How a large distributed FE college is using learning technology to bring about

large scale organisational change

Howard Browes – Head of Learning Innovation and Student ProgressLeeds City College

Bob Harrison - Consultant SET, Education Adviser, Toshiba Information Systems (UK) Ltd, Consultant, National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services

Context

The theory………..

Geography

Merger

Size can bring problems ……

• Importance of avoiding silos (sometimes a result of every day business processes)

• Unified vision AND ACTIONS• Development and action plans need to be linked• Is there joined-up thinking:• ITSS infrastructure and capital investment?• curriculum design and delivery models?• design and location of learning spaces?• are we recruiting the right staff and providing the

best professional development opportunities?

InfrastructureEvery system has a purpose to the person/team who designed/implemented it – but it isn’t always clear to the end user!

The College had previously used an Allied Telesis SwitchBlade 4000, a CISCO 6509 and HP Networking for its core resilience at the campuses which are now end of life and will be replaced by six Allied Telesis SwitchBlade x908 switches with 10GB modules for fiber connectivity and x610 series Layer 3 switches. The new switches will ensure that traffic is re-routed in milliseconds in the event of a potential failure. They will also enhance resiliency for the college’s cloud-based storage (Microsoft Live@edu) and ensure high levels of security for staff and students accessing the network by automatically assigning them to the correct WLAN.

Systemic change

‘can I ………….•learn how and when I want?•write and submit an assessed piece of work in a digital format•get assessed work marked with quality feedback within a reasonable time period •have my grades and overall progress updated with the same ease as I can use Facebook?’

“Teachers have been infrequent and limited users of new technology for classroom instruction. If anything, in the midst of the spread of computers and the Internet to all facets of American life. “e-learning” in public schools has turned out to be word processing and Internet searches….. Teachers at all levels of schooling have used the new technology basically to continue what they have always done” Cuban, L (2003)

Staffing

• TEL Manager• Learning Innovation Mentors• Web-developer• VLE Team • Advanced Practitioners• Digital leaders• TEL Group

Right team obviously essential, but also need ‘buy-in’ to effect lasting transformation

Festival of Learning1400 staff in 42 rooms across 4 sites …………

Short-term win!Short-term win!

Adobe Connect

TEL Passport

Staff Survey summer 2011Staff Survey

summer 2011

Student SurveyFebruary 2012

Student SurveyFebruary 2012

Increased staff knowledge and use of technology

Evidence of staff trying new technology – but does it enhance learning?

It is as much about changing the mind-set of staff so that they think of learning in similar ways to the learners

We have already noticed an increase in staff using new technologies through the OTL process

http://wallwisher.com/wall/lccpubliservices

http://www.pearltrees.com/jonnywathen

http://info.leedscitycollege.ac.uk/sites/grid/

Current initiatives• BYOD & device leasing• College App – curriculum/learning focus• Infrastructure• Policies, strategies and actions plans ………….• Re-designed learning spaces (consolidation and re-location)

• Curriculum versus learning• Students as digital leaders• Supplementing VLE with an aggregation of various social

networks (mashup)• It’s a learning journey …………

We are just starting the journey…….

Eric Hoffer, 1989

Bob Harrison - Consultant• Long Term vision• SMT buy in• Network of Innovators• Staff groupings• Reliable Technological Infrastructure• Technician Support• Pre/post event blog• Follow Up action plan/Impact measures• Evaluation• Low hanging fruit• Student Voice/Digital Leaders• Build and maintain momentum• 3-5 year plan

Why achieving large scale organisational change is difficult

Diana Laurillard1. The drivers of the education system - assessment, curriculum, inspection/quality requirements, funding flows, promotion criteria - have not changed in recognition of what technology offers, so nothing within it can change.

2. Technological change is very rapid, and because every innovation is useful in education we need more time to make the radical changes they afford

3. The education system is run by leaders who are not comfortable with either the detail or the implications of the technology potential, and they need more support

4. Education is a political activity so avoids being subject to the innovation that market forces encourage

5. Education systems change slowly because they are hierarchical command-control systems, rather than devolved-power adaptive systems. Teachers and lecturers are given neither the power nor the means to improve the nature and quality of the teaching-learning process through technology

ContactsHoward BrowesHead of Learning Innovation and Student Progresshoward.browes@leedscitycollege.ac.uk0113284629107795256714@hanbrowes#lcclearn21c

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