The role
of the learning technologist
The role of the learning technologist is vital
to the success of e-learning. Our work which brings
together pedagogy and technology ensures that many
innovative projects enhance learning and teaching.
Ever changing technologies make the work exciting
as you continually face the challenge of exploring
new technologies and reflecting on their pedagogical
potential. However, this also presents the challenge
of keeping up-to-date.
Scott Miller, Essex, defined a learning technologist
as someone who meets the following definition: “A
learning technologist is employed with a core activity
of the job to promote and/or support the pedagogically
effective uptake of specific 'learning technologies'.
Learning technologies are the systematic application
of communication and information technologies to
increase the efficiency and effectiveness of education
through the design, implementation, use and evaluation
of learning resources, organisational structures
and methods. Because a learning technologist promotes
and supports change in educational practice they
understand not only the pedagogical principles
and the technology available, but also how to make
best use of the latter to support and serve those
principles.” http://www.dur.ac.uk/ltteam/tltofficers
Learning technologists may be based in a central
unit such as the IT Service, the Library, a Learning
and Teaching support centre or a Staff Development
Unit. Their work combines education and technology
and the most appropriate base for them will vary
according to the context of their institution.
Tensions can arise if they are not based in the
best place for them to undertake their work. The
remit of centrally based learning technologists
is usually to support and develop e-learning across
the whole institution. Other learning technologists
may be based within departments, faculties or schools
and their remit is primarily to support more specific
subject areas. For some people learning technology
is just part of their job. Helen Beetham’s
study of learning technologists in 2001 identified
4500 centrally located, 3500 departmentally located
in UK universities, plus 8000 departmentally based
academics who also work in this area. http://sh.plym.ac.uk/eds/effects/jcalt-project/
Helen Beetham’s study also identified 11
roles “though these by no means corresponded
with actual divisions of labour among individuals,
many of whom were carrying out multiple roles”
http://sh.plym.ac.uk/eds/effects/jcalt-project/
These roles are categorised into 3 groups:
- new
specialists
- academics and established
professionals
- learning support professionals
The
10 activities central to most participants
were:
- Actively seek to keep abreast of developments
in learning technologies
- Facilitate
access to learning technology expertise and services
- Liaise & collaborate
with other units in the university having related
interests & objectives
- Act as consultant,
mentor or change agent for other staff
- Advise
and assist with introduction of new technology
into learning & teaching
programmes
- Increase colleagues’ awareness
of best practice in learning technologies
- Enable
exchange of ideas and experience in technology-based
learning and teaching
- Facilitate & support
access to computer-based learning resources
- Consult
with support staff on appropriate use of learning
technologies
- Identify needs & opportunities
for development/deployment of learning
technologies
The career of the learning technologists is evolving
as we become more established. However, there seems
to be a ceiling to progression as there are few
senior e-learning posts within institutions. Consequently,
people leave learning technology to become academics
or senior managers. Currently there is an ALT project,
funded by JISC and led by Martin Oliver, UCL, to
develop and pilot an accreditation framework aimed
at learning technologists. It aims to meet the
needs of learning technologists working in HE,
FE and commercial sectors.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/epd/alt-accreditation/
This will help to develop learning technology into
a profession and build a career structure for learning
technologists.
There are national organisations which help learning
technologists. The Association of Learning Technology
(ALT) is “a professional and scholarly association
which seeks to bring together all those with an
interest in the use of learning technology.” ALT
has an annual conference, workshops, a journal
and newsletter
http://www.alt.ac.uk
For HE, the
Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) “promotes
high quality learning and teaching through the
development and transfer of good practices in all
disciplines.”
http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/
In particular,
the LTSN Generic Centre supports the work of learning
technologists directly.
http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/genericcentre/index.asp
For
FE, FERL aims to “support individuals and
organisations in making effective use of ILT (Information
Learning Technologies).
http://ferl.becta.org.uk/
Learning technologists often work collaboratively
with colleagues in other institutions. There are
many informal networks but there are also special
interest groups for learning technologists such
as the ALT TLT-Officers SIG http://www.dur.ac.uk/ltteam/tltofficers/
and the Heads of E-learning Forum.
The work of a learning technologist is full of
challenges as they are always handling change.
The implementation of VLEs, such as Blackboard,
has had a major impact on their work as many academics
are becoming involved in e-learning for the first
time.
Barbara Newland
Bournemouth University |
