Activity 6.4 - CMALT and LSN certification schemes - my observations

Sources

CMALT (n.d.) ‘CMALT Prospectus ’, [online] Available from: http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/cmalt-prospectusv4.pdf (Accessed 30 November 2008).

The Learning and Skills Network (2007) ‘A Professional Development Framework for E-learning’, [online] Available from: https://oufe.open.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.learningtechnologies.ac.uk/files/0627161Framework.pdf (Accessed 2 December 2008).

Lessner, Ellen (2007) ‘CMALT experience - an individual perspective ’, [online] Available from: http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/Ellen_Lessner_CMALT_experience_200711203.pdf (Accessed 2 December 2008).

Lisewski, Bernard and Joyce, Paul (n.d.) ‘Examining the five-stage e-moderating model: Designed and emergent practice in the learning technology profession’, [online] Available from: http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/resourcepage/view.php?id=90970&direct=1 (Accessed 24 November 2008).

Oliver, Martin (2002) ‘What do Learning Technologists do?’, Innovations in Education and Teaching International , 30(4), pp. 245-252.

Write a short 300 word account of what you have learned about the development and certification of elearning practitioners in this unit.

Much of the interest in accrediting learning technologists comes from a recognition of

• the isolation common to many learning technologists (including myself) (Oliver)(Lessner)
• the problems with credibility (i.e. academics not recognizing the expertise / competencies that a LT role can hold and instead reducing the position to a service provider or enabler; their practices are poorly understood (Oliver) (LSN) ; involves more than simply selecting from an off the shelf arsenal of products / services (Lisewski)
• the unique nature of the position (autonomy, without authority, yet still being promoted as a strategic change agent) .. (Oliver)

It appears that learning technologists have moved to address these (and other) issues first through the formation an association (ALT), and secondly through the set up of accreditation (CMALT or LSN). Such efforts also raise the profile of research in learning technology and the pursuit of professionalism by Learning Technologists.

While not directly stated, it's clear that this work ultimately improves credibility and respectability for the LT position. (CMALT prospectus) (LSN) .

My own review of competencies yielded some important insights.

The LSN competencies were subdivided by role - general practitioner, policy maker, expert adviser, developer, leader. This proved to be much more interesting because it pointed out to me just how many "hats" one can wear as an Learning Technologist .. and the need to switch those hats - i.e. from learner to adviser to leader.. Which lead me to suggest yet another challenging competency - the need to know when to switch those hats .... thus I'm deducing the need to be a fairly seasoned communicator in order to recognize that.

Based upon my interpretation and review of the competencies from CMALT, all six of my pdp objectives tied into atleast one of the CMALT Core competencies.. and in three pdp objectives a CMALT Specialist competency was identified. Noticeable was a focus on operational issues in 4 of the 6 objectives. This has me wondering if I am unknowingly "complying" with management's view of me as an learning technologist as "service provider"(?).

Summary - Competences for Online Teaching: A Special Report

Source

Goodyear, P., Salmon, Gilly, Spector, M., Steeples, C. and Tickner, S. (2001) ‘Competencies for online teaching’, Educational Technology Research & Development , 49(1), pp. 65-72, [online] Available from: http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/resourcepage/view.php?id=90970 (Accessed 11 November 2008).

Compared with Hillier, this piece provides a more systematic approach to identifying the different competencies of an online teacher. It starts by identifying the many roles an online teacher may be asked to assume. Then it looks at the skill set / tasks required to carry out these roles to produce a comprehensive "competencies" list for an online teacher.

Roles involved in online teaching

• researcher
• assessor
• adviser
• process facilitator
• content facilitator
• technologist
• designer
• manager / administrator

Under one of these roles .... we might have "tasks" listed

• process facilitator
• welcoming
  
• establishing ground rules
  
• creating a community
  
• managing communications
  
• modelling social behaviour
  
• establishing own identity
  

One could mine these tasks to generate a list of competencies

• challenge participants but support them individually and as a group
• tolerate ambiguity when working with individuals and groups
• etc.
  

Noted by Goodyear was how it was implied in the final lists an educational philosophy . One valuing

• democratization of learning
• inclussiveness
• increasing student responsibility for learning

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No mention of the word excellence... but definitely inferring the need for someone who aspires to becoming an online teacher or who already calls themselves one - to reflect on how well they feelthey understand and have mastered these many competencies. Produce evidence to support their development in these area

I can also well imagine for those who came up with the lists, that the task would have been an equally demanding one - demanding a great deal of reflection on one's practice.

Summary - Promoting excellence in HE - Hillier article

Source

Hillier, Yvonne (n.d.) ‘The quest for competence, good practice and excellence’, The Higher Education Academy, [online] Available from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/id494_quest_for_competence.pdf (Accessed 11 November 2008).

Attempts made to identify qualities of excellence. To formally recognize it and in doing so promote good practices to realizing it.
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NTFS (National teaching Fellowship Scheme - UK
criteria for rating submissions for teaching excellence

• ability to inspire students
• ability to inspire colleagues
• ability to inspire broader community
• enable Ss to achieve learning outcomes
• demonstrate reflective practice in their teaching
• innovation
• promotion
• presentation
• sharing and promoting good practice

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Research on the subject by Vielba and Hillier, 2000.
Administrators focussed on organizational qualities

• planning
• resources
• explicitly stated outcomes

Teachers and students focussed on affective / personal qualities

• enthusiasm
• creativity
• interpersonal skills

Students noted the importance of "communication skills"

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So using criteria for judging excellence is dead.. long live the role of research and reflection in promoting excellence (?)

That's sort of what I'm left with here after reading the Hillier article. So there is not true set of criteria to realize what is deemed to be "excellence" in teaching. Rather we know what is needed to encourage personal and professional development to make anyone a better educator - namely "research" to inform "reflection on our practices" and this to inform our "professional practice".

Seems to support my earlier opinion about using the term "expert" - calling myself an expert on anything. I am more comfortable declaring myself someone who is a reflective practitioner thus continually under development. The alternative? To stay the same .... to not grow .. to fossilize.