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Marie Martin and Michaela Noakes is offered tentatively as a contribution to the development of a framework for transformative eLearning. References Beetham, H. and Sharpe, R. (2007) Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age: designing and delivering eLearning, London and New York: Routledge. Croft, N., Allison, D. and Duff, M. (2010) Overcoming isolation in distance learning: Building a learning community through time and space, [Online], Available: http://ctiweb.cf.ac.uk/jebe/pdf/NicholasCroft5(1).pdf Friedman, T. L. (2007) The world is flat, New York: Picador/Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Gunawardena, C., Lowe, C. and Anderson, T. (1997) ‘Analysis of a global online debate and the development of an interaction analysis model for examining social construction of knowledge in computer conferencing’, Journal of Educational Computing Research, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 395 – 429. Guth, S.and Helm, F. (eds.) (2010) Telecollaboration 2.0: Languages, literacies and intercultural learning in the 21 st century, Bern: Peter Lang. Hargreaves, A. (2003) Teaching in the knowledge society: Education in the age of insecurity, New York: Teachers College Press. Katsifli, D. (2010). The impact of Blackboard software on education globally over the past 10 years. [Online], Available: http://www.lms.unimelb.edu.au/elo/resources/The_impact_of_Blackboard_software_on_education_globally_ (20100204W).pdf Kuriloff, P. (2005) ‘ Breaking the barriers of time and space: More effective teaching using e-pedagogy’, Innovate [Electronic], vol.2, no. 1, Available: http://www.innovateonline.info/ Kyong-Jee, K. and Bonk, C. J. ( 2006) [Online]. ‘The future of online teaching and learning in higher education: The survey says ...’ Education Quarterly [Electronic], vol. 29, no. 4, Available: http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/TheFutureofOnline TeachingandLe/157426 Lee, J. W. and McLouglin, C. (eds.) (2011) Web 2.0-based eLearning: applying social informatics for tertiary teaching, Hershey, New York: Information Science Reference. Martin, M. (2010) Learning by wandering: An ancient Irish perspective for a digital world, Bern: Peter Lang. Papert, S. and Caperton, G. (1999) Vision for education: The Caperton-Papert platform [Online], Available: http://www.papert.org/articles/Vision_for_education.html Papert, S. (1999) Technology in schools: To support the system or render it obsolete, Milken Family Foundation, [Online], Available: http://www.mff.org/edtech/article.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1. Quinn Patton, M. (2002.) Qualitative research and evaluation methods, 3 rd edition, Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage Publications. Siemens, G. ( 2011) Re: Massive open online courses, blog ( http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/), 4 Aug. Stein, J. (2008) Re: Massive open online courses, blog ( http://jaredstein.org/2008/02/29/lmss-ples-walledgardens-and-yearnings-for-debate/), 29 Feb. Thornburg, D. D. (2004) ‘Campfires in cyberspace: Primordial metaphors for learning in the 21 st century’, International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, vol. 1, no. 10, October, [Electronic], Available: http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Oct_04/invited01.htm. 448

Online Student Engagement: Unfulfilled Promises or Promises Unfulfilled? Linda Martin, Gary Spolander, Imran Ali and Beulah Maas Coventry University, UK hsx185@coventry.ac.uk aa2912@coventry.ac.uk aa2446@coventry.ac.uk aa4895@coventry.ac.uk Abstract: Engagement is often seen as a reliable proxy for learning (Coates, 2005) but also in general abilities and critical thinking (Gellin, 2003), student satisfaction (Kuh et al, 2007), cognitive development (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005) and improved grades (Tross et al, 2000). Whilst Coventry University have made significant efforts to support early engagement and promote good technology support, experience indicates that some students of on line programmes continue to experience "engagement challenges". These include choosing to study in isolation; students maximizing offered flexibility of eLearning to the detriment of synchronous collaboration, accessing learning materials only shortly before the submission of assessed work is due and as a result failing to move from surface level to in-depth approaches of cognitive processing (Henri, 1992). As a result what was intended as a dynamic, interactive medium for shared learning can become a pragmatic approach to individualistic achievement. In response to these concerns on a distance based online Health and Social Care degree, a project was launched to explore the impact of collaborative peer assessment and whether this would result in greater motivation to develop and share approaches to learning. Would developing this increased "critical space" (Jankowska & Atlay, 2008) result in an improved level of academic work being presented for assessment? Keywords: on line; peer assessment; collaborative; student engagement; shared learning 1. Introduction ELearning presents a dynamic approach to study which has opened a multitude of flexible opportunities for students not previously experienced. Innovative, creative resources can contribute to the development of the knowledge base within the student group through more responsive participative methods, especially when compared to the large and small group discussions so frequently used in traditional 'classroom' teaching in higher education. ELearning presents a panacea to the challenges of flexible learning, and increased opportunity for student engagement experienced through offering both synchronous and asynchronous opportunities to communicate verbally, visually and in writing within learning communities. The flexibility of eLearning enables lecturers to respond to the individual learning needs of students. 2. Developing communities of learning At Coventry University, the Foundation, BA and Master’s degrees in Social and Health Care Management were launched three years ago as wholly online programmes to offer increased flexibility and innovative course delivery. In this time, significant differences and concerns emerged in the responses from students on these three programmes. Notably the Foundation degree students demonstrated lower levels of engagement and academic learning. Further analysis by the course team suggested that this was influenced by a complex array of factors linked to developments in the social care and health sector, HEI sector responses to government initiatives and challenges and the individual characteristics of students. In response the course team developed a pilot peer assessment process as a means of promoting engagement and with a view to developing a better understanding of academic expectations for the Foundation degree students. This paper outlines this process, by exploring the rationale, approach taken and the initial results of the pilot. This is a work in progress and further development is ongoing. There have been considerable changes in recent years in the social care sector, with the increased use of independent sector organizations to deliver care services. Although the need for leadership and management training is undisputed in the sector, it pays low wages (Low Pay Commission, 2011), staffing levels are often stretched (Mansell, 2011) and there is little incentive for senior managers to support staff in acquiring professional training. In the health sector, the picture is slightly different with many staff in the position of needing to achieve degree status in order to be eligible for promotion in the National Health Service (NHS). The level of self motivation is therefore variable 449

Marie Martin and Michaela Noakes<br />

is offered tentatively as a contribution to the development of a framework for transformative<br />

eLearning.<br />

References<br />

Beetham, H. and Sharpe, R. (2007) Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age: designing and delivering eLearning,<br />

London and New York: Routledge.<br />

Croft, N., Allison, D. and Duff, M. (2010) Overcoming isolation in distance <strong>learning</strong>: Building a <strong>learning</strong> community<br />

through time and space, [Online], Available: http://ctiweb.cf.ac.uk/jebe/pdf/NicholasCroft5(1).pdf<br />

Friedman, T. L. (2007) The world is flat, New York: Picador/Farrar, Straus and Giroux.<br />

Gunawardena, C., Lowe, C. and Anderson, T. (1997) ‘Analysis of a global online debate and the development of<br />

an interaction analysis model for examining social construction of knowledge in computer conferencing’,<br />

Journal of Educational Computing Research, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 395 – 429.<br />

Guth, S.and Helm, F. (eds.) (2010) Telecollaboration 2.0: Languages, literacies and intercultural <strong>learning</strong> in the<br />

21 st century, Bern: Peter Lang.<br />

Hargreaves, A. (2003) Teaching in the knowledge society: Education in the age of insecurity, New York:<br />

Teachers College Press.<br />

Katsifli, D. (2010). The impact of Blackboard software on education globally over the past 10 years. [Online],<br />

Available:<br />

http://www.lms.unimelb.edu.au/elo/resources/The_impact_of_Blackboard_software_on_education_globally_<br />

(20100204W).pdf<br />

Kuriloff, P. (2005) ‘ Breaking the barriers of time and space: More effective teaching using e-pedagogy’, Innovate<br />

[Electronic], vol.2, no. 1, Available: http://www.innovateonline.info/<br />

Kyong-Jee, K. and Bonk, C. J. ( 2006) [Online]. ‘The future of online teaching and <strong>learning</strong> in higher education:<br />

The survey says ...’ Education Quarterly [Electronic], vol. 29, no. 4, Available:<br />

http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/TheFutureofOnline<br />

TeachingandLe/157426<br />

Lee, J. W. and McLouglin, C. (eds.) (2011) Web 2.0-based eLearning: applying social informatics for tertiary<br />

teaching, Hershey, New York: Information Science Reference.<br />

Martin, M. (2010) Learning by wandering: An ancient Irish perspective for a digital world, Bern: Peter Lang.<br />

Papert, S. and Caperton, G. (1999) Vision for education: The Caperton-Papert platform [Online], Available:<br />

http://www.papert.org/articles/Vision_for_education.html<br />

Papert, S. (1999) Technology in schools: To support the system or render it obsolete, Milken Family Foundation,<br />

[Online], Available: http://www.mff.org/edtech/article.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1.<br />

Quinn Patton, M. (2002.) Qualitative research and evaluation methods, 3 rd edition, Thousand Oaks, London, New<br />

Delhi: Sage Publications.<br />

Siemens, G. ( 2011) Re: Massive open online courses, blog ( http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/), 4 Aug.<br />

Stein, J. (2008) Re: Massive open online courses, blog ( http://jaredstein.org/2008/02/29/lmss-ples-walledgardens-and-yearnings-for-debate/),<br />

29 Feb.<br />

Thornburg, D. D. (2004) ‘Campfires in cyberspace: Primordial metaphors for <strong>learning</strong> in the 21 st century’,<br />

International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, vol. 1, no. 10, October, [Electronic],<br />

Available: http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Oct_04/invited01.htm.<br />

448

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