Steve Outram Senior Adviser Higher Education Academy

1. Enhancing Learning and Teaching through the use of Technology :Evidence-based Practice SynthesesWednesday 10 NovemberUniversity of Southampton Steve Outram Senior Adviser Higher Education Academy

2. Funding and drivers • Higher Education in a Web 2.0 world: report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience (2008) • Higher Education Framework (Denham Review, 2008) • The Future of Higher Education - Teaching and the Student Experience (Ramsden, P) • On-line Innovation in Higher Education (Cooke, R. ) • Online learning innovation fund and task force (OLTF, 2009) • Higher Ambitions framework (2009) • Enhancing learning and teaching through the use of technology: a revised approach to HEFCE's strategy for e-learning (2009) • Supporting Flexible Learning strategies and flexible delivery

3. Rationale for the synthesis initiative • 3 Key Academy programme areas support the appropriate use of technology to enhance learning and teaching. • Assessment and feedback, • Employability and employee learning, • Professional development of staff to support learning & teaching • Wealth of resources -produced for a variety of purposes, hosted in numerous locations. • Need for easily accessible information on effective use of appropriate technology for different L&T contexts. • Recognition of expertise within the sector.

4. Initiative aims and objectives • To support the sector in its use of technology to enhance learning and teaching through the provision of a comprehensive and useful synthesis of evidence-based practice in each of 3 areas: • Assessment and feedback • Employability and employee learning • Professional learning and teaching practice • To raise awareness of expertise in ELTT within the sector with the appointment of learning technology specialists to lead the synthesis work. • To engage the sector with the syntheses both during and after completion of the synthesis process.

5. 3 Syntheses Assessment and Feedback: Southampton Employability and Employee Learning: Leeds Met Professional Learning and Teaching Practice: OU

6. Associated Seminar Series (1) • Aims: • Provide a forum for the dissemination and discussion of research, evaluation and other evidence of the effective use of technology to enhance learning and teaching practice within the sector. • Raise awareness of good practice within the sector. • Contribute to the ELTT evidence base.

7. Seminar Series (2) • Funding for up to 30 seminars - hosted by HEFCE funded HEIs • 29 proposals accepted: • 12 assessment and feedback • 11 Professional learning and teaching practice • 6 Employability and employee learning • Each seminar to produce a briefing paper summarising the key issues/findings, including implications for practice to be disseminated via EvidenceNet. • Briefing papers to feed into relevant synthesis. • Synthesis team member to attend 2 seminars in related series.

8. Seminar Series (3) • 25 seminars held in 2009-2010 • 700+ participants, positive feedback 84% • Briefing papers available via EvidenceNet service • External evaluation to assess value to and impact on participants (practice) host institution (policy and practice) • Model adopted across Academy for 2010-2011 as a means of engaging with and highlighting good practice in the sector. • Eg WebPA Loughborough and Hull

9. Dissemination and ‘engagement’ • Synthesis seminars at host institutions: • 29 Sept – Open University • 10 Nov – University of Southampton • 9 December – Leeds Metropolitan University • Project outcomes via EvidenceNet service: • Synthesis reports • Case studies • Podcasts/Vodcasts • Websites • Nascent evidence-informed practice ‘communities’

10. Programme • Synthesis Project Overviews: • Professional Learning and Teaching with Technology (PLaTP) • Assessment and Feedback • Employability and Employee Learning • Debate: Where now for evidence? • Workshop: SRAFTE findings and recommendations • Discussion of the findings, implications for practice