The Hamilton Connection

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2012-01-24T17:36:00.003+13:00

The Yorkshire Rose

2012-01-03T13:13:00.000+13:00

I am very proud of our traditional Yorkshire white rose. It has been around for several centuries, well known and well respected by we Yorkshire people. The "five petalled heraldic dog-rose that we all know and love will ALWAYS signify Yorkshire in the hearts and minds of the Yorkshire people and it can't just be replaced by any old rose no matter how many times you send it through a focus group and tell us it is 'old fashioned' ". Yorkshire may be" alive with opportunity " but please do not try to replace the rose. Follow the link for the full article.

CCEL 2010 PBL Workshop

2010-11-18T21:32:00.000+13:00

This workshop is even better in explaining how meaningful a project could be in a 21st Century course design.

CCEL 2010 Project Based Learning (PBL)

2010-11-18T21:10:00.000+13:00

A link from a colleague sparked an idea for a Project Based Learning (PBL) approach within the Adaptive Living Technology Course. This video provides an explanation and my blog is possibly the safest place to store this gem of an idea. Work in progress here....

CCEL 2010 ALT Reflection on resourcing, new technologies, staffing and training needs.

2010-11-10T19:51:00.000+13:00

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it (Lance,1977).

This course didn't need a major fix. The bit that broke for me was the link with the original intentions of design and technology. The solution: keep the scenario of a community organisation and population, involving environment, equipment or activity redesign. Ensure all the design evaluations are relevant to this scenario for the final marked assignment. For example, equipment design analysis may be platform ladder, a work trolley, and alternative shelving in the environment if a supermarket or ware house is being analysed .

In addition to this assignment, which will have two rather than three components next year, an introduction of a a five-minute presentation by the students, on the evaluation of the design of a rehabilitation equipment item, such as wheelchair or a hoist. This would encompass design and technology relating to health and social models of disability, and specialist rehabilitation equipment such as hoists and wheelchairs. The same occupational performance process model from referral to solution stages would be used . The student would gain instant feedback from student and tutor rather than waiting for a marked paper at this stage

The main resources required are, further knowledge on better use of Moodle resources for the course, and creating stronger links with local communities for assessment opportunities

CCEL 2010 ALT Proposed learning outcomes, media and activities and the way in which they will be used.

2010-11-02T20:19:00.000+13:00

Adaptive Living Technology is currently using Hagedorn's Competent Occupational Performance in the Environment (COPE) model. However this model emphasises the individual assessment rather than populations and organisational assessment required for this course.

An alternative process model is described in Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy perspective (Page 61, 2002), written for the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) and described as “strongly consumer oriented in advocating client-centred practice with individual, group, agency, organisation and government clients. “

In addition, the process model has 7 stages and practical examples around organisation referrals for students to study.

For ALT the first five stages are a logical process for the purposes of the assignment with an example of an organisational client. It has been used by students for workshop activities.

Learning Outcomes
Against this process model, every learning outcome (in italics) can be achieved:

1. Assess the design of everyday objects and environments so as to identify the limitations they would place on specific user groups.

Stage 1 of the Occupational Therapy process names, validates and prioritises occupational performance issues and therefore contributes to this outcome.

2. Describe systematic approaches of analysis related to the adaptation or redesigning everyday objects and environments so as to facilitate greater generic use.

Stage 2 is the selection of theoretical approaches: biomechanical, human/environmental factors, psycho emotional factors, role and group (socio-adaptive) guide the assessment to answer the question: Why are the workers unable to .....?

Stage 3 is the identification of occupational performance and environmental conditions that are contributing to the occupational issue(s) with the client.

3. Assess the design and function of specific rehabilitation equipment.

This would be one of the specific assessments and analyses as in stages 2 and 3 of the process model.

The Adaptive Living Technology (ALT) assessments
This is a summative assessment: the production a detailed analysis and proposal for adaptation(s) of an object or environment so as to facilitate ease of use by the specified group.

Stage 4 refers to “identify strengths and resources” The description (page 69/72) states “The purpose of this stage is to summarise the client (organisation) strengths and resources for resolving prioritised occupational performance issues... (The) Client receives a summary of assessment findings (stages 1, 3 and 4).

Terms Part A: (different to the current statement) would include a posture and movement assessment of the working population and a basic functional motor and process analysis using the same task in the organisational environment.

These would be attached to the final assessment findings with additional assessments that have been identified in stage two of the process model.

Summary
There is a better match between the Occupational Performance Process Model, the Adaptive Living Technology (ALT) course learning outcomes and the organisational and population assessment requirements than the current process model used.

2010-11-01T15:09:00.000+13:00

Well worth watching if you want to know what rehabilitation is.

CCEL2010 ALT Assessment OT Process

2010-10-21T18:28:00.001+13:00

Another Consideration regarding the assessment parts A to C. The students were asked in groups of four, to gather together the ALT course outline, the course assessment , and the materials and readings gained for the course on a week to week basis. In addition, I referred to part C as being the final report using Parts A & B as the research/ assessments completed.

The response to reviewing the material and the assignment parts were linked clearly to the "OT process": The final part C constituted the referral from a client (manager/GP/Consultant/colleague) regarding a patient(client/population/user group/ organisation) requiring assessments and planned interventions (Part A posture and movement, part B activity analysis task/person/ environment, similar to a home visit assessment but a public set up instead). Then after the assessments had been completed, a letter advising the referrer of problems identified (challenges/issue/demand) and actions required to address these (interventions/ recommendations). By putting a more familiar framework in a logical order starting with the referral from the client, the process of intervention followed logically.

So next year the ALT assessment outline will be set out to follow the familiar OT process in its layout with the referral details provide at the very beginning in full. In addition to this, the emphasis in the actual referral will be related to the technology and design as required by the course. The course material would also fit in neatly with this process.

Thank you occupational therapy students for completing this exercise and giving such valuable feedback.

CCEL2010 Assessment outline: it’s all in the wording...

2010-10-19T14:58:00.000+13:00

This year we split the assessment into three components to provide a clearer framework for information gathering for solutions to problems in the final part.

Some students did not make the link that part C will be drawing on A & B issues identified, and presenting solutions in part C. Why? Rereading the assessment outline implies that A and B are appendices by stating that students will “draw on information gained” in these analyses. It does not categorically state “attach Part A and B as appendices”. In addition, students who read all parts of the assessment guideline from part A through to C will treat this as a whole assignment. However, for students whose learning styles are to brek down information in to chunks as in part A, then on B and finally C, valuable pieces of information in the later parts are lost. This outline could be easily streamlined to make it a more logical presentation with key information presented in the introduction. This will reinforce that this is one assignment with analyses and solutions sections.

CCEL 2010 ALT activity analysis: Another insight.

2010-10-13T11:22:00.000+13:00

There is a three year plan that builds up the students knowledge and understanding of activity analysis. For example, in Adaptive Living Occupations the emphasis is on the occupation, In Kinesiology, the emphasis is on the human body and movement, Adaptive Living Technology the generic design of a person, activity and the environment, and so on. I think the next step here is for me to have more detailed clarity on each emphasis to ensure that my piece of the jigsaw fits the overall picture. The redesign will have short term components to prepare for next year, then will work towards the 2012 proposal of 15 credit courses. I have forwarded a link to colleagues on my blog and will invite them to summarise and comment on their activity analysis components.

CCEL2010 ALT Activity analysis and population

2010-10-12T13:39:00.001+13:00

I have been sifting through occupational therapy books to find support specifically on populations and activity analysis and found what I believe to be the original underpinning readings for this course. Christiansen and Baum (2005, p228) presented in chapter ten of their book the following statement:
"... The move to community-based practice demands a different set of competencies than those expected of occupational therapy practitioners in traditional medical-model practice settings (Baum & Law 1998)... Competence in community-based practice means the occupational therapy practitioner has knowledge of social policy, social attitudes, and cultural norms and values, along with knowledge of community support mechanisms available for assisting occupational performance. Likewise, the situational analysis also requires new competencies involving client centred practice, occupational history taking, occupation-based assessment, gathering evidence to support intervention recommendations, designing occupation-based interventions and measuring the outcomes of these selected interventions."

The content clearly defines, and provides an exercise for defining the client in different situations: an individual person, a population and an organisation. Matching with this is an activity/task analysis that is driven from the activity and the context/environment rather than focussing on the individual.

Further work is required on the match of this course with traditional occupational therapy, first years and how it provides underpinning knowledge for the second and third year of the programme.

CCEL2010 Existing Learning activities: What works and what doesn’t

2010-10-12T10:42:00.001+13:00

Adaptive Living Technology is a twenty credit course Otago Polytechnic located in Hamilton and, Dunedin, New Zealand. Each location has two lecturers teaching the Kinesiology content and the Occupational Therapy content.
On completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Assess the design of everyday objects and environments so as to identify the limitations they would place on specific user groups.
2. Describe systematic approaches of analysis related to the adaptation or redesigning everyday objects and environments so as to facilitate greater generic use.
3. Assess the design and function of specific rehabilitation equipment.

1. Assess the design of everyday objects and environments so as to identify the limitations they would place on specific user groups
When the course was originally presented it was intended to introduce the first year student to generic design and user groups and not individuals. What works here is that students are introduced to anthropometrics the measurement/design of man emphasising how men and women do not come in neat little packages resembling clones falling off a conveyer belt. They happen to have different shapes, sizes, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes and many other individual differences.

As part of the initial introduction, there is content around anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, kinetic chain analysis, etc. Emphasis is on one person (unless you refer to this group as a population of “human beings”). At this point I personally lost the original intentional focus of this paper. This course is not intended to be about the user group but rather the design of everyday objects and environments and the limitations they would place on specific user groups. A loss of emphasis on the technology and design.

1. Describe systematic approaches of analysis related to the adaptation or redesigning everyday objects and environments so as to facilitate greater generic use.

The course outline is not currently prescriptive enough to provide adequate guidance and leaves the interpretation of the paper open to too much variation for course coordinators, participating lecturers and students. For example, the first activity analysis is pouring a cup of tea from a teapot in a class room environment with the emphasis on the individual attributes rather than on the environment (space,bench height, lighting, access, cup and pot design etc). This activity needs to be revised for the emphasis on the technology analysis.

In delivering this course, it should be noted that traditionally, occupational therapists go out and assess individuals in their occupational environment, and the majority of occupational therapy books are written with this emphasis to the analysis. Even in the workplace the emphasis is more likely to be on an individual rather than a user group. This course, introducing first year students to occupational therapy therefore does not represent the traditional/ familiar referral patterns. However for the course design and assessment, students are introduced to populations of people such as call centre workers, supermarket shelf packers, office workers who collectively are experiencing work related problems due to environmental, and activity issues. A note here: Being a contemporary occupational therapist, I was excited by the opportunity to get out there and do something different. In reality this is advanced innovative thinking and perhaps not an ideal introduction for the beginner. I look forward to debates on this thought and how it could be reworked without confusing the beginner.

3. Assess the design and function of specific rehabilitation equipment.

There are practical tutorials where students experience design and function; for example, an hour in a wheelchair taking in a route on campus. The wheelchair is not set up for individual requirements but as a generic user using a publically available chair. This promotes extra comments around the design of the wheelchair and lack of appropriate seating. In addition the user experiences general tasks such as transferring on/off a toilet, manoeuvring in a campus toilet, experiencing access issues, reaching for a book, opening a door, mounting a kerb etc. Another session covers hoists and use of hoists exploring where these are likely to be used, what user groups, and why there are different designs. This hands- on approach works well with the right emphasis on design and function.

Now, a shelf packer is not going to be using this type of equipment, and the term rehabilitation doesn’t quite fit the assessment outline of supermarkets and shelf packers. So the student has to transfer the idea of design and function into trolleys and lifting equipment in the warehouse and ladders and platforms for extended reach. For a first year student this may need to be reviewed.

Summary

I now have the task of simplifying the structure to suit the first years being introduced to the basic practice of occupational therapy. In addition, introduce to the analysis of generic/public environments and equipment as well as, the influence of anthropometrics in the design of the environments and equipment. As for the individual components of a person (anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and a person’s activities), we need to blend this in to the mix without muddying the waters. I am seeing here a mixture of conflicts requiring structure: Individual versus user group, design relating to task person and environment, equipment for the workplace versus rehabilitation equipment.

So the first steps will be to use the course outline again to restructure the content of the course and to restructure the assessment to reflect the learning outcomes and fully integrate the relevant kinesiology and occupational therapy components for this course. Given the semester one coverage, the focus, structure and design of this course is to provide students with foundation knowledge that will be drawn upon in years two and three taught in a logical sequential way rather than introducing advanced innovative thinking at this early stage of learning.

CCEL2010 Establishing my CCEL goals

2010-10-04T17:37:00.001+13:00

Development ideas

My first task is to prepare my own learning blog page for Constructing Courses to Enhance Learning (CCEL) which is part of the Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Learning and Teaching (GCTLT). This is the third section for the module.

The objectives, in my case (so I can keep myself on track!), are to

Redesign a flexible learner centred learning course: Adaptive Living Technology (ALT) which a component of the Occupational Therapy Programme, Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand.
Maintain the course outcomes/links with learning activities, content, and assessment.
Continue to accommodate learner, discipline, department, organisational, and professional body needs. My professional body being the New Zealand Association of Occupational Therapists (NZAOT).
Address how I am "going to provide an appropriate balance of face to face and flexible learning materials and assessment methods."

The good news is that I can quite informal in this blog. So the plan is that before I embark on this journey I need to give you the start point, which is the current course outline, what works and what doesn't. Well you will have to wait for the next installment which will have the riginal title of "what works and what doesn't." Nice and simple, and to the point.

The-Best-Empowerment-Available-Through-Assistive-Technology (From Moodle ALT Course content)

Marking criteria (Another reminder for me):

Existing learning activities critically reviewed – what works and what doesn’t.
Proposed learning objects, media and activities are described, as well as the way in which they will be used.
Reflection on resourcing, including any new technologies, staffing and training provided.

A posting from UK

2010-08-27T18:43:00.000+12:00

It is my third and final week in England with two days to go before flying back to New Zealand. Another tour of the green and pleasant land and meeting with family and friends. West and South Yorkshire, Humberside, West Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Cheshire on this occasion. As ever, discovering new routes and places along the way. This time I used a sat nav and tried to avoid the motorways after crawling along the M25 and speed averaging around 45mph. I actually visited Stonehenge off the A303 on this trip. Normally it has been a rubber necking experience with promises of a closer look. Wonderful experience. My photo of a post boxnear Forestside WestSussex.

My cup runneth over!

2010-06-26T05:49:00.000+12:00

Well the title is far more catchy than saying where did the time go? No, not watching the paint dry or mulling life over a cup of cold tea. Things to do, places to see, essays to mark. Ah! better have yet another cuppa and get back to the marking.
Photo: Tea break? taken by me 2010

Task analysis

2010-05-06T11:45:00.000+12:00

Yes. A totally different subject today: task analysis. My brain is in thinking mode and planning a little excursion into a piece of research on task analysis in occupational therapy education and the work place. This is a very wide angle at this stage as my first step this year is to gather information relating to this subject and what recommended reading comes forth. This year is a tentative foray for reading/viewing material and perhaps next year will see me zooming in to a particular angle on the subject. To date I have managed to peruse Hagedorn's (2001) Tools for practice in occupational therapy:A structured approach to core skills and processes, and Lamport,Coffey and Hersch (2001) Activity analysis & application.

Photo: Levers knobs and switches taken by Hilary

The Intrepid Volunteer Awards :: Go Make a Difference

2010-04-26T20:30:00.000+12:00

The Intrepid Volunteer Awards :: Go Make a Difference

2010-04-26T20:26:00.000+12:00

The Intrepid Volunteer Awards :: Go Make a Difference

Learner Centred Learning

2010-04-24T13:38:00.000+12:00

I'm on my next course module, the fifth of six to be completed. Sadly my blog is not required for postings, instead we use a moodle discussion board. So, I will post this lovely picture that was sent to me a few weeks ago. As you can see from the photo covering our friends' house, they had quite a bit of snow to contend with, but the news is that it is getting warmer and the snow has now gone..

Don't you just love blogging

2010-03-04T12:05:00.000+13:00

Today I spent four hours facilitating two, two hour blog sessions.Pity Yahoo will not accept our address codes. Blogs set up nicely now. Next step, creating links with each other.
Photo: Creating links. Hilary Blamires

Semester One... and it's all go

2010-01-31T10:49:00.002+13:00

Nothing like being thrown in the deep end - soo exciting all these developments with Otago Polytechnic and continung my own education... So it's back to using my blog for educational activities again with the occasional photo from my collection.
Photo: Sunset over Te Kuiti.

ePortfolios

2010-01-05T09:04:00.001+13:00

I have just followed a tweet to Sara's Musings and ePortfolio. What an excellent way to organise and present a portfolio.

Christmas with the Waitomo Caves Choir.

2009-12-29T18:22:00.003+13:00

Christmas in the Caves we missed, however

we watched the hour-long television special featuring the Carols in the Cave after the Queen's Message. Pity there is no recording to attach to this post as the acoustics in the caves are spectacular. Here is an example of their singing, in Boston on their International Tour 2009. Photo featured in Waitomo News 22 December 2009, page 16.

Christmas Day 2009

2009-12-29T16:22:00.017+13:00

What did we do on Christmas Day this year?

Well, the morning was spent with Rob preparing nibbles and dips in preparation for a great day with friends having a Hawaiian Luau (feast) with the traditional offering of a pig and vegetables, cooked in an imu (ee moo) pit. Hot rocks covered the floor of the imu then the pig and baskets of vegetables were placed on top. Burlap sacks were soaked in water to steam/cook the foods and banana leaves lined the imu before covering everything up with more coverings and soil to prevent heat and steam escaping. Four hours later, we had the most succulent of cooked pigs with delicious potatoes and vegetables. Thank you Lindsay, Jim and party for a great day. Photos by me

On-Stage: the final K-night before Christmas

2009-12-23T11:10:00.006+13:00

Meet the cast and Crew. As we virtuallly sold out every night and put on an extra night, we plan to have two more shows for the Midwinter Christmas in early June 2010 . One night is already tentatively two thirds booked. Open to Te Kuiti and beyond, we could always sort out accommodation locally! Photo taken with my camera by a very obliging member of the participating audience.

Celebrating at the Te Kuiti Christmas Parade!

2009-12-23T11:00:00.003+13:00

Christmas theme: Sounds of music. Our Red Hat float entry was entitled: "It ain't over until the fat lady sings". And sing she did, right in to first place for this category of groups! We have a very talented group of people in Te Kuiti and this design can be creditted to Shirley Howell. I am the one on the right although it would be a compliment if you thought I was the one sitting on vehicle roof! The Photo was taken by Debie Glover.

FOC09 Final Post - Course Summary

2009-12-11T13:56:00.005+13:00

This semester and the Facilitating Online Courses has been particularly busy and fulfilling. I never expected to get this much out of a course. I clearly have been advised well (thank you Bronwyn Heggarty) and have chosen perfectly for my current needs both in the educational field and for my personal hobbies and interests.

This blog is linked to all my FOC09 activity, in course date order rather than my blog date order for ease of reviewing by the course facilitator, Sarah Stewart.

We started the course by exploring what is meant by an online community. So, what is an online community? The links given indicate that a community has a common goal or interest to participate in and sufficiently attractive to others to warrant community interest and more-so, wanting to add comments and participate actively.

The discussions around teachers facilitators and moderators raised a few definitions with clarification by Hunter (p.6, 2007) around facilitators and the subject of teachers being "facilitative".

Discussion forums were explored with a more detailed visit to one forum: Quilting Arts. Blog networks and Wiki collaborators also came under our scrutiny.

Ah yes, virtual worlds. Second Life is an amazing platform, providing you are prepared to go full time into a course on how to get the best out of it. Beware of turning up in learning environments without hair and important items of clothing! I still haven't worked out how to offload my male laughter and gestures with my female avatar. There are serious distractions in this place. A bit like student life in the real world I suppose, without the expense of a night out! Seriously though, a learning environment such as this has so much potential.

On to SNPs or Social Networking platforms with mixed reviews from our participants. I note no entry in my blog on this, my only excuse being I was so wrapped up in the debates between Herve, Krishan, et al on the concerns of people abusing this platform. Having said that, Debra's FOC_09Assignment2 SNP on Ning had 17 of us signing up to explore. Well done Debra. I joined Grou.ps too to find out more. The problem is there are so many opportunities out there to fully immerse oneself in. I think it will take several years to really explore the options.

For the mini conference , I chose the topics of Google Reader and Del.icio.us for selfish reasons: the need to organise all those links, connections, networks and online activities that were threatening to drown me! In my evaluation, I highlighted that this was the icing on the cake, bringing together our course work in a practical setting.

My Feedback

Did you learn new and useful things? I think the entry above says it all. The short answer: Yes!

Was it challenging enough? Oh yes, definitely challenging! Considering the wide range of platforms we have explored, experimented with, trialled for our mini conferences. I think it is impressive how we progressed.

What could have been better? Hmm. The things that could have been better such as reliable technological links are often out of our control.

What could you have done better? I would have liked to have attended more of the mini conference sessions than I was able to. Sadly the technology interface at Wintec and time available limited this. I look forward to listening to the recordings. I look forward to practicing my facilitation skills too - there is always room for improvement.

Did the course facilitator do a good job? Wow Sarah! Tell me what other courses you are running. Sarah has gone way beyond the call of duty to make this course a success and learning experience – thank you.

How will you apply what you have learned?

For one of my occupational therapy re-certification goals, I am setting up a pilot session on Elluminate with one of the rural hospitals to introduce the advantages of webconferencing (Elluminate) for outlying more isolated hospitals. To me purchase of a a head set with microphone, and relevant technology available on the computer, are a small price to pay for the returns in communications and learning at a distance, when travel limits options available.

On behalf of On-Stage Te Kuiti, I am looking into the possibility of a Social Networking platform or Blog which would enable members to post news, photos, ideas, minutes etc.

I will also able to contribute more effectively to wiki projects in Occupational Therapy.

he School of Occupational Therapy, Otago Polytechnic is interested in Second Life,so I do envisage a future project on this sometime in the future

Who would you recommend to do this course next time?

I believe my colleagues in Hamilton have this course on their agenda. If they haven’t, I will be doing a bit of a sales pitch on them... I need the back up!!

Photo: A birthday card from several years ago. Artist unknown

Looking for online community: Blog networks

2009-12-09T20:15:00.002+13:00

My first introduction to weblogging (blogging)was at the beginning of this year as part of the Flexible Learning Course. My first reaction was shock, horror to the thought of exposure via the Big World Wide Platform of... people... with networking, and computer skills. definitely not my "scene." Now I love it. It has opened doors, no, gateways to knowledge, interests, topics and communications that I would never have thought possible! But I digress.

I checked the Wikipedia entry for Blogosphere and the See Also section. One of the listed blogospheres in that section refers to collaborative blogs. I have visited a couple and am now considering such a venture for our Te Kuiti On-Stage (Little Theatre), who are looking at ways of attracting and informing members. I have already made contact with other members on their comments and ideas. Not quite what this course was requesting, however this would be an excellent opportunity to pilot a blogging network and use it to facilitate group involvement in promoting theatre activity. The current members are keen to learn on and off stage skills, what better way in our rural community than to establish this type of networking tool. There are lots of on line resources that we could potentially link into and we would still be able to meet each other in person, etc. Next step: a committee proposal (14 December 2009) and an offer of setting this up for a trial. Blogger.com allows up a 100 collaborative members.

Looking for online community: Wiki collaborators

2009-12-09T17:10:00.000+13:00

Isn't it interesting, the mixed reviews on Wikis. The negative comments appear to be two or three years old whereas later comments indicate that Wiki is being proactively used to share educational thoughts and ideas. The school of Occupational Therapy (Otago Polytechnic) has set up Wiki to evaluate aspects of the Bachelors Degree where we can all contribute by editing proposals and discussions. I also note that Leigh Blackall has been a custodian of the Wikiversity community since October 2009.

As ever, The Le Fever Team of the Common Craft Show Craft have produced yet another excellent brief video to explain how to make use of Wikis. See: Wikis in plain English.

Assignment 3: Evaluation of my course mini conference

2009-12-09T15:10:00.000+13:00

FOC09 has been quite and event in itself with the mini course conference being the icing on the cake! Particularly nerve wracking was whether Elluminate, the chosen technological platform was going to work or not for the mini conference.

Organisation started early in the course, primarily following leads on potential platforms via recommendations of the course participants and colleagues. I toyed with the idea of Second Life ( too much to learn in a short space of time); Skype conferencing (not overly compatible with my work set up); new ideas such as Dimdim web conferencing (the optimist in me considered there may be too many participants to make a success of this one); Wiki (not yet confident in the use of this) and Elluminate . I chose the latter because it was a familiar platform, and I had experienced just about anything and everything that could possibly go wrong, in the first semester of 2009 using this! Naturally with my history of access difficulties to such events, there needed to be a plan B. I chose Skype at a later date, after confirming that the computer to be used had access to this. There was a Plan C: cancel/reschedule!

Using my blog page, and the course conference page to promote the event, seemed a logical place to start with. I gave a mention on the Wiki site. In retrospect perhaps a Tweet might have been a good idea, however, on the day we were a small, manageable supportive group which I preferred, as this was my first foray in to facilitating an on line event.

Do you remember the days at school when teachers wrote things on your reports such as : Good attempt, competent, met the criteria... In other words my role will not be held a a shining exceptional example of what a facilitator should do when facilitating but the session held together although I personally think that proceedings would benefit from a more proactive approach from me in defining a discussion time towards the end. I wasn't aware either, that the Elluminate was going to close down for maintenance at exactly on the hour, but we did manage to record and finish on time.

The initial introductory page was intended as an ice breaker and the photos of facilitator and presenter, a focus for those entering the conference room. Closure was rather hurried to avoid being cut off and links were posted on my blog and on the course conference page. There is also a link to Google reader and to Delicious for further information together with a brief explanatory introduction link to Google reader. David's presentation gave the participants insight in to how Google reader organised his links.

If I were to change anything, I would make more of Twitter for advertising, allow a third of the time at least for open discussion, and make more use of the written communications to invite comment.

A K-night before Christmas

2009-11-22T12:40:00.000+13:00

We have just completed our first performance of the medieval k-night in Te Kuiti. The enthusiastic audience made every effort to dress up and join in. Our caterers were first class with the quality of the food, and the guests were clearly enjoying the feast put before them. It was well worth all the hard work: going to rehearsals, sampling suitable fayre, and decorating the theatre. Our Sheepshire theme (naturally, being the sheep shearing capital of New Zealand!) worked a treat. Being a little theatre we think we are doing well if we fill 40 seats. However we sold out (56 seats) on two nights with only 5 tickets left for Wednesday 25 November 2009. So, congratulations to the cast, the crew, the performance committee and, of course our wonderful guests. Photo by me so I am not on stage (can't be in two places at the same time)!

FOC09 Course mini conference recording

2009-11-06T16:00:00.000+13:00

As part of the FOC09 course: The mini conference
Topic: Googlereader and Del.icio.us
Title: Organising your online activities using Googlereader and Del.icio.us
Date: Friday 13 November
Presenter: David McQuillan Facilitator: Hilary Blamires
Description: To explore the use of Googlereader to organise multiple blogs, and Del.icio.us, a social bookmarking web service for storing, sharing,and discovering web bookmarks.
Link to recording of the session (Elluminate) - 1 hour duration.

Occupational Therapy Week - 2-6 November 2009

2009-11-05T17:42:00.000+13:00

CELEBRATING OUR HISTORY

This years occupational therapy theme was: Occupational Therapists:- Stand tall, Stand Proud. And who better to do this than Noeline Creighton, Sunny Riordan, Beth Gordon (all pictured left) and Rowena Scaletti.

As part of our Waikato Occupational Therapy week celebrations, we invited these wonderful, witty researchers and compilers of their book "Legacy of Occupation" Sadly Rowena was unable to attend. They regaled us with their amusing and informative stories of the development and their experiences in the early years of occupational therapy. They dedicated an enormous amount of their time and a great deal of effort into gathering and assembling accounts of the early occupational therapy history of New Zealand of which they were part.

The group were so determined that the experiences of New Zealands pioneer occupational therapist would not be lost, that they took up the challenge of forming the Legacy of Occupation Research Project and subsequently published the book which is now available through the New Zealand Association of Occupational Therapists.

FOC09 Social networking platforms

2009-11-04T15:53:00.000+13:00

Social networking platforms are web services that technically facilitate social networking and community development. From Facebook to Linkedin, each social networking platform has slightly different functionality and social phenomenon.

There appear to be mixed feelings and suspicions surrounding social networking platforms(SPNs). Having listened to the FOC09 Elluminate session on this subject, and read around the subject including the course links and Herve and Krishan's Blogs with some sound advice on security when using SPNs

And now on to my own experiences.

I do have a Facebook account but have to admit I do not wish to be sucked in to game playing, blowing kisses to my friends and whatever else they wish to come up with to get people communicating with each other. My life is too full of computer activity on a work basis, so leisure for me at present avoids the use of the computer! Having said that, it is the preferred way my sister in UK communicates with me and a couple of friends post their artwork via Facebook, and I love to see what they have produced.

Twitters and tweets are potentially time wasters too but in the educational work I see value in a brief text, pointing me to a very useful link. I am not sure how Facilitation on Twitter would be based on the written word and one-liners.

I have now joined the Online Facilitators Network which looks similar to Facebook but with more educational content and more subdued in layout. The users also have the option of an administraor facility meaning that the group members can actively participate in postings and sharing rather like Blackboard and Moodle although I do need to spend more time with this network to understand the ways in which it can be used. The potential with this site is that is can be used to facilitate, not something I would want to do in Facebook.

FOC09 Second Life: A virtual Learning Environment?

2009-11-03T13:33:00.000+13:00

In the virtual world of Second Life (SL), my name is VonFaraway Meridoc. “From faraway” seemed rather apt for the occasion. I thought it would be easy to say and, as my Red Hat Society name happened to be Baroness Von Faraway. It seemed appropriate for Second Life.

Second Life is a virtual, three dimensional world which would not have been as enjoyable without Petal Stransky aka Sarah Stewart acting as our guide. I missed half of the session however, because the programme download earlier that day had not been fully downloaded leaving me in limbo for a while.

When it came to speaking in Second Life, I could not understand why I was mute, yet my fellow “FOC-oh-niners “ were holding a meaningful conversation! Petal’s patience won through. I discovered a voice and gestures, and had a brief introduction to shape shifting. No longer am I a six foot six female with a Miss World body and oversized boobs, but a five foot something female with a manageable bra size and enough body fat on me to keep out the cold... This Quick Start Guide is an additional resource I discovered on a recent tour.

On my second visit, I was getting the hang of wearing clothes and hair and was offered an upgrade (?) of SL. In the process became a man! I managed to get the female body back but still have masculine voice, laugh and gestures! Is this gender change part of the course? I am open to suggestions on how to get my feminine side back! I would eventually like to move out of the Lord of the Rings outfit I have acquired but at present the rather large cloak is a bit like a security blanket and I can spot myself in a crowd at a 100 paces just in case in the future I have an out of body experience and can’t find it again!

Well, I have to say I have been back several times to retrieve things like my hair and my clothes and when decently attired, to visit the recommended places to start with such as Kowhai, Jokaydia, Koru Island, local shopping centres (with quick exit). I have visited the blogs and made a note of the tour suggestions ,with the plan of returning when time permits.

Thoughts so far: PLEASE hold some FOC09 conferences here! I would have difficulty in establishing a learning platform here by the 9 November as I am an absolute novice.

When the Foeman Bears his steel

2009-10-04T18:10:00.000+13:00

I've just started rehearsing, and sight reading music is not exactly a strength of mine. Well, would you believe it, a link to one of the pieces just sent to me by another member of the cast: A Sing Along Video of "When the Foeman Bears his steel" Also known as "Tarantara, Tarantara!" With Tony Azito and Linda Ronstadt. Tarantara from Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance. Now this is a way to learn between rehearsals!

Waitomo Society of Arts Exhibition

2009-09-28T19:45:00.000+13:00

It won't be long now: the exhibition in Te Kuiti next month (16th and 17th September) and we are all putting the final touches to our proposed entries. For a population of 4,500 in Te kuiti there is alot of talent: pottery, embroidery, fibre arts multi media, pottery. Our challenge this year is "Manipulation". This one is called "check mate!" Woven fabric strips, coloured with children's crayons, then ironed to set the colour. One of a series of challenges for the year.

A and E09 Cultural diversity and assessment

2009-09-24T20:13:00.000+12:00

According to the Government statistics on cultural identity,2006, New Zealand’s cultural profile has become more diverse with the number of European New Zealanders dropping from 83 percent in 1999 of the total population to 67.6 percent. The Maori population is 14.6% and the number of people of Asian descent has more than doubled since 1999, with more Asian New Zealanders than Pacific Island New Zealanders. This is just one facet of cultural diversity. For many training courses and qualifications, we can now access education worldwide further extending the cultural diversity and assessment requirements using Hofstede’s (2001) dimensions of culture framework for assessing national and organisational culture.

So what does consideration of culture in relation to assessments actually mean?

My personal assessment culture has been based on formal classroom education with examinations. My training as an occupational therapist included primarily written and practical assessment with fieldwork/clinical placements over 25 years ago. The traditional Maori emphasis of learning and assessment involves the whole community, where students, parents, and family are involved in the assessment process relevent to community needs. (Rameka, (2007). In the Asian population, the culture is that it is respectful to copy ones elder’s teachings and, in this technological climate copy internet sources – often word for word which results in high levels of plagiarism (Fallon F 2008). To enable a fair and equitable assessment, education is required to overcome these different learning cultures.

What factors need to be considered?

Maintaining high standards of education is important while promoting a barrier free learning environment by using varied assessment methods (reading, writing, activity based,fieldwork, interviews, presentations, quizzes and observed discussion groups) relating to this assessment and evaluation topic.

Shenker (2008) suggests that rather than limiting human rights in a culturally diverse world, instead, draw on traditional cultural values and emphasise the common core values shared by all cultures. This would "enhance and advance human rights promotion and protection" ... not only encourage "greater tolerance, mutual respect and understanding", but also foster more effective international cooperation for human rights." This philosophy would sit well in the education/learning environment.

Regarding the evaluation of a students learning, Aguedo (2003 p65) gives seven recommendations around grades and marks, written assignments, evaluation criteria, self evaluation, personal discussions, and emphasis on the positives. In addition Axelson (1999 p65) reinforces the promotion of positive intergroup relationships with as many mixed activities as possible.

How can this benefit the learner?

Promoting a cohesive , supportive learning and assessment environment that respects cultural differences not only promotes subject/topic learning but adds value to working together developing cultural understanding.

What are the challenges?

We have considered primarily the student but the attitudes, beliefs and cultural back ground and learning style of the tutor is part of the challenge of a culturally diverse classroom.

References
Aguedo (2003) in Critical reflections on career education and guidance B. Malik and T. Aguado Routledge and Farmer Page 65.

Axelson (1995) in Critical reflections on career education and guidance Page 65. by B. A. Irving and B. Malik. Routledge and Farmer. Accessed 24 September 2009.

Ayton-Shenker D (2008) The Challenge of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity. http://www.un.org/rights/dpi1627e.htm Accessed 10/9/09.

Fallon F. 2008. Plagiarism and students from Asia studying in Australia and New Zealand
http://www.isana.org.au/files/PlagAPAIE08.pdf . Accessed 24/9/09.

Government statistics http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Methods%20and%20Services/NZIP09/new-zealand-in-profile-2009.ashx.

Hofstede G 2001s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Hofstede Accessed 24 September 2009.
Rameka, L. (2007). Mäori Approaches to Assessment.Canadian Journal of Native Education. 30 (1); p. 126 - 191.

Learning by Creating

2009-09-24T10:21:00.000+12:00

I have just been reading this interesting blog by Stephen Downes on learning by creating. Puts learning in to perspective! Stephen also wrote an article on 21st Century skills being an operating system for the mind and itemised those components that make up this operating system. It is the first time I have read and understood (but need to inwardly digest) the importance of those skills for me to learn and upskill in the 21st Century.

A pot of tea - often the best medicine?

2009-09-23T17:08:00.000+12:00

I was doing a little research for a quilting project and came across this: Ophiucus. A teapot-shaped constellation, muted for long periods of time then suddenly brightening our sky when the time is right. It is associated with the serpent bearer and the God of "medicine."

As an occupational therapist using specific purposeful activity to promote maximum function in all aspects of daily life, relevant to the unique individual, what better symbol could I use: a pot of tea... or coffee or some other heavenly brew in a familiar, trusting environment for problem solving and enabling?

So, this is now my daily diary cover and serving me and my profession for 2009... until my next inspiration takes over.

FOC09 Discussion Forums continued

2009-09-23T16:36:00.000+12:00

So, an assessment of the Quilting Arts Forum. This site well organised and readable and has both a discussion forum and a blog page steered by the Quilting Arts Group, rather like I steer my own blog. The discussion forum is text based with discussion threads on different topics including a section for members to introduce themselves and include a profile. The blogs are used to reflect on activity and interests and invite comment rather than in depth discussion threads. However the comments sometimes lead to discussion although I do not find the blog format easy to use for this.

There are blog links to the staff members promoting their section and sharing news. In addition member logging in get updates of offers and promotions. and some free downloads.

FOC09 Discussion Forums

2009-09-09T12:43:00.000+12:00

Meandering through a variety of discussion boards that I was able to access easily was a real eye opener. Take Trade Me(TM) for example. It is described as a message board but on some occasions a discussion around a topic developed especially when the person posting sought advice. Easy to use: simply post an entry on the board and await a response. Don't remember seeing an email link on this site.

My next foray in to a suitable site was Listserv as a suscriber of the Independent Pracice Occupational Therapy Special Interest Group which allows the distribution of email... or in my case not. I am still trying to receive the emails and am currently in dialogue with the http://www.nzaot.com/resources/sigs/independent.practitioners.php. Hopefully by the time I have completed this entry I may be able to join in the discussions. I joined three years ago but didn't have much to say on a regular basis, so gave up trying to comment as these were always returned to me as undeliverable. That may change after this week now that I have Google reader that I can see the list of groups I belong too. Wow, the technology of it all! Derr, the capacity of my brain cells to take on the information overload. This course, for better of for worse, has made me reconsider my voice on this forum.

And now to a forum that I have located that links to another of my interests. This is my therapy: Quilting Arts and mixed media arts. I have just joined the discussion forum as I needed something lightweight and entertaining to balance out my technological mishaps! It is a well organised informal, friendly site with both discussion forums and blogs so I think this connection is likely to be a blissful one.

My next blog will cover:

An assessment of the forum based on the identifying features we collaboratively develop.
An interview of a member of the forum - not sure how to bring in a facilitation bit... yet. (open to ideas) or I may write a summary to close a thread in the forum.

FOC09 Teachers, facilitators and moderators

2009-08-23T18:32:00.000+12:00

Having assumed quite naively when I first qualified as an occupational therapist, that all teachers were experts in their field, I avoided “teaching” based on my limited perception. However, I love sharing what skills I have gained, at any given time, on any given placement when somebody else has maybe a little less knowledge or, a different knowledge that could result in learning. I was perhaps a little slow that this “skill sharing” was actually a form of teaching.

Leigh Blackall’s discussion thread on To facilitate or to teach, certainly had me reflecting my current perceptions. So teachers could teach and not necessarily be experts all the time in the given field and, teaching was about being skilled in getting the learning material across to the learner.

Another fact that had escaped me is, that in order to teach, a teacher not only needs to continue to learn but also be able to pass that knowledge on, so that another learner is learning. As a clinical supervisor and presenter at conferences and workshops, I had been involved in some teaching and getting feedback that learners were learning from what I had “taught.”

According to Dale Hunter (2007) in The Art of Facilitation, a teacher’s primary role of transferring of information or knowledge to individual participant, needs to focus on individual learning. The individual’s learning is likely to be assessed in some way by the teacher. However, a facilitator’s primary role is to work with the group dynamic and is not involved in assessing individual performance which is done by the group itself, or possibly by some other party outside the group. If attempting to achieve the role of assessing the individual learning that is taking place in the group, is a teacher role is likely to undermine this facilitative process? If we are to consider Hunter’s definition of facilitator, it is not the role of the facilitator to evaluate or contribute substantive ideas to a discussion which is in conflict with the role of teacher. However, Hunter goes on to state that “Almost anyone can be facilitative if they seek to provide space for others to build relationships, think and reflect, exercise choice and express their creative potential... Listen, encourage, and support others to become their full selves”.

Moderation is defined as “somebody who ... acts as a mediator in discussions or negotiations" (Encarta online). When might the role of a facilitator undermine the role of a teacher or moderator? A facilitator guides the meeting towards an end group goal and is not leading the group. A facilitator serves the group and offers process suggestions enforcing ground rules agreed to by the group. The facilitator therefore encourages full participation, promotes mutual understanding and cultivates shared responsibility (Sam Kaner et al in Hunter 2007). A teacher and a moderator both tend to lead the group, intervening with knowledge sharing or guiding the group towards a negotiated outcome.

Maybe we should consider Hunter’s alternative to being teacher AND facilitator and instead think of the "teacher being facilitative", as the teacher also needs to manage the group process as a secondary objective, while this individual learning is taking place.

FOC09 What is an online community?

2009-08-16T11:49:00.000+12:00

I am on a journey in my local neighbourhood, Te Kuiti, where I mooch around doing the shopping, visit the Information Centre for a map and to update on whats on locally or a little further. I bump in a friend or neighbour who tells me something and I follow up on this lead. My neighbour (part of the network) has just pointed me in the direction of something interesting (social networking and a link) and the next thing is I have found a group of like minded people (a community) with common interests. But being wary, I sign on and I passively participate in what is being said (often referred to as lurking) but I am constantly gathering information along the way. I find I am wishing to participate more and get involved and may have much to share in return. I am now part of that particular community... and several others. Some of these communities will be very current then gone while others will stand the course of time, depending on that common interest and way in which that community responds to me. The neighbourhood, networking journey to being involved in a like minded community is so similar to the on line networking and communities except I am on line, immediate World wide connections within a short space of time.

The speed of world wide connection amnd diversity of topic is demonstrated in This, That, and the Other by Mark Pesce. An immediate access to worldwide links and networks, not just a gossip in the street or over the counter in the shop, not just a course attendance on line but anything and more than your local neighbourhood network can offer but a million times more within the space of two or so minutes!

Michael Wesch presents how a networked music video produced a world wide phenomena of sheer joy with people dancing and singing in their living rooms, bedrooms and studies for all the on line world to see. Wesch also demonstrates how an online network such as Diggit.com could make or break the popularity of network activity by either burying or promoting via additional links on line. Building an online community purely for the joy of expressing a common bond of being able to let go and enjoy for all to see is evidence of a healthy on line community whose aims are to have fun and share joy and to pass that joy on.

O' Reilly 's Open Technology Exchange explores the topic of building online communities in great detail and provides some insights in to how a community can grow anywhere - or not. The underlying message is that the networks are there as an opportunity to communicate.

So, what evidence would I look for to determine there is an on line community? Firstly, a common goal or interest that to participate in. Secondly that the common goal is sufficiently attractive to others to warrant community interest and more-so, wanting to add comments and participate actively. Finally that there is timeliness in the on line community in meeting the needs of that community. This could mean the time of responding with comments and also the appropriate timing of certain projects. Perhaps more robust communities benefit from casual visitors with no signing in requirement, giving a taster to the quality and content matter of the community. Then there is the option of participating in activity by signing in as a member.

FOC09 On line Community and Network

2009-08-13T19:38:00.000+12:00

I started all this on line activity in February with the Flexible Learning Course and was totally blown away by the overwhelming number of doors to peak through, fully open or close quickly to avoid information overload.

Following on from this was the question posed: "Are we getting confused between community and network?" (Sarah at the Elluminate conference) for the FOC09 course.

I couldn't answer this at the conference or several days after. I need to ponder, lurk or legitimately participate on the periphery to make sense of the question - for me. Now I have allowed the brain cells to settle the following possibilities have surfaced: To me an on-line community or group appears to have some sense of purpose or common goal. In this case, at this point in time the common bond is the FOC09 with Sarah as the facilitator or point of contact for the course. Then there is on line networking. Networking with each other serves the same purpose but, the focus may not be FOC09 but a brain with no boundaries?

Please feel free to comment, critique and put forward alternative ideas to make me think beyond my boundaries!

And now, time to explore the FOC09 topic "What is an on line community?..."

Please comment on my flexible learning proposal

2009-08-03T14:37:00.000+12:00

Click Here to take survey . Four questions requiring brief answers, it should only take a minute or so to complete.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROPOSAL

2009-08-03T13:47:00.000+12:00

Post Graduate Occupational Therapy Course Driver Assessment and Rehabilitation

View more presentations from bronwynhegarty.

FACILITATING ON LINE COMMUNITIES (FOC09) INTRODUCTION

2009-07-29T14:14:00.001+12:00

Hilary Blamires here, and starting this third course of six, working towards a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Learning and Teaching (level 7). I work part time as a lecturer for Otago Polytechnic, not in Dunedin but at the Wintec based School of Occupational Therapy in Hamilton, New Zealand. So, facilitating on line communities and more specifically links with Otago has already become part of my learning and teaching role.

As there is an overlap of this course with the previous, I will tag all entries with FOC09 to make it easier to access the relevant entries. As you can see from my previous non FOC09 entries, I have hit several technological hitches but... we shall overcome!

Looking forward to being part of theFOC09 group!

The future of learning

2009-06-27T23:43:00.000+12:00

I love the comment by Professor Stephen Heppell that "this isn't the information age it's the learning age."

YouTube Moodle presentation

2009-06-27T23:34:00.000+12:00

An short, well planned introduction to Moodle, an open source learning management system (http://www.moodle.org/) by iAlja.

Can I use iPlayer outside the UK?

2009-06-21T12:36:00.000+12:00

My sister (in UK ) and I (in New Zealand) were having quite a chat today, by phone. She was extremely excited, as her son-in-law had returned from Afganistan (bomb disposal duties) and had been invited with her daughter (my niece) to attend a banquet to honour the forces returning from Afghanistan. The menu had been prepared by the winning chefs of the Great British Menu programme on BBC 2. She gave me the key words for a search, so off I set on my quest.

Sadly, I learned something about Rights agreements and BBC iPlayer television programmes are only available to users to download or stream (Click to Play) in the UK. I also learned that most radio programmes are available outside the UK in addition to podcasts, although sporting and other programmes may be subject to rights agreements. This is likely to have some effect on International Learning programmes

Considerations for flexible learning – Final Comment

2009-06-20T09:00:00.000+12:00

This blog summarises the issues of access, equity and sustainability in relation to my own ideas for developing flexible learning.

The Otag o Bachelors of Occupational Therapy programme based in Dunedin and, for the first time this year, in Hamilton, is about to complete its first semester. It has attracted learners with Bachelor’s degrees, and learners who are occupational therapy assistants, school leavers and returners to learning. There are a mix of ages, experience, prior learning and cultural backgrounds. Additional challenges of the course are distance and time constraints, as some students are not locally based due to family commitments and finance. Learning is becoming easier and more accessible (seethe Michael Wesch lecture : A Portal to Media Literacy) and there may be an opportunity therefore, to attract occupational therapy learners to a programme with the following blended delivery attributes:

Distance learning components to enable students to work from their locality on some days.

Traditional classroom and workshop activities which may currently be required to meet the traditional methods of service delivery with an open mind on how learning goals are best achieved for individuals.

Fieldwork placements to provide relevant practical experience and work ethics and routines.

Off site satellite group activities providing both peer support and feedback of mixed experience level.

Access to teaching material in a variety of formats to meet individual circumstances on the availability and compatibility of technology (broadband for speed of access is cited as a concern in some rural communities).

Material to complement individual learning styles and preferred methods of learning. The tutor may facilitate learning with a core learning list involving reading, audio, video, presentation (tutor facilitated/PowerPoint) and alternative formats to suit the learning styles.

Student evaluation and feedback on content together with other evaluations to support the streamlining of teaching material as suggested Lockwood’s paper based on the premise that “more (teaching material) is not necessarily better” .

The challenge of equitable access to such a programme or a level playing field is an issue requiring debate as to how this could ensure achievement standards required for the course modules. Would it be acceptable to complete one or two modules per semester and extend the training to four, five or six years with the degree awarded? There could be core subjects with several secondary modules to meet the credits required? The current trend is to complete and achieve five to six modules per semester over three years to achieve the degree at the end of three years. Could students purchase a course on a module basis? The answers are beyond my current remit and therefore intended to provoke comment on whether this could or could not be considered an option. Should there now be a specific module on”Taming the Technology for Occupational Therapy Learning Requirements”? Should this be awarded credits in its own right? A problem solving tailor made option for individual students may be a way forward. Photo of occupational therapy administration building, Avalon Campus, Wintec, Hamilton.

Sustainability

2009-06-18T19:30:00.000+12:00

"Because flexible learning often entails self directed, or self paced learning, people can lose sight of what would be a reasonable workload." The following are useful points highlighted by Fred Lockwood's paper: Estimating student workload, readability and implications for student learning and progression

Teachers may be working harder than they need to by providing too much material for study.
Students may be working harder than they need to, trying to work through the over provision of material for their course or may end up not working through the material allocated.
“More is not better”, it is likely to be counterproductive in terms of quality, and potential student drop out due to the over length of the course.
Students have, and or need a life beyond studying. There may be additional commitments around work and family.
Credit courses are credited according to the number of hours allocated to the course. Example on the Bachelors of Occupational Therapy course: five credits relates to fifty hours of study time in the Concepts in Health Course.
Readability of teaching material and level of conceptual difficulty is affected by:Font and page size (more words on a page means more to read and digest), and the complexity of the content (length of sentences, words used, number of syllables in a word syntax and semantics).
Non textual materials (charts, graphs photographs, drawings) add to the study time.
Exercises, questions, self assessment tasks, critiquing activity reflection and skill acquisition activities are also going to add to the study time.
Readability of teaching material and level of conceptual difficulty can be estimated or calculated using tools such as the Flesch Reading Ease Score, and the Rule of Thumb.
Mid-course and end-of-course surveys repeatedly identify ‘lack of time’, ‘too much reading’, and ‘lots of difficult material’ as factors responsible for poor performance. This could be monitored or avoided with the implementation of a student workload project as described by Lockwood.
Over-length courses have financial implications and if the majority of courses are over length, they have higher levels of students dropping out of the course in the first semester (research conclusions in article)
Students with lower educational qualifications require more study hours.
Students with reading difficulties will also require additional study time. Put time pressure on to this and the reading difficulties increase.
“An increase in undergraduates, many without the qualifications and skills enjoyed by current undergraduates, will test quality assurance mechanisms.”(stated by Lockwood)

So, to summarise, for a course to meet the objectives in terms of learning requirements, the above highlights need to be addressed to the satisfaction of the students, teachers and educational institution.

Cultural sensitivity

2009-06-15T16:24:00.000+12:00

How you identify yourself culturally?

I love being in a multicultural setting. I grew up in a small mining village in England where similarities implied strength and social cohesion. My family were not miners which implied something different, neither better nor worse. Some of my friends chose to live within a few miles of their birth place, get married and have children. Others, like me needed different experiences. My journey involved a range of cultural experiences: living in the South of England, relocating every couple of years due to the demands of my job initially, then my husband’s work requiring a relocation to Germany, together with the travel opportunities in Europe. And now we are citizens of New Zealand enjoying the culture of a blend of, America. Asia, Canada, Europe, Maori, South Pacific Islands, UK and many other cultures.

From a cultural point of view I recognise where I come from, the journey I have made so far and where I am at present. It has been refreshing to explore the similarities and differences in values, interests and experiences with others on that journey. Photo: Te Kuiti Japanese gardens, twinned with Tatsuno, Japan.

Access and equity: Universal Design in Learning

2009-06-14T22:43:00.000+12:00

How could the Universal design principles be applied in my course or new flexible learning development?

The Universal Design in learning (UDL) is a framework that supports learning for all students by removing barriers while maintaining high standards of achievement. Barriers may be due to access: physical environment, location, technology and methods of delivery; learning style, culture, abilities and disability, age and gender. UDL’s guidelines are based on their education research with a proposed approach to overcome the “ inflexible, one-size-fits-all curricula that raise unintentional barriers to learning”.

Using Online and Distance Education as part of a requirement of the Bachelors of Occupational Therapy Programme may still result in exclusion, and inequality of opportunity and outcome. Spronk B (2002) in "Globalisation, ODL and Gender: Not Everyone's World is Getting Smaller, working draft, International Extension College, Cambridge, August, pp. 4."(cited by Zondiros, 2008) states the following which is relevant to this programme:

"These learners must be already well-educated. In order to take these 'excellent' courses from leading universities, one typically needs prerequisite credentials, usually of a fairly high order.
They must be proficient in reading and writing English, at a high academic level.
They must have ready access to powerful computing hardware and software, and a high speed and reliable Internet connection.
They must be computer literate. The more the ease they are with a wide variety of sophisticated computer applications, the more benefit they will derive from Web-based courses. “

In developing a course I therefore will need to consider the following:

The uniqueness of learners: learning styles, abilities and disabilities, motivation for learning.
Me, as course provider: My skills and expertise in the classroom and my technological expertise. . This includes lecturer skills in welcoming, supporting, and facilitating. Also my learning/facilitating strengths and weaknesses.
The environment: accessibility to the “classroom” whether a physical or a virtual classroom. Appropriateness of that chosen environment for the proposed content to the course.
Accessibility to the information on the course syllabus the course expectation, resources (books, on line lectures, Youtube, audio etc).
Delivery of course content: on line, off line, audio, visual, group learning , and lecturer facilitation. Making the contents understandable and enjoyable.

If I were considering running a course on a worldwide basis then I would have to pay more attention to Zondiros’ research on ideology, politics, economics and technology.

Music to my ears, Colour for my Eyes

2009-06-14T10:12:00.000+12:00

Inspired by a Bandanna I recently purchased to support CanTeen ("supporting young people living with cancer"). The bandanna was designed by Nicole Taylor for CanTeen. As this month's challenge for our local Otorohanga patchwork and quilting group we took a piece home to turn it into something else that is A4 in size. This was my contibution: "Music to my ears, colour for my eyes." I used several layers of diffrent patterned fabrics, placed my bandanna pieces on the top. Used top stitching in a variety of patterns then slashed the fabric. (faux chenille).

The pieces will be exhibited as part of the Waitomo Society of Arts exhibition, 15th and 16th October 2009

Flexible Learning in Educational Organisations

2009-06-12T10:25:00.000+12:00

1. Explore and justify the strategies for the development of flexible learning environments. Consider Kaplan University’s motivations for their marketing via two TV (Youtube) ads.
2. Write to your blog a critique of the online presentation of Otago Polytechnic’s Chief Executive, Phil Ker, talking about how his organisation is approaching flexible learning development.
3. Interview colleagues with experience in developing flexible learning and find out how they have developed flexible learning options in their practice* (Based on working with the staff of Otago Polytechnic Bachelors of Occupational Therapy Programme including Jackie Herkt, Principal, Linda Wilson, Justine Camp , James Sunderland and the Merrolee Penman video recording and the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec)based staff in Hamilton: Karen Wilson and Rita Robinson.)

Kaplan University has produced remarkable videos to promote flexible learning beyond the traditional classroom environment. The videos are clearly targeting potential students from a technically savvy audience on a worldwide basis. The motivation for marketing beyond the traditional student catchment area and into a World Wide Web space and using distance learning, flexible learning and blended delivery strategies, is a break in University tradition. University education has been perceived as educating the intellectual strata of society with recognised certificated qualifications , whereas the flexible approach has extended beyond this specific group of people onto a focus of learners wanting to learn and where skills, expertise, evidence based practice as well as traditional certificated qualifications are met with equal interest .

This same approach is reflected in Phil Ker’s vision for the future of Otago Polytechnic, as providing learning experiences beyond the parameters of the classroom and by promoting a regional provider status of Otago Polytechnic. Instead of learning “our way”- the educational establishment way, learners are encouraged to learn “their way,” in their time, their place, and to their learning objectives. Kaplan University goes as far as apologising to its audience on YouTube for not recognising the wasted talent (i.e. potential learners) missed by concentrating on the traditional learning and teaching methods. Phil Ker acknowledges the by enabling learners to learn their way there is higher retention rate, and learners of all ages and all cultures are being catered for.

The age of technology moves us beyond the books and the classroom environments into a world with Youtube, Elluminate, emails, Wiki sites, blogs and twitters; into alternatives of videos, iPods, , and on to learning websites, on-line Blackboards and Moodles. The list appears endless. However, before we wax lyrical over the flexible opportunities of learning, we do need to recognise that there is still a valued place for face to face contact and supports, and the classroom environment, as well as extending learning into one’s personal space, the work space or public places such as the local library.

Take the example of the Bachelors of Occupational Therapy Programme based at Otago Polytechnic in the South Island of New Zealand with this year’s development of a parallel programme based at the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), in Hamilton on the North Island.

This programme has blended a delivery of face to face lectures and workshops, and online lectures, videos and tutorials. Learning is also promoted via internet links to appropriate websites and via student directed learning activities. Group activity is also promoted beyond the classroom environment via chat rooms, Skype, and conferencing facilities as the Wintec site builds its resources. Course work set in the first semester of the first year maximises the opportunities of sharing the diverse range of previous student experiences relating to the course content. In addition, the aim of this first semester is to increase learner autonomy of those that have had limited experience outside a classroom environment. An introductory fieldwork placement is also an important part of the first semester. This blend of flexible and traditional learning intends to take full advantage of learning tools currently available.

This is hardly what you would promote as totally flexible from a learner’s point of view. Why? Some of the key components in the making of an occupational therapist worthy of employment in our traditional workplaces are the value of both face to face AND distance learning social interactions. Traditional services involve hands on treatments and understanding the importance of spontaneous verbal and non verbal cues in the building of rapport, and establishing professional relationships with fellow human beings. The face to face component in addition to alternative means of communications cannot be underestimated in the field of occupational therapy.

Flexible learning and learning the learner’s way may not meet the traditional work place environments. Writing a timely treatment plan or responding to a potential crisis, meeting a contract deadline may not be regarded by some flexible learning packages as the learner’s way of learning. Traditional courtesies of timeliness of work, punctuality for appointments and learning work ethics of turning up for meetings, switching off cells phones and concentrating on client needs are all part of the working environment. Handing in assignments within a specified time, combined with classroom and face to face group activities enables the learner to learn the traditional workplace requirements. Perhaps this reflects that truly flexible learning is for students that have their own needs at the core of learning, and the blended approach combines the needs of the student for maximising their learning potential while still ensuring that at the end of a three year training period they are assessed as having traditional employment skills for those traditional workplaces.

In the online presentation by Phil Ker participants identified the perception of some learners that moving away from traditional classroom with face to face learning as a cost saving exercise . Learners who have not encountered the richness of alternative opportunities via flexible learning methods, require support when the walls and ceilings of their classroom are dismantled, exposing the world of learning beyond. Facilitation of learning is therefore required around this blended delivery approach promoting and demonstrating the potential of more rather than less learning opportunity for the dollar paid. Our learning now extends beyond the shores of our island to a world wide network of expertise.

Learning: The flexible options

2009-05-29T17:33:00.000+12:00

Having visited varied flexible learning sites, I am coming to the conclusion that the concept of learning has flexible boundaries giving the learner options of learning in ways that that would vever have been met with the traditional historical learning classroom environments.

The flexible learning course material...

Annand (2007) refers to an educational and technical revolution placing pressure on traditional delivery of education. He compares this to the Industrial revolution with its far-reaching effects, and gives us an in depth analysis of traditional, open and distance learning that considers the student, the teacher, the organisation, political, educational and social needs and wants. Resource accessed via reading the website article or via audio download (MP3 download for me).

The University of London gives an example of an establishment breaking away from traditional learning packages and breaking in to flexible contracts and systems that embrace a world wide class room participation, where learning is adapted to style, culture, commitments at work and at home. The outcome of this learning is a reputable qualification recognised on a world- wide basis. I accessed this via You Tube.

Then I had the opportunity of listening in to a panel discussion via Elluminate (in my case a recorded version transferred to my MP3) which had been combined with face to face discussions where participants shared their experiences of developing learning flexibility into their courses. Further learning opportunities were accessed via previous course participant’s plans and presentations via You Tube and audio links. Finally, via an audio link, I was treated to a complex example of recognitionof prior learning (RPL).

As the learner, my learning opportunities did not take place in the traditional classroom. I listened to the downloaded MP3 recordings while travelling by car between Te Kuiti and Hamilton. The You Tube videos were accessed partially in the local library and partially in the office at home. The Elluminate live attendance wasn’t possible due to the access issues at the time of the meeting. However I was able to access the recording that did not require sitting in front of the computer for the duration of the session. The down side of this was not being able to actively participate in the proceedings.

Then of course my blog: I am currently writing this up offline in my bedroom, as my landlady in Hamilton no longer has a computer link at her home. She spends all day in front of a computer at work and opted to have a well earned break from the screen... and watches TV instead. My plan is to download this course work onto my blog site and attempt hyperlinks so visitors to my blog site have the option to explore the resources I have tapped into.

My flexible Learning plan

You may also note that my entry is outside the standard estimated time frame for this course. Read the previous entry at the end of April and you will grasp the issues I have faced since February in overcoming the technological limitations of my workplace (new job), my individual circumstances, working away from home, and staying in a place with no on-line access. So in my case the solutions of flexible learning have had to be tailored creatively to my learning requirements In my case therefore, traditional learning options would have been a non starter. My expectations of my workplace facilities in meeting the course needs were clearly unrealistic and required a complete shift in my thinking around removing my barriers to learning. So folks, I’m back, and working towards the next blog assignment. My thanks to the very supportive discussions with Bronwyn and Otago team around the technological hitches – by emails and by telephone!

A critical incident

2009-04-30T17:29:00.000+12:00

It has been quite a day today.
If anything could go wrong, technologically speaking, it did. Ever had that critical moment when the DVD arrived 30minutes before class? Well, today was that day. The the projector and lap top "were on the way". Thinking positively, I prepared as best I could, given the set of circumstances.

First step: check the DVD works - it didn't. Get it sorted.
Next step check the projector and laptop are working - they weren't with this particular DVD.
Get another lap top and attach to the projector. Working? - No!
Last resort as I am now 20 minutes in to class - Lap top stand alone. Working? - yes, but too quiet and screen to small. General consensus. Abort.

Reviewing the experience
So now you have the background. Bearing in mind I have little or no control over services and delivery or the time frame in getting this DVD to me available to me, and this was booked in as my next class offering, what could I do next? Well I had a plan B, a plan C and if all else failed the class time would have been used up anyway. Plan B downloaded and tested on a different computer would not comply to the laptop projector requirements. Plan C worked!

Lights, Camera, ACTION!
Yes. Alot of action took place after the event. Initially venting my frustrations in the safety of a little room! Then I thought to myself: get out there and problem-solve!! Shedding light on the underlying format incompatabilities, the time frame difficulties and preparation requirements, and recording this in email to colleagues together with an action plan of what I was able to do to contribute to the parts I could control.

Next time
A visit to the massage therapist will be included to remove knots in jaw line from gnashing of teeth, my neck and my shoulders!

A New Day, A New Blog Look

2009-04-28T17:40:00.000+12:00

Yet more changes to my Blog. As you can see, I now have a photo (taken by my husband from the garden*) at the top of my page - couldn't work out how to fit it initially but got there in the end. Then there was the layout and colour coordination. So important especially in the absence of a red and purple site.... which would have possibly made the lovely photo rather yucky. I like the idea of the news searches using key words, so I have chosen Flexible Learning (of course), occupational therapy (my beloved profession) and Waitomo-Waikato Times (to keep in touch locally). I can see me creating links to all sorts of sites but we wouldn't want Blog overload ! Oops must go - the toast is burning!

*Garden? Well not quite. More a garden in the making, step one.

Te Kuiti 2009

2009-04-05T15:11:00.000+12:00

I put this photo into my blog to do with flexible learning for a reason. Why should I travel to the "big city" (Hamilton) for learning purposes when I have the luxury of flexible learning from a relaxing, thought inducing alternative to a traditional classroom?

This is Te Kuiti, the sheep shearing capital of New Zealand, and south of the Bombay Hills!

"What is Flexible Learning?" A short story: Xanthe

2009-04-05T14:50:00.000+12:00

Meet Xanthe. She lives with her elderly unwell parents and arranges support for them when she works part time at the local hospital. She doesn’t work at weekends and wants to study to a higher level to improve work opportunities.
Xanthe’s issues:

She works three days a week and relies on the money to support her dependent parents.
Living in an isolated rural situation, she is reluctant to move into the big City for her learning needs.
Being two and a half hours from the nearest city – a five hour return trip makes access to day and evening classes is prohibitive.
She is not familiar with computers other than sending an email and using search engines.
She does not own a computer at home yet.
She says she is more comfortable with the traditional learning style of teaching in a classroom environment and would prefer to study and do home work at weekends.

Xanthe’s flexible learning needs:

She wants to improve her working opportunities in the local hospital.
She is not familiar with flexible learning methods
She is not familiar with local support networks and facilities as she moved there to support her parents in their town.
The reasons therefore that Xanthe is therefore NOT able to access a current Bachelors Occupational Therapy Programme or an aspect of the programme are:
She is unable to attend any of the face to face lectures or tutorials as the course relies on group work activity and experiences during the classes.
The programme relies heavily on computer technology links between Dunedin and Hamilton. There are no external links or groups in her town.
The programme activity runs Monday to Fridays and not at weekends.
Fieldwork placements require her to move to different hospitals for a wider clinical experienceHer financial situation does not support her study requirements.

2009-03-25T16:21:00.000+13:00

The Red Hat Symposium in Whangamata

INTRODUCTION : Hils Hamilton Connection

2009-03-25T13:00:00.001+13:00

Hi ! My very first post on a blog site.

I'm Hilary, based in the Hamilton area, hence the name "The Hamilton Connection" although

I actually live in Te Kuiti with my husband (married for 32 years), two dogs- Bonnie (the Grump) and Max (more a mini donkey than a dog) and two young twin goats - Bramble and Specks.

Throughout my working life and my career in occupational therapy, I have attended, workshops, part time courses, conferences and evening classes as well as on line activity to improve my knowledge and skills.

My first foray into this exciting, area of on line distance learning was via a module on Traumatic Brain Injury based in America - an excellent way to learn from a reputable source! Distance learning has gone WAY beyond that original website information, powerpoint presentations and emails, with the access to U tube, podcasts and other forms of inforamtion exchange.

Then camee the introduction, though somewhat frustrating, to Blackboard this year via Otago Polytechnic. Use of Elluminate is also a 2009 addition to my repertoire, with much to learn on how to get the best out of this method of communicating and learning. So, if I suddenly press the applause button and it appears to be an innaproriate response , it is probably because I pressed the wrong button in my excitement.

Having just become involved in education as a lecturer and the introduction to the concepts of blogging and other flexible leraning practices, this appears to be the course to consolidate my understanding of what is out there as a resource for flexible learning practice. My ultimate aim is to achieve a level 7 teaching certificate with this course as part of the certificate.

I suspect that my questions will be answered as I complete the tasks set via this flexible learning course.