Joanna Stroud
University College London, Digital Education, Department Member
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Division of education, Department MemberLondon School of Economics and Political Science, Centre for Learning Technology, Department Memberadd
- Education, Technology for Learning and Teaching, E-learning, Educational Technology, Online Learning, Instructional Design, and 16 moreDistance Education, Assessment, Instructional Technology, Distance Learning, Assessment in Higher Education, Pedagogy, Virtual Learning, Blended Learning, Learning Disabilities, Digital Literacy, Student Engagement, Asynchronous online forums in education, Clickers, Feedback (Education), Audio (Education), and Mature students in Higher Educationedit
- Learning technologist and academic developer with experience spanning teaching and research intensive contexts.edit
The UK student profile is becoming ever-more diverse (HESA, 2012), with the range of capabilities, expectations and attitudes of those students likely following suit. Figures indicate (NSS, 2012) that students continue to be comparatively... more
The UK student profile is becoming ever-more diverse (HESA, 2012), with the range of capabilities, expectations and attitudes of those students likely following suit. Figures indicate (NSS, 2012) that students continue to be comparatively dissatisfied with feedback provision and that differences in experience exist between diverse student groups. Delivery of feedback via recorded audio file has been found to mitigate a number of commonly-reported issues and elicits a positive reaction from students (Merry & Orsmond, 2008). This project evaluates two groups of students’ (part-time, mature learners and ‘traditional’ undergraduates) overall response to audio feedback, revealing support for the technique, particularly amongst traditional undergraduates and those with learning disabilities. It also finds that for a proportion of mature learners the receipt of audio feedback had a strong emotional impact.
Research Interests: Instructional Design, Educational Technology, E-learning, Distance Education, Assessment, and 14 moreDigital Literacy, Feedback (Education), Learning Technology, Instructional Technology, Assessment in Higher Education, Online Learning, Technology Enhanced Learning, Blended Learning, Distance Learning, Learning Disabilities, Virtual Learning, Feedback, Audio Feedback, and Mature students in Higher Education
The WHO "Universal eye health: Global Action Plan 2014-2019" prioritises human resource development. Particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) ophthalmic training is constrained in key ways. Open Education is action to... more
The WHO "Universal eye health: Global Action Plan 2014-2019" prioritises human resource development. Particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) ophthalmic training is constrained in key ways.
Open Education is action to increase access to learning. Open Educational Resources (OER) can be freely used, adapted and shared at low cost digitally. OER can increase innovation, raise standards and foster knowledge sharing as they are reviewed by learners, educators, policymakers and employers.
We are developing free, online, self-directed courses for eye care professionals otherwise unlikely to be able to access public health eye care education. Between 2014 and 2016, delivered two courses - Global Blindness & Epidemiology for Eye Health - to a global audience as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and on LSHTM’s open learning platform, Open Study.
Open Education is action to increase access to learning. Open Educational Resources (OER) can be freely used, adapted and shared at low cost digitally. OER can increase innovation, raise standards and foster knowledge sharing as they are reviewed by learners, educators, policymakers and employers.
We are developing free, online, self-directed courses for eye care professionals otherwise unlikely to be able to access public health eye care education. Between 2014 and 2016, delivered two courses - Global Blindness & Epidemiology for Eye Health - to a global audience as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and on LSHTM’s open learning platform, Open Study.
Research Interests:
In recent years, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been an emergent mode of educational delivery. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has launched three MOOCs in the past year, with nearly 40,000 students enrolled... more
In recent years, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been an emergent mode of educational delivery. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has launched three MOOCs in the past year, with nearly 40,000 students enrolled worldwide. These courses have driven awareness of open educational practices within the School, culminating in the launch of our Open Study at LSHTM platform, housing open access courses and OER both independent of and related to our MOOC provision. This growing culture of openness is in line with our broader strategic aims of promoting better health and equity through high quality, flexible, and global study opportunities.
MOOCs produce a vast amount of learner data, thus affording significant opportunities for educational research (Breslow, et al., 2013, p.13), and with much of this conducted around online pedagogies and learning design. While it is clear that universities are now increasingly able to reach a worldwide audience and extend access to research, education and training of the highest quality, there remains a lack of robust data and analysis around the effectiveness of and motivations for flexible, self-directed learning.
Simple exploration of our MOOC analytics indicates that professional learners are strongly represented in each course cohort. Milligan and Littlejohn suggest (2014, p.1) that while the open context of such courses can broadly reduce barriers to learning, this same open, flexible online format can also be useful to professional learners, enabling individuals to tailor their learning needs to their corresponding work demands. This presentation will report upon our findings regarding learner perspectives of the value and impact of MOOCs in terms of professional development. Based on data gathered in surveys and focus groups, it will highlight some of the reasons why working learners might participate in open courses, the importance of certifying or accrediting learning in this context, and how online learning can be attuned to workplace study.
References
Breslow, L., Pritchard, D.E., DeBoer, J., Stump, G.S., Ho, A.D., & Seaton, D.T. (2013) Studying learning in the worldwide classroom: Research into edX’s first MOOC. Research & Practice in Assessment, vol. 8, pp.13-25.
Milligan, C., and Littlejohn, A. (2014) Supporting Professional Learning In A Massive Open Online Course. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, vol.15(5).
MOOCs produce a vast amount of learner data, thus affording significant opportunities for educational research (Breslow, et al., 2013, p.13), and with much of this conducted around online pedagogies and learning design. While it is clear that universities are now increasingly able to reach a worldwide audience and extend access to research, education and training of the highest quality, there remains a lack of robust data and analysis around the effectiveness of and motivations for flexible, self-directed learning.
Simple exploration of our MOOC analytics indicates that professional learners are strongly represented in each course cohort. Milligan and Littlejohn suggest (2014, p.1) that while the open context of such courses can broadly reduce barriers to learning, this same open, flexible online format can also be useful to professional learners, enabling individuals to tailor their learning needs to their corresponding work demands. This presentation will report upon our findings regarding learner perspectives of the value and impact of MOOCs in terms of professional development. Based on data gathered in surveys and focus groups, it will highlight some of the reasons why working learners might participate in open courses, the importance of certifying or accrediting learning in this context, and how online learning can be attuned to workplace study.
References
Breslow, L., Pritchard, D.E., DeBoer, J., Stump, G.S., Ho, A.D., & Seaton, D.T. (2013) Studying learning in the worldwide classroom: Research into edX’s first MOOC. Research & Practice in Assessment, vol. 8, pp.13-25.
Milligan, C., and Littlejohn, A. (2014) Supporting Professional Learning In A Massive Open Online Course. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, vol.15(5).
Research Interests:
Research Interests: E-learning, Assessment, Audio (Education), Feedback (Education), Learning Technology, and 7 moreAssessment in Higher Education, Technology Enhanced Learning, Media-Enhanced Feedback, Screencast Feedback, 360 Feedback assessment, Formative Assessment and Feedback, and Screencasting and video production
The use of smart technologies and social media by staff and students in and out of the classroom has implications for academic practice in post-compulsory education. Unlike previous eras of learning with technology, change is being led by... more
The use of smart technologies and social media by staff and students in and out of the classroom has implications for academic practice in post-compulsory education. Unlike previous eras of learning with technology, change is being led by the students and academics themselves and this establishes a challenge to institutions. This shift demands that we reassess our understanding of formal and informal engagement, the physical and virtual environments we use, and the people we involve.
Smart Learning: teaching and learning with smartphones and tablets in post compulsory education observes how personal smart technology, social media, rich digital media as well as ideas about open learning work together to form a new immersive and interactive space for learning.
The Smart Learning book is a product of the Media-Enhanced Learning Special Interest Group (MELSIG) which has considered the opportunities and challenges afforded by new media in developing a forward looking Digital Age, learner-centred view of academia since 2008. MELSIG is a self-driven association fascinated and excited by thinking differently, reflectively and critically. Working informally across UK post-compulsory education around special foci, the group runs sharing and developing practice events and webinars, as well as organising collective research and writing activities about academic innovation with digital and social media.
Smart Learning is made up of thought pieces, research chapters and case studies. It is punctuated with scenario vignettes, making real this new thinking about learning with personal smart devices.
Smart Learning: teaching and learning with smartphones and tablets in post compulsory education observes how personal smart technology, social media, rich digital media as well as ideas about open learning work together to form a new immersive and interactive space for learning.
The Smart Learning book is a product of the Media-Enhanced Learning Special Interest Group (MELSIG) which has considered the opportunities and challenges afforded by new media in developing a forward looking Digital Age, learner-centred view of academia since 2008. MELSIG is a self-driven association fascinated and excited by thinking differently, reflectively and critically. Working informally across UK post-compulsory education around special foci, the group runs sharing and developing practice events and webinars, as well as organising collective research and writing activities about academic innovation with digital and social media.
Smart Learning is made up of thought pieces, research chapters and case studies. It is punctuated with scenario vignettes, making real this new thinking about learning with personal smart devices.
Research Interests:
The use of smart technologies and social media by staff and students in and out of the classroom has implications for academic practice. Unlike previous eras of learning with technology, change is being led by the students and academics... more
The use of smart technologies and social media by staff and students in and out of the classroom has implications for academic practice. Unlike previous eras of learning with technology, change is being led by the students and academics themselves and this establishes a challenge to institutions.
This shift demands that we reassess our understanding of formal and informal engagement, the physical and virtual environments we use, the people we involve, and our psycho-social being.
The edited book features 28 contributors - research, case studies and scenarios
This shift demands that we reassess our understanding of formal and informal engagement, the physical and virtual environments we use, the people we involve, and our psycho-social being.
The edited book features 28 contributors - research, case studies and scenarios
Research Interests:
When open online courses first appeared within the broader educational landscape there was much discussion surrounding their potential to widen access to higher education internationally and notably among 'developing' communities.... more
When open online courses first appeared within the broader educational landscape there was much discussion surrounding their potential to widen access to higher education internationally and notably among 'developing' communities. However, as the course format has matured it has become clear that the issue is far more complex than simple availability, requiring more considered analysis to better understand problems and develop the kinds of learning design approaches that could offer both technical and cultural inclusivity. This qualitative study looked to explore these issues, conducting semi-structured interviews with educational professionals who were not only engaged in open online course development but had produced courses that had attracted a significant proportion of their learners from low-resource settings. Inductive thematic analysis of the data revealed that while it is thought that the key traits of the format could offer flexibility and rich educational experiences to learners in these settings, educators face many difficulties in catering to diverse and often unknown audiences. There are nevertheless a range of attitudes and pedagogic stances that could be adopted to address, if not entirely solve, issues of cross-cultural relevance within courses. Based on these findings it is recommended that those who wish to develop courses that are both accessible and offer positive learning experiences for global learners should adopt a reflexive stance within the design process. This involves active acknowledgement of the benefits and drawbacks of the format, but furthermore requires the learning designer to engage with the principles of openness from technical, cultural, and pedagogic perspectives.