Professor Mark Brown gave a presentation titled "Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture: Exploring the Question of Quality" at Talis Insight 2015 in Birmingham. He discussed three key topics: 1) different definitions of quality, 2) three "flavors" or metaphors for thinking about quality, and 3) tools for enhancing quality by developing a culture of quality rather than relying solely on compliance. Overall, Brown argued that technology-enhanced learning initiatives will only be transformative if the right institutional culture is developed to support quality in teaching.
1. Professor Mark Brown
Talis Insight 2015
Birmingham
15th April 2015
Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture:
Exploring the Question of Quality
2. Officially launched 28th November, 2013 by Ruairi Quinn, Minister for
Education and Skills, and Lord David Putnam, Ireland’s Digital
Ambassador.
http://www.dcu.ie/nidl
7. And the ‘pump, pump,
dump’ model of digital
learning still dominates teaching
practice.
Most technology-enhanced learning initiatives
reinforce traditional outcomes…
The inconvenient truth is…
8. 1. What’s your flavour?
2. Three flavours of quality
3. Tools for enhancing the flavour
Outline…
Developing a Vibrant Digital Learning Culture:
Exploring the Question of Quality
23. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Quality is Standardized
(i) Mass production metaphor…
24. 2. Three flavours of quality…
(ii) Boutique craft metaphor…
Quality is Unique
25. 2. Three flavours of quality…
High Quality Milk
Quality depends on the raw ingredients
26. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Quality is NOT to Everyone’s Taste
And…
27. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Who defines quality?
… and for what purpose?
28. 2. Three flavours of quality…
Quality standards are important…
…but they are not a proxy for innovation!
29. 2. Three flavours of quality…
(iii) Personal ethos metaphor…
Quality is a Relative Concept
30. 2. Three flavours of quality…
• Complex
• Contestable
• Multi-layered
• Context bound
• Discipline specific
• Is a moving target
• Involves an X factor
In sum…
38. 3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…
• Understanding people matter most
• Winning the hearts and minds of people
• Promoting a high level of professional trust
• Giving responsibility for quality back to teachers
• Building distributed leadership at the module and
programme level
A quality culture involves…
39. Help lecturers learn how to make their
own unique ice cream that students can truly savor!
3. Tools for enhancing the flavour…