Networked Learning Conference 2004 |
NLC2004 /Proceedings / Symposia / Symposium 9/ Papers
Organised By: Chris Jones
If networked learning is to become commonplace or even the norm, and government
and EU policy in this area is to be achieved, then we will require provision
of many resources – including published information resources – either
at the desktop or through other devices using ICT affordances. The idea of
a digital or virtual university can only be realised in so far as digital
information resources are made available in ways that allow key stakeholders
in universities to integrate them into the changing practices of HE – and
as yet the integration between digital information/library services and MLEs/VLEs
is poorly developed.
Various observers have noted that the nature of scholarly communication and
of information access is changing fundamentally as ICTs become dominant (see,
for example, HEFCE, 2003). In the UK, the Joint Information Systems Committee
(JISC) plays a prominent national role in encouraging and funding the development
of a networked “Information Environment” (IE) available to all
tutors and learners across higher and further education.
In 1999, the JISC announced a major funding Programme, with an investment of
well over £10million, to develop the Information Environment – then
known as the Distributed National Electronic Resource (DNER) – to make
it more relevant to, and more widely used by, learners and teachers, and thus
to rebalance the investment beyond research-oriented services (JISC, 1999).
In excess of 50 individual projects were selected, involving a significant
proportion of the UK’s higher education institutions. For the first time,
JISC also funded an in-depth formative evaluation of the whole Programme, entitled
EDNER (formative Evaluation of the Distributed National Electronic Resource),
an initiative which evolved into formative evaluation of the whole of the IE
development. Led by Manchester Metropolitan University’s CERLIM and Lancaster
University’s CSALT, this is the first in-depth exploration of such a
complex, national IE from a learning and teaching, as well as information service
and technical, standpoint.
The lead paper in this symposium, by the Director of EDNER, Professor Peter
Brophy, will explore the meaning of an ‘Information Environment’ which
is intended to support learning and teaching and reflect on the major lessons
from EDNER’s three years of engagement.
The lead paper will be supported by three more specific contributions:
The symposium will aim to integrate the three papers into a broad discussion. The symposium will consist of short presentations from each contributor and a space for discussion of the issues that they raise.
REFERENCES
Higher Education Funding Council for England (2003) Research Support Libraries
Group: Finale Report. Bristol: HEFCE.
Joint Information Systems Committee (1999) Developing the DNER for Learning
and Teaching. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=circular_5_99
Academic Use of Digital Resources:
Disciplinary Differences and the Issue of Progression
Chris Jones, Maria Zenios and Jill Griffiths
Integrating Digital Resources
into Online Learning Environments to Support the Learner
Margaret Markland and Bob Kemp
Towards an Evaluation Framework for
Large Scale Networked Learning Initiatives
Shelagh Fisher