Colleges are currently seeking feedback on a set of draft Standards for Digital Learning, developed by the Digital Learning Working Group in response to feedback from students and staff. Students tell us that they would like a greater level of consistency in user experience across FLO topics, while staff, particularly during the recent move to online learning during COVID restrictions, are seeking guidance in relation to good practice. The Standards for Digital Learning are designed to meet these needs.
The Standards are based on considerable work already done in the national and international space, including the ACODE Threshold Standards for Online Learning Environments Draft 1.2, Quality Matters Course Design Rubric Standards, together with similar standards from other Australian universities.
They identify 9 key areas to address when providing a consistent quality digital learning experience for students and can be used as a mechanism to assist with the development of topic sites or as an aid to reviewing a topic site as part of a course review process.
The 9 key areas cover:
- Overall topic design
- Topic overview, welcome and orientation
- Learning Outcomes
- Assessment and Feedback
- Learning Resources
- Learning Activities, Engagement and Learner Interaction
- Technology and Online Tools
- Support for Learning
- Accessibility and Useability
The Standards apply to any topic with a digital component. In the Flinders context this includes all topics delivered as part of our award and non-award courses, including topics that are fully online, but also topics that have traditionally been taught face to face. This is in recognition that digital learning is now an embedded element in any learning experience.
Historically Finders has had both the Web Presence in Every Topic (WebPET) and the FLO topic baseline which have gone some way to outline minimum expectations for tools, use and layout of the online learning environment. These new Standards (once endorsed) will enhance and build upon – and ultimately replace – both WebPET and the FLO topic baseline.
Learning and teaching principles and effective pedagogic practice must drive topic design. Strategic and rigorous learning design informs topic design and use of digital tools. These Standards are not intended to replace learning and teaching principles, or purposeful curriculum design. Rather they are intended to complement and enhance topic design by providing a baseline of effective practice expectations for the digital learning environment. Where possible the Standards will be used to inform the design of templates in FLO to automate and save workload.
You are encouraged to engage with the reps in your College and provide feedback. Your reps will be able to share a draft version of the Standards and let you know how you can have your say.
The Digital Learning Working Group will use your feedback to refine and improve the Standards. They will then be sent to the Educational Quality Committee for endorsement and published together with a series of tip sheets and good practice guides.
Your College reps are:
BGL: Jodie Curth-Bibb
EPSW: Lindsey Conner and Trudy Sweeney
NHS: Alison Campbell and Shelly Abbott
MPH: Annie Murray and Voula Gaganis
SE: Ingo Koeper, Sherry Randhawa, Jeanne Young, Anna Shillabeer
HASS: Mai Ngo and Olga Sanchez
Have your say today.