Unit information: Learning, Community and Identity in Digital Spaces in 2014/15

Unit name	Learning, Community and Identity in Digital Spaces
Unit code	EDUCM5809
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Sue Timmis
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Education
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit builds on the theoretical perspectives of Teaching and Learning with ICT 1 to review, analyse and critique current research and practice in the use of digital technologies that support learning. Major national and international research and evaluations will be reviewed. Innovation in policy and practice will guide the selection of themes in any year. Eg Current themes in 2006/7 will include personalised learning, mobile learning and learning in games. Models of evaluation, assessment and the national and international evidence bases will be considered.

Aims:

• To expose students to the range of evidence informing policy and practice in teaching and learning with ICT

• To develop an understanding of the issues involved in collecting and using evidence to inform policy and practice

• To offer an overview of the current evidence base, nationally and internationally

• To offer an overview of the major themes in research and practice in teaching and learning with ICT

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module the students will be able to demonstrate:

• An awareness of the current evidence landscape in teaching and learning with ICT Students

• Evidence of an ability to grasp the key evidence issues of one area of practice in some depth

• A knowledge of the key starting points for desk research in the evidence base informing policy and practice

• An ability to use the sources to inform a personal perspective

Teaching Information

The course will be taught face-to-face, but will be supported by a virtual online learning environment. All students will be required to use the VLE as standard, to communicate with fellow students, with the lecturing staff, to obtain administrative details about the course, to access course materials and, in some instances, for submission of coursework. Students will be encouraged to work in groups to support collaborative learning and to provide user feedback on design ideas. The principle teaching and learning methods will include the following:

• Lectures: to present the main concepts of the syllabus.

• Tutorials and workshops: to reinforce ideas and encourage understanding through individual and group work

• Case studies: to ground the work within the professional context and provide real life examples

Engagement with online resources: to reiterate face-to-face activities, to supplement and support, to provide revision or associated materials and resources, and to offer extension activities and links to further sector-specific information.

Assessment Information

The assignment will be in two parts:

• Participation in a group presentation of collaborative desk research, through oral presentation and publication to the VLE ( equivalent to 1500 words)

• A personal reflection on the group research exemplified through an example of the use of a technology related to learning, which is original to that student (2500 words or equivalent)

Reading and References

Currency of sources is key to this unit so many of the sources will be web based e.g.

• Becta research publications at www.becta.org/research

• Nesta Futurelab research review series www.nestafuturelab.org

Journals used will include:

• Journal of Computer Assisted Learning

• Computers and Education