Terese Bird

Terese Bird joined the University of Leicester Institute of Learning Innovation in July 2009 to work on the DUCKLING project, in which she designed a method of transforming text-based learning materials to e-reader-ready learning materials for distance learners, and also implemented podcasts, voice boards, and virtual worlds. Terese also helped launch and teach on the Graduate School Networked Researcher, conducting workshops with postgraduate students about innovations and technologies to facilitate their research and network with others in their field, to equip them as both digital scholars and academics of the future.

Among Terese's current endeavours is Manufacturing Pasts, a JISC-funded project in which artefacts of British industrial history are digitised and mashed-up as open-access learning resources; Places, a JISC-funded project researching the impact of tablet PCs in Leicester's distance learning programmes; and iTunesUReach which researches iTunes U OER for international student reach.

Terese spearheaded the Learning Futures Festival Online 2010, Beyond Distance's first international academic conference to be held entirely online. In September 2010, Terese was awarded Highly Commended in the Association for Learning Technology Learning Technologist of the Year Individual Award. In November 2010, Terese was named a SCORE Research Fellow to research the use of iTunes U as a distribution channel for open learning material amongst UK universities - the SPIDER project.

Terese has worked in Higher Education in the UK and overseas since 1995, and has conducted action research into and implemetation of such technologies as automatic lecture capture, audience response systems, and student-created websites and multimedia.  Terese graduated from University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Presentation Title 1:

BYOD in UK Schools – Premise, Promise & Precaution

Synopsis:

Bring your own device or BYOD is an idea that makes intuitive sense from a cost and convenience perspective -- students often own better capability within their own smartphones and tablets than schools are able to provide, and students require little or no training to use their own devices. In the United Kingdom, a majority of junior school and college-age students own smartphones, and most schools have adequate wifi networks. However, BYOD is so far only being adopted in a small percentage of United Kingdom schools and colleges. Why are the benefits of BYOD not being better exploited, especially given the economic slowdown? Are schools afraid of BYOD, and if so, what are the specific reasons? What security precautions can be taken in order to make BYOD more viable and acceptable?

This presentation will especially suit teachers of students aged 13-18, as well as information technology decision- and policy-makers for schools, and any educator interested in the BYOD in school scene in the UK. We will cover the premise and the promise of BYOD -- the notion of great functionality at relatively low cost to the institution. We will look at examples and case studies and share with the group our own experience, positive or negative, with BYOD in schools. We will then try out some sample BYOD scenarios with contextual consideration, and will discuss caveats and propose enhancements. Participants are encouraged to bring their own devices and be willing to experiment; conference-supplied iPads will also play a role. Finally, best practice will be discussed and proposed for issues such as data security, online personal security, and cyber-bullying, with cases taken from UK schools where the potential problems have been tackled in order to reap the benefits of BYOD.

Presentation Title 2:

Mobile and Social Media: The Power of the Learning Network and Digital Literacy

Synopsis:

To many users, mobile devices and social media are practically indistinguishable; indeed, many would ask, what is the purpose of having a mobile device if one does not use the various social media sites and apps? Social media sites have been available on computers for years, but it is their mobile availability that have sparked new freedom to apply and use them in immediate and closely-proximate situations. And yet, many who often and freely use social media sites, do not see their use in learning, and may miss the many benefits for learning offered by social media. Those who have discovered the learning potential within social media have gained a digital literacy for learning which will likely benefit them for years to come, enabling them to be lifelong learners.

This workshop will explore the power of the learning network, the social media community which can support and inform its members, identifying specific successful learning uses of Twitter, Facebook, Scoop.it, Flickr, YouTube, Pinterest, Slidshare, and others. We will try out some of these tools in pedagogical contexts designed to highlight their attributes of learning support and enhancement. At the same time, we will abstract back to examine and discuss the different digital literacies which open social-media-enabled learning to the student, and consider how to nurture digital literacy for learning. Participants will benefit from having their own mobile devices pre-loaded with the apps mentioned above, and with accounts already set up at least for their favourites. Conference-supplied iPads will also be available for use in this workshop. Discussion will be generally aimed at the higher education level, but concepts will be applicable to any educational or training setting except very young primary.

Workshop Title:

Mobile Learning Design, e-Pedagogy & Using Augmented Reality for mLearning
(Two Days: 30 Sep - 1 Oct)

Synopsis:

Day One – Mobile Learning Design

• conceptualise the learning design process from different perspectives
• apply a range of learning design resources, tools and methods to a learning intervention
• critique a range of pedagogical approaches and the role played by different technologies, especially mobile, in supporting these
• review and debate the theoretical underpinnings of learning design
• develop an innovative storyboard, learning activities and a structure for implementation

The day’s activities are part of the 7Cs of learning design framework which consists of seven components:

• Conceptualise – which initiates the design process and consists of imagine, design and prepare
• Capture – which covers the ways in which search engines, OER repositories and social bookmarking can be used to find and collate relevant resources and activities
• Communicate – which covers how to moderate asynchronous and synchronous forums
• Collaborate – which considers how tools like wikis, voicethread, pirate pad can be used to foster collaboration and how to work in virtual teams
• Combine –analyse your activity profile and bring artefacts together into a storyboard of your course
• Consolidate – implement the course and develop an evaluation rubric

Course Description

The participants will engage with a range of learning design conceptual tools and a social networking site for sharing and discussing learning and teaching ideas. They will work in groups and will periodically share back their discussions with the rest of the participants. They will benefit from having a laptop by which to join in activities. Artefacts produced will be captured and made available online.

Day Two, Morning Session – mPedagogy (2.5 hours)

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• consider their own positive and negative experiences of learning and the role of technology
• critique the core facets of learning
• provide an overview of different pedagogical approaches and how they can be enabled through new technologies. The affordances or characteristics of social and participatory media and consider the implications for learning and teaching
• explore the use of different pedagogical approaches in different contexts

Course Description

Share and examine (1 hour): The workshop will begin by drawing on participants own experiences of learning, which will move on to drawing out what are the key facets of learning and factors for success, with evidence and examples leading to discussion on how to critique learning core facets. Participants will be invited to discuss and feed back with their own constructed examples.

MPedagogies Overview and Applications (1.5 hours): The participants will be provided with an overview of different pedagogical approaches which may likely feature in mobile learning: namely: associative, constructivist, situative and connectivist, with example of appropriate use. Participants will choose one or two of these, sketch out a learning experience or lesson plan based on their choice, and join in critique and discussion of successful pedagogical choice especially in implementing mobile technology.

Day Two, Afternoon Session – Using Augmented Reality for mlearning (2.5 hours)

Augmented reality enables the physical world around us to be enhanced through the addition of an extra layer of information. By viewing the world through the camera function of mobile devices (or in more sophisticated interactions, head mounted displays - HMDs), the image that appears on the screen can have text, additional pictorial or animation placed on top, bringing a new level of interaction and visualisation for students, and placing information in the situation where it can have most meaning for learning.

The workshop will begin with presentation looking at the following (1.5 hours):

• Early forms of AR
• Examples of the recent use of AR, including:
• The use of AR in field trips, tagging surrounding buildings with geographical information
• Collaborative AR in mathematics and engineering
• AR in the use of alternate reality gaming
• AR in museums
• Using AR to create simulations
• Speculations on the future of AR

Discussion and hands-on (1 hour):

The workshop will move to discussion on ways in which the curricula could be developed effectively through the use of this technology. Those participants with mobile devices will have the opportunity to try out AR applications for learning. Conference-provided iPads will be available for this aspect of the workshop.