Creativity for learner voice

Creativity - a keyword coming out from last weeks’ FutureLab Conference (Seen & Heard – Young people creating digital media) on how different kinds of digital media can be used in to get learners’ voice heard. 

If we are to truly hear what our learners are experiencing and thinking, different speakers pointed out the essential steps for success: Enagagement.  Our learners are more likely to be engaged, if they find what they’re doing interesting and relevant.  Technology, without any doubts, has a key role to play here.  E.g. colleagues from imitating the dog have demostrated how simple video making and editing techniques can facilitate students’ expression of their ideas and emotions.  They even invited all participants to give it a go, so to see how “accessible” these creative technological tools can be in a school setting.

So what role does creativity play in other context?  Every so often we try to collect students’ “feedback” by methods such as survey and focus group, there is also a question of “why should I bother?” in the air!  While these methods are valid and very useful, a more communicative and ”cross-discipline” approach would be needed if we would like to shed light on what our learners really want to share with us.  By combining “consultation” with other activities (such as curriculum-based tasks), not only can learners be more naturally “engaged” in the process, they are also more likely to relate to the topic.  A good idea from Oaklands College demostrates it well - Combining learner voice activities with citizenship education. 

So is there a room to borrow this idea for ICT policy consultation?  Safety and well-being in the online environment are so crucial in our daily lives, but often learners are not well-equipped with the knowledge, or supported in reflecting their own habits and behaviours.  So why can’t we have some learning activities around these issues, so that students can acquire new skills on one hand, and we can listen to their voice on the other?  At the moment, it is not very common for currculum development, ICT professionals and student support services to work together.  Gathering effort and expertise up from all parties is definitely the way forward.  Are you ready?

Embedding learner voice

Throughout the last months, we have talked about how different technological tools can facilitate learner engagement and participation.  Today I’d like to take a step back and reflect on how we can embed learner voice in our institutional ICT development and implementation.

Why is learner voice important?

As the “navigator” of the learning journey, learners play a crucial role in the process – Sir Andrew Foster has spelt out the importance of learner voice  in the report Realising the Potential in 2005.  By having learners’ input in shaping the provision, their learning needs will be better met, hence education quality can be enhanced.  When learners have a say and truly get heard, they’d also feel a sense of ownership, which is beneficial for both the learners and the institutions.  This’s particularly relevant to technological development, as emerging technology is simply part of their lives.

Many might think learners would put forth demands which are not feasible or pragmatic.  From my personal observations, however, this doesn’t necessary be the case.  Learners, ranging from 17 year-old doing their A-Levels or apprenticeship, to adult learners doing their basic skills courses, do understand the dilemma institutions facing.  Embedding learner voice is about maintaining the ongoing dialogue, and having learners as co-partners in the process.

How to involve learners?

Traditionally, learners’ view is mainly collected through survey.  It’s an effective way to take stock of the current situation and generate ideas for improvement.  Lots of colleges now have the “you-say-we-do” response to learners’ feedback, which is a good practice to encourage continued participation (who want to see their opinions sinking into the deep ocean?).  At the national level, LSC has been collecting learner satisfaction, which briefly touches on technology access; Becta also conducts FE survey specifically looking at learner experience, and the last survey can be found here.  These surveys give us a good overview on what learners think about their ICT experience.  In the last four years, JISC has also carried a series of research studies on learner experience, covering 200 learners in FE and HE sector.  Their recent publication, Responding to Learners Pack, is a very informative package for those of you who are looking at learner voice development at your institution.  Some of the suggested research methods, such as Interview Plus and Technology Prompt Cards, are very helpful to mix with traditional focus group method.

What’s next? Empowering learners!

While it’s encouraging to see learners’ view is taken into consideration, our effort to embed learner voice can’t stop here.  For example, when you receive a figure saying “80% of our students think that they have sufficient access to computers”, what does the figure actually mean?  When you talk to your learners and they don’t come back with negative feedbacks, does it necessary mean the current experience is excellent? 

To truly embed learner voice and empower learners to shape their own learning experience, we’ve to go beyond feedback collection, dig deeper on various issues together with our learners.  This, however, doesn’t come easy.  Besides issues such as cultural change and resources limitation, we also need to put much effort in supporting our learners as co-partners!  Support with appropriate channels, information and training is essential for their participation in the process.  It is true that not every learner is interested in talking about technology, but it could also be the case where they’re not conscious about how much difference they can make with their participation.  If we believe learner voice is important, empowerment is the key to move forward!

Next time I’d like to share some initial thoughts on how learners can contribute to the institutional ICT development and implementation.  As for now, it’s your turn for sharing:  Do you have experience, ideas or tips on engaging your learners at your institutions?  If so please do let us know, your comments are welcomed, as always.

Being creative – Cornwall College’s video

A while ago we’ve talked about how we could use video to “spice up” the communication with your students, and you were invited to check out Cornwall College Students’ Union YouTube Channel.  Alex Ledbrooke, their Communication and Participation Officer, has shared with us their latest video production on the result of exit survey for 2008/09 academic year:

How did you come up with this idea?
The ideas were a combined effort.  The content itself was generated by the survey.  I took the “you could fit xx double decker buses…” idea to the students who gave me the topical themes to work around. 

What about the actual production of the video?
I then did the creation (which is using powerpoint and very simple animation) and finally the music was recorded by a student at our Camborne campus.

Although Alex explained his work in very simple terms, I’m sure you’d agree that there’re lots of creative work and effort in it.  Not only did the students’ union manage to report “boring” figures in an interesting, easy-to-understand way, the cooperation between students’ union and other students with talents is also brilliant!   And of course their committment to follow up the negative experience is encouraging too!

So have you been inspired?  If so, don’t sit and wait – make your own media today!