Places

Terese Bird was interviewed by the Guardian Education about the mobile learning being evaluated in the Places project - read all about it!

Places is a JISC-funded Transformations Programme project, evaluating the enhanced student experience afforded by the use of iPads in programmes at the University of Leicester, most notably a distance learning masters programme offered by Criminology. Meeting remote students’ needs, offering them an excellent experience through innovations in technology-enhanced learning, is a recognised need of higher education in the 21st century. A well designed, innovative curriculum with creative opportunities for interaction is a vital element for students who require mobile access to high quality academic programmes.

Context: The Department of Criminology at UoL is a leading distance learning provider in the discipline. The Department’s new MSc in Security, Conflict and International Development was launched in March 2012. As a central component for this programme, to enhance student experience, the Department delivers to each remote learner an iPad plus a custom-built iPad app. No other programme at UoL uses this combination of learning technologies to reach mobile distance learners, nor is there another Criminology programme in the UK that does so. 

Project aim: The project aims to draw on JISC resources in designing evaluation to identify (a) key lessons learned from using the iPads and the app to enhance the student experience on the MSc, and (b) opportunities for further enhancement. It also aims to disseminate these lessons and opportunities across the JISC community with guidance for similar projects. 

Outcome and deliverables: The key outcome is an open, rich, evidence-based picture of good practice in curriculum design and delivery for mobile learners who use tablet computers such as the iPad. We will achieve this outcome by bringing together evidence from previous JISC projects and UoL Criminology's case study.