Teaching and Learning
Here, I explore my experiences and reflections on enhancing teaching, learning, and assessment through technology.
Empowering eLearning: Transforming Education
In my role at IKON Training, I have been instrumental in integrating technology into our teaching, learning, and assessment processes. This involved a deep understanding of pedagogical principles and how they can be enhanced through technology.
Understanding of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
Teaching
Classroom Teacher
With over a decade of experience as a Classroom Teacher, my journey includes presenting at the BETT Exhibition, as highlighted in a video here. I achieved Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in 2010. This journey reflects a dedication to innovative teaching methods and a commitment to continuous professional development.
Robotics Club
After a two-year hiatus, I've recently re-engaged with education, conducting a series of Robotics workshops, details of which can be found here. My enthusiasm for robotics was ignited in 2013 when I coached a team at the RoboCup World Finals, an experience that profoundly shaped my career. Initially, my focus was on programming simulated robots within a CoSpace environment. Since then, I've led teams to European competitions and achieved success in virtual world championships, broadening my expertise to encompass LEGO robotics, as well as Arduino and Raspberry Pi-based devices.
Over consecutive years of teaching computing concepts through both virtual and tangible robotics, I observed a marked difference in learning outcomes. Students seem to grasp and retain computing concepts more effectively when they can apply them to physical robots. This observation was the crux of a presentation I delivered at INSPE in France, where I discussed the significant educational benefits of enquiry-based learning in robotics, especially when coupled with physical problem-solving tasks.
Although the intended comparative project on these educational methodologies was interrupted by the pandemic and Brexit, my conviction in the power of hands-on learning remains unshaken. This belief was further reinforced by my ventures into 3D Printed Manipulatives, which I'm keen to delve deeper into. I am continually seeking opportunities to expand my knowledge in this field, particularly in projects that marry digital or simulated scenarios with tactile experiences, such as those found within an immersive studio setting.
Delivered Training at the University of Suffolk
At the University of Suffolk, I led training sessions on learning technologies such as Kahoot, Slido, Padlet, and 3D Printing. My role in guiding staff in Learning Design and content creation for the BrightSpace LMS was acknowledged by Dr Ruth Flaherty, a Senior Lecturer in Law. This involvement highlights my expertise in educational technology and its practical application in higher education.
"Richard is a brilliant colleague to work with. He has creative ideas and is very skilled in carrying them out. I have had the pleasure of working with him for two academic years, as well as attending some of his training. His teaching style is very informative and accessible, and he brings this knowledge to a project I am working on to bring 3D printing into the classroom. He has wide-ranging knowledge in this area, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him."
Learning
Storyboarding for IKON Academy
The implementation of Moodle as our eLearning platform had a transformative impact on our teaching and learning approaches. The platform's flexibility allowed us to create custom learning paths, implement various assessment types, and provide instant feedback to learners. This instant feedback mechanism was particularly effective in supporting formative assessment strategies, enabling learners to understand their progress and areas for improvement in real-time.
Moreover, the adoption of Moodle facilitated a shift towards a more learner-centred approach. It allowed learners to take control of their learning journey, accessing content at their own pace and revisiting materials as needed. This shift not only enhanced learner autonomy but also fostered a more engaging and personalised learning experience.
Reflecting on this experience, I realise the critical role that technology plays in modern education. It's not just about digitising existing content; it's about rethinking how we teach and assess to leverage technology's potential fully. My experience with the Empowering eLearning Plan has reinforced my belief in continuous innovation and adaptation in educational practices to meet the evolving needs of learners in a digital age.
In conclusion, my involvement in the development and implementation of the Empowering eLearning Plan has been a journey of growth and discovery. It has deepened my understanding of the interplay between technology, teaching, and learning and has reinforced the importance of a learner-centred approach in education.
Assessment
Pedagogic Approaches – Assessment for Learning.
After completing my SCITT course and earning my PGCE and QTS, I spent over a decade as a classroom teacher. During this time, I embraced various teaching strategies, experiencing firsthand the value of integrating theoretical concepts into practical application—a practice I continue in digital education. Effective learning is built on a foundation of proper assessment. One can't assume to impart knowledge without first understanding a learner's preconceptions and base-level knowledge. This becomes particularly challenging in digital education, whether during live online sessions or creating e-learning modules.
In my experience, higher education and corporate learning often overlook the role of assessment in shaping educational practice, assuming instead that learners start with a blank slate (or ‘tabula rasa’). For every training session I conducted, I made it a point to assess each participant's existing knowledge and clarify their expected outcomes.
For the IKON academy learning platform, the modules I have designed start with a 'Mythbusting' quiz. This isn't just to gauge understanding; it's an opportunity for learners to express their perceptions, allowing us to provide feedback that's tailored to their individual responses. An area for growth would be leveraging these initial assessments more effectively. By sharing the results with our trainers, we can better inform their approach to personalise the learning experience further. This would help us address specific misunderstandings and knowledge gaps, making our sessions even more relevant and beneficial for each learner.
Video Assignments at the University of Suffolk
At the University of Suffolk, I worked with academics to create a range of support materials to facilitate and encourage the use of formative assessment, particularly though video assignments.
During the pandemic, it proved technically difficult for students to practise their presentation skills, often having to submit presentations and then provide a voice-over via video-call, or submit a written report instead of presenting in a traditional manner. Although some lecturers were able to facilitate this through the use of screen-sharing software, such as Teams and Zoom, there was no unified formal way for this type of formative assessment to be carried out.
I researched the tools available within the universities suite of software and concluded that this would be best achieved through Bongo's Video Assignment tools.
With pedagogy in mind and in liaison with lecturers over many hours of video calls, I created various work-flows for students, lecturers and administrators.
For the students, I created a helpful step-by-step guide to submitting a video assignment. This was made using H5P, to ensure accessibility and portability to different devices.
For the lecturers, I worked with them to create not only an H5P guide but also a time-tabled work-flow document to encourage the use of video assignments. This guide also promoted best practise in the use of formative feedback techniques.
Finally, for the academic support staff, I created guides on how best to create and administer these submission portals to reduce the incidence of mistakes.
After a period of testing all elements within a sandbox environment, the process was tested on a live module. I gathered qualitative feedback from lecturers and administrators during a series of video calls and via email. I then proceeded to modify the work-flows and associated guides to improve efficiency.
The results of the work were then promoted across the university, with the guides and workflows now in use across multiple courses.
In the process, I received the following feedback from one of the senior lecturers:
"Sometimes it really feels like there are so many things that aren’t working or can be improved that you focus on that, so when there is something good to report I think you should take the time."
"I just wanted to say that I think Richard Williams is great and such a pleasure to work with. He’s really an asset to UoS and always willing to help and problem-solve."
INRAP
As part of INRAP, I focus on evolving assessment practices in education. My role as an Assessment Coordinator involved revamping procedures and integrating new technologies for efficient data collection, demonstrating my commitment to enhancing assessment processes.
Understanding the Target Learners
Empowering eLearning Plan: Revolutionising IKON Training’s Learning Delivery
This year marked the initiation of the Empowering eLearning Plan, an ambitious project aimed at advancing IKON Training’s learning delivery to a new level. This multifaceted endeavour encompasses several key areas, including curriculum development, learning design, and the seamless integration of diverse assessment strategies into our digital platform.
Pedagogic Approach to Instructional Design
A guiding force in this process has been Merrill's First Principles of Instructional Design, which provided a comprehensive framework for the project. Extensive discussions with learning professionals and colleagues on social media platforms were instrumental in choosing the most effective pedagogical approach, leading to a strategic approach for storyboarding our learning modules on the Moodle Platform.
The courses were meticulously aligned with Merrill’s principles, ensuring the inclusion of practical scenarios, instructional videos, interactive exercises, and regular assessments. This strategic alignment was pivotal in enhancing the educational quality and pedagogical soundness of our offerings.
Understanding the preferences, technological competencies, and backgrounds of our learners was crucial. In-depth needs assessments provided essential data that informed the design of eLearning content, making it both relevant and accessible to all learners.
Creating Inclusive Content for Casual Learners
In pursuit of inclusivity, we offered content in diverse formats such as text, audio, and video, supplemented with interactive elements. This approach adhered to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, accommodating learners with varied preferences or disabilities.
The strategic selection of Moodle as our eLearning platform exploited its flexibility, enabling the creation of custom learning paths, varied assessment types, and instant feedback – crucial aspects of our formative assessment strategies.
Our courses were aligned to provide real-world scenarios, clear instructional videos, interactive exercises, and consistent assessments, ensuring high-quality educational offerings that effectively met the learning needs of our audience.
Our initial focus was on casual learners who access our LMS for skill refreshment following in-person training sessions. Accordingly, the learning journey was carefully curated to cater to these specific needs.
A mobile-first design approach was adopted for the platform, featuring intuitive, image-based navigation to facilitate easy access for casual learners to the learning resources they need to revisit.
To cater to a diverse range of learning styles, we incorporated UDL principles into our eLearning platform. This included providing content in multiple formats – text, audio, video – and integrating interactive elements, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all learners, regardless of their learning preferences or disabilities.
Comprehensive Understanding of Target Learners
My experience in developing the Empowering eLearning Plan at IKON Training has been pivotal in understanding our diverse learners. This involved a multifaceted approach, including curriculum development and integrating various assessment strategies into our digital learning platform.
A cornerstone of this project was adopting Merrill's First Principles of Instructional Design. By consulting with colleagues and learning professionals, I chose an effective pedagogical approach for storyboarding our modules on Moodle. My focus was on creating courses with practical scenarios, instructional videos, interactive exercises, and regular assessments. This alignment enhanced our offerings' educational quality and effectiveness.
Conducting thorough needs assessments was critical in understanding our learners. This helped ascertain their preferences, technological capabilities, and backgrounds, guiding the design of relevant and accessible eLearning content. By offering diverse formats like text, audio, and video, and including interactive elements, we adhered to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, catering to learners with different preferences or disabilities.
Moodle’s flexibility allowed for the creation of custom learning paths and various assessment types, providing instant feedback essential for formative assessment. A key aspect of our course design was focusing on practical application, ensuring our offerings met our audience's learning needs effectively.
One unique challenge was catering to casual learners, who primarily access our LMS for skill refreshment after in-person training. I curated the learning journey to suit their needs, focusing on a mobile-first platform design with intuitive, image-based navigation. This approach enabled easy access for learners to revisit resources, enhancing their learning experience.