This was a Parallel Workshop session I attended at the CDE conference. I actually changed my choice of strands when I heard Denise Whitelock from the Open University introduce e-Assessment (check out Denise’s Blog). She was simply inspiring, saying that it is Assessment that drives the learning – so I had to go along and investigate…

Well, it didn’t disappoint! The strand provided some of the best information and presentations I’ve seen in some years at any conference, and in particular was Tim Wade (responsible for assessment in the university’s external programme) who delivered a fascinating presentation based on his experience. His main thrust was that, in order to provide effective distance learning we have to appreciate the experience from the learner’s perspective – this is something I’ve been evangalising for a number of years in the post-16 sector; how many of us can say that we’ve been e-Learners, or even tried out our own e-Learning courses? (more…)

I recently attended the CDE Conference at the Brunei Galleries, SOAS, called ‘Present Findings and Future agendas’. The conference set out to ‘investigate the pedagogy of distance education’ and, focussing on the research from the last 3-4 years, set out some priorities for the next 3-4 years. Dr John Olcott Jr. (CEO of Observatory of Borderless HE) bravely battled laryngitis to give a keynote presentation looking at some of the key issues for Distance Education. (more…)

Last December ULCC held it’s inaugural Moodle/e-Learning event, bringing together well over 100 delegates to participate in a hugely successful day. The event, hosted by Working Men’s College, was oversubscribed and closed to bookings a month beforehand. Even the inevitable bout of influenza couldn’t keep the punters away, and it was standing room only!

(You can see the programme, along with the workshops on the ULCC website)

The opening keynote, bravely delivered by a sickly John Gray, set the question early on:

“Much has been said, written and done in pursuit of an e-transformation that could, it is argued, benefit all involved – and their organisations. Has it happened anywhere yet? Will it? Should it? What does the future hold?” (more…)