Increasing Staff and Student Capacity to Use the Communication Facility in Queen's Online in Order to Support Learning and Teaching on a BSW Programme

Abstract

In this article the authors explore and evaluate developments in the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) within social work education at Queen's University Belfast since the inception of the new degree in social work. They look at the staff development strategy utilised to increase teacher confidence and competence in use of the Queen's Online virtual learning environment tools as well as the student experience of participation in modules involving online discussions. The authors conclude that the project provided further opportunity to reflect on how ICT can be used as a platform to support a whole course in a systematic and coordinated way and to ensure all staff remained abreast of ongoing developments in the use of ICT to support learning which is a normative expectation of students entering universities. A very satisfying outcome for the leaders is our observation of the emergence of other ‘experts’ in different aspects of use of ICT amongst the staff team. This project also shows that taking a team as opposed to an individual approach can be particularly beneficial.

Keywords:

• Online Discussion
• Discussion Forums
• ICT in Social Work Education
• ICT in the Curriculum
• Action Research
• Online Communication
• Virtual Learning Environment
• “Community of Practice”

Notes

1. E.g. the staff from CED ran a training course on e‐learning on Day 2 to provide a refresher and overview of use of the communications section of QOL and also attended further meetings to provide advice and assistance where required; Media Service personnel attended two staff days in 2005–2006 to provide input and support on use of new tools such as ‘Personal Response Systems’.

2. Over the period of the four academic years, e‐learning and use of QOL was maintained as an agenda item at: BSW planning meetings; module evaluations and review meetings; staff student consultative committees; end of year programme reviews; and BSW collaborative partnerships made up of academic and social work agency/training team staff/students and chaired by a training manager from the trusts.

3. In addition to the six specified set days, e‐learning and use of QOL was maintained as an agenda item at: BSW meetings, staff student consultative committees, end of year programme reviews; and BSW collaborative partnerships.

4. As part of the dissemination of this project, a QUB HEA lunchtime seminar paper was presented in November 2006.

5. E.g. involvement in SWAP e‐learning think‐tank; SCIE E Learning Materials Advisory group (SELMAG); DIVERSE 2006 Conference; and organisation of an e‐learning seminar at QUB on 4 October 2007 (with SWAP).

6. For e.g.: a special seminar to disseminate the results of this project to practice teachers and other interested parties in the region was held in November 2006.