Lessons from the MSc in Digital Education at the University of Edinburgh 

Jen Ross, University of Edinburgh

Monday, April 15

Noon – 1:30 PM

Seattle Pacific University Library Seminar Room

Register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/digitalspaces

Every course design is philosophy and belief in action.  This is no less true – indeed it may be truer – in courses with a significant digital dimension.  Online courses can be designed to invite particular kinds of participation, to take particular sorts of approaches to knowledge.  But, like the physical classroom, they do more than embody the pedagogical values of the teacher – they are also greatly affected by the nature of the environments in which teaching and learning take place.  In this talk, Jen will reflect on the experiences of teachers and students on the wholly distance MSc in E-learning programme, exploring issues such as how being at but not in Edinburgh affects students and how the values and educational philosophies of teachers on the programme impact, and are impacted by, the learning spaces they use and create.

Jen is the programme director of the fully online MSc in Digital Education programme at the University of Edinburgh, co-author of the Manifesto for Teaching Online, and co-organiser of the Coursera MOOC “E-learning and Digital Cultures”.  Her teaching and research concerns digital education now and in the future, online identity, and how cultural and educational institutions are changing in the digital age.  The evolving meaning of space and place is one of the most interesting topics in digital and distance learning at the moment, and Jen’s visit to SPU will focus on these and other issues relating to a broader theme of active learning spaces.

Abstract:
Over the last two decades, students and teachers, across educational levels and disciplines, have been subject to a variety of school reform efforts. Nevertheless, some instructional practices, such as portfolio assessment, persist and grow in popularity even in the midst of changing educational reform goals and shifting priorities. Teacher education programs have used paper-­based portfolios for more than three decades. Recently, institutions have migrated to electronic portfolios since these provide several advantages. Early models of these systems required special technical skills, hardware, or fee-­based contracts with service providers. The newest iteration of portfolio platforms are based on social media applications, which are easy to use, free, and customizable. However, the accelerated adoption of social media applications as repositories for student portfolio content has produced several gaps in the literature. Three of these include steps for implementing electronic portfolios in social media platforms, instructional methods for soliciting quality entries from students through questions and prompts, and student perceptions about using social media as a repository for electronic portfolio content. Results from a case study identifying student perceptions of combining social media and electronic portfolios are examined. Future lines of inquiry are discussed.

Link to article: Implementing Electronic Portfolios Through Social Media Platforms: Steps and Student Perceptions

Denton, D. W., & Wicks, D. Implementing electronic portfolios through social media platforms: Steps and student perceptions. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 17(1), 125–135.

Robert J. Beichner, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Thursday, January 31, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, Cremona 102, Seattle Pacific University

Register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/scaleup

How do you promote active learning in a large classroom? Can students practice communication and teamwork skills in a large class? How do you boost the performance of underrepresented groups? Join us as we learn from Dr. Beichner, member of North Carolina State University’s Physics Education R & D Group, and his work on The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) Project. Materials developed by the project are now in use by more than 1/3 of all science, math, and engineering majors nationwide. Physics, chemistry, math, biology, engineering, business, nursing, and even literature classes are being taught this way at more than 150 institutions nationwide.  To learn more about Dr. Beichner and the SCALE-UP Project, visit http://go.ncsu.edu/beichner

The Center for Global Curriculum Studies of Seattle Pacific University announces its Fifth Biennial Symposium: Educational Innovations in Countries around the World.  The Symposium will be held on the campus of Seattle Pacific University and on Whidbey Island, located near Seattle on the Puget Sound. The dates of the Symposium are 1-3 July, 2013. Interested individuals are invited to submit proposals in the form of an abstract of 100-200 words in any of the following categories:

• Curriculum and Instruction
• K-12 Education
• Higher Education
• Educational Policy
• Educational Administration
• Comparative Education
• Global Education
• Educational Technology
• Distance Learning

Abstracts should be submitted electronically and are due no later than March 15, 2013.  Submissions should be sent to:

Arthur K. Ellis, Director
Center for Global Curriculum Studies
Seattle Pacific University
aellis@spu.edu

Seattle Pacific University is located on Queen Anne Hill in the City of Seattle, Washington.  Access to downtown with it world-famous Pike Place Market and other waterfront attractions is readily available through convenient bus service.  Participants are invited to stay either at dormitory accommodations on campus or at any of a number of nearby hotels. Conference registration is $350, which includes dormitory accommodation and most meals. A cultural program is planned which includes a day trip by ferry to Whidbey Island with its pioneer settlements and beautiful ocean beaches.

Emerging Technology in Online Learning Symposium
Las Vegas, NV. July 26, 2012

Lead Presenter: Karissa Locke (Google, US)
Tess Milligan (Google, US)
Mark Green (Simpson College, US)
David Wicks (Seattle Pacific University, US)
Courtney Step (Seattle Pacific University, US)
Kami Cottrell (Seattle Pacific University, US)

Abstract:
Hear from professors and students pioneering the use of Google+ for collaborative learning, discuss best practices, and leave equipped to enhance your Google experience with Google+.

Original version of video posted on YouTube by Karissa Locke.