08. Pan-Commonwealth Forum 8 (PCF8), 2016
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- ItemMetadata onlyKeynote Address: Efficiency and Effectiveness(2016-11-30) Wiley, DavidPresented by Dr David Wiley, Chief Academic Officer, Lumen Learning, at the Eighth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, 30 November 2016, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- ItemMetadata onlyKeynote Address: Quality and Equity in Learning(2016-11-28) Fadzil, MansorPresented by Professor Dato' Dr Mansor Fadzil, President/Vice-Chancellor, Open University of Malaysia, at the Eight Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, 28 November 2016, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- ItemOpen AccessIncorporating a Game Based Approach in the Orientation Package of an Online Course: A Case Study of UU204(2016-11) Racule, EroniOnline learning is in its infant stages in the South Pacific region and both the student and teacher have yet to fully comprehend its dynamics, demands and the pedagogies associated with this mode of learning. The Orientation Activity in UU204 was designed (using standard Moodle tools) to alleviate this problem and also address the issues encountered in the previous offerings of the course; it provides students with a preview of what to expect in this online course in an innovative and fun way. The orientation package used a gamification approach (Amazing Race). When a student has finished unpacking it, they would have answered most of their queries about the course and online learning. Students would also have accessed the support structures available within the course and the University, acquired the skills required of an online learner, and had a hands-on experience for the core Moodle tools that would be extensively used in the course. The main objective of the study was to examine whether the orientation had an impact on student online readiness and the attrition rates for the course. The research examined the course offer in two semesters and it involved an average of 770 students per semester. // Paper ID 423
- ItemOpen AccessBachelor of Software Engineering: A Case Study for an Effective Degree Programme(2016-11) Ratnayake, H U W; Udugama, L S KHow can the application of open, online and flexible education provide employability at the highest professional level? This is made possible with the Bachelor of Software Engineering (BSE) Degree programme offered at The Open University of Sri Lanka applying appropriate technology and innovative approaches meeting the demand in software industry. In this paper, we discuss the effectiveness of the programme according to the graduate employability and employer satisfaction. The degree programme was initiated due to enormous demand from the industry for IT specialists. Accordingly, the main objective of the programme was set as producing quality graduates to meet the software industry requirements. The curriculum was designed considering IEEE/ACM guidelines matching any benchmark. As the industry partnership and collaboration are important in curriculum/syllabi design and providing industry placements, an MOU was signed with Sri Lanka Association of Software and Services Companies. The effectiveness of the degree programme has been qualitatively analysed from the responses of the graduates of the BSE programme. Seven batches of students have been enrolled to date, 53 have graduated and 130 are currently following the programme. Our survey indicates higher employability of the graduates in the software industry while others work in IT related occupations or are entrepreneurs. Employers are highly satisfied with the graduates. We believe that, the commencement of this degree programme has been a timely venture when open and flexible learning is becoming very popular in the world today. These graduates will contribute actively and constructively towards future challenging endeavours that would have a significant impact in the development of Sri Lanka. // Paper ID 384
- ItemOpen AccessEffectiveness of Agile Design in Wrap-Around Content Development(2016-11) Gaspard-Richards, DeniseODL is growing at The University of the West Indies and on the premise of increasing access, the demands on the curriculum development unit of the institution’s fourth campus – The Open Campus, has increased by more than 300 percent. This paper addresses issues of effectiveness in an agile learning design process which relies on the wrap around content development method. The method assumes efficiencies in the production of a greater volume of course materials that utilize fewer resources. The paper discusses the practical implementation of the agile learning design in seven (7) undergraduate and four (4) graduate programmes over a twelve (12) month development cycle – February 2015 to January 2016, paying attention to the use of templates to focus the content development process; use of OERs to reinvent the learner experiences with the course materials; redesigned orientation and training of course developers; and streamlining and standardization of policies, protocols and processes. With the institutional commitment to increasing access and the high expectations placed on the curriculum development unit for accelerated course development, the paper discusses agile learning design and the successes and challenges experienced in using the wrap around method for achieving scale and sustainability in course design and development. In this setting how can the institution assure sustainability and effectiveness in the production of its online course materials? Does use of an agile learning design lead to development of course materials at the required quality standard? Are the processes sustainable? What are the efficiencies for the institution? // The paper also addresses the management of change, responsiveness to change in the agile learning design and will provide an indicative assessment of the effectiveness of the institutional processes. The outcomes are intended to be part of a continuing assessment over the life of a two (2) year course development project. // Paper ID 383