Work based mobile learning - Subject group meeting 12th February 2010

So, there was a subject group meeting on Friday 12th February which was the first opportunity for colleagues to hear and read in detail about the new module that I have written.

Colleagues were complimentary about the module and provided some valuable constructive criticism and concerns around practical issues e.g. using social networking sites to facilitate social discussions, the nature of employee contracts, students who are not selected to do the module, how it operates as a long thin module when other modules are short and fat - this would lead to 3 assessments in Semester 1 and 5 in Semester 2. However, generally, colleagues could see what I am trying to achieve and were in agreement that it would address needs on both students' and employers' sides which ultimately should be favourable for the student experience and their learning.

The next stage is for the module spec to be referred to FOG. It was commented just how much detail is in the module spec but there was also a recognition that it was appropriate given the new innovative nature of the module.

A colleague who I also consider as a friend was very vocal in acknowledgement that I have a tendancy to take a lot on and that my profile should be amended accordingly if the module does run in September 2010.

Very, very excited about getting the module designed in X-Stream now - the next stage is to meet with some of the learning technologists and Jill Taylor next week to (hopefully) secure the PDAs needed for the module.

I am organising a business networking event where I will invite local businesses who are interested in knowing more about the module and being involved in designing learning activities and assessment to an event in mid-March. I therefore hope to have a list of x5 employers comitted to the module and other employers who would like to be involved moving forward by April.

I have already forged some contacts through various networks and hope to widen the net as I attend the HEA work based learning conference on 16th and 17th March.

I will be attending an activity week to speak with Level 2 business students about the module and will have a sense of who is interested. I need to start thinking about how I am going to capture data for the research aspect of the module and it will be very interesting to identify why students choose to do this module...

Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself again! For now I have to focus on securing the PDAs and identifying employers who are going to commit to the module! Watch this space!

Work based mobile learning module - meeting with Christine Daley (BA Business Course leader)

Met with Christine Daley yesterday which was great - she is very enthusiastic about the module and I have now decided I am going to pilot the module with c20 of her Level 2 students. I think business studies students is a great cohort to pilot on as they cover a wide breadth of module e.g finance, marketing, PR, business and will be better suited to engage with a general business problem covering a wide span of technical areas.

I am encouraged by a response from Jill Taylor and Catherine Coates about the availability of some web enabled PDAs which if they come off this time will be a big pressure relieved! I am still trying to access funding to support the project and looking to hold a business event where I will invite interested parties to come and discuss the module and put themselves forward to be mentors.

I am putting the fininishing touches to the module specification for Level 2 for review at next week's subject board and am encouraged by feedback from students on the PUPPS pilot who have been praising PebblePad and the use of their PDAs for biographical learning.

My next step is to review business placement requirements, employers offering them and once the module has been approved (fingers crossed) and PDAs sorted (everything crossed) start to design the module with employers and create the virtual workplace in X-Stream.

I need to find out about existing employer profiles etc which can be embedded in virtual workplaces and using some of the great videos and Metcasts for the university gateway to the virtual workplace(s)

Exciting times - feel like stuff is actually starting to happen!

Meeting with Marie-Paule Sheard

Had an interesting meeting yesterday with Marie-Paule who is interested in running the module as a pilot for the MBA in September.

There has been lots of interest from lots of different parties and I am conscious that I dont want to lose control and have the module grow and be rolled out too quickly.

Consequently, I have decided that I will run it as a Level M and Level 2 module in the first year of pilot. I am going to meet with Christine Daley who is very interested in offering it to Level 2 business students and will offer it to MBA students - if discussions between Marie-Paule and the course leader prove successful.

I am going to comprise a list of competencies which will develop into learning outcomes on discussion with employers. My next step is to launch an employer event where I will discuss with employers involved in recruitment of placement students/graduates what they are looking for in terms of capabilities and personal qualities of students which will be reflected in the newly framed learning outcomes. I will also seek commitment from some to mentor students during the module.

After the pilot - I will consider the appropriateness of the module for other Levels and across the Faculty - my immediate issue is one of cost for the PDA units and I will do some research as to whether I can get students to contribute to the cost of the units through their fees or receive some units from a budget or apply for some funds.

Watch this space!