Pandora - a project for APU
Promoting cultural change
As Anglia
Polytechnic University seeks ways to implement its learning and teaching
policy, which includes appropriate use of Information and Communications
Technology (ICT), there is recognition of the need for co-ordinated action
and for seeking majority involvement in achieving cultural change.
The Vice Chancellor's Conference, Broxted, 7 September
2000
The Pandora project was announced by Stephen Marshall
at the Vice Chancellor's Conference in Broxted, 7 September 2000 and is
Ultralab's response to the call by Vice Chancellor Mike Malone-Lee for
all Schools to promote online learning. The project draws on Ultralab's
strengths as a Learning Technology Research Centre and on strengths across
the University, supporting what we are already doing to promote e-learning
and e-commerce at APU and building on this.
For example Schools and individuals at APU who may be
contemplating putting their learning material online can find on this
website some examples of Ultralab's work with
different Schools in the University, and are encouraged to contact Ultralab colleagues who may be able to offer advice and help.
A collaborative project
A Project
Steering Group for Pandora was established at the outset, drawing
on support at senior level from APU's Learning
and Teaching Unit, Communications
& IT Services, Media
Production Department and from subject specialists across the University,
and thereby helping to set up a truly collaborative project which relates
to Learning
and Teaching Strategy. in promoting cultural change.
A website for the Learning and Teaching
Unit
An important first step of the collaborative project
was to support the Learning
and Teaching Unit in establishing its own website, thereby providing
opportunities for LTU colleagues to showcase their work, including work
on delivering learning opportunities online; Media
Production Department and Communications
& IT Services had substantial input here.
Pandora hosted and managed the LTU website on an Ultralab
server until the unit was in a position to take over the running of the
website independently. Project subsequently delivered relevant ICT training
to key LTU colleagues to assist with this.
The Pandora website
The interactive Pandora website aims to support reflective
practitioners through providing access to new
staff development opportunities and through a growing collection of
resources and links, thereby helping practitioners to make the best use
of existing resources and affording a platform for dissemination of best
practice. Contact Pandora with
your own contribution - or use the contribution
form.
A first point of reference
Ultralab's Pandora website, with reciprocal links to
the APU and LTU websites, aims to be a first point of reference for all
those interested in promoting learning online.
A resource for the Learning and Teaching Unit
The
LTU website has reciprocal links to this Pandora website, a useful
extra resource.
Staff Development opportunities
Two further Pandora initiatives offer further opportunities
for staff development, encouraging the use of technology to develop innovative
teaching processes and effective ICT-supported learning environments,
both on and off campus:
These initiatives link to the Action
Enquiry Module offered by the School of Education.
Narrative-based learning
This latest initiative builds on Ultralab's successful
Ultra-language-lab work which has already sold 2 learning packages to AngliaCampus and is
being used by schools across the U.K. Pandora offers Schools support in
creating narrative-based e-learning materials for specific subject purposes.
Cultural-linguistic support
Cultural-linguistic support for international students
is an optional extra, affording Schools a useful marketing tool as well
as support for distance learning.
"Change of heart!
Health Care Practice has commissioned the first such
e-learning package, which will support delivery of the HCP Level H Public
Health module. The materials are being developed collaboratively with
HCP and will be available online and on CD to students from January 2002.
