Transcript How a large distributed FE college is using learning technology to bring about large scale organisational change Howard Browes – Head of Learning.

How a large distributed FE college is using
learning technology to bring about large scale
organisational change
Howard Browes – Head of Learning Innovation and Student Progress
Leeds City College
Bob Harrison - Consultant SET, Education Adviser, Toshiba Information
Systems (UK) Ltd, Consultant, National College for Leadership of
Schools and Children's Services
Context
our journey …...
Drivers:
•‘austerity’
• efficiency
• effectiveness
• accountability
what we are about as an organisation?
are we meeting needs?
what we need to do to improve?
how can we change?
but most importantly, we are
a learning organisation…
The theory………..
Geography
E-learning @ LCC
• Differing starting points:
o staffing structures
o infrastructure
o multiple systems
o platforms (Moodle and Blackboard)
o fragmented curriculum
o geographical spread
o changing delivery patterns
o responsiveness
o ‘dated’ estate
Merger
Size can bring problems ……
• Importance of avoiding silos (sometimes a result of
every day business processes)
• Unified vision AND ACTIONS
• Development and action plans need to be linked
• Is there joined-up thinking:
• ITSS infrastructure and capital investment?
• curriculum design and delivery models?
• design and location of learning spaces?
• are we recruiting the right staff and providing
the best professional development
opportunities?
Infrastructure
Every system has a purpose to the person/team who
designed/implemented it – but it isn’t always clear to the end user!
The College had previously used an Allied Telesis SwitchBlade 4000, a CISCO 6509 and HP Networking for its core resilience at the
campuses which are now end of life and will be replaced by six Allied Telesis SwitchBlade x908 switches with 10GB modules for fiber
connectivity and x610 series Layer 3 switches. The new switches will ensure that traffic is re-routed in milliseconds in the event of a
potential failure. They will also enhance resiliency for the college’s cloud-based storage (Microsoft Live@edu) and ensure high levels
of security for staff and students accessing the network by automatically assigning them to the correct WLAN.
Systemic change
“Teachers have been infrequent and limited users
of new technology for classroom instruction. If
anything, in the midst of the spread of computers
and the Internet to all facets of American life. “elearning” in public schools has turned out to be
word processing and Internet searches…..
Teachers at all levels of schooling have used the
new technology basically to continue what they
have always done” Cuban, L (2003)
‘can I ………….
• learn how and when I want?
• write and submit an assessed piece of work in a
digital format
• get assessed work marked with quality
feedback within a reasonable time period
• have my grades and overall progress updated
with the same ease as I can use Facebook?’
Staffing
• TEL Manager
• Learning Innovation Mentors
• Web-developer
• VLE Team
• Advanced Practitioners
• Digital leaders
• TEL Group
Right team obviously essential, but
also need ‘buy-in’ to effect lasting
transformation
Festival of Learning
Short-term win!
1400 staff in 42 rooms across 4 sites …………
Adobe Connect
TEL Passport
Staff Survey
summer 2011
Student Survey
February 2012
Increased staff knowledge and
use of technology
Evidence of staff trying
new technology – but
does it enhance learning?
We have already noticed an increase in
staff using new technologies through the
OTL process
It is as much
about changing
the mind-set of
staff so that they
think of learning
in similar ways
to the learners
http://info.leedscitycollege.ac.uk/sites/grid/
http://wallwisher.com/wall/lccpubliservices
http://www.pearltrees.com/jonnywathen
Current initiatives
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BYOD & device leasing
College App – curriculum/learning focus
Infrastructure
Policies, strategies and actions plans ………….
Re-designed learning spaces (consolidation and re-location)
Curriculum versus learning
Students as digital leaders
Supplementing VLE with an aggregation of various
social networks (mashup)
• It’s a learning journey …………
We are just starting the
journey…….
Eric Hoffer, 1989
Bob Harrison - Consultant
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Long Term vision
SMT buy in
Network of Innovators
Staff groupings
Reliable Technological Infrastructure
Technician Support
Pre/post event blog
Follow Up action plan/Impact measures
Evaluation
Low hanging fruit
Student Voice/Digital Leaders
Build and maintain momentum
3-5 year plan
Why achieving large scale
organisational change is difficult
Diana Laurillard
1. The drivers of the education system assessment, curriculum, inspection/quality
requirements, funding flows, promotion
criteria - have not changed in recognition of
what technology offers, so nothing within it
can change.
2. Technological change is very rapid, and
because every innovation is useful in
education we need more time to make the
radical changes they afford
3. The education system is run by leaders who
are not comfortable with either the detail or
the implications of the technology potential,
and they need more support
4. Education is a political activity so avoids being
subject to the innovation that market forces
encourage
5. Education systems change slowly because they are
hierarchical command-control systems, rather than
devolved-power adaptive systems. Teachers and
lecturers are given neither the power nor
the means to improve the nature and quality of the
teaching-learning process through technology
Contacts
Howard Browes
Head of Learning Innovation and Student
Progress
[email protected]
01132846291
07795256714
@hanbrowes
#lcclearn21c
http://wp.me/P2dGd4-2
Bob Harrison,
Education Adviser, Toshiba
Information Systems (UK) Ltd
Consultant, National College for
Leadership of Schools and
Children's Services
[email protected]
Support for Education and
Training
http://www.setuk.co.uk/
@bobharrisonset