The #nairtl11 backchannel

Last week we hosted the joint Galway Symposium/NAIRTL conference at NUIG, with the title Engaging Minds: Active learning, participation and collaboration in Higher education. Iain has already blogged about the event and the recordings of the keynotes will be available in the near future.

As part of the local organisation, and having participated in a number of very active conference backchannels in the last year (for example #pelc11), we wanted to ensure an active twitter experience. This was particularly important because one of our keynotes, Derek Bruff from Vanderbilt University, has already written about Encouraging a Conference Backchannel on Twitter.

The strategy we used was based on Derek’s guide. Here’s what we did:

Hashtag: obviously, nothing can happen without a hashtag. It has to be short and easily remembered. With a joint conference, this can be tricky! So, I just proposed using #nairtl11, which was accepted, and it worked a treat! We started using this a couple of weeks before the conference, to build up awareness. We also made sure it was included on the conference programme, so nobody could be in doubt.

Twitter Team: About a week before the conference, I assembled my twitter team. This included a number of people who I know are active on twitter and have participated in backchannels before. Their role was to “keep the backchannel going” and to encourage others to join in. Recruits were @catherinecronin, @marloft, @kellycoate, @thecosmicfrog. We also let @iainmacl join in, though it took him a few attempts to get the hashtag right! A couple of days before the event, I pointed them to Derek’s Instructions to the Twitter Team

Twitter Display: During down time at the conference, before keynotes and at breaks, we displayed the twitter stream in the main venue and in the breakout rooms. We used Visible Tweets, and the rotation animation style, which I’d seen used at #pecl11 to great effect. This display had a number of positive effects:

• It alerted participants to the existence of the backchannel and encouraged them to take part;
• It illustrated the participation of people who were not at the conference at all, but were engaging with our reports;
• It ensured that those tweeting were being polite, knowing that what they said could be projected in big letters on screen.

The backchannel conversation was very effective, with over 800 tweets generated, mostly over the two days of the conference. As well as tweeting what was happening and key points being made, there was a rich conversation going on as well. We got a good following from outside the conference location, including colleagues in DIT who couldn’t attend because of exam board meetings (@muireannok, @m_crehan) as well as contributions from tweeters outside Ireland, including the UK, USA, Canada and New Zealand.

I used the Archivist to analyse the #nairtl11 tweets. It gives some pretty graphs to show, for example, tweet volume over time and top tweeters.

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Echo360 Community Conference Europe

The Echo360 Community Conference Europe event, entitled Education Unconfined, took place last Wednesday at the London School of Economics. I went along, with Labhaoise Ni Dhonnchadha, to find out about the new release (version 4.0) and to network with other users.

We have been piloting Echo360 for lecture capture at NUI Galway for the last couple of years, with 5 installations in lecture theatres and seminar rooms.

We were very impressed with the venue, the New Academic Building (NAB) at the LSE. It is bright and airy, with lots of space. The view from the 8th floor was stunning.

The event itself was successful, with lots of exciting new features in version 4.0. We especially like the contextual collaboration for students, along with usage trend reports for instructors. The delegated admin capability is also very important for us, as we contemplate scaling up.

There was an excellent session from Jeremy Speller and Andrea Sella from University College London, where there are 20 lecture theatres equipped with Echo360. I liked Andrea's image of lecture capture as a time machine - offering the possibility for students to go back and revisit those parts of a lecture that were unclear. He made it particularly clear that students do not see recordings as a replacement for a lecture. His talk finished up with some interesting questions on how/where lecture capture can make an impact: performance, attendance or experience? And how can we measure this effect?

Inspired by Doug Belshaw and his use of Storify to document conference attendance, I've put together a small story myself, using my tweets from the conference and a couple of photos I took.

EdTech2011 Early Bird Registration iPod Touch Draw on Monday 23 May

This year's EdTech conference Innovation, Technologies and Practice: Show me the Learning! is being held from 1-2 June 2011 Waterford Institute of Technology.

As usual, there is a wonderful representation from NUIG covering the following innovative areas:

• Bonnie Long 'Implemention of Digital Storytelling with Pre-Service Teachers - Challenges and Lessons Learned'
  
  
• Anne Egan 'Podcasting as a Novice an a Legal Environment'
  
  
• Catherine Cronin 'Re-thinking the Lecture - Audio Podcasts and Telling Stories'
  
  
• Paul Gormley and Anne Walsh 'The Quick Win Meets the Trojan Horse: Formative 2.0 Assessments and the Adult Blended Learners Experience'
  
  
• A number of CELT staff are also involved in the EdTech Organising Committee, which gives us an inspiring overview of the learning technolgy landscape in Ireland.

For those presenters or potential delegates, registration is now open. For a chance to win an iPod touch please register before lunchtime on Monday 23rd May


You can register for the conference and you preferred free workshops via the EdTech2011 online registration system.

The draw will take place on Monday afternoon!

Best of luck!

Blackboard Student Survey 2011

Photo: Sharon and Lindsay at the iPod Touch prizegiving

Over 2,500 NUI Galway students completed the annual Blackboard Student Survey in April of this year. We hope to publish the findings shortly, but are very heartened that so many of students took the time to share their thoughts and suggestions about their experiences of using Blackboard as a student, at NUI Galway.

Congrats also to Lindsay (pictured above), the lucky winner of the draw for an iPod Touch!

Call for NDLR LInCS (Learning Innovation Community Support) Project Funding 2011

The call for applications to fund projects supporting the development of learning resources /materials for the NDLR Users is open. All material pertaining to the call is available from http://www.ndlr.ie/view/view.php?id=171

The deadline for applications is Friday 20th May 2011

We are issuing funds from 17th June to:
(a) Support projects that will create learning resources and
(b) Generate use and activity around these learning resources and the repository and portal.

The outputs of these projects will be showcased at the next NDLR FEST event in March 2012

Bids should focus on short, practical projects with clear identifiable outputs (i.e. resources and examples of use and reuse). The outputs of these projects should aim to actively progress and support the realisation of the new and dynamic streamlined SMART CoP model ( new CoPs and/or mergers between existing CoPs) over the next ten months.

Reviewers Rubrics and a screencast with details for completing these forms will be available on the NDLR portal ( http://www.ndlr.ie/view/view.php?id=171) over the coming days. If you have any queries about the application form or the process for completion, please do not hesitate to contact the NDLR team at helpdesk@ndlr.ie

Infection, Prevention and Control

I would like to highlight a fantastic project, titled Infection Prevention and Control, which was led by Liz Kingston, Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick in collaboration with NUI Galway and HSE West.

The project was supported by the NDLR and is a really brilliant reusable learning resource.

NDLR - Liz Kingston from NDLR on Vimeo.

Open Source doesn't just equal Moodle

I'm sure by now most of you will have heard of the new LMS/VLE (call it what you prefer) that is both offered as a cloud-based service or in an Open Source release that aims to challenge Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai and Desire2Learn. It's called Canvas and I took it for a 'test drive' (to use the cliche much loved of technology magazines!) recently and I have to admit that there is something pleasing about the simple, plain design. It cheered me up a little since I'd been seriously disappointed in the over-hyped but really naff Moodle 2.o. Indeed, plenty of others have commented that they have a cheek using '2.0' for software that looks as if it was designed in the 1990s. Maybe I expected too much.

Not that we have any plans to move from our official Blackboard system, but we always have kept an eye on other systems and have run test implementations of Moodle and Sakai. Moodle is also used for courses that span multiple institutions or other work that doesn't meet with Blackboard licensing requirements (ie with external organisations).

Canvas is very new and it may well get a good real world testing in Utah (where the company is based) where it has been adopted as the state-wide LMS. It has as you might expect of a new entity very basic features (and certainly nowhere near the capabilities of Blackboard in terms of assessment for example, etc), but if it can grow via Open Source, things will no doubt improve, though it does need progammers with some penchant for Ruby (Google it if this makes no sense!).

Anyway, you too can have a free course set up on their website and see what you think.

Module in Learning Technologies - Project Symposium (Part 2)

Last Monday (31st Jan) we hosted the second Project Symposium associate with our PG Diploma module in Learning Technologies. In my last post, I gave the background to the module and the expectations around the project. As before, we were treated to a range of projects, at various stages of development.

Gary (@GaryGillanders) spoke about how he is developing video material to supplement laboratory manuals in Physics. He is using short video clips, accessible via the VLE (Blackboard) to replicate in-lab demonstrations of equipment, software and procedures. So far, he has used Jing for screencasts of software demonstrations, and also recorded some equipment demos and put them up on blip.tv. Although it is still too early to evaluate the usefulness of the videos, initial feedback from students in positive.

Anne (@annecegan) told us of her plans to use podcasts to support students of Family Law. She has a plan to match short podcasts with tutorial topics, summarising materials and pointing to additional reading. She has some concerns over the possibility of excluding some part-time, mature students.

Martina (@mkellygsac) spoke about using wikis for supporting first year programming students. She is hoping to promote active learning, improved collaboration and to improve the first year experience.

Mark (@MarkKelly7) gave a very entertaining talk called "..distracted from distraction by distraction.." (quoted from T.S. Elliot) where he describes his investigation of the contribution of various web 2.0 technologies to the learning space. He has been using podcasts for providing feedback on student work; he has developed a blog specifically for the module; students will be asked to blog as part of the assessment and Mark is developing a rubric for evaluating these; and an accompanying twitter account has been set up. Initial results are positive.

Finally, Una (@unafitz) described her development of a module on Scientific Writing for postgraduate students. She has started to use screencasts and described her frustrations around learning to use Camtasia to produce short videos. Ultimately, the module will be particularly useful as a shared resource, available to a range of postgraduate programmes via the VLE.

Now that our participants have presented their work to peers, and received some encouragement and feedback, I am looking forward to watching their projects develop. Project reports are due in now and, together with recordings from the presentations, will provide a fantastic record of the development of the use of learning technologies in Teaching and Learning at NUI Galway.

Module in Learning Technologies - Project Symposium (Part 1)

At NUI Galway, I co-ordinate a module in Learning Technologies (cel263) which is offered as part of our Postgraduate Diploma in Academic Practice. The module is taken by academic staff as part of a professional qualification in Teaching and Learning, mostly in NUIG but open to staff from other institutions. This year the module had 9 participants from across an array of disciplines in NUIG and three participants from the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).

Now in its third year, participants in the module have a range of experience with using technology in teaching, from "very little" to "vast". Some need a lot of support and encouragement, while others are willing to try anything. The module is organised as a series of 7 stand-alone workshops, each based on a particular technology, including guest lecturers, online resources, demonstrations, practical sessions, discussion, research and reflection. We try to focus on teaching & learning, showing how a technology might support these activities, rather than on the technology itself.


Each participant carries out a project as part of the module assessment, which should be integrated into their own teaching context. Our aim for the project is to move each staff member beyond the comfort zone, to try something new in their teaching in a supported environment. In the short time available, it is challenging to scope, plan, implement and evaluate a new initiative, on top of the busy hours already worked by this group of people.

I was very proud, therefore, to sit in at the first of a project symposium event yesterday, where six of our class presented on their project work. Each person has taken up the challenge and has moved beyond the comfort zone. Many of the initiatives are in early phases of development, but all have clear goals and plans for improving the learning experience through the use of technology in teaching.

Vincent (@VincentNUIG) shared his plans for using a social network in preparing students for a year abroad in the Erasmus programme. Students already abroad will share their experiences; students preparing students for the year abroad. He made a nice link between stepping out of his comfort zone (in technology) and helping students about to step out of theirs (by moving to another country).

Brendan (@brendanmflynn) launched his academic blog on Environmental policy + EU policies + other stuff, explaining why he blogs and how it can help to combine his teaching and research interests.

Mel (@MelOBoland), using a pecha kucha style for his presentation, talked about bilingual blogging with his students in a translation module, and how this might support collaborative learning. Although just introduced with his students, already it is proving popular with some positive initial outcomes.

Maureen (@maureenjmaloney) spoke about using social media to develop graduate networks. She spoke about her goals and some thoughts around using LinkenIn for graduates and Facebook for current and future students. Some nice examples already in her College are the School of Law (which I blogged about previously) and the J.E. Cairns School of Business and Economics facebook pages.

Noreen (@noreenhenry) discussed her ventures into podcasting, to deepen understanding and learning, and to link theory, case study and team project for her students. She has already produced 8 podcasts of about 5-6 minutes in length, and has made them available to students. Though take-up is low so far, she anticipates that students will make more use in the coming months as they start their projects. She made the interesting point that mature students in technology-based subjects may be less receptive to the introduction of technology in teaching, perhaps because there is less of a novelty factor for them.

Dara (@DaraCannon) has also started producing podcasts in a MSc programme, for giving individual feedback (audio) and also preparing demonstration videos. She is already noticing some advantages, adding her tone of voice and personality to individual feedback, as well as providing a useful record. But she wonders if it will actually save her time?

I really enjoyed the presentation yesterday and look forward to seeing these initiatives develop over time. Six more students present their work next week.

One final point that came up yesterday is that, in future, academics may have less time to embark on initiatives like this. Despite the potential enhancements to the student learning experience, activities of this nature aren't always seen to tick boxes on the academic workload model and are often unrecognised as productive use of time.

Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning 2011

The Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning has been awarded annually by the Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA) and Dublin City University (DCU) since 2009. The award recognises and rewards innovative practice in teaching and learning in Ireland.

Previous award winners are John O'Connor (DIT) for his work on the module "Virtual Environments: Is one life enough?" in 2010, and the Bridge to College Initiative from TCD in 2009.

Nominations are now invited for the 2011 Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, for an innovative idea which must have been implemented. Nominations should be submitted before Monday 7th February. Further details are available at the awards site.

NUI Galway School of Law on Facebook

A couple of weeks ago, I had a coffee with Michael Coyne (@MichealCoyne on twitter) of the NUI Galway School of Law. I was interested in finding out a little bit more about the School's presence on Facebook. The site currently has more than 400 fans and is a very nice example of using facebook to enhance the student experience.

Michael made some interesting points.

The site is mainly aimed at final year undergraduate students, but also targets recent graduates and prospective students. It offers some useful course-related information such as timetables and announcements, more general information about upcoming seminars and career advice and whatever is considered newsworthy or of interest to law students, past and present.

It’s also a good platform for current PhD students who actively blog on human rights and disability issues to highlight their work and perhaps make contact with like-minded people.

This is seen as a good way to reach students. Michael's perception is that just 60% of students read their university email on a regular basis, but they do use Facebook. Although no formal evaluation has taken place, anecdotal evidence shows improved interaction and an increase in seminar attendance.

This raises some issues around how Facebook can be used to replace/supplement use of the VLE (Blackboard 8 at NUI Galway). Blackboard also offers the facility of making announcements and providing information. Michael points out that Blackboard is not used consistently by staff in the Law School, a fact which might contribute to the popularity of the Facebook site.

One critical aspect to keeping the Facebook page current is that it must be updated and monitored regularly, there must be somebody responsible for the administration of the site. He particularly acknowledges the support of admin staff in the College of Business, Public Policy and Law.

The page is open to anyone, so it also serves as a useful marketing tool, particularly to potential students of Law. There is a deliberate attempt to include lots of pictures and videos, and the site is seen as a way of improving the web profile of the School.

Reflections on attending the JISC online conference

Last week, November 23-26, I "attended" the JISC online conference Innovating E-Learning 2010, Bringing innovation to life: from adversity comes opportunity.

This was the 5th JISC online conference, attracting 475 delegates from 11 countries. For a registration fee of about €60, I had access to a number of excellent keynote presentations and invited speakers, using Elluminate, discussion areas and other resources.

I didn't manage to get to all the sessions, which were arranged in two themes: Realising the Potential and Realising the Value. I participated in the following live sessions:

Theme 1
Learning to Live in Interesting Times - What are Educational Institutions for? Keri Facer
Transforming Assessment for Learning in a Digital Age David Boud
What do students really want? Usman Ali

Theme 2
Is the Future Mobile? Graham Browne-Martin
Sustaining OER Innovation through Collaboration and Partnership Simon Thomson and Andy Beggan

I missed a few sessions, but the great thing about the online conference is that these Elluminate sessions were recorded and I can go back and look at them any time. In fact, all the recordings will be publicly available on the JISC website sometime in 2011. A couple of people have already blogged about the sessions, including Doug Belshaw and Cath Marlowe. James Clay was the official conference blogger, but his excellent conference blog is not available to non-delegates.

All the live sessions took place within the Elluminate environment and were followed up with discussion opportunities on the conference site boards. During the live sessions, participants could use the interactive features within Elluminate, including chat and voting options. There was also a healthy twitter backchannel using the #jiscel10 hashtag.

So, what (for me) are the attractions of attending an online conference, and what are the disadvantages?

The main advantage is convenience. I get access to wonderful speakers without having to travel, without leaving my family for a couple of days, without having to stay in some horrible hotel in a city I don't know. I can still discuss themes with an international peer group, although the medium is different.

In fact, on day one of the conference, I was at home - sick with flu. I couldn't have gone to work, and I certainly couldn't have travelled anywhere. But I was able to "attend" three very worthwhile conference sessions, in my pyjamas, hot flu-busting drink beside me, and go back to bed in between! If the wifi had worked sufficiently well in the bedroom, I wouldn't even have had to leave my bed.

The second advantage, for me, is that I am much more likely to interact with other delegates in the online environment. In a face-to-face setting, I'm quite shy and likely to stand around at coffee breaks pretending to be very busy checking email on my Blackberry, unless there are people that I know. Online, I am still self-conscious, but no longer a lurker.

Despite comments by Graham Brown-Martin (@grahamBM) in his talk, I really liked the Elluminate platform and thought it worked quite well in the context of the conference. Academics at NUI Galway have used Elluminate in the past for teaching students in Clinical Education.

However, despite much investigation and complaining, I still cannot access Elluminate on my office machine over the fixed network. I have no problem at home, and no problem on the campus wifi network. So, I had to do a little forward planning and ensure I had a laptop set up in my office for the duration of the conference. Working on two machines side by side is not something that I find easy.

The other issue with an online conference is that you have to be very organised to participate fully. If you are travelling to a conference, you make time from your day-t0-day work and will not be distracted by phone calls, unimportant email and calls for coffee. To really participate, I should have stayed at home all week, away from the distractions in my office.

However, I did get a lot from the experience. I enjoyed the talks and will make time to follow up on the ones I missed (just not from my office desktop). Value for money? Certainly, especially when you factor in travel and accommodation expenses!

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