Thoughts on Beijing/China and looking for Android tablets (again) in Singapore

Was in Beijing to attend and present at the International Network on Innovative Apprenticeships (INAP). It was the fourth conference with a theme of 'assuring acquisition of expertise: Apprenticeship in the modern economy. The event was hosted by Beijing Normal University who were excellent hosts.

My first time to the motherland, so lots to see and learn, including that the Great Fire Wall blocks access to blogger :( so my posts on the 2 days of the conference will need to await the next day or so when I am able to gain access to wifi to transfer my notes from my ipad to blogger.

Meanwhile, now in Singapore for a week to run workshops on constructive alignment for the IAL which start tomorrow. I return to NZ on Saturday, so only this afternoon to have a good look around for Android tablets for the interactive etextbook project. Visited the Funan IT mall as it is the most convenient and found several shops now have an area set aside to showcase tablets.  The newspapers also offering plans for the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy. The iPad still dominates the market. Prices still high with Dell streak for S$788, Samsung Galaxy S$798 and Acer Iconia Tab A500 for S$799. At the lower end of the scale go to the Huawei S7 at S$488, Archos 10 S$599, Creative Ziio 10 at S$399, Viewsonic 10s SS$599. Most promising of the lot seems to the Asus eee Pad at S$699.

Lots of choice and all run Android with the Viewsonic also available with Windows. Purchasing and having the tablets posted across to NZ may be a hassle but will sort things out once we know the project $$ are approved.

Projects for next semester and beyond

Slight hiatus in blogging over the last week or so as busy getting several research proposals off to various external grant agencies.

Funding for two through Ako Aotearoa Southern Hub, now confirmed for next semester. One with Flip Leijten to extend on work we started last year with the 'using videos to study workshop or workplace based trades learning'. Flip will now carry out an investigation into aspects of peer-learning across workshops in joinery, painting and decorating, electrical and welding/structural steel. It will be interesting to find out how workshop organisation, sometimes based around workshop conventions from each trade, impacts on how students interact with each other.

The second is with Martin Jenkins, manager of the Centre for Educational Development. We will be investigating the 'impact of forced change' brought about by the February 22nd earthquake on our institution, the tutors and the students. The findings should be interesting - as a study of change agents and what happens when change is non- negotiable. The staff and students at CPIT have been very resilient but there are signs of stress and strain as the realities of living in a city that has to rebuilt large swathes of the central city and several suburbs, sets in.

I have also put in an expression of interest in this year's Teaching and Learning Research Initiative, to build research capability with trades tutors (across 7 polytechnics) using a 'learning by doing research' approach. The topic we intend to investigate is 'authentic assessments', in particular to explore how to better recognise and celebrate the many multiliteracies in trades learning. We will know by end of June if this project progresses to the next stage beyond the expression of interest.

The last project has gone to the CPIT Foundation to fund hardware in the form of Android OS tablets towards an interactive etextbook project. I hope to work with Peter Sauer from automotive and Katrina Fisher who teaches barista, on this project. Taken that the last Horizon Report indicated mlearning to go mainstream next year and ebooks in the next two years, it is apt that this project covers both bases :) Both Peter and Katrina are capable tutors who have worked extensively with multi-media to support their teaching, so it will be interesting to learn from them, and their students, as the project progresses.

So looking forward to next semester. My large 'first year apprentices' project will be completed by July, so three projects - mentoring Flip, the 'forced change' project and working on the interactive textbooks will take up my research time. I will enjoy the variety and the privilege of working with a great group of people. More importantly, all the topics will add to enhancing student learning in some form or other.

Ako Aotearoa colloquium - day 2

Another busy day with 10 more presentations. First up, a TLRI project on 'mathematics undergraduate teaching: perspectives and interactions' with Barbara Kensington-Miller from the University of Auckland. Explored lecturer, student and lecturer interactions/environments components. On  the lecturer component, Schoenfeld's ROG -resources, orientations and goals, used to investigate university  mathematics teaching.  For student perspectives, the mathematical identities of students is studied. In the lecturing component, investigates the implicit and explicit social and socio-mathematical norms. Use of questions in lectures to engage students in processing concepts.  timing of questions important with placement around middle of lecture optimum.

Second presentation  from Ngaroma Williams from Te Pari Puna Ora O Ateoaroa and Mary-Liz Broadley from the Open Polytechnic on building kaupapa Maori in early childhood education. The main objective is to develop a model/framework to provide kaupapa Moari. Project used online surveys (survey monkey) and focus group sessions and face to face and telephone interviews.  Main themes now identified. Move to try to describe the interface/space between the mainstream and Maori and moving from biculturalism to a concept of bicultural development using 'paddling the same waka' resources. Resources developed include a Maori maramataka (Maori theoretical framework calendar), sets of teachers, graduate teachers pamplets and lecturer guidelines and resources plus poster to outline iwi names, powhiri protocols etc. and a ECE Waiata booklet.

Then a project CPIT also involved in on graduate attributes, presented by Associate Professor Rachel Spronken-Smith and Dr. Carol Bond from the University of Otago. Project just started in March and first stage is to complete synthesis of literature and to define graduate attributes pertinent to NZ context. Provided an overview of background of adoption of graduate attributes in Europe, eventually in US of A and Australia moving on into current changes to NQF targeted review of qualifications.

After morning tea, Gordon Suddaby from Massey University presents on 'help or hindrance: a blended approach to learner engagement'. Main purpose of this project is to develop a toolbox for teachers to use for developing pedagogically sound/robust blended learning environments. Toolbox made up of needs assessment, design and development tools, and evaluation tools. Developed from teachers' perspectives with input from students feedback. Some testing of these tools now undertaken to ensure they will meet objectives of project.

Then,'the impact of tertiary education strategies on success of Pacific learners from Dr. John Horrocks and Aleki Siloa from Wellington Institute of Technology. Main objective is to find out if government strategy documents have been used to support the participation and success of Pacific learners. 16 f 29 tertiary education institutes have agreed to provide strategy documents and these supplemented with  data from TEC and MOE. Key staff responsible for support  strategies will also be interviewed.

Another elearning focused project next with Dr. Stephen Marshall from Victoria University on 'understanding and supporting organisational change with elearning and higher  ed.Project focused on understanding organisational change. Used the elearning maturity model (eMM) to provide a framework for studying adoption and maturity of elearning. background on change from Clayton Christensen - see what's next. Sustaining change is the challenge and technology may not have changed the fundamental objectives of teaching and learning- or has it? Change may occur in institutions if there is a state of acknowledged crisis, small, conspicously out of step or autocratic leadership. Mechanisms that result in change include coercive isomorphisms (TEC investment plan, PBRF), mimitic isomorphism (Learning management system, powerpoint) and normative isomorphism (professional culture creating change - student centred learning).

After lunch, the last presentations take place.

Starting with 'unlocking the impact of tertiary teachers' perceptions of student evaluations' with Dr. Sarah Stein from the University of Otago. Used statistical analysis including frequencies, chi squares and cross tabulations, ANOVA, factor analysis, cluster analysis and regression to study data from various student evaluations. Example from findings on a question on whether negative student evaluations on changes in teaching approach or adoption of innovation considered by staff to constrain their moves to take up new approaches. Found in a university context that staff who have taught between 11 - 15 years were constrained. Perhaps mid-career academics in cycle of promotion?

Followed by my presentation on ' first year apprentices' experiences of the workplace' where findings are collated into themes of matching vocational imagination of apprentices, supporting the belonging to a workplace process and providing ongoing incentives towards completion of apprenticeship.

Next up, 'tertiary teaching tracks: holistic teaching and learning practices of Pacific PTEs' with Lindsay Huthnance from the NZ Institute of Sport. Uses a blend of western and pacific models exampled by the Kakalu approach. Focus groups (fono) used to gather data. Explores teaching/learning/pastoral care practices, weaving of Pacific cultures into teaching and learning. Findings included foundation learners enrolled NOT to complete academic qualification however future employment a strong goal, importance off catering to learning styles of students, students to be responsible for their own learning, on-going support, provide encouragement and inspiration to succeed and need to manage competing time demands.

Last up,an interesting collaboration between a wananga, iwi, PTE and ITPs 'Waiariki agricultural collaboration: Nga ringa raupo o pikiao'. Presented by Stephen Carr from Taratahi on building Maori participation and success in tertiary vocational agriculture. A need to build capability with young Maori to work on iwi trusts farms. Programme to be developed as a collaborative iwi led, provider supported akonga centric model, affirming Maori ways of knowing, traditions and values with effective teaching and learning environments and approaches.

Wrap  up by Dr. Kirsty  Weir to close up another busy but productive colloquium. Kirsty introduced the Ako Aotearoa impact evaluation model that will need to be undertaken by each National project after completion. Impact - who is the target audience? How are they best reached? Write to communicate key messages, generate excitement and capture interest, not just report research. Write to stimulate CHANGE. Re-look at dissemination plan to ensure correct targeting occurs including scoping of communication strategy. Build synergy between projects to launch similar themes/contexts. Presentation of reports to be improved. The impact evaluation framework used to explore sustained impact on learners, project teams, organisations and broader sector involving interviews/conversations at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after completion.  To review project outputs, changesto teaching and learning practice, benefits to learners and wider project team.

Ako Aotearoa research in progress colloquium - day 1

The annual Ako Aotearoa research collaquium ran for two days on 4th and 5th May. Last year, I learned much about different approaches /research methods, so looking forward to more of the same this year.

Symposium opened with mini whakatua from Ngahiwi Apanui, Ako Aotearoa's Kaihautu whakawhanake Maori. Followed with brief welcome from Dr. Kirsty Weir, Research manager.

A full day of presentations follow. My presentation not until late tomorrow so I can sit back, listen, record and reflect.

First up, Dr.Erik Brogt, from the University of Canterbury- on transforming tertiary science education. Using the Carl Wieman science education initiative and adapt to the NZ context (biology and geology). Uses evidence (preferably quantitative) to support changes in teaching / learning to increase student engagement. Pertinent issue - observations of student engagement  identify 'weak' points in the lecture for instance, providing examples and linking learning outcomes seem to increase engagement. interventions include using clickers, in-class exercises and academic development for staff.  

Next, success and relational agency in academia: the experience of early career academics with Dr. Kathryn Sutherland from Victoria University. Data collection about completed with analysis from June os report on background. look at what motivates early career academics to undertake research and and variations between organisational and personal aspirations. multi-method approach using interviews, questionnaires and focus groups. Found at early stage there is a BIG gap between external/internal institutional and personal expectations. previous research indicates important factors to be institutional support/resources, prior experience and personal characteristics. leading to better induction, 'academics are learners too. resource on ako aotearoa website.

Patrick Hiki from Kahui Tautoko and started this presentation with Jenny Connor from the Industry Training Federation  and Nicky Murray from MITO on 'Maori learners in workplace setting". In NZ almost 10% of workforce = 190,000 people in 35,000 enterprises involved in industry training. 30,000 identify as Maori but very little known about Maori learners in the workplace. ITOs involved include ETITO, BCITO and MITO although more Maoris in seefood, social services, forestry and food manufacturing. need to find out how Maori workers  learn in the workplace, what works and barriers to success. Using a Kaupapa Maori research approach, focus on talking with and not about Maori learners and a mixed methods approach.

After morning tea, 4 presentations. Starting with Robyn Baker, Director of NZ Council of Educational Research with an overview of the teaching and learning research initiative (TLRI). So far 20 tertiary projects funded between 2002-2010. 14 have been published.

Then, Dr. Elaine Khoo from University of Waikato on "exploring elearning practices across disciplines in a university environment". 2 year TLRI project with 4 case studies in  year 1 and 8 in year 2 across 7 disciplines - earth/ocean science, screen/media studies, history,education, engineering and management. Looked into how lecturers use potential of ICT to support tertiary and lecturers and students. findings include effectiveness of ICT, expands and transforms student notions of subject, develops student professional identity, bridge students conceptual, visual and spatial thinking between virtual and real world and not all students emjoy using technology.

Third up, Matui Ratima from University of Waikato on " factors affecting the development proficiency in te roe Maori for adult learners". Matiu is an Ako Aotearoa PhD scholarship recipient. Used interviews based on ethnographical/ partially auto to try to make sense of the two worlds that exist for Maori speakers in NZ. Emerging points include importance of passion, common strategies used and aspects thought to be essential to successful language acquisition seem to be absent from some proficient participants.

Last on before lunch, "pasifika learners and success in tertiary ed." from Dr.Cherie Chu from Victoria University. process of carrying the project, just as important as formal outcomes of the project. A just commenced National project beginning work to investigate exemplars of success to understand institutional level supports that will enhance pacifika learners outcomes. From learners' perspectives, the internal and external motivational factors that contribute to development and success. institutions include Victoria, Otago, MIT, CPIT & Pacific training institute (Wellington).  Based on the Kakala framework, a metaphor to carry out the research. An inclusive approach using appreciative inquiry.

After lunch, three varied topics. First up, Dr Elana Curtis from the University of Auckland on 'success for all: improving Maori student success in health professional degree-level programmes. An example of using Kaupapa research methodology and update from last year on progress made. Study on the non-lecture aspects of health programmes to find out how to best support Maori students - clinical, non-clinical and MAPAs. Maori and Pacific Admission scheme (MAPAS) offers academic, pastoral support and academic representation.  Use critical incident technique to find out factors that support or hinder success - trigger, action and outcome. Categorise interview data on critical incidents as helpful or unhelpful (usually 2/3 helpful).

Next, 'maximising learning dialogue opportunities in professional field-based experiences with Dr. Andrew Smith, Dr. Marion Sanders, Suzanne Barlow from the Bethlehem Tertiary Institute. Focused on professional preparation programmes for early childhood education and counselling. A collaborative study with Bethlehem, NZ Tertiary College and Wintec. 27 students and their associated teacher/supervisor took part. Found, among usual items, mismatch between what supervisors say and what students perceive happens and between institutions' goal and actual practicum experience. A desire between both students and supervisors to have a relationship but finding common time to meet was difficult. interventions include partnership map, belief inventory, critical incident (most valued) and research article (least valued) to share at each meeting.

Then, 'storybook dads programme evaluation' with Charles Pearce and Jan Bain from the Dunedin Methodist Mission. A worthwhile and interesting project. Actual storybook dads project has been running for some years (a trojan horse project) is to evaluate it's effectiveness in order to evidence the benefits already collected through anecdotes. Data gathered through analyzing progress made by dads when they record first DVD to later one. So far, seems to have a 1 level increase in literacy level after only 20 hours intervention. this research to find out how program has impacted through interviews with prisoners, families and staff.

After afternoon tea, a couple of presentations and wrap up for the day. Firstly, Angela Feekery, an Ako Aotearoa PhD scholar from Massey University on 'integrating information literacy and discovering voice'. A participatory action research (PAR) project working on 'planning' as discipline to improve information literacy. Succinctly overviewed challenges faced by students on how to sift through and critically review information.  Much achieved in first 18 months but more to complete including writing up case studies gleaned from data collected through studying student assignments, focus groups, interviews with lecturers etc. this semester working with 4 courses with some changes to two of the courses worked on from last year. information landscape by Craig Cherie used to help students work out priorities with regards to how to evaluate information. Use Microsoft one note to collate research artifacts into a portfolio.

Last one for today, Associate Professor Mavis Haigh from the University of Auckland on 'making authentic and trustworthy practice-based judgements of graduating student teachers. A TLRI project between University of Auckland and 4 Auckland primary schools. The project aims to identify, develop and test models  of practicum-related assessment processes and strategies used by the 4 schools; then test models of the criteria used when judging student teachers' achievement = ready to teach. The project is 1/2 way through and has captured professional conversations between university  liaison lecturers, school-based adjunct lecturers and associate teachers. Data analysis now commenced. Uses Lens model within Social Judgement Theory (Hammond, Rohbaugh, Mumpower & Adelman, 1977) to give direction for research on judgement through careful identification and  analysis of the context of judgement and the cues that underly the decisions. focus groups, interviews, recordings of professional conversations and meetings and document gathering all form data to put through the lens.

ITF research conference - day two

Day two begins with keynote form Jeremy Baker on identifying and reporting the value added from training. Important to not only measure training outputs in term of quantification completion but also to take into account training as a process and experience. Value related to right training for the right business and the right job. The training process runs through getting ready, undertaking, assessment and putting into practice. At the moment 90% of the ITO effort goes into the middle steps but 80% of the impact of training actually in the first and last steps. Therefore to calculate reported value added RVA for training requires evaluating each of the stages of training. The steps for the RVA process therefore are to identify things that drive productivity and performance in the business, identify which are affected by skills, then refine information on drivers and impact of skills and staff satisfaction, then work out how trained and untrained employees perform and the $ value. Importantly, review the $ value to analyze is the right sort of training offered, do business practices encourage effective skill deployment and what improvements need to be made to skills and training? Recommendations include need to review content and assessment of training programs, implementation of staff development programs, more thinking about career pathways and aligning training roles, and more emphasis on training element. Therefore not just more training but appropriate and useful training.

Concurrent sessions begin with a report from Professor Rob Strathdee of Victoria University on the social composition of VET in NZ. Outlined the three phases of VET provision, meritocratic, market and managed. These phases are progressively introduced to try to increase participation range of students from various social backgrounds. Concluded VET not just for lower decile schools. However, students from higher decile schools are likely to engage in higher level VET.

Followed by Dr. Peter Waterhouse from the University of Waikato on telling tales on skills and employability: reviewing some australian research through nz lens. Began by introducing the work and future direction of the National Centre of literacy and numeracy for adults. Presented several reports from Australia, mostly through the NCVER, relevant to literacy and numeracy. Include - contradicting the stereotype - on people who succeeded even with lit/ num challenges. Two dimensional work - even though work places say they demand creative workers, some workplaces did not provide space for creativity, critical thinking or critical literacy. Making experience work - could displaced workers transfer their employability skills? Not automatically or inherently generic, key skills of transfer required, important to be able to unpack, repack, latent skills might not beam apparent etc. Skills ecosystem research refers to recognizing context. A good overview of Australian research in the adult literacy field.

Next lot of concurrent sessions with Heather McDonald and Anne Alkema from Heathrose Research and Justin Blakie from the Ag ITO. On what makes a difference to support completion and credit achievement for ag Ito trainees. Tried have 75 trainees interviewed, with recently completed, fervently exited without completing and currently enrolled across dairy (40), sheep/beef (15) and water (20) but ended with 59. Most who left self initiated, usually within first year. 97% knew what was expected of them during training. About half said they did not need qualification to do the job, they saw value in training, farm mobility was common and employers less influential about commencing training. On job farm training valued, conditions could be better, time for training an issue. Off job training valued but written work a challenge for some. Written work a challenge across educational spectrum. Support from employer and training advisor important. Motivator - future prospects once qualification completed. Thosenwho find it harder have lower qualifications, less positive employer relationships and lack time outside work to study. John reported on how ag Ito put findings from the research in place to enhance completions.

After lunch, Dr. Rose Ryan and Heather McDonald and Anne  Alkema from Heathrose Research on saying what you mean and hearing what is meant: issues in researching trainee and employee perspectives on industry training. Covered the challenges of ensuring trainee voice and experiences are included and logistical, methodological and ethical issues. Challenges include access to workplace, reliance on interviews, building rapport and interpreting meaning. Reviewed NZ research on industry training 44 of which 27 was primary research and only 10 talked to trainees. Generally case studies, with interviews etc. Ad most had small participant numbers. Access to interviewees include getting workplaces to participate, selection of interviewees, informed consent and ethical assurances (power dynamics and confidentiality in small workplaces). Communication is also issue with gender, ethnicity, ESOL and age. Also how well researchers understand the workplace context and how well interviewees understand the process of research?

Then, a sessions with David Earl from the Tertiary sector performance analysis/ Ministry of education on how can tertiary education deliver better value to the economy? Theories - human capital - more skills = more productivity, improved capacity to innovate and knowledge transfer. Generally improved education (quality not quantity) leads to improvements in economy. Tertiary Ed. = diploma or higher, NZ almost 50%  - almost 60% for younger and 60% have above level 3 literacy. Both skills and qualifications complement each other and in combination are important. NZ has well educated workforce but low productivity. Still shortage in engineering, building, architecture, specialist health and post-graduate info. Tech. High skills and more qualifications still important.

Last lot of concurrent sessions starting with Ann Harlow from University of Waikato on the impact of embedded literacy and numeracy teaching on adult vocational learners. 100 students from ITPs and PTEs asked about what teaching practices helped them improve literacy. Students appreciated fun ways to learn, often using more visual representations, games, linking directly applicable to practice often just in time. Students enjoy learning in groups, experts coming to class, use technology, role plays and one on one tutor assistance. Work placement and research assignments were also good ways to learn. Frustrations included difficult vocational jargon, complicated processes to remember, lack of Internet access at home.

Last session with Professor Frank Sligo from Massey University on NZ managers' low literacy : does it matter.  76% of managers are below level 3 in literacy. However, nature of managerial work is more inclined to orality then print literacy. Policy has tended to support workers' literacy improvement. However, low literacy in managers has consequences to workplace practice e.g. Affordances for other workers to literacy support Plus modern digital (document driven) world requires enhanced critical literacy. Innovation also requires both practicalities and literary intelligence. Therefore important to complement NZ no. 8 wire approach capability in print literacy.

Conference ended with a plenary panel discussion with Dr. Peter Coolbear and Professors Stephen Billett and Jane Bryson and Jenny Connor, filling in for Jeremy Baker. Each did a short overview of items learnt over the course of the conference, making links to their own presentations and those of others. Each also raised more questions requiring further work and need for vocational education sector to work with other tertiary sectors.

Overall a busy two days and good to attend a diverse range of sessions and to see how vocational education research is progressing in NZ.

ITF research conference - day one

At the  Industry Training Federation  - ITF NZ vocational education and training research forum on Wednesday 27th and 28th April.

Began with introduction and housekeeping with Jeremy Baker the ITF executive director. Opening address from Dr. Peter Coolbear, Ako Aotearoa director on "Direction for research". Covered the policy context for workplace learning, Ako Aotearoa portfolio and issues to resolve. Policy context include limited funding on tertiary ed., youth unemployment, need to have return on investment, concern about duplication and fragmentation. Also a need to bring employers, Voc. Ed institutions etc. together.

Big change is no longer outputs and systems but about outcomes - value added to NZ economy, to the individual, productivity for today ad tomorrow and work readiness and career building. Ako Aotearoa  invested 0.9 million in 7 national and 19 regional projects on workplace learning. Emergent trends / issues include little cross fertilization between different forms of workplace learning, work integrated /cooperative education. Competency and capability confused. how education/training programmes proactively address life skills and attributes. Linkages between theory and practice and assessment of learning in the workplace. Emergent ones include how strong is the evidence that work integrated learning opportunities equate to career readiness and productivity? How we actually understand learning in the workplace?Identity as a tradesmen/ professional and what is the nature of expertise? Are we fixated on content rather than concepts and attributes?

Keynote from Professor Stephen Billett on "Making space to lift performance:decision making about and engagement in vocational education". Trying to work through the challenges of what skills drive performance? How to lift performance and what investment in skills will make a difference in performance and productivity.
Introduced intended, enacted and experienced curriculum as a starting point to move forward. Intended - national curriculum documents. Enacted - shaped by what resources are available, experience experience of teachers, interpretation of what is intended, values, situational factors etc. Experienced - what student experience and as shaped by their personal processes of contrual and construction.

Reviewed historical origins of vocational education and provided suggestions on how to move forward from long held perspectives of the hieratic organization of occupations. Important to understand, based on current research, what skills drive work performance. These include set of capacities specific to a particular occupation including conceptual, procedural and dispositional, capacities that augment and are embedded in the domain eg. Communications, team work, problem solvig etc and that exist at canonical and situational. How to lift performance ? State needs to engender value of work, build mAture relationships amongst partners and make space for secure engagement from local contributions, those who assist students to learn and those who learn.  

After morning tea, sessions from postgraduates' research.
First up, Jacqui Remnant from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) on financial literacy as context for strengthening literacy and numeracy for adults.  Defined financial literacy as beings aware of financial opportunities and risks and having literacy and numeracy skills, financial concept knowledge and confidence to make informed choices. Key considerations include need to connect financial literacy explicitly with other study and work with learner. Matching resources to learners reading and numeracy demands. Flexibility important as is not giving learners financial advise but for them to work it out themselves. Introduced a range of resources currently available to assist.

Gemma Piercy from the University of Waikato on 'insider outsider perspectives: the subjectivity of workplace identity. Study on what others and how professionals perceived vocational identity based on the occupation of baristas. Proposes a continuum of baristas identity. Understanding of skill requirements of baristas varies from highly skilled to unskilled work. Perhaps skill levels related to types of work identity?

Last up Dan Hunt and Diana Sharma from Unitec on debating and defining the scope of ITOs in business capacity development. The project came about through assisting small businesses to build capability. Training and development was an important aspect of capability building. However, not all ITOs developed training solutions would fit into every businesses' capability building strategy. How can there be a connection? And how can ITOs contribute flexibly to different needs and objectives of businesses at various stages of capability development.

After lunch, Professor Jane Bryson from Victoria University on "Lifting performance through facilitating capability". Explored the concept that skill is important but cannot alone create the conditions for performance and achievement. Multifaceted tools need to be used to try to understand the diverse nature of individual, team and organizational performance. Is performance a function of ability/capability, motivation/willingness/effort and opportunity? facilitating capability includes a focus on conditions which enhance means (qualification, resources, etc.) and freedom (workplace, personal agency) to achievement.   Conversion factors between means and freedom include personal (age, gender, ability) social and environment and on capabilities (to use and develop skill) and functioning (vocation, lifestyle).


Presentation by Flip Leijten and myself followed on learning welding: process of feedback. Good interest followed by questions. The study we reported on available as appendix 1 in the guidelines for using video to study workshop and workplace based learning.

After afternoon tea, three concurrent sessions.

Firstly, how does learning happen on the job with Dr. Karen Vaughan, Dr. Paul O'Neil and Marie Cameron. Reports on conditions, motivations and strategies that make workplace learning successful. Based on six workplaces with interviews and observations with learners, trainers and employers. Workplaces were identified as successful by the itos involved. Guidelines include support at organizational level, structured orientation, support structured learning activities, learning from experience and use of formative and summative assessments. Implications were well reported and include a critical interplay between workplace structures and workplace learning, teachers and trainers have a key role, learning is for participation at work, success is about participating in society, knowledge and skills are now always what we assume, and workplace learning both reinforces and challenges institutionally based education.

Then secondary workplace learning and post school transition: insights from the longitudinal surveys of Australian youth with Dr. Sinan Gemici from the Ncver. vet in schools is seen as a way to start students on a career pathway in order to lower the number of youth who do not move into work or higher learning post school. So will work experience at year 11, improve outcomes for youth? After doing quantitative data matching of non wpl kids with kids who undertook wpl, there is still a significant positive effect I.e. Wpl assist school leavers to move on to further learning or into work.

Last presentation of an interesting day. Jen McCutcheon and Mike Hollings present on a community partnership in action - authentic learning through Te Kura. Te Kura provides 'personalized learning distance learning courses supported intensively using a toolbox developed for learning advisors. Based on moving learning towards a big learning picture with the student as part of an advisory group assisted by an advisor. Students also encouraged to be supported by parents and family. A student centered approach encompassing a student education plan focused on students interests and goals. Leads to programs of learning to support interest, job shadowing, development of advisories, internships and portfolio assessments.

Inspire tech at wintec on 18april

A bit late with this one as Easter intervened and I lost access to the internet for a few days while out of Perth. So, here are notes taken at the very well organised and inspirational Wintec professional development event for staff.

Merran Davis opened the proffessional development progrmme after karakia. Teaching quality program led by Julia Bruce has an objective to raise cababilities in using technology to enhance teaching and learning. Staff interested but at least half of staff not confident with using IT in teaching. So inspire tech organized, a two day PD program.

Keynote to start things going with Mark Nichols now Executive Director for Faculty at the Open Polytechnic. His work on elearning summarised well in his e-ako series. Topic extend, enhance, excite, engage and above all educate. Mark spoke about the importance of pedagogy and how technology can enhance learning. Covered understanding learning, is extend, enhance, excite and engage the focus? How does technology help? Eleaning can be defined as pedagogy empowered by technology.

Cautioned about the seduction of technocentrism whereas sound pedagogy utilizes appropriate technology suitable to subject, content and student. So not content but process important.

Should elearning move into a deeper realm. Where to? Social media learning? Does information availability make education redundant? How can elearning be unlocked? How can information be useful for education? Introduced the following books that discuss the pluses and minuses of digital revolution.

Google and the myth of universal knowledge - Jeanneney 2007
Here comes everyone - shirky 2008
Cult of amateur - Keen, 2007
Dumbest generation - Bauerlein 2009
Shallow generation - what Internet is doing to our brain - Carr 2010.
Mcneely 2010 makes the link with short term memory as stimulus working memory and information but long term memory as education. Perhaps, stimulus - excite and info - enhance, excite engage not main aim of education! What is our role as educator? Helping to form mental schema, transform perspectives and help them become xxx.

Some guides offered.

Diana Laurillard - conversational framework of learning - dialogue leading to a particular goal. Education is an alignment of the understanding between student and teacher.

Mezirow 2000 -  transformative learning from whist we know to how we know. Adapted by king 2009 into four steps.

Mark provided five principles for learning application
Focus on end not the means
Aim to be conversational
Keep the subject at the centre
Emphasis feedback and conceptual understanding
Be shamelessly transformative.

I faciliated two workshops at this event. The one in the morning as a general introduction to Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 possibilities. A change to evaluate a range of e tools for helping to enhance student learning. After lunch, a workshop on mobile learning tools. Both sessions attended by keen tutors, so I hope they will follow through and introduce at least one form of IT into their teaching practice next term.

Outliers - some thoughts on the book

Presently in Perth for a few days to be with family and to celebrate my dad's eightieth birthday. Had the usual stack of reading to catch up, including several new CPIT library books on workplace learning and multimodal research. At the airport bookshop, decided to purchase Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers as a spot of light reading and ended up finishing the book over the course of the flights from Christchurch to Perth - with a very quick shopping trip around Melbourne city with my daughter as an interlude.

Some of Outliers is autobiographical. Gladwell uses his family as an example of how the birth year of his mother and the Jamaican culture for mixed race people, conspired or destined his mother to travel to the UK for further education, setting up Gladwell's educational opportunities and future prospects. The book's overall thesis is that intelligence is not enough for individuals to succeed. Other tangibles - family connections, respect for education, propensity for hard work (the 10,000 hour rule), society's focus during your life span and unexpected alignment of things like year or month of birth, opportunity to learn skills/knowledge that others do not have easy access to at a given time (Bill Gates and his access to a mainframe in the 1970s to learn and hone programming skills), all contribute to eventual 'success'.

I am particularly taken by the dedication of the book to Gladwell's grand-mother, Daisy as it rings true for my family as well. My maternal grandmother, passed on recently at the grand age of 98. Without her foresight and determination, I might not be here writing this blog. My grandmother was born in Indonesia, a third generation Hakka, to a family of traders, supplying food to tin miners on the island of Bangka. Her matchmade marriage at the age of 18, brought her to Singapore where she and my grandfather, eked out a living, eventually with 6 children (1 boy and 5 girls), as domestic employees to various government officials. She never had the opportunity go to school and remained, all her life, illiterate - although one of my cousins taught her to write her name in Chinese and English when she was in her 60s.

What I am eternally grateful for, is that she scrimped, saved and worked - baking Indonesian cookies and cakes, to sent all her children (remember, most girls in the 1940s in Singapore did not go to school) to 'Mission school'. My uncle became a police officer, eventually rising to police superintendent, all my aunties became teachers with one becoming a school principal and two very senior subject teachers and my mother, a nurse, who when she retired, was matron of a large hospital. All my cousins have attained professional positions and so far, my childrens' generation has seen each and everyone complete at least a graduate degree. So, as in Outliers, my grandmother's decision to educate not only her son but all her daughters as well, saw out family, rise in one generation, to the middle class. The influences of the Chinese respect for education and Singapore's emphasis on educational meritocracy cannot be discounted as well. Also, the birth years of my parents, as they were in their early teens during the world war 2 Japanese occupation of Singapore. If my dad or uncles were just 4 - 5 years older, they might not have got through the pogrom of young men.

So perhaps some truth in aspects of the Outliers' book, regardless, it's a good book to read while stuck in a plane :)

electronic literature - contrbution to interactive textbooks

While doing a catch up on reading up on multimodal analysis last night, I came across the use of the hypertext authoring tool StorySpace as a means to compile a multimodal research report. A concept I will explore next year if one of the projects I am applying for funding comes about.

StorySpace runs on Macs and Windows and cost US$295 and also offers multiple user versions for commercial / educational institutional use.

Exploring beyond wikipedia's summary of StorySpace brought me back into the world of electronic literature exampled by the story - Afternoon and a showcase of various examples. Also a good defintion of the differences between ebooks and elit found here.

The examples reveal the capabilities of being able to move through a book using pathways that are based on user choice, moving outside of the book to explore other resources on the www, being able to input/ amend content etc. All not new ideas but execution of these capabilites in an educationally sound way needs to be further explored.

updating on mobile learning and web 2.0 / 3.0

Doing preparation for a workshop / presentation at Wintec next week, for their staff development day – Inspire.  There will be two workshops, one of Web 2.0 and moving on to Web 3.0 and the other on mlearning. The main objective is to provide tutors with some tools they can start 'playing' with and for them to match one tool to their teaching context and hopefully try it out with their students.

As updates, have looked at the following over the last two weeks.

Found Shelley Terrel's site via one of the posts on the MobiMOOC course. The site has some good examples of mlearning using podcasts etc. mainly in the context of language learning.

Also some new web 2.0 sites on carl anderson's site with access to one of his latest presentations on mlearning as being a disruptive innovation  and another with ideas for new additions to the digital backpack.

MobiMOOC

Have registered for the ‘massive open online course’(MOOC) on mlearning facilitated by a host of mlearning practitionerswith several participants from NZ and other places I have met/worked with.

Have been lurking at the moment due to work being rather busy. The course is hosted on wikispaces and communicates through google groups. Over the last week, there has been a large number of emails as course members introduce themselves to each other.

At present, things have settled down somewhat as focus returns to the main event, with week one facilitated by Inge de Waard. There was an elluminate session to kick things off. This ran 5am here in NZ and one Australian participant has already emailed a request for a more workable time for us in the antipodes!  The session had a good overview of mlearning (now on slideshare) with two examples from Inge’s Institute of Tropical Medicine’s work with health workers in Peru and a professional development portal for physicians.

Of interest is that the course encourages everyone to participate and offers examples of levels for participation. A good idea due to the number of people involved and individuals seeking to meet different objectives from being part of the course.


MOOCs are really an interesting concept and this is the second one I have 'participated' in. The first one on Connectivism stretched my understanding of how to deploy a variety of elearning tools, towards providing learning opportunities. In the main, both this and the previous course, requires intermediate levels of digital literacy as participants have to be able to navigate through a series of wikis, email or discussion forums and archive for themselves, the learning they glean through the course content and interaction with other course members. The real important skill is to be able to sieve through the large amount of information, work out the important bits to save, archive these somewhere for later retrieval (like on this blog) and then to be able to remember you have archived the items when you need the information!  So far, not many 'gems' as yet as the course is still in it's beginning stages. However, I never discount opportunites to learn serendipitous offerings as everyone has different approaches and come to innovative solutions to solve their individual requirements. So I am looking forward to further learning as the course proceeds.

Returning to CPIT city campus

Officially allowed to return to the CPIT city campus from 1st April with some courses starting today 4th April. I had been into the campus several times in the last fortnight, the first time, to collect personal belongings (wallet, cell phone, keys) and then a couple of brief visits last week to tidy up the office and to meet with other staff. Each time, a fleeting visit, with entry via the Moorhouse road entrance and a quick walk through the empty campus with very few signs of visible damage. Attended the staff safety briefing late last week which featured one of the consultant structural engineers. It was very reassuring as he pointed out the few places where there were signs (cracks, fallen plaster, buildings which have shifted up or down in relation to each other) and explained the structural implications.

This morning, a totally different perspective as I biked in via the border of the cordoned off red zone. Many collapsed buildings and the ones not yet demolished, are fenced off. Most of the old brick buildings housing various panel beaters, auto mechanics, familiar cafes and other shops no longer exist physically. So the blocks East (the Catholic basilica, still standing but just) and North and North West of the polytechnic, basically now a wasteland of piles of brick and debris. A list of the over 100 buildings to be demolished featured in the Saturday newspapers.

Options for rebuilding abound, including making the city more sustainable, future transport options, a blog discussing alternatives etc. There will be much to do in the future but old and familiar Christchurch city landscape is now gone.

Down the wire - the story of NZ and the internet

Chanced on this interesting site, set up by digital agency Heyday and launched in 2009, 21 years after the internet arrived in NZ. The site tells the story of how the internet arrived in NZin 1989 and its impact on NZ society through the years. A background on how Heyday constructed the site is also provided.

The content is laid in a timeline from 1989 to 2010. There are videos embedded, Kiwi music to characterise each year via the Flying Nun label and facility for anyone to add their comments /experiences/ reminisces for each year. All in a slick and informative site, also running well on the ipad.

On the Heyday corporate site, there are links to other projects including

one developed to provide information for international students at Victoria University in Wellington. It includes links to current weather and street views of Wellington via Google Street view providing students with a virtual impression of the city before they arrive to begin their study.

Telling our stories

Today, it is a public holiday in Canterbury, to allow people to attend a memorial service for the people killed and Christchurch residents badly affected by the 22/2 earthquake. The service will be held in Hagley park but also televised live. For everyone in Christchurch and NZ, it will be a time to reflect on the events of the pass 3 weeks. How the forces of nature can change the way we live and approach our lives. In this, we share a recent experience with others around the world including the recent cyclone in Queensland, floods in Brisbane and the horrendous earthquake, tsunami and potential nuclear fallout in Japan.

Over the past few weeks, I have been humbled and fascinated by the diversity of stories emerging. The NZ Herald has a series of videos  recorded just a couple of days after the quake. Everyone has a story of where they were and what they were up to when the quake hit. Most people were going about their daily routines, travelling on the bus through Lytellton and witnessing the harbour site buildings collapse; driving through the centre of town and just missing being crushed by a falling building; having lunch in the Art's Centre and walking through the damaged city to get back to their cars; crossing the Heathcote river in their best shoes and up to their knees in mud to get home to Sumner with the Ferrymead bridge closed; trying to get home across the boulder strewn Summit Road while negotiating landslips.Through all, there are stories of people going out of their way to help each other, of a stranger going out of their way to provide a lift to an elderly friend through the flood and liquefaction; of young men piggybacking kids and women across the Heathcote; of students spending time not only to clear liquefaction silt but to listen to and provide comfort to elderly folk. All of these stories example the good that has come out of people through a time of uncertainty and adversity.

At CPIT, a series of stories of CPIT staff and students lending a hand is on the website. Telling stories is in many ways cathartic. In sharing our stories, we acknowledge we are more than individuals, but part of a community whereby common experiences bring us together. As classes start to re-convene, it is import for staff and students to have an opportunity to share their stories. It is a good way to build up class rapport, community and increase engagement. Darel Hall wrote about the students of 2011 being 'special' and in a way, everyone who has experienced something momentous in their lives, is changed. The experience, if supported and the good things that eventuate nurtured, leads us to become better people.
Long may the story telling continue.

More tablets launched

A slew of tablets have been launched over the last few weeks in the US of A and feature on Android tablets blog. Of note on the blog,  is a comparison of the main contenders between the recently launched ipad 2 and others including the Motorola Xoom, HTC Flyer, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, BlackBerry PlayBook,  HP TouchPad and LG Optimus Pad.

The Ipad2 due to be launched in NZ at the end of next week but none of the others have made an appearance here yet. Most are more expensive then the bottom end ipad. For instance, Motorola Xoom selling at US$800. Samsung Galaxy Tab possibly to arrive in March / April but will be more expensive than the ipad. The Playbook, when it arrives (no date available) might retail under NZ$500 and no sign of the HP Touchpad (US$899) of the LG Optimus Pad either. So options in NZ still pretty limited.

Learning practical skills via elearning

The earthquake of 22/2 has challenged us to think more deeply about how to deliver learning opportunities to students without access to practical workshops / teaching areas. A large amount of contact time is put into providing student with opportunities to practice new skills and to assist students with applying newly learnt knowledge to practical tasks and real-world scenarios.  Many of the CPIT programmes located in the now non-accessible city campus will have to re-develop how to helps students complete practical skills training without access to specialised training facilities and equipment.

I have been thinking the above over the weekend and  making connections to my learning of tai chi. I attend a weekly tai chi practice session and have been doing this for many years. Over the last few summers, our group have been attempting to learn a more advanced form of tai chi using a sword - called a jian. Our difficulty has stemmed from having teachers who are expert practitioners from China, who are usually on holiday in Christchurch, visiting family. Each of our teachers over the last few summers have been from different parts of China. So apart from contending with understanding regional dialects of Mandarin, each teacher practiced a different form of sword tai chi. So progress, has been slow and confusion reigns for about 3 or 4 sessions before we adapt, after which, the teacher returns to China, leaving us to unravel the form through notes and videos (if available).

My proposal was to video ourselves doing the form and sending the video to our teacher in China. However, this plan never took off due to mixed digital literacy of our Chinese teachers and camera shyness on the part of some of the tai chi learners.

I now plan to take the above concept further here at work. Students will still need to be provided with a hands-on learning opportunity whereever possible. Demonstrations and initial practice can then be supported by students doing practice at off-campus facilities (in workplace, possibly at home etc.) Practice can be videoed and emailed to tutors for formative assessment. After several iteractions, formative assessments can also be obtained by students sharing their videos with each other. Student will need to be provided with support sessions on providing peer-feed back. Hopefully, the above will replicate some of the contact time that will need to be replaced with self-directed activities. Using the above will still ensure students are provided with opportunities for feedback, even when they are working independently and physically distant from tutors and class mates. Will have a chat with our elearning support team about ramping up Mahara for the sharing process as it will be an ideal tool to use.

The above may be supplemented in some specialised areas by the use of video analysis software, for instance silicon coach, which is easier to use than other specialised research analysis software. Discreet skills in programmes like circoarts (juggling, riding unibike etc.) may be improved using comparative software and especially where key kineasthetic motor skills need to be honed before students are able to move on to more complex and integrated skill sets. If ideas for using video eventuate, it will be good to evaluate the process using a formalised research / evaluative study. Will progress this further this week to see how well the idea aligns with current approaches to teaching practical skills.

Reconnecting with pbworks

Back at work after almost two weeks on Monday.  I am working from one of the CPIT Campus Connect centres, set up mainly for foundation courses in digital literacy. The Campus Connect I am working from is a hive of activity as various staff work on plans to re-start the 2011 academic year.  At this moment in time, no one is able to put a date on when the CPIT Madras Street site will be accessible as it lies within the 'red zone' city cordon put in place immediately after the earthquake / aftershock of 22nd February.

Therefore, CPIT management have been working on re-locating classes either to the CPIT Sullivan Avenue site, the various Campus Connect sites, other teaching institutions (Lincoln University for example) and community halls.  A staged beginning to many programmes begins next week.

For many programmes, flexible and blended delivery learning models will need to be utilised much more so that the physical teaching spaces can be maximised. The Centre for Educational Development (CED) will need to support staff to modify / review / reconfigure existing programmes to allow for the current situation. To this end, I have been working over the last few days to set up a support site with programme design principles based on constructive alignment, with exemplars and templates. Since our Moodle LMS is currently out of action, I have been working on a wiki set up on pbworks . This is the ex- pbwiki I have worked on and I must say the new pbworks is a much better experience. The user interface is user-friendly with a wysiwyg front-end and there is intuitive handling of files, links and pages. The template provided for 'educational users' reflects the focus of pbworks on using it as an LMS or CMS with pages set up for course information, course outlines, timetables etc.

Setting up the wiki has not been a problem. The challenge has been to set it up without access to our usual digital resources, also inaccessible. Our IT people did manage to remove the servers late last week through the cordon and everyone is hopeful access to Moodle and shared files will eventuate by end of this week.

One major item I now have at home is a pack with all the important articles in it - passport, treasured photos, set of bankcards etc. When I evacuated work, I left everything behind, including memory sticks and my external hard drive with the assumption that access to work data should not be a problem. WRONG. So next time round (hopefully not - but to be prepared), I will ensure backup drive is left at home and if possible, to pick up cell phone and memory sticks when evacuating.

Using technology to provide assistance to earthquake hit Christchurch

The week since the earthquake has gone by quickly. The central city is still cordoned off and many homes in the Eastern suburbs still without water or electricity. The Christchurch city council earthquake information page makes for sobering reading as the city council works to bring services back to the city. Continuing aftershocks make the recovery effort a challenge and frazzled residents have been leaving the city in droves.

I have kept myself busy helping out with food distribution organised by Comfort for Christchurch (CforC), an offshoot of the student volunteer army (SVA). My son has been helping out with the volunteer army's main effort, the removal of liquefaction from gardens and homes (yes there is liquefaction INSIDE some homes). Both the SVA and the CforC are run by students through facebook pages linked with chat and twitter feeds. SVA runs out of the University of Canterbury Student Association and CforC out of a student flat near the university.

At CforC, they have managed to obtain sponsorship from Telecom and run their database using Google docs, track their activities with Google maps and communicate using facebook and gmail. Two desktops and half a dozen laptops plus a multitude of makeshift 'whiteboards' coordinate the effort. The main objective is to be a collection point for food, water and toiletries and then to distribute these to the people who are in need. Volunteer drivers and mountain bikers from the university's mountain biking club do the distribution into the Eastern suburbs, aged care homes and 4 daily runs to police HQ. We have been deluged with food including 2 truckloads of home baking from students in Wellington and people who bake for another SVA offshoot, the Christchurch baking army (CBA). However, short of containers to put all the yummy food into :( so if you are able to help, please check the SVA facebook page for details.

All the activities above are fine examples of the use of cloud computing, a topic of Derek Wenmouth's blog yesterday. He provided his own example of COREs use of cloud computing, allowing CORE to continue work despite their physical premises being located within the city cordon. There is still no electricity in the central city due to the ongoing rescue / recovery. Today's blog on use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) also pertinent as guides to providing blended learning. Some programmes at CPIT may need to supplement classes, once the polytechnic opens, to help students catch up with missed lessons.

I am really enjoying my time with the CforC. The students are enthusiastic and very competent. It is heartening to experience the community spirit NZ is well-known for. Everyone pitches in and things get done quickly and efficiently. The majority of the volunteers associated with SVA, CforC and CAB are young and it is heartening to see how they have engaged wholeheartedly with the work. All bodes well for the future :)

  

Christchurch earthquake on Tuesday 22nd February

Christchurch was hit by another large aftershock just before 1 pm on Tuesday. I was at work and at my desk. The others in my office were having a meeting with their manager in the office. When the sharp shock hit, I knew this was big. There was no forewarning as per the loud roar as in the last one in September just a sharp jerk followed by a violent shake. We all dived under our desks as books and files fell off shelves around us. I could hear students screaming in the library as books fell off the shelves in the library. The lights went out.  when the shaking stopped, we all evacuated to a view of  the fallen towers of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, the Catholic cathedral. It dawned immediately that this was a very big one. Eventually found out it was 6.4 but very shallow and centred 5km away near Lyttelton.

After evacuation, I located my son, who works in the marketing dept. at CPIT. He had been in the CPIT marketing car, on his way to the other CPIT campus. The car shook violently, he could see the road ripple in front of him and a shop near the car collapsed!! We milled around, viewing the damage to buildings all around the polytech. there were signs of liquefaction in the carpark, we could see the Grand Chancellor Hotel was on a lean and smoke and dust from the collapsed CTV building, about 100m up the street from the polytech.  I was really worried for friends who worked in the city (but yesterday, managed to contact them all and they are well but still shaken from the experience). We left in my son's car to try to get home just before 3pm, giving a colleague a lift as well. I had to leave my car as I had evacuated without keys, wallet or cell phone! Car still at polytech. Took us almost two hours to get home, a drive of 16 kms plus detour to drop colleague off, The roads will choked with traffic but also damaged. Cracks, holes, flooding and a grey sludge over many streets from the liquefaction. A scarry trip as we listened to the radio , featuring calls from people providing eye witness accounts from the city and the eastern suburbs.

At home, no damage to the north west suburbs in Chch. just the usual clean up of books etc. fallen off shelves. Electricity back just after 7.30pm and we could then follow the news on the TV. Only managed to get access to work email yesterday (Wednesday) evening and have been replying to concerned emails from relatives, friends and colleagues from overseas and other parts of NZ. News has not been good, with many people trapped in buildings and the central city in ruins with substantial damage to suburbs East and South of Hagley park. This event will take a long time to recover from. Infrastructure will be a challenge to bring back and this morning, 40% of city still have no electricity and 80% of city have no water. have emailed and will follow up with phone to friends, colleagues who I know have no water. We might be able to assist with providing showers and food etc. as required but the challenge will be getting things to them, or for them to travel to us, as travel into the damaged suburbs is not encouraged.

So priority will be to keep in touch with people. I suspect CPIT will be closed for next week as well as it is within the central city cordon and buildings all around it have either collapsed or are severely damaged. Meanwhile, I will have to work out a way to get access to my work drives so that I can work on various articles that are partway through.

Reports pertinent to mlearning - Horizon 2011 and JISC mobile review

A couple of reports via edu.blogs.com delicious links provide a summary of the ‘state of play’ with regards to mlearning. The mobile review from the Joint Information Systems Committee in the UK (JISC) provides a good read and overview of work that has taken place in mlearning over the last decade.  I am particularly heartened by the assumption of the following:

Three things that learners do expect, however, are:

1. To be able to use their own devices with corporately-owned IT infrastructure.

2. For technology not to be used as a crutch for poor learning and teaching experiences.

3. Unhampered digital communication with their peers, tutors and administrators.

All relevant to current discussions we are having at CPIT on future directions for IT support of educational development.


The other report is the annual Horizon report. Content is similar to the Australian/ New Zealand report published late last year. Mlearning and ebooks are the closest to mainstream adoption. A direction I have taken with work from late last year and starting to consolidate this term, with developing interactive textbooks for use on tablets.

more tablets launched

Clearing my google reader this morning and notice the launch or eminent launch of a few new tablets being reported via endgadget.



First up, HP has launched their touchpad, with an OS based on the Palm OS, although there is no mention whatsoever of the Palm brand. It will be interesting to assess this tablet as I have always been a bit of a fan of the palm user interface and quite miss my old Treo at times.

Second one, is the possible price in the US of A of the blackberry playbook. Again will be keen to try this one out as CPIT is currently using blackberrys as their corporate phone. 

Comparisons of the various tablets also provides interesting reading. Looking forward now to the coming of the new ipad.

The perenial difficulty we face, as educational users, is the various operating systems running on different hardware platforms. So far, I have tried to work on projects that are not dependent on hardware OS. In our mobile portfolio projects, we relied solely on the phones apprentices owned. At the moment, tablets are still seen to be 'new' and most students do not own one. Instead they own mobile phones, although by observing students in the library, the number of iphones seen in students' hands seems to have increased in the last 6 months or so.

For the 'interactive textbook' project, we have committed to developing a 'front end' template for the Android OS and have purchased an Archos 7 to test drive things. So, for the first time, we will need to explore possibilites for acquiring a class set of tablets to evaluate students' experiences with using the tablet based 'textbook'. I might now also think through the advantages of running a similar 'textbook' layout via Moodle. We can then compare the two and see if reliance on hardware is really required or whether we just ram up the LMS to be accessible across all devices.

Zaggmate – ipad case and keyboard

While away from the office over the summer ‘break’ I began blogging using the ipad. However, the on screen keyboard, even on landscape, tended to limit me to a hunt and peck routine. Therefore, as an Xmas present to myself, I ordered a zaggmate ipad case. Two alternatives, one with the case only and the other with an integrated Bluetooth keypad. I have now been playing with the zaggmate keyboard/case for a couple of weeks and am pleased with its overall performance.


To begin, the case itself is strong but light and matches the smooth, minimalistic design of the ipad. When the ipad is placed into the zaggmate case, the whole looks like a chunkier mac air. Synching the ipad to the zaggmate took all of about 10 seconds. So far, no hassles with the Bluetooth link and although I have used the keyboard off and on for almost two weeks, I have not had to recharge the case/keyboard. The ipad sits sort of securely on to a ledge on the case and is held up with a plastic backpiece which is brought up from flat. I have mainly been using the keyboard on a desk but it seems to be quite solid on my lap as well. However, might not be as secure, say on an aeroplane fold out table when the flight becomes bumpy, as the ipad is only kept upright by the plastic back piece and the way it just fits the case.

The zaggmate weighs in at 200g, the ipad 680g for a total well under a kg. However, total weight still more than double of a mac air 11” (only 380g) but heaps lighter than the Mac book pro 13” which is over 2 kg and still lighter than an ASUS eee PC at around a kg.

Therefore, I now have the alternative of just using the ipad on screen keyboard for quick notes etc. and the zaggmate keyboard for when i need to get to grips with more or am working on re-editing documents. Last week, I attended a one day 'academic writing' workshop facilitated by Dr. Marianne Tremaine who advocated the use of a 15 minute daily writing time slot to raise writing productivity.  So the use of the ipad and zaggmate should assist with meeting the goal.

Sharepoint as an LMS

CPIT has now moved into a fully Microsoft based environment for their intranet.  As part of this move, the Microsoft collaboration platform, Sharepoint, will be launched for institution wide use later this year. My sister-in-law works as a corporate staff developer and the organization uses Sharepoint as both its CMS and LMS. At present, we use Moodle as a LMS. Therefore, a good reason to explore if there are advantages to using Sharepoint as an LMS and possibilities for integration of Moodle with Sharepoint.

Also found some references to integrating Moodle with Sharepoint, mostly at the school level rather than at a corporate training or tertiary insitutions. There is a Moodle to sharepoint plugin but is has a 2007 date so not sure how up to date it is. There is a guide to using sharepoint as a file sharing part of Moodle, with some discussions on the Moodle forum and on a educators forum of how to integrate sharepoint and Moodle.

The general approach seems to be to use Sharepoint as a file system and link these files on Moodle. Which is not too different from what we do now. Will need to do more investigation into this to explore how others integrate Sharepoint with Moodle.