Developing Student Learning Autonomy Via an Outcome Based Multi-Modal Delivery Strategy

DEVELOPING STUDENT LEARNING AUTONOMY VIA AN OUTCOME BASED MULTI-MODAL DELIVERY STRATEGY.

Julie Hilton & Mark Challinor, Senior Lecturers - University of Derby School of Management.

Introduction to the Project

This paper discusses the work of a team of lecturers in the Undergraduate Division of the School of Management at the University of Derby 1994/95. The authors of the paper are responsible for a centrally funded project sponsored by the Academic Development Fund (ADF), of the University of Derby. The project aims to enhance the learning experience of a thousand students enrolled on a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business and Finance. The subject areas that the project is currently focusing on are Marketing and Finance.

The ADF project is still in an early stage of development and the work can only be seen in the context of the management and culture of the whole course. This paper offers an examination of the work done so far towards creating an environment which encourages the student to become an independent learner.

Rationale for the Project

The ADF project is part of implementation of a University strategy designed to move from "Teaching to Learning". The University is currently designing a new Learning Resource Centre and several projects are investigating using various media to facilitate student learning.

The origins of this project are in work done by Marketing lecturers in 1992/93. Lecturers used Student Resource Books to structure the first year Marketing Course and found that particularly with large numbers and high staff /student ratios there were many advantages derived from providing students with material prior to both lectures and seminars. The work done was published as a case study by Eastcott et al (1994)

Project Philosophy

The approach of the lecturing team in the School is based on assumptions which are derived from some of the current work in the field of Service Management. Education is considered to share common characteristics with other service industries. The student is seen as one of the customers of the University. A large University with its many internal and external services is a complex live environment. There are a multiplicity of salient variables which can impinge on delivering a service to all the University's customers.

The student is perceived as a customer who participates to a greater or lesser extent in the management of his or her own learning. The approach of the team is to view the student experience as one which must be managed in a manner which takes into account student expectations of the learning process and the relationship between server (lecturer) and the customer (student).

Operationalising the Approach

The starting point for this management process are the expectations students have about the professional relationship between academic staff and student on entering the University in the first year. Qualitative research in the first few weeks of the course measures the initial expectations of the students. One recurring theme is the expectation of the "power balance" between student and academic staff. A high degree of overt instruction is desired together with one to one quasi-parental contact when required. The customer is, within the parameters of the professional educational relationship, dependent. Students often do not envisage a change in the power relationship over time.

Academic staff have a different perspective. On the one hand the resources are not present to allow customised individual contact to the extent that students feel they need. On the other,

direct continuous didactic instruction, as the principle mode of delivery, is antipathetic to the goals and ethos of modern higher education and inconsistent with encouraging learner autonomy. The aim of tutors is to encourage students to become effective and responsible learners who can solve problems and reflect on experience without the intervention of formal tutors.

Management of the gap in expectations is therefore the starting point of course design for this project. In simple terms materials developed must take into account the hidden messages that are sent to the student with regard to expections of their role in the learning process. The active participation of the learner is desirable and the student needs to feel secure enough and recognise the validity of autonomous learning behaviour. A shift in attitude by the student requires attention to several facets by the service providers. Again work done with regard to closing quality gaps in the Service Management field provides a useful perspective. A relationship of trust between staff and students will rely on the students perception of the Course and the servers as the "right" quality, Edvardsson et al (1994).

Parasuramal et al (1985) researched into the criteria by which customers evaluate the service offered. These are , RELIABILITY, RESPONSIVENESS, ASSURANCE, EMPATHY, AND TANGIBLES. Measures undertaken in the School of Management in the School of Management to improve the perception of students include:-

Reliability - printed syllabus content with time scales, assignment timetables covering the academic year,workbooks,regular feedback on work.

Responsiveness - student representative system and regular course committee meetings with staff designated to respond to quality issues.

Assurance - student handbooks with detailed information on administrative and pastoral systems, communication systems with students via personal comunication drawers.

Empathy - Staff training, personal tutor system, measurement of relationship through regular attitude surveys and course meetings.

Tangibles - High quality resource material for lectures and seminars, a refurbishment and building programme to establish a pleasant working environment.

The visibility of Management measures to maintain and measure quality is an important part of the whole process of opening up the discussion of learning methods and of establishing a culture which encourages active participation.

Similarly the fact that the course is written in terms of learning outcomes is intended to de-

mystify and clarify the competence that the student should be to demonstrate at the end of the Course. This should not limit the achievements of the student, the clear specification of requirements to pass provides a structure which allows the student to progress in learning.

The role of the project is to develop materials which will allow both staff and students the opportunity to learn in an individual manner secure in the knowledge that there is guidance available and assessment criteria are clearly laid out. Also as the nature of the relationship between student and academic staff members changes, the materials need to help to reaffirm the development of the learner as an independent problem solver.

The degree of student learning autonomy achieved is clearly a function of the stage of development of both the student and tutor. Staff need to be inculcated with norms regarding both the development of learner based course material and given guides for student conduct. It is pragmatically unlikely that the student will move toward a more self reliant approach to learning if staff seek to retain control of the process via a didactic approach. The project team are involved are involved in staff development programmes and aim to support staff with resources produced for example a staff handbook.

The production of learning resources is centred around a shift in perception of the roles of tutor and tutee. Materials for independent student learning, however, can be linked to traditional modes of teaching to permit both tutor and tutee the "security" of traditional process. Nevertheless the aim is to create an integrated package of modes of learning which allow the student to move increasingly toward independence. This move is encouraged by the nature of the material which the student can encounter via each media. For example the student is always, even in lectures given the opportunity to apply the concepts being explored or reflect on an issue with other students.

The project team operationalises this approach in the following manner. The various media available to the learner have been identified and the individual strengths of the mode of delivery are assessed for that topic area:-

_ COMPUTER BASED MATERIALS - Allow in-depth exploration of a topic in the student's own time.

_ LECTURE - Outlines an highlight general topics of interest in the topic area.

_ SEMINAR - Examination of case studies prepared beforehand.

_ VIDEO TAPED LECTURE - Stand alone lecture on a related theme.

_ TAPED STUDIO INTERVIEWS - for example interviews with local business people re: product portfolios.

_ WORKBOOK - Directory of resources for this topic area, Lecture and seminar hand outs, Questions for relection and formative assessment.

For each subject area of the course the tutor identifies the role of learning media. For example, the lecture will normally be used to indicate general areas of interest and flag up key issues. A computer based tutorial might allow the student to explore a particular topic in depth and perhaps to relate this to the more general subject concepts. The student can refer to a workbook which integrates the two and also guides the student as to other areas of resource for the topic under consideration. All materials are produced with the learning outcomes and relevant assessment criteria forming the basis for the material developed. There also has to be provision for the student to constantly monitor his/her progress outside formally (tutor) conducted assessment.

The role of Computer Based tutorials is now discussed in greater detail to illustrate the operationalisation of the multi-modal approach on the BTEC HND Business and Finance course.

Developing Computer Based Tutorials

The computer based element is developed initially by reference to the learning outcomes which should be achieved by students by the end of a module. The project team take the general outcomes for the module from the HND validation document and apply them to specific topic areas within the module. The specific topic area is used as a vehicle to enable the student to develop the skills required in this module. The computer based element is an excellent medium for allowing the student to learn, explore and demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcome(s). Computer based tutorials seek to enhance other inputs rather than replace them. They allow the student to consider a sub-set of the main topic in more detail and provide the student with an opportunity to take control of the achievement of learning outcomes.

For example an extant HND Marketing module, "Introduction to Marketing Management", to illustrate the development process. Part of the indicative content of this module involves "the marketing mix and its modern variations". As augmentation to the mainstream delivery of this topic, a computer based tutorial would examine one element of the marketing mix eg. product. A title for the tutorial could be:-

"Understanding and Implementing the Marketing Mix through Product"

The process for development is:-

i) Examine learning outcomes for module. Relevant outcomes for this topic area are:

_"Describe the Marketing Mix model and explain its relevance to Marketing Management".

_"Apply the mix elements in a market orientated manner".

_"Recall simple models of mix implementation including a model of new product idea generation and development".

ii)Examine the topic area for opportunities to demonstrate the learning outcomes referred to above by producing assessment criteria.The student will have have demonstrated the learning outcomes in this context when they:

a) Define product and its various levels.

b) Decompose product to expose benefits offered to targets.

c) Differentiate between tangible and intangible dimensions of a product.

d) Integrate a product with the Marketing Mix.

iii)Operationalise achievement of the outcomes listed above by Supplying examples which demonstrate ideas and concepts. This consists of three elements comprising:-

_The presentation of ideas and concepts.

_Student application of ideas and concepts.

_Opportunity for student self administered assessment.

Presentation of Ideas and Concepts.

Student shown example of levels of product for a hotel bedroom:-

GENERIC PRODUCT - hotel bedroom.

EXPECTED PRODUCT - clean sheets, hot water, light, warmth, furniture, towels.

AUGMENTED PRODUCT (tangible) - Fresh flowers, minibar, Dressing gowns fresh flowers, trouser press, tea and coffee making facilities, "themed" decor. (intangible) - Room booking system, room service, speed of changeover.

POTENTIAL PRODUCT - water bed, satelite TV, enhanced decor, panoramic views.

Student Application of Ideas and Concepts

Presenting the student with material which permits practice of the competences with reference to current products.

Student asked to decompose another product eg. a car. Student then receives a suggested response:

GENERIC PRODUCT - motor car.

(Core benefit - Transport.)

EXPECTED PRODUCT - 4 Wheels, weather protection, effective brakes etc.

AUGMENTED PRODUCT (tangible) - Central locking, sunroof, radio cassette/ CD player.(intangible) - Warranty, dealer network, trade in value, prestige.

POTENTIAL PRODUCT - Electric motor, satellite navigation

Student Self Administered Assessment

Student undertakes multiple choice questions, for example:-

Q. An extended guarantee on a new vacuum cleaner is;

a) The expected product.

b) The core benefit.

c) The augmented product (tangible).

d) The augmented product (intangible).

The self evaluation process is integrated into the students application of ideas and concepts. Each student will, however, receive a score on completion of the module which further demonstrates whether they have understood the approach in using product in the marketing mix. The tutorials are text driven but include diagrams, still photography, some small "bytes" of video, "talking heads" and sound. It is recognised that assessment through this media is limited to a fairly superficial level and that qualitative assessment will have to take place through other media.

The project team hope to further develop the use of tutorial packages with the use of "Microcosm" which allows the student to be more proactive in exploring related concepts which have not been structured by the tutor. It is recognised by the team that tutor dominated assessment and structure has to be superseded by student controlled work.

"Effective learning also involves learners being able to influence their own learning rather than waiting for others to do so, that is being proactive". Boud (1985)

Conclusion

There is an inherent dichotomy in promoting student learning autonomy via tutor led structured materials but it is possible to structure to encourage student exploration of an issue. Whilst the size of the course at Derby will only permit this within limits, the project at the University of Derby aims to create materials which encourage students to learn in a variety of ways some of which do not require the involvement of the tutor at the time of delivery. It is hoped the staff will be aided in their tuition by these materials.

The establishment of a learning culture is a many faceted management process and no one focus will provide solutions. The project is still in its early stages but if attention is paid in the development of the programme to students' expectations of learning, in all aspects of course design, the project should help to enhance the learning experience of the student.

REFERENCES

Boud, D., (1995), "Enhancing Learning Through Self Assessment", Kogan Page: London.

Eastcott, D., Farmer, B., & Gibbs, G., (1994), "Course Design for Resource Based

Learning", Oxford Brookes University Publication: Oxford.

Edvardsson, B., Thomasson, B., Ovretveit, J., (1995), "Quality of Service - Making It Really Work", McGraw Hill: Maidenhead.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A., & Berry, L.L., (1985), "A Conceptual Model of Service Quality", Journal of Retailing, Vol 49, pp 41 - 50.