How do learners find the courses they need? A look at the outcomes from the JISC coursedata programme. Covering FE, undergrad, postgrad online and CPD. Jisc conference 2012

1. Plymouth College of Art
Making the Most of Course Information – Stage 2
Elaine Garcia

2. Technical, Interface and Content Domains
•
Technical – Creating the XCRI-CAP feed
•Content – Creating or gather content students will to see when choosing a course
•Interface – Displaying the information created and share with others

3. Technical Domain
•
Production of the XCRI-CAP feed
–
Process redesign
–
Cultural change
–
Technical development
–
What, Where, Who, Why, When?

4. Content Domains
Assertion:
•Art and Design is perhaps “different”
•Students want greater contextualised information
•We want to allow students to see in 3D rather than 2D
•In Stage One we had the opportunity to assess whether we were right

5. Quiz Time
Please don’t phone,
it’s just for fun!

6. Question Which were the most important sources of information for students when choosing a course?
Website
Prospectus
Open Day
Interview
Social Media
A
B
C
D
E
Responses from poll:

7. Ans. - Which were the most important sources of information for students when choosing a course?
Website
Prospectus
Open Day
Interview
Social Media
A
B
C
D
E

8. Question Where was the first place students looked for information about courses?
Search Engine
Website
UCAS
Radio
Onsite
A
B
C
D
E
Responses from poll:

9. Ans. - Where was the first place you looked for information about courses?
Search Engine
Website
UCAS
Radio
Onsite
A
B
C
D
E

10. Question What sort of things appeal to students in Art and Design?

11. Ans. – What sort of things appeal to students in Art and Design?
Tutors
Course Content
Facilities
Atmosphere
Other Students
Environment
Creative Freedom
Experience
Resources
Group Dynamics
Hands on

12. Content Domains
What did this tell us?
•When students first look for information they go to UCAS, websites or search engines
•BUT….
•The information they find most useful and is found via interviews (talking to tutors)
•AND…..
•The most useful information relates to areas such as tutors, atmosphere, environment and intangible aspects
•SO….
•We wanted to include this information within the XCRI-CAP feed

13. Content Domains
How did we do this?
•Utilising Mahara (eportfolio) for staff profiles
•Creating a public URL for each member of staff linked to course
•This portfolio will have the following elements:
–Profile Page (public)
–CV (private)
–Research Interests (public)
–Online Gallery (public)
–Range of other customisable pages (Linkedin, twitter, academia.edu)

14. •
Create an aggregator site for specialist art and design institutions to display the XCRI-CAP feed (including extended elements)
•
Provide a demonstrator for the XCRI-CAP feed
•
Highlight the specialist nature of Art and Design institutions
Interface Domains

15. Further Investigation
•
We will also be considering whether any information contained in Moodle may be able to be provided to prospective students to give them a better idea of what the course will be like……

16. Moodle Block
•
XCRI-CAP Demonstrator
•
Will provide progression opportunities to existing students via a Moodle block which utilises the XCRI-CAP feed to suggest “next step” courses or allow a search facility for students from within the VLE.
•FE, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, CPD and possibly careers…..

17. More Information….
Elaine Garcia
Head of Human and Digital Learning Environments
&
Project Manager for Making the Most of Course Information and XCRI-CAP Demonstrator Projects
•egarcia@pca.ac.uk
•@ela1negarc1a
•Skype – ela1negarc1a