Update on the eCommunications FdA Project: 14 11 08

We are currently half way through the delivery of the second semester to the first cohort (Feb 08 starters) and halfway through the first semester for the second cohort (Sept 08 starters).

Student numbers

eCommunications First Cohort. (Began: February 2008)
Semester 1
28 students began. There have been 5 withdrawals
eCommunications First Cohort. (Began: February 2008)
Semester 2
23 students began this semester, including 1 who has yet to fully enrol.
2 withdrew in the first few weeks.

Authoring of materials and related issues

Modules 1-6 have been fully completed.
Semester 1 has been redesigned for the delivery of the second cohort who began in September 2008. The Action plan from the Annual Quality review includes most of the changes required and also lists several more points that need attention. Some of these points came out of the Exam Board held in September 2008.
Modules 7-12 are being designed and written.

First Exam Board. 10.09.08

All the students in the cohort successfully passed the first two modules. The averaged student mark for both these modules produced nine distinctions and nine merits or good merits.

The team were praised for the online materials, teaching, marking and support given to the students. Action points arising from this Exam Board are covered in the College’s Quality Review Action plan which is preferred to later.

Future enrolment

We have decided to open up enrolment for Sept 09. This began on week beginning 10.11.09

Use of Social Software – Blogs, Wiki and Forum

This is again going well and I am capturing data on how students are using this technology

Evaluation

Data has been collected on how staff and students have experienced using the social software. Additionally data has been collected on staff trialling the software and student knowledge and experience before they started the course.
A focus in the first delivery of semester 1 was how students have engaged with the wiki.
Several initial reports have been produced on this and placed on the project wiki. The Interim reports to JISC, also on the project wiki, have been concerned with this too.
A face to face meeting is to be arranged before Jan 2009 to investigate student use and experience of the blogs and forum.
Future reports will be placed on the project wiki and sent to JISC.
These reports will form the basis of the dissemination.

BA Hons Progression

Several meetings have taken place on this to firm up the content and methods of delivery. The last meeting was scheduled for 13.11.08 but has been rearranged for a future date. Decisions have been taken on modules, and delivery.

Dissemination

The educational use use of blogs, wikis and the forum was included in two inhouse training sessions: ‘Top Tips Training’ delivered to Sheffield College staff on 2.7.08

To date our experience of Social Software has worked, but it may not always do so. It would be good to disseminate as late as possible so as to capture more student experience. Dissemination is a required part of the JISC project but also an invaluable part of how the online eCommunications Dept publicises its work and raises its profile.