Trinity eLearning Strategy

Trinity eLearning Strategy

Trinity eLearning Strategy

Our context
The future of higher education is uncertain and contested, spawning vigorous debate
about what higher education might become. Ernst and Young have argued recently that
the current university model in Australia is unviable, and that universities must look to
digital technologies as the way of the future:
Digital technologies have transformed media, retail, entertainment and many
other industries - higher education is next. Campuses will remain, but digital
technologies will transform the way education is delivered and accessed, and the
way value is created by higher education providers. (Ernst & Young, 2012, p
4)
As more institutions offer their services for free in formats like MOOCs (Massive Open
Online Courses), it seems inevitable that technology will assume a much greater role in
both the ways students engage with learning, and the ways educators deliver learning. But
this inevitability should not obscure the need to examine carefully the ways technology
can enhance the experiences of our particular students, in their particular contexts.
The University of Melbourne has recently developed an eLearning strategy. In that
document, infrastructure, pedagogy and student engagement are held in equal importance.
As an affiliate of the University it is imperative that Trinity College aligns with their
overall strategy as well as maps out our own unique and local plans.
For Trinity College, the challenge of this emerging and changing environment is to
identify and meet the developmental needs of our particular student groups, while also
judiciously investing in staff development and training, curriculum development, and
technological infrastructure. While Trinity has been at the forefront of a Theology Online
program for over a decade, was one of the first institutions to embrace the iPad as a
learning tool in 2010, and has recently invested significantly in ITS infrastructure, the
rapidly changing space of technology in teaching and learning makes a strategy even
more important.
For a College like Trinity that so heavily emphasizes face-to-face interaction with
students, an online learning strategy might seem supplementary. However, this is not the
case at all. Our desire to deliver a transformative student experience drives us to enhance
the face-to-face learning experience with the best online tools available. As the
University of Melbournes eLearning strategy states,
online information and communications technologies have become essential in
providing students with efficient, flexible and convenient access to University-based
teaching, learning and assessment...technologies do not simply improve students
access to information and learning interactions, they can expose students to
information, ideas, and knowledge in new ways that make learning more effective,
engaging and individually relevant.

Trinity eLearning Strategy

Our commitment to students

The Trinity student experience has been defined in our strategy documents as
transforming, relational and world-class. For our very diverse range of students in all
educational divisions, we commit to ensuring the provision of:

high quality face-to-face learning experiences

advanced mobile learning and support
flexible learning environments and
a deep learning of subject matter.

Thus the Trinity Experience will produce self-directed, reflective, independent learners;
enable meaningful collaboration and cultural exchange both within Trinity and with other
institutions; build our students readiness for the next step beyond Trinity; and offer
networking opportunities in Australia and overseas that will enhance a Trinity graduates
career. While we believe that we already offer a high quality student experience, this
strategy will aid integration of our unique ethos and culture with the demands of 21st
century learning.

Our desired outcomes

In summary, the eLearning strategy will ensure the following outcomes:

Trinity College is recognised as a leader in eLearning

Successful new pedagogical models for teaching and learning are achieved
Students obtain appropriate digital literacy skills to support their engagement with
the learning process
New sustainable technological infrastructure models are developed
Our unique educational offerings to students are showcased in new interactive
ways.

Each of these outcomes is unpacked in the following pages, and actioned by a number of
recommendations at the end of the strategy document.
Trinity College is recognized as a leader in eLearning
Trinity College has recently made a significant investment in its IT infrastructure with a
new wireless network across the College, additional servers, iPads for all Foundation
Studies teaching staff and students, and over forty professional development workshops
for teachers utilizing technology in the classroom.
Recent data in Foundation Studies has demonstrated the outstanding contribution made to
learning through the use of iPads and other technologies in the classroom: student
numbers are growing, and overall marks are up as compared to cohorts without the iPad
program. Further, the Trinity Online program, a development in 2000 in the Theological
College, was one of the first of its kind. Originally designed as on online course, the
program has now been usurped by the MCD Universitys Theology Online program and
utilized for on and off campus teaching.

Trinity eLearning Strategy

In the next decade, it is impossible to imagine offering a world-class, transformative
educational experience that does not, in some form, utilize and leverage technology.
Weinberger (2011) argues that knowledge is networked and connected:
Knowledge now lives not just in libraries and museums and academic
journalsKnowledge is now a property of the network, and the network
embraces businesses, governments, media, museums, curated collections and
minds in communicationknowledge is becoming inextricable fromliterally
unthinkable withoutthe network that enables itthe new way of knowing is
just now becoming apparent (xiii).
If knowledge is networked and connected, and this will be so exponentially, then
Trinity College must position itself at the forefront of eLearning while maintaining
its personal presence, accessibility and engagement with students. However, we
must continue to develop staff and students in accessing the networks of
knowledgeour approach to what an education at Trinity looks like must also
develop and change. In order to establish Trinitys reputation as a leader in
eLearning, investment in releasing key staff leaders to write peer-reviewed articles
about Trinitys innovation, research new trends and tools and pilot new ideas, and
provide training to others is imperative.

New pedagogical models for teaching

Effective learning in any environment requires good design, management and pedagogy.
In order to integrate technology for transformational learning, we must explore and
develop new pedagogical models. As the changing worlds of work demand new, and
ever-developing skills from graduates, educational institutions also need to reflect and
revise their teaching approaches to support learners to become life-long learners.
Technology is often used to support traditional modes of teaching, by substituting or
augmenting existing frameworks, making incremental changes, yet transformation is
more about the human and organizational aspects of teaching and learning than it is about
the use of technology (Laurillard, 2013). Laurillard advocates that successful
transformation needs both fully engaged leadership, and engaged and empowered
practitioners.
The University of Melbourne has chosen what they name as a top-down management
and delivery using technology, rather than a bottom-up technological innovation.
Trinity College needs botha sophisticated and coordinated management approach to
anticipating what our technological infrastructure might look like, while also maintaining
that innovation emerges from the teaching encounter. For learning to be
transformational, academics and teachers need to be leading the technology, not the
technology leading the teachers (Laurillard, 2013, xx).
One model of how academics can conceive of transformation is the SAMR model,
developed by Dr Ruben Puentedura1. SAMR aims to support teachers to design, develop
and integrate learning technologies to support high levels of learning achievement among
students.
1

Puentedura, R R 2009, As We May Teach: Educational Technology, From Theory Into Practice (online).
https://itunes.apple.com/itunes-u/as-we-may-teach-educational/id380294705?mt=10 [accessed 20 February 2013]

Trinity eLearning Strategy

The SAMR model describes four levels of technology integration that increase in
complexity and effect, from simple substitution which barely changes the function, to a
more complex redefinition where the technology use can provide opportunities to create
what would not be possible without that technology.
Substitution

Augmentation

Modification

Redefinition

Technology acts as a
direct tool substitute,
with no functional
change.

Technology acts as a
direct tool substitute,
with functional
improvement.

Technology allows for

significant task redesign.

A PDF version of a
formerly printed page.

A PDF that can be

annotated on a mobile
device.

Technology allows for

the creation of new
tasks, previously
inconceivable.
A shared digital, mobile
whiteboard enables a
student team, from
around Victoria, to plan
and design a project.

Peer review and critical

feedback in an online
forum becomes an
assessable component of
an assessment.

An example of modification would be redesigning the traditional essay writing

assignment to incorporate an online collaborative space for the students to write in small
groups, conduct peer editing and feedback and to comment on final products.
Redefinition (or transformation) might involve collaboration with other classes locally or
globally on a common issue or problem, using web conferencing. Students could
research and share their findings within a virtual classroom in order to find a common
solution. Students use a range of multimedia to collect, communicate and distribute their
findings, which are in turn, seamlessly used to communicate and share information
between groups. Without technology this new task would be unimaginable.
Entwistle (2009) maintains that educators must create 'powerful learning environments'
by providing authentic, open problems with learning materials in a variety of formats
designed to make connections with students' previous knowledge and interests. Further,
he contends that teachers must employ teaching methods which arouse interest, activate
prior knowledge, clarify meanings and model appropriate thinking strategies and
reflective processes. New pedagogies are requiredour teaching approaches must
change in order to integrate digital eLearning tools into the existing face-to-face teaching
context. Teachers need to be actively supported to achieve this ambition, and a
community of practice and support should evolve to maintain innovation.
New opportunities for students to engage with and transform their learning
In the 21st century, students are connected to other learners and resources from around the
world. This fact necessitates students become able to construct their learning, collaborate
with others, take initiative and use multiple technology resources.2 Harnessing the best
uses of video, audio, film, high quality graphics, 3D imagery and interactive technologies
will only enhance the student learning experience. Online peer learning and peer
feedback, collaboration, use of social media, eportfolios, 3D printing, virtual worlds,
gamification, simulation and other emerging technologies can all provide an engaging
and new learning experience for students.

http://www.edudemic.com/2013/04/what-21st-century-learning-means-to-me/

Trinity eLearning Strategy

However, in order for students to fully experience transformational learning, the face-toface contact with academics and tutors needs to become a place where students learn to
be better learners. Face-to-face time then becomes a space for students to develop

critical thinking within and deep understanding of subject matter

skills in collaborative learning, communication and teamwork
self-directed, independent learning and reflection skills
appropriate digital literacy skills to support university and work success.

In future technology-enhanced learning experiences and environments, a personalised

student-centred approach that has been a Trinity trademark is maintained. The online
trend in education need not translate into a distancing between students and educators,
but can, if designed well, enable students to participate more actively. Personalised
feedback from teaching staff, and opportunities for discussion and reflection from
students will be key to the design of eLearning strategies. Such developments would be,
in the short to medium term, adjunct to the current face-to-face program.
Attwell and Hughes (2010) contend that being digitally literate', cannot be compared to
traditional forms of print-based literacy but to the competencies required to effectively
exploit the tools, practices and symbol systems made available by digital technologies.
(13). Digital literacy skills must be encouraged in our educational offerings. However, in
order to help students develop critical thinking, collaborative learning and teamwork, and
self-reflection and direction in their learning, much more work needs to be done to
explore the best teaching tools available. Ensuring that Trinity College is at the cutting
edge of transformative teaching requires us to build specific time and structure around the
incubation and experimentation with new technologies in order to maximize the learning
and teaching experience.
New technological infrastructure models
Free, open and fee-for-use quality online educational content will drive changes in our
technological infrastructure models. Open education resources (OER), third party created
content, the web/cloud resources and massive open online courses (MOOCs) are hosted
in centralised data stores rather than being maintained by any particular educational
institution. The advantage of utilizing cloud technologies is that it substantially reduces
the infrastructure and human resources load on the institution. This will be important in
the early stages of testing the utility of particular platforms we might choose to explore.
There are also hybrids of open source resources and institutional infrastructure, such as
Trinitys Learning Management System built on open source software, Moodle, but
maintained on site. Further, the College employs some proprietary resources, such as
TurnItIn, used widely by the University of Melbourne.
With the rapid development of high-speed broadband, collaboration tools, social
technologies, we must establish a working group of both educators willing to experiment
with new technologies and IT specialists who can advise on the implications of such
technologies. While there is tremendous goodwill and healthy relationships, a more agile
and nimble group could ensure that ideas, development, testing and implementation are
not slow processes. Priorities include building IT infrastructure to facilitate production of
high-quality learning materials, lecture capture, as well as a goal of creating face-to-face
learning spaces suited to discussion and collaboration. Further, a suite of software and
hardware tools to capture delivery, enable remote participation, and enhance interaction
and engagement during face-to-face learning need to be evaluated as soon as possible.
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Trinity eLearning Strategy

New ways of showcasing our educational offering to students
One of the benefits of developing an eLearning strategy is the opportunity to promote
current and future programs to prospective students by showcasing the high quality of our
face-to-face and online experiences. Prospective students would be able to see, through
recordings of or live participation in a lecture or seminar, the environs and teaching staff
in action. Using software platforms that facilitate live participation by distance students in
a digital lecture, such as Elluminate and Lecture Tools, would be one exciting way to
offer prospective students a Trinity Experience. Recordings of these lectures can also be
made available on a website. Sample or preparatory courses could be created especially
for prospective students in any of the programs offered by the college. This would enable
students to experience Trinity before they arrive.
The potential for this ambition is endless. Some possibilities include orientation videos,
ESL support and delivery, scaffolding and bridging short courses, pre-YLSS activities
and graduate skills preparation for Residential College students. At present, a public site
on the Trinity website is in development in Foundation Studies, showcasing current and
past student work, including short films, artwork, creative writing, eBooks and work
submitted for assessment. The Library is an obvious place where collections of eLearning
materials produced across the college could be housed and showcased.
With our current TCFS students, there is potential to establish links with local schools to
enable online, and also face-to-face cross- cultural experience and language skills
development, as recommended in the Australia in the Asian Century White paper,
National Objective 10: All schools will engage with at least one other school in Asia to
support the teaching of a priority Asian language, including through increased use of the
National Broadband Network (p170). Such links would have substantial benefits for our
Foundation Studies students, making opportunities for them to develop connections with
local Australian students, something that has long been expressed as desirable.

Recommendations
This strategy document has paid tribute to the innovations in eLearning at Trinity College
that already exist. However, in order to position Trinity as a premier leader in education,
eLearning strategy for the next decade must be a priority. We make the following
recommendations:
1. We recommend that each of these outcomes, then, becomes a key priority of the
strategy, with goals and next steps towards implementation. Each priority area
will cascade into the goals of each educational division, who will establish clear
and measurable goals to achieve the strategy.
2. We recommend that an eLearning incubator be established as soon as possible
with at least 3 educators, one IT specialist and the Head, Education Strategy, to
create a central, future-thinking design team who will regularly explore emerging
trends and eLearning tools in higher education, test them for suitability for our
cohorts, and be able to pilot and implement the best of class into our educational
offerings in order to ensure that our students have a transformative educational
experience. This team will also build Trinitys external profile as a leader in
teaching and learning practices through regular publications.
3. We recommend that staff professional development to utilize eLearning tools in
the classroom be a priority in the 2014 HR budget with an additional amount of at
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Trinity eLearning Strategy

least $50,000 set aside to help staff develop new pedagogies, skills and innovate
curriculum to ensure all teaching staff are offering world-class education. Staff
training, including both on-site and off-site professional development will be
funded for teachers to acquire skills in course design and online delivery. Once
teachers have acquired skills in particular areas, they can potentially become
trainers. Timely, enthusiastic support from managers, subject leaders and ITS is
essential to maximize success in this area.
4. We recommend that all teaching staff fulfill a required minimum of 5 days
professional development per annum to build skills and innovate curriculum ,
utilizing the best tools for 21st century learning available.
5. We recommend that Trinity College develop at least 3 new online courses for
2014, and collaboration across schools and departments to share expertise and
experiences will be a priority. Priority areas are ESL support and delivery; preorientation activities and engagement; and graduate skills preparation (including
digital literacy and scholarly literacy).
6. We recommend that investment in new IT tools should include a key software
program for hosting interactive lectures, and facilitating online interactivity; a
recording studio and associated equipment made available to produce video and
audio materials for students. We see this studio as a minimum requirement for
assurance of production quality. Ultimately, to maximize positive outcomes for a
face-to-face model incorporating eLearning strategies, new custom-designed
learning spaces and buildings should be planned for the new Education Building
in order to enhance student interactivity and collaboration. We also recommend
further developing mobile technology in the TCFS iPad Program; more
innovative use of TurnItIn and the Moodle LMS; investment in training for
creating custom resources, and exploring free distribution platforms such as
Apples iTunes U. The potential of free web tools as curating managers and
online discussion platforms needs experimentation and evaluation in our unique
context.
7.

We recommend that the mission of the Leeper Library and the library staff is to
enable learning through facilitating knowledge creation within our communities.
This will be achieved through
Improving and providing appropriate learning spaces for collaborative work.
Providing materials in keeping with and in support of the learning strategy of the
college.
Improving the digital literacy of the students through training and online
resources.
Incorporating necessary technologies to support these goals.
Increased communication with FS teaching staff, tutors etc., where necessary, to
know what their programs are providing and how they are doing this. (Engaging a
broader cross section of staff in issues associated with eLearning)
Appropriate training and support for library staff to enable them in turn to support
institutional eLearning goals.
Marketing our support role better; impression is that people see us as the
caretakers of books only.
Upgrading of IT infrastructure to include library.

Trinity eLearning Strategy

References
Attwell, Graham, and Jenny Hughes (Pontydysgu) 2010. Pedagogic Approaches to Using
Technology for Learning, Literature Review. For Lifelong Learning, UK.
Balcaen, Philip., Lindsay Gibson and Armelle Moran, 2012. Embedding Critical
Thinking Pedagogy into Distributed Problem Based Learning Course Design - the Cases
of Advanced Placement Physics and Personal Planning. Proceedings of the 7th
International Conference on eLearning, Edited by Lam, Paul. The Chinese University of
Hong Kong 21- 22 June 2012, p18-26.
Budge, K., 2011. A Desire for the Personal : Student Perceptions of Electronic Feedback.
International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 23(3), p.342-349.
Available at: http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/current.cfm.
Chappell, Valentina, 2012. Building Effective Virtual Learning Communities in MBA
Online Programs Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on eLearning, Edited
by Lam, Paul. The Chinese University of Hong Kong 21-22 June 2012, p. 11-17.
Charbonneau-Gowdy, Paula, et al. 2012. Web 2.0 Technologies for 21st Century
Learning: Creating Conditions for Sustaining Change in Institutions of Higher Education.
Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on eLearning, Edited by Lam, Paul. The
Chinese University of Hong Kong 21-22 June 2012, p18-26.
Entwistle, Noel. 2009. Teaching for Understanding at University. Deep Approaches and
Distinctive Ways of Thinking. London, New York: Palgrave Macmillan .
Ernst & Young. 2012. University of the future. A thousand year old industry on the cusp
of change. Ernst & Young Australia.
Henry, Ken. 2012. Australia in the Asian Century. White Paper, October 2012.
Commonwealth Government of Australia.
Lalonde, Catherine. 2011. Courses that Deliver: Reflecting on Constructivist Critical
Pedagogical Approaches to Teaching Online and On-site Foundations Courses.
International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 23(3), p.408-423.
Laurillard, Diane. 2013. Forward to the First Edition, in Rethinking Pedagogy for the
Digital Age. Designing for 21st Century Learning. Second Edition. Edited by Helen
Beetham and Rhona Sharpe. London and New York: Routledge.
Weinberger, David. 2011. Too big to know: rethinking knowledge now that the facts
arent the facts, experts are everywhere, and the smartest person in the room is the room.
Basic Books.
Websites
The Conversation https://theconversation.edu.au/pages/future-of-higher-education

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