Peter A. Bath, Information School Claire Beecroft, ScHARR Peter Holdridge, Information School

1. Incorporating online learning into a distance learning programme: challenges faced and lessons learned Peter A. Bath, Information School Claire Beecroft, ScHARR Peter Holdridge, Information School

2. Overview • MSc in Health Informatics programme • Distance and online learning • Opportunities to enhance teaching and learning • Challenges faced & lessons learned • Conclusions

3. MSc Health Informatics (2000-07) • Joint programme between IS and ScHARR • Three year PT distance learning programme • Aimed at people using ICTs within health sector: • Primarily those located in the UK. • Commenced in September 2000 • Text-based learning materials and WebCT • 3-5 Day Schools per year in Sheffield

4. Challenges with original MSc HI • Day Schools: • popular with students & very important for student support • requirement to attend restricted programme to UK market • required intensive staff input • Reliance on UK market: • susceptible to funding/economic issues

5. Review of MSc HI programme • 2007-08 – no new intake • Comprehensive review: • involved whole programme team and HoD • reviewed other HI programmes in UK, Europe, N America, and rest of world • major revisions to curriculum and delivery modes • launched in September 2008

6. Revised MSc HI programme • Re-launched September 2008 • Open to UK and overseas students • First students completed dissertations in 2011 (and will graduate on Thursday) • Induction programmes in Sheffield (Years 1 & 3) • Using online learning to deliver teaching and learning materials: • lectures, small group and one-to-one tutorials: • MOLE2 and Wimba

7. Online learning using Wimba • Web-based synchronous software • Used in conjunction with MOLE2 • Individual password-protected login to Information School’s own site • Virtual classrooms for each module plus a Common Room • Colleagues use lecture rooms for delivering lectures online in real-time

8. Wimba

9. Online learning (using Wimba) • Upload .ppt file and deliver lecture at pre-arranged time (audio, video, text communication) • All lectures archived for students who cannot attend live, and for review • Students / staff can interact with each other: • Orally, text messaging and using icons • Ask and respond to questions; provide feedback • Capacity to annotate slides, Whiteboard, share applications, view web-sites and share applications

10. Opportunities in online learning • Synchronous teaching and learning: • Stimulating and rewarding • Regular interaction: • Video and audio • Staff-student & student-student • Wimba – resource for other modules • Archives – resource for the present and the future

11. Supporting students: • 3-day induction programme in Sheffield: • Wimba training • Sessions recorded using Echo 360 • Post-induction via Wimba/telephone/email: • Materials on MOLE2 • Technical support: Pete Holdridge • Academic support: • Programme Co-ordinator • Module Co-ordinators • Personal Tutors

12. Enhancing teaching and learning • INF6535 Analysis of Health Information: • Students read learning materials in advance of lecture • Live 1-hour lecture to describe statistical tests • Live 1-hour tutorial to demonstrate using SPSS • Share screen to show SPSS actions • Students do exercises using SPSS on own desktops and type in answers using instant messaging

13. 13 Enhancing teaching and learning • INF658 The Internet, the Web and eHealth: • Students vote at start of live lecture on best source of health information- results shown to group in bar chart • Live chat during lecture to discuss the topic • Same question asked again at end of session- bar chart shown and compared with results at start of session, final live discussion about any change in responses.

14. Challenges of distance learning • For students: • Requires time commitment (10-12 hours per week) • Has to be accommodated with other work/family commitments • Need flexible and understanding approach for coursework deadlines and when problems arise • Potential for feeling isolated

15. Challenges of distance learning • For staff: • Requires time commitment (teaching and admin.) • Has to be accommodated with other work commitments (WAF) • Tracking students on LoA, extension requests etc.

16. Challenges of e-learning • For students: • Technical difficulties: • setting up and using MUSE and Wimba • Attending live lectures / tutorials • Active learning encouraged: • Participation in live sessions • Directed questions • Interaction through Whiteboard

17. Challenges of e-learning • For staff: • New ways of teaching and delivering learning materials • Timetabling live sessions • (Student) attendance at live lectures variable

18. Conclusions • Moving to online learning has enabled us to offer MSc programme to overseas and home students • Important to provide group / individual technical and academic support • Opportunities to enhance teaching and learning • Teaching online is challenging: • but rewarding and fun!

19. Thank you!