Nitin Parmer a Learning Technologist form the University of Bath was kind enough to host me and take some time out to discuss the use of Audience response system at his institution.It’s always nice to catch up with colleagues from other institutions and find out what’s happening on their end and this meet up proved quite useful.
We discussed various issues related to the use of these systems. I was keen to find out how he had convinced staff to use the systems and also how to gain value in using the systems- pedagogical value. The systems need to be used in a way that gets students to think and engage more in what is being taught. We’ve had the systems here at Roehampton for a little longer than they’ve had them at Bath and though they have been used by various staff members here, I’ve always felt that we could get staff using them in a more meaningful way. Roehampton University recently hosted its Annual teaching and Learning Conference and the eLearning team did a session on Assessment and Feedback - an aspect that a lot of institutions are struggling with. One tool we show cased was the ARS. Nitin also mentioned that Assessment and feedback was an aspect they were trying to address with the use of the ARS. ARS provide for instant feedback which makes it an ideal tool for both Assessment and Feedback
The approach adopted at Bath hasn’t been very different from ours. Nitin has adopted a top down approach; briefing the Director of Studies at his institution then getting a few lecturers to use the systems giving them the full support they need. He then gets the staff to do a brief write up of their experiences. This is something I haven’t done here and will try and do. Nitin provides staff with a template and asks them to complete it; he then places this on the relevant website and has been able to refer other staff he wants to use the systems to have a look and see what their colleagues have been up to.
One key idea I will take from Nitin is the creation of a blog that will keep staff posted on what’s going on. I’ve started one for the Classroom Technologies project and will start one just aimed at the use of the ARS.
In summary, some of the stuff that’s been done that is different from what we are doing
Created a weekly blog that keeps all staff posted on what’s going on
Nitin spends an equivalent of 1 day a week on the ARS project
The units are held and distributed by the Audio visual team
Software is rolled out on every student facing computer and is also available to download via their Internet pages. Nitin mentioned he is doing a write about how students are using the software- I hadn’t thought of getting students to use it so I’m looking forward to reading the report
SIG that is looking at the systems- They will be holding a workshop/conference sometime later in the year and I hope to attend.
On another note, the University of Bath is a lovely Campus. The sports centre/village is amazing. The facilities are world class from tracks to swimming pools and I hear on some occasions the England Rugby team train there. You would have no reason to be unfit if you worked there.
Thanks Nitin for a very useful conversation.
No comments:
Post a Comment