JISC

This session will explore how the University of Exeter is taking forward their innovative work with undergraduate students acting as 'agents of change' and transforming traditional approaches by researching and co-developing innovative solutions in partnership with academic staff. Working together, students and staff engaged in the JISC-funded INTEGRATE project, focusing on the use of technology to support three core challenges within the rapidly-expanding Business School: how to promote a learning ethos in which students actively participate, engage and feel known, despite ever-increasing numbers; how to manage assessment and feedback with large numbers; and how to promote a collaborative community in which diversity is both valued and well-catered for.

Over the past three years, the University has developed an innovative and exciting student-led action research initiative which brings students and staff together in improving experiences of higher education, with students taking responsibility for promoting evidence-based change. The focus has been on moving beyond listening to students, to actively engaging them in broader aspects of enhancing pedagogy. This approach was embedded into the INTEGRATE project, with students formally evaluating the influence of technology on learning and engagement and, through this research, persuading the School to invest heavily in new ways of working with technology to support teaching and learning (such as with voting pads, streamed lectures and online assessment).

The Business School has continued the approach, with around 40 students across all year groups working as technology 'champions', further supporting the use of technology in the classroom and undertaking new research projects such as on 'The Green and Paperless Student'. In addition, the University is now taking this work forward through their JISC-funded digital literacy CASCADE project to create innovative and authentic research-like activities to ensure the widespread development of student and staff digital capabilities. These capabilities will be embedded in subject disciplines and supported by post graduate researchers through an accredited training programme that will focus on equipping them to act as 'change agents' and to cascade these skills to others and to promote and develop digital literacies across the institution. The ultimate aim is that this research will contribute to a design framework for a wider institutional strategy for employability and skills.

Presenters

My career has been devoted to the promotion of innovation, change and strategic development in education. I have coordinated and directed many major research, development and evaluation projects on aspects of learning and teaching of national interest. In addition, I have promoted a range of central initiatives across the University of Exeter to support the enhancement of learning, teaching and assessment: for example, I have run a team development programme for first year undergraduates that has now included many thousands of students, have set up e-PDP for students across the institution and have developed a work experience package that has transformed the thinking of many of those who have undertaken it. Such initiatives have been ground-breaking and are still well supported by the University, giving me the opportunity to develop new ideas and ways of working. A major focus has been on the student experience and on understanding the processes of learning. I have an interest in the processes of change, including the development of evidence-based practice, as well as in the development of students as change agents. Having moved from Head of Academic Development to Head of Project Development within education enhancement, I am currently or have recently directed projects on Video-conferencing, on Students as Change Agents, on audio-feedback, on developing a distance-learning package and associated protocol, and a major JISC-funded project on Integrating Technology across the Exeter Business School.

Dale Potter

A recent graduate of the University of Exeter, Dale joined the institutions' JISC-funded Integrative Technologies project soon after completing his studies. Working alongside Exeter's World-leading and innovative Students as Change Agents initiative, Dale project-managed several student-led research projects, engaging directly with learners to embrace their creativity, vision and passion for real and positive change within their own education. With this influence of these collaborative partnerships becoming more widespread both across the UK and beyond, Dale has worked with the Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV) on these themes.

Drawing on his interest in current consumer electronics and internet trends, Dale's experience also lies in exploring the possibilities for implementation of low cost, off-the-shelf products and web applications in a learning context - technologies that are often widely known and already well-used by students in their non-academic lives. Specific successes over the past 12 months have included developing and evaluating academic use of video cameras and podcasting equipment alongside diverse student cohorts.

Throughout the projects, Dale has particularly embraced opportunities to reconcile his experiences as a recent student with organisational perspectives, innovation and change management within higher education.

Facilitator

Malcolm Ryan

Malcolm Ryan is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Greenwich and a principal lecturer in Education in the School of Education. He is a qualified and experienced teacher and educational technologist and brings these skills to his role as Head of TaLENT (Teaching and Learning Enhancement Team).

During 40 years of service he has tutored a wide range of students and more recently FHE teachers and trainers undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) and specialises in working at a distance and on blended programmes.

Known for working collaboratively with colleagues across Europe, Malcolm regularly acts as a consultant within/out the university. He has been a team member of several JISC and HEA projects including DEL eLISA, CAMEL and Design for Learning eLIDA CAMEL, was coordinator of the HEA e-benchmarking exercise within the University and manager of the SEEL Pathfinder project.

Malcolm is a co-founder member of ELESIG, a member of the Editorial Committee of IJEL and on the Programme Committee of AACE’s Ed-Media. He served 6 years as the Higher Education representative on ALT’s Further Education Committee, is a member of the JISC Experts Panel and was a ‘Critical Friend’ to the Curriculum Delivery and now the Digital Literacy Programmes.