Abstract:

The Information School at Sheffield has a reputation for its teaching in Library and Information Management and has recently expanded its taught programmes to include an online offering for professional development. We have recognised that there is a clear link between the more ‘technology reliant’ teaching practice on this new course and a greater depth of learning amongst its participants. An opportunity to take this good practice and introduce it to our more traditional teaching was identified.

Postgraduate (online and face to face) student experiences and comprehension was investigated during a specific shared teaching scenario on the online course in Library and Information Services Management (LISM) and the face to face programme on Librarianship. Learning scenarios were framed in the module 'Academic and Workplace Library, Information and Knowledge Services in order to provide shared resources between these two distinct cohorts. The focus was a single teaching scenario in week four of the University's second semester 2018. Teaching materials were shared, including live recordings of visiting lectures across the two taught groups. Visiting lecturers were present in the face-to-face session and visited 'virtually' through the Adobe Connect virtual classroom software. These sessions were re-used during an afternoon facsimile session with the online cohort (broadcast the same day but following the face to face session).

This research investigated student's perceptions of their own learning during these sessions and compared the similarities and differences between their experiences. It focusses on the last two years’ student groups where this highly technical approach has been utilised. Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning (Bloom, 1956) was applied to determine students' perceived effectiveness of their own cognition and understanding of the subject matter.

The research found that there is a correlation between rich and varied uses of Technology Enhanced Learning, such as those currently used in this module and the provision of deeper more reflective learning experiences for participants while simultaneously providing an efficient approach for tutors, dealing with similar subjects across numerous /modules programmes.

Keywords:

Technology Enhanced Learning, Information School, Virtual Classroom, Online Learning, Librarianship, Postgraduate, Bloom's Taxonomy, Learning Experience.