Ed/Tech must-reads 300424

Way off the mark, a new ranking in the making from Neil Mosley

Like a big, sad, weird nerd, I have been eagerly awaiting news about the upcoming Times Higher Education ranking system announced late last year. I predicted that it will provide a few shocks, with otherwise high-ranked institutions not ranking quite so highly. So this update from Neil Mosley, indicating that more than a few HEIs have withdrawn probably shouldn’t have shocked me. (I’m not angry, just disappointed).

Mosley takes a relatively skeptical view of the entire plan, based on them not having worked in the online learning space before. Given how deeply flawed most ranking systems are already - drawing too heavily on ‘the vibe’ and the opinions of a cadre of thought leaders - I don’t see how it would be that much worse. But he makes some points to consider in noting that it is unclear whether it will evaluate at a course or institution level, what impact partnerships with OPMs will have, whether online learning is being viewed differently, and who was involved in the design of the scheme in the first place. It’s well worth a read while we wait for the results to drop.

Evaluating technology enhanced learning by using single-case experimental design: A systematic review from BJET

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of using one-off interventions to make a case that a TEL (technology enhanced/enabled learning) approach is valid, mostly because they are small and driven by local factors. I’m still not convinced after reading this paper which scans the literature and points out that many studies fail to reflect on their limitations. Not all studies though. This is useful for getting a general overview of the current state of play in TEL research

SoTEL.NZ Virtual Symposium 2024 Abstracts from Pacific Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning

SoTEL is the scholarship of TEL and our kiwi colleagues provide a lively community for examining what is happening there. This page provides abstracts of presentations from the event

Did teaching and learning quality end up on the cutting room floor of the University Accord? Did it even make it to the table? from Needed Now in Learning and Teaching

When the Australian Higher Education Accord final report dropped on Feb 25, I had two thoughts. (One more than normal, so I guess that’s a win). How were professional staff only discussed (as a problem, no less) once in a 408 page document, and why was the section on how we improve learning and teaching so thin. Em Prof Denise Chalmers explores the second of these questions in a far more thoughtful manner than I did and offering some valuable background.