Background

WoLF is a collaborative research project between Leicester College and the University of Leicester. The project started in March 2007 and is expected to be completed in December 2008. WoLF is a Higher Education (HE) in Further Education (FE) project and seeks to investigate how Pocket PCs support portfolio development by teaching assistants (TAs) on foundation degree courses. WoLF will develop a model for integrating institutional VLEs and personal mobile devices, for the purpose of learning in work-based settings.

Research ObjectivesProduce a comprehensive literature review on use of

PDAs in the work based learning context

Develop a pedagogical model and proof of concept

which is transferable to different work based learning

context

Develop resources for practitioners for designing

reflective learning activities based on work-based

learning scenarios

Develop guidelines for integrating the use of pocket

PCs into work-based learning setting into

institutional VLEs

Research DesignApproach: Ethnographic based action research

Population: 30 TAs are expected to participate.

Key FindingsUsability: Screen size, keyboard, battery life, navigations

Access: Physical Access to PCs & Psychological access linked to Competence and Confidence factors

Pedagogy: Learning design, Learning style, reflective learning spaces, Self Efficacy

Support:: Institutional, cohort, peer-to-peer, housebound

Security: Ownership, Insurance, Theft, Virus, Losing,

Ethical: Parental Consent, Use of Public Spaces

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Stage 1: Data Gathering ToolsOne-to-one InterviewsClass ObservationFocus Group DiscussionAuditing Moodle activities

Stage 2: ExplorationBackgroundExperienceSituationsMotivation

Stage 3 - ElaborationConceptsThemesIssues

Stage 3 - ExplanationModel BuildingDevelopment of conceptual framework

DisseminationWoLF Project Website

Colleges-Univ. of Leicester Network (CULN)

Skills for Sustainable Communities Life Long Network (SSC LLN)

Association for Learning Technology (ALT – C)

Online Educa Conference

Background: WoLF is a collaborative research and development project between Leicester College and the

University of Leicester. The project started in March 2007 and is expected to be completed in December 2008. WoLF is a Higher Education (HE) in Further Education (FE) project and seeks to investigate how Pocket PCs support portfolio development by teaching assistants (TAs) on foundation degree courses. WoLF will develop a model for integrating institutional VLEs and personal mobile devices, for the purpose of learning in work-based settings.

Research ObjectivesProduce a comprehensive literature review on use of PDAs in the work based learning context

Develop a pedagogical model and proof of concept which is transferable to different work based learning context

Develop resources for practitioners for designing reflective learning activities based on work-based learning scenarios

Develop guidelines for integrating the use of pocket PCs into work-based learning setting into institutional VLEs

Key FindingsUsability: Screen size, keyboard, battery life, navigations

Access: Physical – PCs & Psychological – skills, competence & confidence

Pedagogical: Learning design, Learning style, reflective learning spaces

Support:: Institutional, cohort, peer-to-peer, housebound

Security: Institutional, cohort, peer-to-peer, housebound

Ethics: Parental Consent, use of public spaces

Research DesignApproach: Ethnographic based action research

Population: Up to 30 TAs to be involved in the project.

Stage 2 - ElaborationConceptsThemesIssues

Stage 3 - ExplanationModel Building

Stage 1 - ExplorationBackgroundExperienceSituationsMotivation

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DisseminationWoLF Project MoodleColleges-Univ. of Leicester Network (CULN)Skills for Sustainable Communities Life Long Network (SSC LLN)Association for Learning Technology (ALT – C)Online Educa Conference

Stage 1 – Data ToolsBackgroundExperienceSituationsMotivation

Project Sponsor: JISC Capital Programme