Course development teams
I work together with module and programme teams to develop and enhance courses. This involves a collaborative process in which we work out what enhancements are desirable and what is possible given the time-frame and other constraints (e.g. staff time and skills) of the course. I provide one-to-one and team training as necessary. I also collaborate with members of the team to set up the technology required for the course and to create learning tasks and materials. This is usually an iterative process in which we start with a discussion, I do some development, we discuss feedback with the members of staff involved; then develop further on the basis of the feedback, discuss again etc.
A good example of this is the ongoing development of the ‘Society, Youth and Ageing’ module on which I have worked with the module leader, Sara-Jayne Williams, for the past two years. We meet regularly to discuss and share feedback from students and the team of lecturers involved in the delivery of the module.
A further example is the work I have done with the team from five different universities to enhance and develop the ‘Joint Distance Learning MSc Urban & Rural Planning’, led by Adam Sheppard.
Project management of Interactive Video Guides
I also lead projects where I work collaboratively with others. For example, I am currently working with the film producer in the Learning Innovation Unit, Steve Brown, and with two laboratory technicians in the faculty, Emma Brown and Danny Elvidge, to produce Interactive Video Guides to assist learners in using complex laboratory machinery. I have brought the relevant staff together, garnered support by communicating the potential benefits of the new guides to the stakeholders and, with the aid of a mock-up, demonstrated how they will work technically. Working collaboratively the small team I initiated we decided which items of machinery to make the focus of the first guides.
The guides are currently being used by lecturers and students and at the end of the semester I will hold a focus group with student and staff users in to receive their feedback. On the basis of this feedback I will arrange further meetings with the Film producer and laboratory technicians, with a view to making improvements to the guides. And I shall present the resources and other findings to my manager with a view to receiving funding to extend the project to more laboratories and items of machinery.
Working with others in the Learning Innovation Unit (LIU)
I have worked closely with colleagues in the LIU, particularly Caroline Graham, to develop and roll out the faculty’s Blackboard template and to support teaching staff using it. This requires ongoing discussion and assessment of the problems that staff encounter when using the template plus sharing ideas and approaches to encouraging better use of the template by programme teams. It also requires liaison with staff from IT and the Blackboard Support team at UWE.
On the ‘Our Green City’ MOOC I have also worked collaboratively with members of the unit, Steve Brown and Caroline Graham, to ensure the video content for the MOOC was captioned and delivered in a usable format. The key to this successful working together is clear and frequent communication and an appreciation and understanding of each others skills and contributions
Working with other Learning Technologists across the university
I often work with Learning Technologists (LTs) from outside the faculty, particularly when a technology is being deployed across the university. For example, I have regular meetings with other LTs in regard to PebblePad and I have shared and co-developed supporting materials with them. I also attend a regular ‘Video Interest Group’ for an free-ranging discussion on the use of video in teaching and learning.
I initiated the development of informal group meetings for LTs in order to help colleagues get to know each other a little better and to share some of the interests we have. I did this because UWE is such a large university that some LTs had not met each other even after several years of working at the same institution; and I wanted to facilitate better communication and sharing of ideas and resources between the different faculties and services.
I also take part in informal ‘show and tell’ events with other LTs at which we each present a couple of items of interest to the others and share experiences. So far I have presented my use of ResponseWare in the faculty and demonstrated use of ThingLink as a means to enhance images and videos.
Reflection
As a result of the informal connections I have developed with other LTs I am able to ask for and provide support at short notice (usually via email, Lync messaging, or telephone) in a way which would not have been possible before.
In my experience, the most important element of working with others is clear and frequent communication in order to have a shared understanding of the subject or project at hand, and as a means of avoiding problems before they arise. Other important aspects are understanding and respecting each others skills, recognising when to ask for help and being willing to provide help when others need it.
Evidence
For evidence of working with others see the following posts: