 2018 which provides some key questions which many faced during the pandemic (Nadan, 2018). So the pandemic meant little change for me, however, I did have to adapt as colleagues across the globe started to trial different and sometimes conflicting platforms. For instance, there were institutions using VLE, Teams, Zoom, Skype all at the same time. It was more of an adaptation to people’s preferences as they discovered different platforms, and in some institutions some platforms were forced onto employees. So in that sense I had to adapt.
Lisa: Was working in a secondary school so everything was face to face – teaching, communication, meetings – apart from emails. Zoom first, then Teams quickly became default for all meetings –even on site. I remember something about security issues for Zoom and safeguarding of students is paramount. Students started turning in to teaching via Teams. Keyworker children were on site so in a class children would be working with different teachers online (some creating in art, some doing maths, some working out to live PE!). On return to class, children could have a cover teacher for behaviour/communication whilst their subject teacher taught them live from home (isolation). I tutor students in Maths/Science so all tutoring happened via Zoom. I had to think carefully about resources. Would the student need something beforehand (graph axis), if so I would email it for printing. What could be lost in communication – I would find visual/multimedia resources to support this. I needed a screen pen to work through examples on screen. Lots more questioning to make sure that students were there, bothering, and understanding!
Pip:I was involved with technology enhanced transnational learning (TETL) projects so my experience explored the transnational online pivot. It was helpful to carry out action research to explore this area for example a case study here (Guy & McDonald, 2020). A presentation exploring uncertainty here (Guy & McDonald, 2020).
The blog post has also been published on Dr. Teeroumanee’s blog here.
Bibliography
Association for Learning Technology (ALT) Open Mic. Association for Learning Technology (ALT) Annual Conference. 5th September 2022. Online.
Elsasser, N., & Irvine, P. (1992). Literacy as Commodity: Redistributing the Goods. The Journal of Education, 174(3), 26–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42742261
McDonald, P. (2022) The Possibilities of Diffractive Blogging. Exploring Wicked Problems with WordPress. #PressEdConf WordPress and Education, Pedagogy and Research Conference on Twitter. March 2022. Online.
McDonald, P. (2022) The Possibilities of Techno-Poetics. Women in Academia Support Network (WIASN) Virtually Undisciplined: Diversifying Higher Education and Research Conference. April 2022. Online.
McDonald, P. (2021) Opening the Mic: Polyvocality, Pedagogy & Creative Possibility in Lifewide Magazine #26 Creative Academic Magazine #21 Action, Creativity and Learning for Healthy, Sustainable, Regenerative Futures and Wellbeing [pdf] pp26-33 (Online) Available at: https://www.creativeacademic.uk/uploads/1/3/5/4/13542890/cam21.pdf [Accessed 14 September 2022].
Presenter Media Inc. (no date) Computer Monitor 16 (Online) Available at: 9https://www.presentermedia.com/powerpoint-clipart/computer-monitor-16-9-pid-18536 [Accessed 15 September 2022]
Royal Agricultural University (RAU) (no date) Digital Transformation Blog. Digitalrau.wordpress.com. Digital Transformation Blog [blog] no date https://digitalrau.wordpress.com/ [Accessed 12 September 2022]
Vasant, S., [@santanuvasant] CALLING #ACADEMICTWITTER #HIGHEREDUCATION FOLKS #HEBLOGSAWP IS BACK-@EMMAKEDDEV AND I HAVE RUN SICNE 2016 – FIND A BUDDY (USE THE # TO SEE PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS), WRITE A BLOG GUEST POST FOR EACH OTHER’S BLOG. #A;TCC #EDDEV #EDTECH #ACDEV PLEASE RETWEET! [Tweet]. Twitter. (Online) Available at:https://mobile.twitter.com/santanuvasant/status/1563204618678837252
To the best of our knowledge, TEL (Technology Enhanced Learning) tips started at the RAU in May 2018 with a series of tips about accessibility, keyboard shortcuts, and supporting students with their presentations and assignment submissions. The tips are now a weekly feature and have been through a number of facelifts, so this made it high time for two members of the Learning Technology Team, Pip McDonald (@pipmcdonald) and Lisa Mustoe (@lisamustoe), to open the lid and explore the old and the new.
The Origins of TEL Tips
Our original creator has moved on but Senior Learning Technologist, Chantal Schipper, recalls the original plan – to provide short, timely tips on using technology for teaching. They were (and still are) emailed to all RAU Academics on a weekly basis and then stored in an online database. The aim being to support academics in using the tools they need to teach and assess, as well as to share more informal “did you know you can do this?” tips.
Favourite Tips
The whole team contribute to writing the tips and, as a flavour, Lisa and Pip looked back through for their favourites:
Pip: Having worked with Zoom since 2020 to support transnational online delivery, it was helpful to keep up to date with any new developments in Zoom. I have always felt enthusiastic about the pedagogic potential of using a whiteboard tool to enhance interactive sessions. As a result, I was keen to explore the extent to which it could help to make the interactive sessions more engaging for students. I was aware of the range of whiteboard tools including the whiteboard by Microsoft, the whiteboard available in Teams, Google Jamboard, Mural, and Miro. In January 2022, as part of the RAU’s research seminar series organised by the Knowledge Exchange and Research Team, Lisa Williams van Dijk and David Main delivered a presentation exploring online tools for collaboration. They demonstrated how ow students had used the whiteboard tools Miro and Wonder.Me. A recording of the seminar can be accessed here.
When Zoom announced that they were upgrading the whiteboard feature, particularly with the opportunity for asynchronous access, I was excited to see how the new whiteboard feature would be developed and how we can explore the tool at the RAU. It is possible to create a whiteboard before a scheduled live meeting takes place that can be accessed during the live meeting and accessed after the class (Brown, 2022). A range of content can be created including images, drawings, shapes, text, sticky notes, colour. A TEL Tip was created and a short video here. One of the ways that the whiteboard feature in Zoom was used was to explore social annotation. Social annotation can be defined as “…reading and thinking together” (Centre for Teaching Innovation, 2022).
Email: learning.technology@rau.ac.uk if you have a question about TEL or TECH tips
The second TEL Tip that felt significant for me was the tip exploring live transcription in Zoom. The TEL Tip can be accessed here. This tip was created to ensure that the interactive sessions for transnational contexts were accessible in a digital capacity. A short video on Panopto can be accessed here. Exploring how to provide students with the options to switch captions on or off and how they can access the transcript during a meeting and after the session were explored. How can we create an inclusive online learning environment compliant with the WCAG 2.1 guidelines? (W3C, MIT, ERCIM, Keio & Beihang, 2017-2018).
Lisa: As the newest member of the team, I didn’t work through the pandemic at the RAU, but I am really struck by a tip that went out in March 2020. Entitled ‘Getting up to speed with online delivery’, it conveys the poignancy of events that were overtaking ‘normal’ life. Our colleagues at that time shared a tip with links to their new and existing support pages and they were scheduling training sessions to help everyone cope and survive. It feels quite emotional to dip back into that time and to sense the care that was there for everyone as they prepared to face the unknown.
TEL & Tech Tips can provide helpful step by step approaches
How Have Tips Evolved?
Although well established with academic staff, we were missing a large proportion of our colleagues – and of course a huge opportunity to share tips more widely. Starting in March of this year, we decided change the flavour of ‘TEL’ tips to ‘TECH’ tips on alternate weeks, and to roll them out to all staff. The obvious next step was to include students in the TECH tips. We piggy-backed onto our new staff and student newsletters to deliver TECH tips, seeing this as a great way to get ‘read’ without overfilling unsuspecting in-boxes!
What is a TECH Tip?
With Lisa picking up the initial TECH tip project, Pip asked the all-important question – ‘What is a TECH tip?’.
Lisa: I see them as being more generic than our TEL tips. TECH tips share resources and skills that could benefit anyone working digitally. These can be digital skills, accessibility tips, looking after hardware, and being nice to each other through the medium of cyber!
TEL tips are more focused on the skills and systems needed to teach and assess, so handy for our academic staff who tend to focus on core digital tools for education, like Panopto, Turnitin, and the VLE. TECH tips are for everyone, including (I’d like to think) those that aren’t working on computers daily. I hope that a regular nudge of TECH digital skills can promote a culture of investing in ourselves!
Why are TEL & TECH Tips Important?
We often receive feedback from individuals about the value of tips and we would like to survey our audience in the future, but, for now, here are our thoughts.
Pip: It is always important to define what digital literacy means in our own context (JISC, 2014). For the RAU, perhaps it is possible to locate both TEL and TECH Tips within a wider need to develop digital literacy. “Digital literacies are those capabilities which fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital society” (JISC, 2014).
Micro learning has been argued to beneficial in a pedagogic capacity -“It is not surprising then that the benefits of microlearning in training and performance development contexts are well documented as workers need to be able to learn new skills and knowledge quickly to apply them to specific tasks or situations on the job” (Corbeil, Corbeil & Khan, 2021: p3).
Lisa: They come with the best intentions to help others ‘win’ a little in a fast moving, busy world where time is key, and every interaction is an opportunity to make a difference. Also, they can be accessed whenever someone has the time (no live meeting attendance required!). Some of the benefits include:
Saving time (productivity tips)
Building confidence (developing digital skills)
Better digital accessibility (sharing best practice)
Fostering student engagement and retention (sharing sound pedagogical tools and approaches/ supporting student TEL skills)
Strong community (signposting that we’re here to help)
TEL & Tech Tips can help to develop digital literacy at the RAU
What Next?
Well, tips continue, and we are never short of ideas to share! In future blogs we’ll be looking at the ‘life’ of tips and we might even share what happens when one goes wrong!
Check out the TEL & TECH Tips database here (for RAU staff and students).
Corbeil, M. E., Corbeil, J. R., & Khan, B. H., (eds) (2021) (Microlearning in the Digital Age The Design and Delivery of Learning in Snippets (New York & London: Routledge).
McDonald, P. (2022) Indiana Jones and the Annotators of the Lost Ark. Exploring the Possibilities of Social Annotation in the Technology-enhanced Transnational Learning Context (TETL). RIDE 2022, the Centre for Online and Distance Education, University of London. June 2022. Online.
In August 2022, led by @husnaahmed, the Learning Technology team planned and delivered a Vevox training session for Lecturers. Vevox is a polling and Q&A platform that can be used in a range of contexts to support engagement (Auga Technologies Ltd, 2022).
The Learning Technology Team presenting Vevox Staff Training
“A classroom response system (CRS) is any system used in a face-to-face setting to poll students and gather immediate feedback in response to questions posed by instructors” (Deal, 2007, p2).
Husna exploring the use of Vevox and PowerPoint
At the RAU, we carried out a pilot to ascertain the extent to which Vevox was right for the RAU led by Husna Ahmed (@husnaahmed). One of the ways in which Vevox was used successfully was as part of the interactive sessions within our transnational projects. Engaging a large number of students in one online classroom can present a range of pedagogic challenges. Vevox can help to support student engagement in this context.
Learning from our audience. What Student Response Systems (SRS) have we tried before?
We explored what the tool is, why you can use it, and how to get started for example using module pages on Gateway. We demonstrated how to use the tool with a live demonstration and showed participants the Vevox Microsoft Teams integration The Vevox PowerPoint add in is a useful tool.
The Vevox dashboard was discussed for example using polls, Q&A, surveys, word cloud and how to change the settings. One of the significant feature is how to use it with a PowerPoint slide. It is also possible to enhance the Vevox experience by using a countdown clock to help students focus on a task. The extent to which Vevox can provide an opportunity to explore learning analytics was also explored.
Chantal delivered a live demonstration of Vevox
Participants were invited to take part in a self-assessment and compared the results at the before and after the session. The results showed that a significant improvement with respect to improving confidence in using Vevox
A comparison of how attendees felt in terms of using Vevox before and after the training session. A positive result shared with everyone.
In terms of articulating the value of using Vevox in teaching and learning contexts, we explored both a pedagogic application and reflective component. Benefits of using the tool are the possibility of contributing in an anonymous capacity and the potential of co-creation. A range of case studies were explored. The history of both student response systems (SRS) and class response systems (CRS) were discussed, assessment and feedback, both synchronous and asynchronous use, the phenomenon of lurking and previous action research carried out at the RAU exploring polling.
Lisa exploring Vevox case studies from other institutions
Previous action research carried out into polling at the RAU presented at the Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA) organised the EdTech Winter Online Conference in 2021 with Paradigm Shift: Reflection, Resilience and Renewal in Digital Education that took place in January 2021 on Zoom entitled “I Poll Therefore I Am” Exploring the impact of polling on student engagement in the context of a transnational online pivot (McDonald, 2022). A reflective blog post can be accessed here.
We were very grateful to Fraser Hill and Brogan Milligan from Vevox who joined the training session. Fraser talked us through new features. Thank you to the academics who attended the training session. If you have any questions, please get in touch with the team: learning.technology@rau.ac.uk.
Fraser Hill, Customer Success Manager from Vevox, joined us from Vevox to share future developments
McDonald, P., (2021) “I Poll Therefore I Am” Exploring the impact of polling on student engagement in the context of a transnational online pivot.[PowerPoint presentation] Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA) EdTech Winter Online Conference 2021 Paradigm Shift: Reflection, Resilience and Renewal in Digital Education. Online. January 2021.
Tong, V.C.H., (2012), Using asynchronous electronic surveys to help in-class revision: A case study. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43: 465-473. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01207.x
From March to June 2022, Creative Academic and #creativeHE set up a collaborative inquiry where participants are invited to write Action Learning Projects (ALPs) exploring the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The inquiry title was Action, Creativity and Learning, for Healthy, Sustainable, Regenerative Futures and the guide is available here. Participants were invited to create an Action Learning Project (ALP) and draw on one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The inquiry forms a contribution to the UNESCO’s Future of Education initiative.
For my Action Learning Project (ALP), I mapped the journey of the #creativeHE Open Mic event that took place on Word Creativity Day on 27th April 2022 and explored the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) relating to (3) Good Health and Well-being (United Nations, n.d.).
A recording on YouTube of the open mic event can be accessed below:
Recording of #creativeHE Open Mic event
A blog post exploring the open mic event can be accessed below:
A reflective blog post exploring performing at the #creativeHE open mic event
During one the progress meeting in May 2022, a crowd sourced poem was performed to document and share participants’ feelings about their projects and Action Learning Projects (ALP) (Simpson, n.d.). A series of prompts and questions were used in a Google doc to bring everyone ideas together. A recording of the progress meeting with the crowd sourced poem is available here (Lifewide Education, n.d.). The idea of using crowdsourced poetry was used as a platform to explore polyvocality (University of Cambridge (n.d.)
Exploring crowdsourced poetry
From March to July 2022, we contributed to a series of progress meetings on Zoom we shared our progress and completed a progress report responding a series of questions was shared in a LinkedIn group.
As a result of the open mic event, #creativeHE were invited to present at the JISC Community Manager meeting in June 2022. Part of this involved inviting participating in a range of creative activities including a crowd sourced poem. A recording of the poem can be accessed below:
The final event was an online conference in the ‘open mic style’ where participants were invited to contribute a reflection on their project in a 10 minute slot on Tuesday 12th July 2022. A multimodal poetry comic was performed as a reflective presentation entitled ‘One Small Step for Techno-Poetic Kind. Performing a Digitally Enhanced Techno-auto-ethnographic Poetry Comic‘ (McDonald, 2022). Whilst the “…graphic in the ethnographic…” has been debated in a methodological capacity, the multimodal component helped to make the poetry comic more engaging (Bonanno, 2022).
Exploring a ‘poetry comic’
Links to the recordings of the progress meetings can be accessed here.
A recording on YouTube of the open mic conference can be accessed below:
An article exploring the open mic in relation to the inquiry has been published in the Lifewide Magazine #26 Creative Academic Magazine #21 Action, Creativity and Learning for Healthy, Sustainable, Regenerative Futures and Wellbeing entitled ‘Opening the Mic: Polyvocality, Pedagogy & Creative Possibility’ (McDonald, 2022).
Creative Academic (2022) Action, Creativity and Learning, for Healthy, Sustainable, Regenerative Futures Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdaWs6OheLw [Accessed 14 July 2022]
Creative Academic (2022) CreativeHE Open Mic Edited Zoom Available at: Recordinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z7Vezcph20&t=9s [Accessed 14 July 2022]
Lifewide Education (n.d.) ACTION LEARNING COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY SPRING 2022 Action, Creativity and Learning, for Healthy, Sustainable, Regenerative Futures (Online) Available at: https://www.lifewideeducation.uk/healthy-futures.html [Accessed 14 July 2022]
McDonald, P., (2022) Crowdsourced Poem for JISC Community Manager meeting June 2022 [online] Soundcloud. Available at: https://soundcloud.com/search?q=jisc%20poem [Accessed 28 July 2022]
McDonald, P., (2022) , One Small Step for Techno-Poetic Kind. Performing a Digitally Enhanced Techno-auto-ethnographic Poetry Comic. [PowerPoint presentation] Action, Creativity and Learning, for Healthy, Sustainable, Regenerative Futures Open Mic Conference. Online. July 2022.
McDonald, P. (2021) Opening the Mic: Polyvocality, Pedagogy & Creative Possibility in Lifewide Magazine #26 Creative Academic Magazine #21 Action, Creativity and Learning for Healthy, Sustainable, Regenerative Futures and Wellbeing [pdf] pp26-33 (Online) Available at: https://www.creativeacademic.uk/uploads/1/3/5/4/13542890/cam21.pdf [Accessed 5 September 2022].
In June 2022, The University of Brighton hosted the Everyday Creativity: Towards an International Research Network conference. The event took place both a face-to-face way and there was an opportunity to submit a pre-recorded presentation. The full programme can be accessed here.
What is autoethnography? What is an autoethnographic story?
“Autoethnographic stories are artistic and analytic demonstrations of how we come to know, name and interpret personal and cultural experience”
(Adams, Holman Jones & Ellis, 2015: p1).
What is everyday creativity?
“‘Everyday creativity’ is characterised by quotidian day-to-day actions that are often understood in terms of little and mini ‘c’ creativity; the former focusing on observable creative actions/products and the latter on more fleeting “interpretive and transformative aspects of thought” (Silvia et al, 2017)”.
(University of Brighton, n.d).
What was the purpose of the event?
“This event offered an opportunity to share ideas, understandings, and ways of working with regard to everyday creativity (EC)”.
(University of Brighton, n.d).
The presentation explored the potential of techno-auto-ethnographic performance poetry as a creative approach to research methodology. What is techno-auto-ethnography? Perhaps a contextual explanation is required. In the past, other approaches exploring technology have been explored including digital ethnography (Pink, Horst, Postill, Hjorth, Lewis & Tacchi, 2016) and virtual ethnography (Hines, 2000).
Digital Ethnography “…outlines an approach to doing ethnography in a contemporary world. It invites researchers to consider how we live and research in a digital materiel and sensory environment. This is not a static world or environment”
(Pink, Horst, Postill, Hjorth, Lewis & Tacchi, 2016: p2).
In January 2021, I worked with a Lecturer to explore the idea of techno-biographic space as a way to explore a relationship with technology and reflect on the impact of the pandemic on digital literacy. A blog post was published here. A poster was submitted to This was developed into an autoethnographic approach for UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab Education and Digital Skills: A Conversation Event in December 2021 and an additional blog post here.
I led a session with with EdTech Outlaws, a special interest group for Learning Technologists working in arts-based contexts in March 2022 to explore telling the stories of techno-auto-ethnographies. March 2022. With a blog post here. The approach was made mentioned in a keynote presentation delivered at the Media and Learning Conference in in Belgium on June 2nd 2022 by Dr. Deborah Arnold who is part of the EdTech Outlaws group here.
A techno-auto-ethnographic poem was published in The Creative Academic Magazine Creative Explorations & Practices Emerging from the Pandemic here and in the #creativeHE Annual 2021 exploring being creative in the face of adversity here.
Exploring “collaborative poetics” was also an approach used at the JISC Community Manager’s meeting in June 2022 (Johnson, 2021). Crowdsourced poetry was used to amalgamate responses to a series of prompts and questions. The poem is published in the #creativeHE blog here (Nerantzi, Burns & McDonald, 2022). Crowdsourced poetry is “created entirely from words submitted on a particular topic or theme through social media and in person at events” (Simpson, n.d.). Examples of crowdsourced poetry can be found here (Simpson, n.d.).
“Collaborative Autoethnography (CAE) is qualitative research method that is simultaneously collaborative, autobiographical, and ethnographic”
(CHang, Wambura Ngunjiri & Hernandez, 2016: p17)
Combining techno-auto-ethnography and poetry can create an opportunity for techno-poetics. This is an accessible, inclusive, novel and interdisciplinary methodology and creative opportunity. At the end of the conference, Dr. Helen Johnson, Co-Director for the Centre of Arts and Wellbeing at University of Brighton performed a found poem here. The presentation can be accessed here.
“All creative activism, if it works well, is a work of art. The same way that every good work of art, if it concerns itself with reality and politics, is a form of activism.”
Weiwei, 2017 in tilley, 2022; p3
Bibliography
Adams, T, E., Holman Jones, S., & Ellis, S., (2015) Autoethnography Understanding Qualitative Research (New York: OUP)
Arnold, D., (2022) Close encounters in third space: Leadership and organisational dynamics for advancing Digital Education [PowerPoint presentation]. Media and Learning Conference. June 2022. Belgium.
Chang, H., Ngunjiri, F, W., & Hernandez, K. C., (2016) Collaborative Autoethnography (London & New York: Routledge)
Johnson, H 2021, Embracing the Mosaic: Crafting Collaborative Poetics Research for Critical Resilience. in Doing Performative Social Science. Taylor & Francis
McDonald, P., (2021) ‘I’m a Learning Technologist. Get Me Out of Here’. A Techno-autoethnographic Poem’ in Jackson, N (2021) The Creative Academic Magazine Creative Explorations & Practices Emerging from the Pandemic. pp36-40 (Online) Available at: https://www.creativeacademic.uk/uploads/1/3/5/4/13542890/cam20.pdf [Accessed 24 April 2022]
McDonald, P., (2021) ‘I’m a Learning Technologist. Get Me Out of Here’. A techno-autoethnographic poem’ in Tasler, N., O’Brien, R, E. & Spiers, A. (eds.) (2021) Being creative in the face of adversity. The #creativeHE Annual 2021. Creativity for Learning in Higher Education Community, #creativeHE, pp37-44, DOI: https://doi.org/10.25416/NTR.17709860.v1 [Accessed 20 June 2022]
Tilley, E. (2022) Undefining Creative Activism: From Praxis and Participation to Poiesis and Presage. In: E. Tilley, ed 2022. Creative Activism Research, Pedagogy and Practice . Ch.1. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
University of Brighton (n.d.) Everyday Creativity. blogs.brighton.ac.uk/everydaycreativity/. Everyday Creativity Blog. [Blog] n.d. Available at: https://www.brighton.ac.uk/caw/index.aspx [Accessed 20 June 2022]
How Effective is Online Education During the Current Pandemic Due to COVID-19?
(Dey, Sharma,D’Souza,& Kumar, 2021: p1)
The Centre for Distance Education conference on Research in Distance Education (RIDE) curated by University of London took place over three days in June 2022. The event explored three core themes: People, Pedagogy and Practice (University of London, n.d.).. The event took place in both a face-to-face capacity at Senate House in London and online on Zoom. I presented a 20 minute live presentation exploring social annotation in the technology-enhanced transnational learning (TETL) context. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) was a film directed by Steven Spielberg starring Harrison Ford. The story line involves the character Indiana Jones embarking on an adventure to find the ark. So what could the ’digital ark’ of online and distance learning be?
(PNGWNG, n.d.) Indiana Jones & the Annotators of the Lost (Digital) Ark
Since 2020, due to the pandemic, interactive sessions have been delivered on Zoom. One of the key pedagogic challenges has been to improve the sessions. What is interaction? How do we know when it takes place? What is the relationship between interaction and engagement? Interaction can take place between teacher and student and between students. Perhaps we need to keep contributing to, and developing our own Manifesto for Teaching Online (Bayne, Evans, Ewins, Knox & Lamb, 2020). Before the pandemic, virtual learning was growing as a practice:
“Virtual learning, in the space of just a few years, has greatly enhance dits position as a learning solution…”
(Christopher, 2015: p3)
Indiana Jones & the Temple of Zoom. A Transnational Online Pivot Adventure was the title of a presentation delivered in 2021 for the University of Kent Digitally Enhanced Education Webinar with blog post exploring Learning Technologists as ‘Digital Archaeologists’ & Online Classrooms as ‘Digital Temples’ here (McDonald, 2021) .
Using metaphor is learning technology can have potential benefits (Weller, 2022). Learning Technologists are engaged with as ‘digital adventures’. The presentation explored the use of metaphor to understand a period change and to make sense of changing professional identities. A YouTube recording of the presentation is available here.
“…human thought process are largely metaphorical”
(Lakoff & Johson, 2003: p6).
Could we understand the pivot as the metaphor? An exciting article exploring the use of metaphor and the VLE in the form of a “metaphorical history” (Farrelly, Costello & Donlon, 2020). Could a VLE be understood in the capacity of a “digital car park?”.
“At this point in time, if we were to use a metaphor to characterise the VLE, it would be a limpet. The educational tide may rise and fall; political, economic or biological storms may lash the higher education sector, yet VLEs have shown a remarkable ability to adapt and ingrain themselves into the teaching and learning landscape”.
(Farrelly, Costello & Donlon, 2020: p7).
What about the ‘temple of Zoom’ itself. In the film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Indiana Jones faces a series of challenges, rooms, chambers and problems to solve. What sort of difficulties have you experienced throughout the pivot to online learning? Could the “brave new digital classroom” as Blake calls it, be understood as digital temple? (Blake, 2013). How do we exist in online temples, can we control our ontological status in the capacity of a pedagogic actors? What sort of epistemological possibilities take place in the digital temple?
‘Indiana Jones and the Breakout Tombs – how can an escape room support students with Zoom literacy in a transnational context’ was presented at the Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) or CARNival Raised Voices conference event in October 2021 with a blog post. One of the pedagogic outcomes was to recommend team teaching.
What is a whiteboard? The history of the whiteboard is fascinating? Why were they created? Who do they benefit? How can teachers and students use them effectively?
“Whiteboards began to soar in popularity in the mid 1990s, but they were actually invented and became commercially available in the 1950s. In the early days they were not widely accessible, and so they didn’t become popular until decades later”
(red17 Limited, 2020).
Zoom has recently launched and upgraded whiteboard which allows both synchronous and asynchronous access. You can create a whiteboard before a live meeting that can be used during a live meeting and accessed after the class by students (Brown, 2022). It is possible to add range of content: including drawings, shapes, text, sticky notes, colour, and images.
The critical question is when does an interactive whiteboard become interactive? Is it about the way it is used? Whiteboards do not have innate pedagogical properties. How do you teach with yours? The annotation feature is separate from the Whiteboard but can also be used at the same time.
“…a teacher might be a an absolute wizard in terms of their ability to do dazzling things with an interactive whiteboard, but if they don’t know much about the causes of the English Civil War (or whatever), or how one might make the topic meaningful and accessible top pupils, it is unlikely to result in a successful lesson”
(Hadyn, 2013: p10).
What is social annotation?One approach is social annotation can be defined as “…reading and thinking together” (Centre for Teaching Innovation, 2022). A recent white paper highlighted the value of social annotation (Kalir, 2022).
“Annotation is a practice situated within and responsive to context and culture. The technologies and social norms of any given era and literate culture demonstrate a range of annotation purposes and possibilities”
(Kalir & Garcia: 2021)
Critical questions include:
What happens when student annotate together?
What types of learning happen?
Can annotation support students in a second language learning context?
What makes annotation social?
What is a note? It “can be word, phrase or sentence” ” (Kalir & Garcia: 2021)
What is a text?. It can be defined by author or multiple authors and content (Kalir & Garcia: 2021).
What is intertextuality?– “describe relationship between text”. What is relationship between annotation and original text (Kalir & Garcia: 2021).
“Annotated books were routinely exchanged among scholars and friends as “social activity” throughout the Victoria era”
(Kalir & Garcia: 2021)
Three Zoom scenarios were presented to students: muting mic, using chat via share screen using annotation followed by a “sticky question” or more challenging question – how to make the most of the interactive sessions using whiteboard (The Philosophy Man Ltd, 2021).
40 students were in the research population. Students were invited to fill in an online evaluation form to provide feedback on their experience.
Questions for Students
Distance learning gives us an opportunity to think about perceptions of distance, and distance as a metaphor.
Indiana Jones will return. But how can the adventure continue? How about Indiana Jones and the Last Upgrade? The most recent Indiana Jones film was the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). Accordingly perhaps the new project might be called Indiana Jones film and the Kingdom of the Digital Skull? . Mapping future adventures could involve revisiting student induction, developing resources and best practice about second language context, exploring other annotation tools such as Hypothesis and whiteboard tools such as Miro and Google Jamboard in addition to developing the use of polling and Q&A tools such as Vevox. Hypothesis have a show called Liquid Margins to explore social annotation (Hypothesis, n.d.). the show where we gather to talk about collaborative annotation, social learning, and other ways we make knowledge together. The use of agile stationary to support communication in the online classroom (cards with images) could help online classrooms (Agile Stationary, 2022).
Indiana Jones will return
The idea of virtual stationary as a tool to work across learning contexts is interesting. I shared the idea of agile stationary in episode 20 of the Treasure Island Pedagogies Podcast (Centre for Innovation Liv Uni, 2022). A blog post for the episode is available here.
In Episode 24, in addition to lightbulb moments, treasure island pedagogies/props and luxury items, our discussion included getting students to examine and debate issues, concepts from different perspectives to develop their criticality and nurture inclusivity in our classrooms, using playful learning or technologies in creative ways to the importance of physical exercise for a healthy body and mind.
Speakers: Dr. Denise Preece, Roger Saunders, Professor David Webster
Facilitated by Dr Tünde Varga-Atkins
13th March 2023
You can view the full transcript here: Treasure Island Pedagogies Episode 24 – Podcast Transcript
Christopher, D., (2015) The Successful Virtual Classroom How to Design and Facilitate Interactive and Engaging Live Online Learning (New York, Atlanta, Brussels, Chicago, Mexico City, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto & Washington D.C: Anacom)
Clark, R, C., & Kwinn, A., (2007) The New Virtual Classroom: Evidence–based Guidelines for Synchronous e–Learning (San Francisco: Jon Wiley & Sons)
Digitally Enhanced Learning Webinars, 2020. Indiana Jones & the Temple of Zoom. A Transnational Online Pivot Adventure. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qveR3oksF8Q
Farrelly, T., Costello, E. and Donlon, E., 2020. VLEs: A Metaphorical History from Sharks to Limpets. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2020(1), p.20. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/jime.575
Kalir, J. (2022). The Value of Social Annotation for Teaching and Learning: Promoting Comprehension, Collaboration and Critical Thinking With Hypothesis. San Francisco, CA: Hypothesis.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Directed by Steven Spielberg [Film]. Paramount Pictures Studios & Paramount Home Entertainment
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Directed by Steven Spielberg [Film]. Paramount Pictures
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Directed by Steven Spielberg [Film]. Paramount Pictures
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Directed by Steven Spielberg [Film]. Paramount Pictures
Dey, R., Sharma, I., D’Souza, N., & Kumar, G., (2021) How Effective is Online Education During the Current Pandemic Due to COVID-19?, Virtual and Classroom Learning in Higher Education: A Guide to Effective Online Teaching (2021) 1: 1. https://doi.org/10.2174/9781681089287121010003 [Accessed 17 June 2022]
I have no idea where this will lead us. But I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange”
(Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks).
The Association for Learning Technologists (ALT) organises the Open Education OER conference every year. In 2021, the event took place in an online capacity. In 2022, the event took place in a hybrid way in London and online with the Global OER Graduate Network (GO-GN) contributing to the chairing of the event. The aim of the conference is to explore “Open Education research, practice and policy” (Association for Learning Technology, 2022). The conference explored five core themes including pedagogy in a time of crisis, open textbooks, open in action, open research and wildcard proposals (Association for Learning Technologists, n.d.).
(Eclipse Digital Imaging, 2022)
Responding to the theme of pedagogy of crisis, one of the critical questions is “what does an ‘open’ response look like?” (Association for Learning Technologists, n.d.). For me, an open response is to explore what we can do with what we have. Necessity is the mother of (digital) invention.
Autoethnography is “a method that allows us to reconsider how we think, how we do research and maintain relationships, and how we live”
(Adams, Holman Jones & Ellis 2015: p8).
Creating a story/game in Twine can be visualised as map on a grid. It is possible to test to game.
Twine is a both free and open-source storytelling tool that enables users to create text-based interactive games and non-linear storytelling (Twinery, n.d.)
(Eclipse Digital Imaging, 2022)
Twine can be argued to be “a new tool has emerged that empowers just about anyone to create a game” (Petit, 2013)
(Eclipse Digital Imaging, 2022)
Twin Peaks (1990-1991)explores “…. idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks” (IMDb, 2022). For online presentations, presenters were invited to use Discord to respond to ideas and answer questions which enhanced the conference experience.
(Eclipse Digital Imaging, 2022)
Drawing on the well known television programme Twin Peaks (1990-1991)the presentation draws on Twine to create a techno-auto-ethnographic “identity performance” game/story to explore the idiosyncratic identity story of a Learning Technologist working in higher education (Clark, 2020). Techno-auto- ethnography has been novel, innovative and open methodological thread running throughout research and practice (see blog posts exploring this topic here).
Bibliography
Adams, T, E., Holman, Jones, S., & Ellis, C., (2015) Autoethnography Understanding Qualitative Research (USA: OUP).
Association for Learning Technology (n.d.) Open Education Conference #OER22 (Online) Available at: https://altc.alt.ac.uk/oer22/ [Accessed 3 May 2022].
Clark, D., (2020). Tech and me: an autoethnographic account of digital literacy as an identity performance. Research in Learning Technology, 28. https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v28.2389
Discord (2022) Discord (Online) Available at: https://discord.com/ [Accessed 3 May 2022].
Twinery (n.d) Twine is an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories (Online) Available at: https://twinery.org/ [Accessed 3 May 2022].
On the 21st April 2022, Dr. Lee Campbell from University of the Arts London (UAL) curated an online discussion with a range of invited speakers including both staff and students exploring empathy funded by a Learning & Teaching Fund Award. The online event took place on Blackboard Collaborate and was part of a series of online events with a synoptic event taking place in June. My presentation explored the responses to online questionnaire about empathy and a series of reflections and a final provocation. At the end of the event, participants contributed to a group discussion.
So long and thanks for all the empathy.
A mini investigation was carried out to explore how empathy is understood and framed higher education uisng an online questionnaire using Microsoft Form How can emapthy be translated? How do cultural understandings of empathy differ? The presentation explored the idea of empathy in the third space, the possibilities of critical empathy literacy, the opposite of empathy, the extent to which empathy is interdisciplinary, post digital, how it concerns both self and other, how it can be inclusive, authentic, promotes agency, responsibility and choice, space, place, a pedagogy of care, transgression and progression.
Questions from the Mini Investigation
Can we show empathy across different cultural settings? How do we know when empathy has happened? Do we need to conern ourselves with “empathic accuracy?” (Ta & Ickes, in Maibom, 2017: p353). Perhaps the “Brave New Digital Classroom” requires us to explore ‘brave new empathies?’ (Blake, 2008).
Fashioning Critical Empathies? ‘Any (Empathy) Dream Will Do‘
Perhaps the future of the university also needs to include compassion in addition to empathy. In future, universities could create a Charter for Compassion (Charter for Compassion, 2022). What is the relationship between empathy and compassion? Are these the “golden threads” all universities need to weave? (Waddrington, 2017).
“There is already a growing critical mass of universities that have a compassionate action plan in place…”
(Waddrington, 2021: p3)
In June 2022, a final reflection session on Blackboard Collaborate took place to bring together all presenters and participants of the Empathy Project. We explored empathy to “transgress” drawing on ideas form bell hooks (1994). We also looked at unpacking empathy from our own context, the diversity of inputs, the possibility of an empathy game, empathy exhaustion, empathy with boundaries, empathy resources, an empathy toolkit, the role of authenticity, and the notion everyday empathies. An opportunity to explore how to develop the project in the form of a postgraduate special interest group has been suggested by Dr. Lee Campbell (UAL, 2022).
On Wednesday 6th July, the Who Do We Think We Are? Academic Support Practice-sharing event took place at Chelsea College of Art in London. I presented a sort reflection on participating in the Empathy project curated by Dr. Lee Campbell and supported a workshop exploring some of the key ideas that emerged from the discussions such as the possibility of agile empathy, critical empathy literacies and meta empathy. Duirng the breakout session, a copy of the one of the books that Dr. Campbell edited Leap Into Action Companion Critical Performative Pedagogies in Arts & Design Education’ was available. His chapter exploring technoparticipation is relevant for all Learning Technologists today (Campbell, 2020).
Dr. Lee Campbell presenting at UALPresenting at UALSocial annotation workshop exploring key ideas from the empathy project
Bibliography
Blake, R, J, (2008) Brave New Digital Classroom Technology and Foreign Language Learning (Georgetown University Press: Washington D.C.)
Campbell, L., 2020. Technoparticipation: Pixels, Palimpests and Performative Events. In: L, Campbell, ed 2020. Leap Into Action Companion Critical Performative Pedagogies. New York: Peter Lang. Ch. 11
Charter for Compassion (2022) Charter for Compassion (Online) Available at: https://charterforcompassion.org/ [Accessed 1 May 2022].
Denney, F (2022) Building bridges and connections: The Language used to connect and define communities in the third space in McIntosh, E & Nutt, D. ed. 2022. The Impact of the Integrated Practitioner in Higher Education Studies in Third Space Professionalism. London & New York: Routledge. Ch. 4.
hooks, B (1994) Teaching to Transgress Education as the Practice of Freedom (Oxon & New York: Routledge)
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Digital Transformation at RAU 