The Evolution of CATS

The Development of an Embedded

Support Model for Learning and
Teaching Technology
Dr Sarah Hoyte and Liam Atwood
Victoria University of Wellington
Context
2010 – 2011: Working Party report on L & T technology

 Signposted significant issues

, Unstructured and reactive adoption

, LMS mostly used for admin/content delivery, not good
pedagogy

, Limited ability for support

 Some examples of great tech usage,

but baseline level low

Craig Howell
Victoria University (2011), Report of the
Working Party on Teaching and Learning at
Victoria using Digital Technologies, April 2011
Support Staff Comparison
FTE eLearning
# University Ratio
Academics Support
1 University of Southern Queensland 493 45 11.0
15 Auckland University 2131 32 66.6
27 Monash University 2442 26 93.2
30 AUT 1014 10 101.4
35 Lincoln University 234 2 117.0
36 University of Waikato 639 5 127.8
38 Australian National University 1616 12 134.7
39 University of Canterbury 547 4 136.8
40 University of Otago 1162 8 145.3
41 Massey University 1072 7 153.1
42 Southern Cross University 347 2 173.5
43 Victoria University of Wellington 807 4 201.8
Traditional Support Model
 Centre for Academic Development (CAD) workshops

, Only focussed on Blackboard

, Generally low turn-out

, Hard to tailor to specific needs/contexts

, Able to do 1-2-1 support, but limited staff

 Information Technology Services (ITS)

, No real knowledge of teaching contexts

businessinsider.com
, Unable to do personal 1-2-1 support
Digital Vision Strategy
2012: Vision and Strategy for Digital Learning and Teaching at
Victoria

 Strong support from Senior Leadership

 Focussed on increasing capability, not infrastructure

 Key goals:

, Enhance understanding of technology for L & T

, Increase staff and student capability

with L & T tech

Victoria University (2012), Vision

and Strategy for Digital Learning
and Teaching at Victoria 2012-2017
Digital Vision Strategy
10 supporting strategy action points:

1. Articulation of plans for tech use 6. Strategy for investing in

new/improved teaching tech
2. Provide staff training, support
and ongoing development 7. Minimum online course
presence
3. Employ faculty support staff
8. Develop Innovation Incubator
4. Provide student training and
support 9. Streamline course information

5. Encourage change in 10. Tech support for assessments

face-to-face teaching

Victoria University (2012), Vision and Strategy for Digital Learning and Teaching at Victoria 2012-2017
Digital Vision Strategy
10 supporting strategy action points:

1. Articulation of plans for tech use 6. Strategy for investing in

new/improved teaching tech
2. Provide staff training, support
and ongoing development 7. Minimum online course
presence
3. Employ faculty support staff
8. Develop Innovation Incubator
4. Provide student training and
support 9. Streamline course information

5. Encourage change in 10. Tech support for assessments

face-to-face teaching

Victoria University (2012), Vision and Strategy for Digital Learning and Teaching at Victoria 2012-2017
CATs
2012 – 2014: Contacts for Academic Technology

 Post-graduate from within each faculty

 Part-time (∼ 5 hr/wk)

 Compliment traditional support model

, Liaise with CAD/ITS support services

, Build relationships
, One-on-one support

, Make support more accessible

cutestpaw.com
CAT Outcomes
Strengths Weaknesses

 Existing relationships helpful  Annual CAT turnover hard to

 Subject knowledge
important for success
 One-to-one support
appreciated
 Flexibility and
responsiveness
manage
 Not available for enough
hours
 Not enough time for CAT
capability development
 Some CATs rarely utilised

 Some academics unreceptive

Super-CATs
2015: Learning and Teaching Technology Specialists

 CAT model good proof-of-principle but had limitations

 New role works seamlessly between ITS and CAD

, Part of wider ‘Virtual CSU’

 Different from traditional IT roles

, Focus is on face-to-face support

, Able to respond to need

, Part of a wider transformation of ITS

catboxzen.com
Super-CATs
 Initially one full-time, one part-time

, Now three full-time

 Post-grad qualifications from their faculties

 Teaching/tutoring/research experience

 All digitally savvy BUT not experts (initially)

, Have similar perspective to academics

they support

N2 Cat Crew
Super-CATs
Liam Atwood Dr Sarah Hoyte
FHSS and Education Science and Engineering

 MA in  PhD in Chemistry
Applied  CAT for Science 2014
Linguistics
 8 yrs as tutor / demonstrator
 3 yrs as high school
teacher
 Various teaching and Jess Hawkes
support roles at Victoria Business and Law

 Hons in Economics and Ag

Science
 9 yrs as tutor / demonstrator
Super-CATs Outcomes
CAT role more effective when full-time

 Able to build stronger relationships, e.g.

, Attending faculty/school events

, VicTeach community of practice

 Time for personal development leads to better support

, Able to learn tech systems to expert level

, Studying toward PG Cert in Higher

erinina.wordpress.com
Education
Super-CATs Outcomes
 Increasing training/support around core L & T tech

, Moving from poorly-attended workshops to 1-2-1

, Tech usage stats also show increase post-Super-CATs

 Expanded beyond transactional support, e.g.

, Course redesigns – Masters of Information Management

, ‘MOOCs’ – Antarctica Online

, Tech consultants on research projects

– Chromebook research

dose.com
Support Session Data
People
150

Super-CATs hired
Time
300
Number of People Seen

Total Trainer Time (hr)

100
200

100 50

0 0
Feb 14 Aug 14 Feb 15 Aug 15 Feb 16
Date
One-to-One Sessions

2
Average Time Per Person (hr)

1.5

Super-CATs hired
0.5

0
Feb 14 Aug 14 Feb 15 Aug 15 Feb 16
Date
Support Session Types
120
Training Problem Solving Learning Design Other

100
Number of Sessions

80

60

40

20

Feb 15 Apr 15 Jun 15 Aug 15 Oct 15 Dec 15 Feb 16

Date
Video Usage Data
30,000

Super-CATs hired
Recordings
1,000
Views
Number of Recordings

800

Number of Views
20,000
600

400
10,000

200

0 0
Aug 12 Feb 13 Aug 13 Feb 14 Aug 14 Feb 15 Aug 15 Feb 16
Date
Feedback
“Thanks for helping us with our Blackboard set up. You made our
lives much easier!”

“I just wanted to let you know that in the past year I have had superb
support from your team. [They] have provided me timely support
(sometimes even on very short notice!). It has made it possible for
me to use digital technology in my courses.”

“...you not only receive technical advice, [but] you also benefit from
first-hand knowledge of how Blackboard can be used as a tool to
enhance teaching and supporting the students’
learning. After each session I felt empowered to
use Blackboard effectively.”

cathub.tv
Going Forward
 Looking to increase the number of Super-CAT roles

, Expand faculty support

, Specific support for post-graduates

, Support for corporate technologies

 Also increase number of eLearning lecturers

 Continue CAT personal development

, More HELT courses

thesecretkeeper.net
, Attending other workshops
Summary
 In 2011, Victoria had lowest ratio of eLearning support staff
and limited use of L & T technology

 To remedy this, the Digital Vision Strategy was

implemented in 2012

 Subsequent CAT programme was proof-of-principle for

support by staff with background knowledge of faculty
disciplines not tied to traditional support

 Evolved into full-time Super-CATs,

thesecretkeeper.net
increasing effective utilisation of L & T
tech extending beyond
traditional support models
Acknowledgements
 Jonny Flutey

 Beth Smith

 Jess Hawkes

 Stephen Marshall

 Irina Elgort

 Lachlan McLaren

thecreativecat.net