Block 2, Here we come

I thought a good honest reflection was in order here.


How do you (or your teaching colleagues) currently design modules?

I teach in FE/HE and normally a module would represent a 2-3 Hr session on a given topic. The Key Learning Points (KLPs) are listed by the course design team, but the detail of the content I teach is left to me. It therefore relies on my expertise and knowledge base to develop the lesson material.

I use course design quite loosely as I don't consider a great deal of design goes on. They rely on me and my team to compile the learning. I use a range of practical activities and provided a blended learning environment although there is still perhaps too much didactic style teaching for my liking because there is not always enough practical kit.

How do you and/or your teaching colleagues get new ideas?

We keep abreast with the technical content of the subject and introduce new technology as it unfolds when appropriate. In the field of Controls this is ever changing but the fundamentals are fairly static.

We share ideas and are continuously looking at adding more practical / blended activities. I have learnt a great deal from previous study but a major driving factor is the feedback that students offer at the end of each course.

What resources and support are used?

I am quite fortunate that I have a modern lab with plenty of facilities and internet access although this is filtered to prevent the use of uTube, streaming media and some elements of cloud computing. The use of Moodle is gradually unfolding but I have provided web based resourses to my students for ten years, it is just a case of adding it to the new platform.

I do not consider my material to be elearning material as it supports the learning that goes on in the classroom although I now tend to put more into my presentations to give more detail. I am currently trying to use software to add a voice over to my presentations as an attempt to enhance this somewhat, but It is not intended to be viewed as elearning material.

What issues do new technologies raise for teaching and learning?
The technology doesn't always work, unfortunately my college restricts some web based activity which is annoying because having produced web based material only to find that he filter blocks it you then have to produced another copy to overcome the barriers.

This has a real negative effect and many colleagues are not so willing to use new technology as a result.