Tag: learning

Climbing the Mountain of Assessment: Comparing Ungrading, Open Recognition, and RPL

Posted on March 14, 2023March 24, 2023 by Doug Belshaw

Note: cross-posted at LinkedIn

Ungrading, Open Recognition, and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are distinct yet related ways of improving the assessment of learning. At a time when assessment is in the spotlight due to advances in AI technologies, it’s worth exploring their similarities and differences — as well as how they can be used together.

Let’s explore this further using one of my favourite metaphors: walking in the mountains ⛰️

Ungrading is akin to focusing on the process of learning, rather than the outcome. It’s like a Sherpa guiding a climber up a mountain, emphasising the skills and knowledge developed along the way rather than simply reaching the summit. Through ungrading, educators can provide personalized feedback and support that allows students to reflect on and improve their learning journey.

Open Recognition, in contrast, is like providing multiple paths to the summit. It’s like creating a mountain range with different peaks, each representing a different set of skills or knowledge. This approach allows individuals to showcase their competencies and achievements in ways that are recognised across different contexts, such as earning badges that demonstrate their skills.

RPL is like mapping out the best route to the summit. It’s like a mountaineering guide who takes the time to understand each climber’s abilities and experiences, and then tailors a plan that meets their specific needs. Through recognising prior learning, individuals can receive credit for their existing knowledge and skills, and identify the most efficient and effective way to reach their goals.

So, in summary, while ungrading emphasises the process of learning, Open Recognition offers multiple paths to its recognition, and RPL focuses on customising the learning journey. By using (and potentially combining) these approaches to assessment, educators can improve the quality of learning and recognition in a variety of contexts.

Background image to Venn diagram by Jerry Zhang

Setting Sail with Digital Literacies: Preparing Students for the Evolving Digital Landscape

Posted on March 14, 2023March 24, 2023 by Doug Belshaw

Note: cross-posted at LinkedIn

Boat sailing on sea with clouds and stars in the distance

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, including the current moral panic around AI, it’s becoming increasingly important for educators to not only embrace technology but to actively integrate it into the learning experience. The concept of digital literacies, often mistaken as a mere proficiency in using digital tools, is in fact a multifaceted construct that extends far beyond basic technological skills.

Digital literacies are made up of skillsets, but also mindsets—ways of thinking about the world.

As educators, we must recognise that digital literacies encompass a wide range of abilities, including confidence, creativity, and communication. These skills empower learners to navigate the digital world responsibly, ethically, and with a sense of curiosity. In order to foster a generation of digitally-literate citizens, we must embrace a more holistic approach to teaching and learning.

Imagine the digital world as a vast, interconnected ocean. Digital literacies are the sails, rudder, and compass that guide our learners as they embark on their digital voyage. Without these essential tools, they would drift aimlessly, lost in the overwhelming waves of information.

To achieve this, we can start by incorporating digital literacies across the curriculum, encouraging students to explore, analyse, and create digital content in a meaningful way. We must also emphasise the importance of digital citizenship, teaching learners to respect the online community, engage in healthy online behaviours, and uphold the values of privacy and security.

By nurturing a culture of digital literacies, we are not only preparing our students for the challenges and opportunities of the digital world but also equipping them with the skills to thrive in an ever-changing, interconnected society. Through collaborative efforts and open-mindedness, we can reshape the educational landscape and cultivate a future that embraces the true potential of digital technology.

Remember, digital literacies are not just about using technology – they’re about understanding, adapting, and effectively engaging with the digital world around us. It’s time we take the necessary steps to ensure our learners are prepared for whatever the future holds, setting sail with confidence on their journey through the boundless digital ocean.

Image by Johannes Plenio

Productive ambiguity and learning resource discovery

Posted on January 6, 2022January 7, 2022 by Doug Belshaw

Finding and sharing resources is like finding and sharing good shopping deals. Don’t agree? Let me change your mind.

Hot UK Deals (HUKD) is a website where people from the UK share ‘deals’ with one another. There are other, similar websites around the world, some of which are part of the Pepper network. I’m not affiliated with any of them, apart from being an avid user of HUKD.

I’ve used the site for many years now, and it’s grown exponentially. There are literally millions of people using this site, and it’s grown and developed with them. It was one of my touchstones as we developed MoodleNet between 2018 and 2020 (see this screencast).

As we identified in the early days of MoodleNet, there are two ways of finding relevant learning and teaching resources. The first is to know what you’re looking for, and to search directly for that thing. The second is more serendipitous, and involves discovering things that you didn’t even know you were looking for.

The same is true of HUKD. While I do occasionally go on there looking for something in particular, more often I discover things that I didn’t even know I needed in my life. I don’t necessarily mean in a materialistic way ⁠— it could be a kitchen gadget that makes peeling potatoes 10x easier, for example. (Realistically, though, it’s things like the giant mousepad with edge lighting I’ve got on my desk currently!)

The other thing that’s great about HUKD is the (produtive) ambiguity about what constitutes a ‘deal’. Some assume it’s just that the thing on offer is available more cheaply than it was previously. Some, and I’d include myself in this group, factor in other things such as whether it’s worth spending this amount of money on Product X when Product Y is so superior and available for just a bit more.

As a result, the HUKD comments section is a hotbed (no pun intended) of informed commentary. At the time of publishing, there’s 151 comments on a deal for home broadband. These range from people’s subjective experience, to supplier’s customer service, to very technical details about the difference between various technologies. I find it so useful.

I’ve chosen the above HUKD user somewhat at random. They’ve been a member for over 14 years! As you can see, they primarily share deals relating to technology, and comment on other people’s deals. There are contributing moderators (‘Deal Editors’) for different categories, but by-and-large the community is positive and self-policing. For example, it’s very poor form to try and ‘steal’ someone’s heat by re-posting a deal.

And, of course, there’s gamification and badges. These reward pro-social behaviours such as commenting or submitting deals that reach a certain level of ‘heat’. The badges then show up on the small profile when hovering over a username. It adds kudos. Overall, there’s so much to learn from the way HUKD has approached the UX and UI of their site. We don’t have to just do what’s been done before when it comes to learning design and everything which surrounds it!

This post was prompted by noticing that, 18 months after I left Moodle, there’s finally some progress being made again on MoodleNet (see here). I do hope that they maintain the goal of federation and decentralisation, and that they take it in a direction that provides community value. Right now, it seems most of the social elements have been removed, but hopefully they will reappear at some point…