'Online learning can be the privileged mode'

Jen Ross has a background in literature, but the University of Edinburgh lecturer was attracted to the field of digital education because it drew on her eclectic interests.

“It’s a really exciting place to think about issues around language, authorship, communication and collaboration,” she says.

Ross is the featured guest at this year’s edition of e.SCAPE, Concordia’s annual academic conference on education and technology. Fittingly, she’s presenting the keynote address live from Edinburgh via video conference on Wednesday, October 14.

A large part of Ross’ talk will centre around the Manifesto for Teaching Online. In 2011, she and her colleagues at the University of Edinburgh drafted the brief series of statements to articulate their position on digital learning and to spark discussion.

The document’s first statement, which the team says best summarizes its position, is “Distance is a positive principle, not a deficit. Online can be the privileged mode.”

“Our starting position has kind of been, ‘What can we do in this space that we couldn't do in any other way?’ Not, ‘How do we take something that we've already done in some other format and turn it into an online course?’” Ross says.

“It seems to me that good stuff happens when you start from that perspective, rather than the other way around,” she adds.

Currently, Ross and her team are revising the manifesto to bring it more in line with new developments in the field, which she says are happening all the time.

Her e.SCAPE presentation will be the first time Ross gives a major talk via video conference. She’s excited to see how it goes. After all, the presentation itself might serve as a good case study, even if she does have to trouble shoot.

“There’s an assumption that we are always in charge of what happens when we use technology. Actually, technology has effects we might not have expected, and you have to deal with that as a field or as a discipline.”

After her talk, Ross will open the floor to an interactive question and discussion period. The session will serve as a launch pad for a year-long discussion on pedagogy at Concordia, part of the university’s strategic directions initiative, says Catherine Bolton, vice-provost of Teaching and Learning.

“You’ll have the chance to weigh in on what represents good teaching and learning at Concordia. So, please bring your ideas, anecdotes and your voice to this important conversation,” Bolton says.
 

e.SCAPE takes place on Wednesday, October 14, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room EV-2.260 of the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV) on the Sir George Williams Campus (1515 Ste-Catherine W.), and in Room CC-101 of the Central Building on the Loyola Campus (7141 Sherbrooke W.).

This event is free and no registration is required. If you can’t make it in person to either session, there are 20 licenses available so that you can participate online. First come, first served. Register to attend e.SCAPE online.  

Blue Jeans: Concordia’s new videoconferencing platform

Jen Ross will deliver her e.SCAPE presentation using Blue Jeans, a new videoconferencing service that’s now available to Concordians.

The cloud-based software can accommodate up to 25 participants from around the world. And thanks to a licensing agreement with the university’s Instructional and Information Technology Services (IITS), it’s free.

If you’d like to register for a videoconferencing session using Blue Jeans, requests can be made via the IITS Service Catalog.

Find out more about how to use Blue Jeans videoconferencing at Concordia.