Work-based access to learning through e-services
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This project investigated the potential of mobile technologies and social networking software to add value to the tutor/learner support mix for online work-based learners.
Executive Summary
This project used a Java based application developed at the University of Glamorgan to enable learners to interact with their virtual learning environment through their mobile phones. It also experimented with the use of social networking software to add functionality to the online support.
The programme was specifically aimed at evaluating the experience of learners undertaking HE courses supported by FE institutions.
The project first introduced the technologies to learners on a University of Glamorgan online Cert HE/Foundation Degree supported by tutors from FE partner Colleges. Later, the project introduced the same technologies to other HE courses delivered by FE partners including an MSc in Management, an HNC in Computing and NVQ4 Modules in Business Studies.
The MobiGlam application was downloaded to learner and tutor mobile phones and enabled them to access and interact with their Moodle VLEs. They would be alerted by SMS messages of information changes on Moodle and would be able to view Moodle information and respond from their mobiles without the need to be at a computer. The aim was to increase the flexibility and accessibility to learning support.
The use of social networking software was surveyed amongst learners with the objective of assessing the potential to exploit such software in supporting online learners. The use of Facebook and Delicious, in particular, was promoted.
The intention was to integrate the institutional technologies with the personal technologies used by the learners and with web based services in a way that added value to the learner experience. The use of the technologies was piloted with the courses in three FE colleges and the learner experience was evaluated.
The outcomes demonstrated that the use of mobile technology in the support mix was valued by the learners because of the immediacy it brought to the process by alerting them to events on Moodle and by significantly increasing the speed of responses to help requests.
The outcomes also showed, however, that there was a range of technical problems associated with institutional systems and the development of mobile technology that needed to be accommodated for the system to be sustainable.
The use of social networking software, where it was successfully integrated into the course delivery, was welcomed enthusiastically by the learners and was very effective, especially for group work.
However, for many work-based learners, their use and familiarity with social networking software was found to be very limited and the general applicability as part of online support is restricted at present.
The HE in FE issues that emerged as the project progressed related to the way in which academic teaching responsibilities and technical support systems were coordinated and managed. The FE sector does not have a research remit and systems are not geared to support active research projects of this kind. Project planning needs to recognise and accommodate this factor.
The overall message about mobile technologies and social networking software arising from the work of this project is that the integration of user-owned technologies and web-based resources into the learner support mix is both feasible and desirable. The work points towards a future mixed economy of education where institutional, personal and internet based resources are combined in a way that optimises learner choice, learning effectiveness and economic value.