Beyond the Big Bang: built-in flexibility for course reuse & versioning

Keir Thorpe and Chris Kubiak

Project Officers

Course Reuse and Versioning Project Institute of Educational Technology 25th February, 2003

COURSE REUSE AND VERSIONING PROJECT

Aim To make versioning a straight forward and user-friendly enterprise By Identifying, contributing to, analysing and evaluating versioning projects across the OU

For example
Investigating and reporting on versioning activity Developing models of course design and development Guidance and advice to OU staff on versioning issues

Course lives as big bangs?

A process of intensive course creation, followed by a pattern of progressive decline separated by partial face-lifts.

Beyond the big bang?

"Meeting targets for research, teaching and

student recruitment gets ever more challenging in an increasingly competitive market.

New ways of creating and presenting courses have to be sustainable under increasing pressure on staff and resources."

Flexible course design

Competitive educational environment Pressure on staff and resources Updating and incremental improvement

Dimensions of flexible course design

Structure Coherence
Flexible course design

Transferability

Structure
The traditional integrated OU course:

Block three compares theory X with theory Y from block two. Also, you may want to revisit reading 4 from block 1, before starting activity 9. Keep your notes from activity 9 because you will need them for activity 15 in block 4.

Changes to an integrated course will affect course integrity.

Block 1

Block 2

X Block 3 Block 4 X X

Structure
Approaches to flexible structure Ways to avoid such difficulties: Modularisation without cross-referencing between modules Resource-based: sets of independent resources Future-proof: long-life and short-life materials separated & tagged for easy finding

Structure
Modules example: The new online FirstClass guide Chunks vary in size depending on subject Are available through website Customisable to fit course demands Changes to one chunk do not impact on other chunks.
Website

Chunk

Chunk

Chunk

Chunk

Chunk

Chunk a

Chunk

Challenges
Is separation of sections possible? Pre-writing decisions Chunk size defined by subject demands Use of stand-alone supplementary text Spiral structures

Challenges
Work can be Labour-intensive
Improved quality Accurate estimation of student workload.

Do students feel flexible material is sterile and lost?

Dimensions of flexible course design

Structure Coherence
Flexible course design

Transferability

Coherence Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Block

Block

Block

Block

Understanding

Block

Block

Block

Block

Coherence Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Problem How to create coherence without undermining flexibility?

Block

Block

Block

Block

Coherence Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Solutions: Wrap-around study guides Narrative confinement Threaded-through material Activities & Assignments Such solutions have long been used to varying extents by OU course teams

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Wrap-around study guides Wrap-around texts carry the teaching narrative Is stand alone Can be tailored to different audiences
Study Guide Block Block Block Block

Coherence Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Wrap-around study guides example

K222s study guide allows meaning to be derived from stand-alone books.
K222 wrap-around Learning Guide

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

Book 6

Book 7

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Threaded through
Activities and conferences direct students to resources.
After the big debate in block one, I thought that dialogue was essential for learning. But looking at the stuff in block two, Im not so sure.

Can respond to the needs of particular groups.

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Threaded through example

E841 uses online conferencing throughout its 3 blocks to provide tutorials & direct students
Block 1 Block 2 Online Conferencing Block 3

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Bolted-on Assessment pulls together what is learnt. For modular courses it can be used to drive what is studied. Activities can be used in a similar way to steer students through modules.

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Bolted-on example H802 uses both its activities & assessments, to give students direction through material.
Activities Activities Activities Activities

Assessments
Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Narrative tagged on Linking text in a separately labelled sections.

Block Block Block Block Block Block

Narrative sections

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Narrative tagged on Separate sections allow the narrative to be easily found & changed without impacting on other sections.

Block

Block

Block

Block

Block

Block

Developing an integrated understanding of the subject.

Coherence

Narrative tagged on example Within the blocks and even weekly sections of T205 narrative sections are discrete and clear to staff & students

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Block 4

Block 5

Block 6

Challenges
Where is the teaching?
Is student flexibility being limited?

Dimensions of flexible course design

Structure Coherence
Flexible course design

Transferability

Writing material that is universally understandable

Transferability

Advantages: Will not need adaptation for other audiences/contexts.

The Structure of T205 - 'Systems Thinking: Principles and Practice'

WebZone acts as a study guide and includes the assessments

WebZone website
Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4 Block 5 Block 6

Online Conferencing

Supplement CD ROM

4 Case Files

5 Concept Files

T551-3: Systems Toolbox

This CD ROM contains searchable versions of course texts, course models and an offline facility

1 Video

The Concept Files contain readings

1 Audio

2 Videos

The Case Files contain case studies

T551, T552 & T553 are 3 generic packs about Systems

Transferability
Student profile: Who are they? Universal appeal? A question of framing

Transferability
Contextualisation Avoid over-contextualising concepts BUT With framing Activities and assignments Conferencing

Transferability
The knotty problem of culture Cultural assumptions Literary hospital food?
Challenges Is it even possible?

Big bangs or black holes?

What are the challenges? Pedagogically Team functioning?

Demands on course teams

Incremental improvement Demands commitment Prestige?
Updating? Really? Editorial and QA demands Students needs

Challenges
LTSs systems
Course approval