Page 62 - The Wish Stream Year of 2020 Crest

dynamic peer-to-peer discussion is continued and a high level of student engagement main- tained. In achieving this, we opted for a blended approach between online seminars, remote activities and tasks, with F2F lectures in loca- tions where social distancing could easily be achieved. Concerning the eLearning aspects of this blended strategy, we focused on three aspects to transfer delivery online without delay after the government advised restricting class- room-based teaching: 1. Increase use of online based channels and platforms; 2. Adapt both the learning material and pedagogical approach to eLearning; 3. Develop new pedagogical activ- ities to sustain cadets’ academic development.
In transforming lectures and seminars from F2F teaching to online seminars and self-study set- tings with feedback provision, DIA made use of various channels and platforms, such as MS Teams, the Defence Learning Environment (DLE) and WhatsApp. MS Teams allowed us to cre- ate Virtual Classrooms and maintain small group teaching in a videoconference setting despite the pandemic constraints that both students and staff were facing. This approach was well received by both staff and students as it not only maintained some form of a “classroom-based” teaching format, but also because it preserved a direct relationship between students and edu- cators, allowing lecturers to have informal talks with students, to listen to their concerns and fulfil their duty of care. Where MS Teams provided the technological fix for tutor guided peer-to-peer discussions, the DLE became the department’s forward operating base, which provided guid- ance for both staff and students, hosted lesson plans, schedules, student exercises and learning material. It also acted as an interface between DIA staff, students and the RMAS library. The DLE thus anchored all of DIA’s activities in one central, easily accessible hub, which both staff and students could access 24/7. This learning platform also functioned as a fallback option in case of MS Teams failing or F2F lectures not being possible.
A key lesson has been the creation of back-up plans. A blended strategy cannot rely exclusively on the online platform or on the ability to deliver in person. It needs to prepare for both and adapt quickly to changing circumstances. Therefore, each session in DIA was developed at two lev- els. While there was a planned delivery strategy (either online or F2F), a PowerPoint lecture was also placed on the DLE with key learning points
from the session. This provided a fallback option in case unforeseen circumstances prevented the centrally delivered F2F lecture or the online semi- nartakingplace.Giventheshiftingsituationinthe Academy, where some cadets have had to be put in isolation, the digital PowerPoint has also had the unpredicted added value of providing a tool for students who could not attend the ‘live’ session to access the key learning points and, in doing so, not fall far behind the learning curve.
Yet, the pedagogical function of the faculty is not limited to solely ensuring the achievement of specific learning objectives, but also aims to maximise transferable skills, including analyti- cal, conceptual and communication skills. This requires lecturers to get to know their students intellectually in a way that allows them to track their academic development and give person- alised feedback to improve. This is not only important to the individual OCdt, but also to the institution, particularly for the ability of the fac- ulty to feed into the regimental selection process by writing individual reports. The F2F seminar- based pedagogy has been crucial to sustain these requirements. Not losing this direct rela- tionship between tutor and cadets has been a key challenge of the transition to eLearning. Indeed, online seminars increase the distance between lecturers and students, making it more difficult to follow the development of each OCdt. For this reason, DIA designed brand new individ- ual and group-based tasks, which cadets have been required to complete and submit to their lecturer on a regular basis throughout the three terms. These tasks work in two directions. First, they consolidate the learning process of cadets on specific topics. Second, they allow lecturers to have more direct access to their students’ work and progress, by enabling them to give specific and targeted feedback, as well as moni- toring their academic development.
Students: Learning together
even when apart
The educational environment in the faculty is dif- ferent to the training environment cadets usually face at RMAS. It is less hierarchical, focused more on open-ended discussion and designed as a safe space to generate critical analytical skills and subject matter knowledge. This con- stitutes the bedrock of a learning community in which education is valued and is designed to foster students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for academic studies. Therefore, any eLearning strategy must address the risks of fragmenta-
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