The Logan experiment: too far, too fast?

1. The Logan experiment: too far, too fast? Impressions of the Griffith University flexible learning project Rhonda Riachi Association for Learning Technology 9 July 2002

2. Overview • Introduction to Griffith University • A new approach for a new site • The virtual meets the real • A revised vision emerges • Graduation day • Lessons learned

3. Introduction to Griffith University • founded 1975; now has 24,000 students and 2,800 staff • six campuses • most students local (85%) • wide range of degrees • developing its research profile • www.gu.edu.au

4. A new approach for a new site • Government, state and university funds invested to create Logan campus in 1998 • drive to regenerate a depressed area on 56 hectares in suburban Brisbane • a “high-tech campus for a high unemployment area” • 200 staff, of which 50 academic

5. How do you define flexible learning? Are your students demanding more flexible provision? Should you provide it whether or not they ask for it? How does your institution view this issue and why?

6. A new approach for a new site Flexible learning at GU defined as “...an educational approach using a variety of student-centred teaching and learning methods, resources and flexible administrative practices that responds to the needs of a diverse student population, enabling them to achieve vocational and professional qualifications and the goals of a university environment.”

7. A new approach for a new site • Logan Campus Academic Plan (1996) sought to develop campus courses and graduates with: • communication, research & presentation skills • problem-solving capacity • sophisticated ICT skills • practical employment experience • adaptation to the current & future work environment • strong links with industry, business & government to enhance employability

8. A new approach for a new site • enthusiastic, self-selected tutors • less lecturing, more independent learning • high level of ICT support • half of the 50 GU support staff worked at Logan in the first phase • ICT investment: • ratio of 1 PC to 4 students • microwave link • high-speed, wide-band network

9. A new approach for a new site • every subject to have a Web site • Learning Centres built • cluster of teaching facilities with a central room, breakout rooms and computer rooms • no authority on the campus • campus manager appointed, but staff all report to heads on other campuses • student induction programme introduced

10. The virtual meets the real • students found new approach difficult • only 1 meeting per week in the first year • “not enough access to staff” • high drop-out rate in first year • induction programme inadequate • flexible learning = “teamwork” • too much emphasis on content • support staff were putting all the content online (academics had no direct control) • basic help at first, then support staff went to work on other campuses • some subjects set up own Web sites to get around this

11. The virtual meets the real • IT system failures • Learning Centre design fault • had to go via one room to get to another • campus leadership changed and it became difficult to get things done quickly • competition with other campuses for staff and resources • staff time increased beyond capacity

12. The virtual meets the real The model was clearly not sustainable...

13. A revised vision emerges • student induction programme enhanced • interviews up to a year in advance, access course, intensive week 0 induction • more ICT training • more support for students during the course • Common Time sessions started in Learning Centres (80% attendance in some subjects) • more traditional teaching methods reintroduced • role of general staff in assisting students acknowledged • many welcomed this

14. A revised vision emerges • standard VLE software adopted in 2001 • staff able to control content themselves • put more courses online more quickly • common templates • student portal approach (“my courses”, “my enrolment”, etc) • 14 degree courses now have web presence • variation between web-supported, web-enhanced and web-based

15. A revised vision emerges • staff development enhanced • ADAPT programme: www.gu.edu.au/gfls/adapt/ • Learning Centres modified • new building on Logan has no LCs but more flexible rooms (eg lots of different sizes, all rooms wired, movable tables and blackout blinds) • LCs not used how they were intended (more suited to traditional teaching!) • less talk of flexible learning, more talk of choice and of a “learning community”

16. Graduation day Interesting facts about Logan students: • “better prepared than those on other campuses” • don’t like straight lectures and prefer to read material first, then discuss it with lecturer • have the highest PC ownership of all GU students • are more disposed to use ICT for learning than casual email • Logan Internet costs are lower than at other campuses • staff perceive them as “more demanding, quick to complain”

17. Graduation day Getting results: • Logan students are “positive about their overall experience of flexible learning and...are prepared to recommend it to a potential student” • the campus is “well regarded in the local community”

18. Lessons learned Logan has taken students through to graduation who would otherwise not have applied for university, however: • perceptions of flexible learning differed greatly • students and staff need to define it for themselves • preparation/training for flexible learning essential • pace of change was too fast, resources inadequate • resulting strain caused many of the original team to leave • student development needed throughout • better planning needed! • campus leadership was not strong enough • senior managers needed with control of their own budgets

19. Lessons learned • the rush to put courses online took resources away from multimedia development • a compromise of quantity over quality? • more time needed for staff development

20. References • Logan Campus: What have we learned? 1998-2001Peter Taylor and Jason Blaik, Griffith Institute of Higher Education, 2002. • www.gu.edu.au • www.gu.edu.au/gfls/adapt/