Professionalizing the professionals

Aangepast op 10 februari 2012 Door Eky Fioole

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Conferentie: Online EDUCA Berlin, 2010
Door: Eky Fioole
Presentatie: presentatie

 

Abstract:
The Learning and Innovation Center of Avans University of Applied Sciences uses a broad scala of instruments to professionalize staff and students in the use of IT in education in accordance with our view on learning and teaching in a creative and innovative way. At Avans we developed a strategy on professionalizing staff members and students that encompasses earlier developped models, has a double focus and contains both analog and virtual elements.

In 2009 Avans University formulated her view on the virtual learning environment (VLE) needed in 2014. A view of a futuristic, hybrid learning environment, created in a co-makership with over 300 participants using a variety of workshops.

Our future virtual learning environment will be hybrid, a combination of a VLE, offered by the university and a personal learning environment, based on the personal preferences of students and staff. A VLE aimed at supporting, provoking and stimulating learning and learningprocesses and  supported by a content system for storing, sharing and managing all learningmaterials.

Students, staff and management defined the following 5 elements as key elements of the VLE of 2014:

  • Information: 1 interface for all information used in learning and learningprocesses

  • Communication: 1 on 1, but also supporting groups, within Avans University and the outside world

  • Collaboration: by students, students-staff, staff and the professional field

  • Sharing of Content, Experiences and Ideas: students as prosumers

  • Meeting: face-2-face and virtual alike.

In 2010 we started implementing Blackboard 9.1 as a first step in realizing this view on the VLE of 2014. A virtual learning environment that can only be realised when combined with a long term strategy on professionalizing all our stakeholders.

Our strategy on professionalizing Avans University
In order to achieve the learning environment of 2014, Avans developped a strategy on professionalizing all stakeholders, based on:

  • a short term focus on professionalizing a variety of stakeholders based on the approach of  ‘How to survive…’  

  • a long term approach, focussed on the integration of ICT in our learningprocesses, based on our view on learning and teaching

  • re-using existing models for professionalising, consisting of both analog and virtual instruments

The implementation of Blackboard 9.1, the VLE for Avans affects 23.000 students and 2200 staff members, who use Blackboard on a daily basis. Defining a top-5 of changes and offering walk-in workshops, roadshows with best practices and different forms of supportmaterials proved to be a major testcase on engaging the Avans community.