Winchester BODGIT (Marina Janetsky)

Winchester BODGIT (Marina Janetsky)

• 1.
  Dealing with IT Staff Perspectives at Middlesex University Marina Janetzky Staff Development Officer (IT)
• 2.
  What do end-usersthink about IT? A study on staff perspectives on IT at Middlesex Aim: To establish best practice in dealing with new IT systems implementation Questions: How do staff deal with existing IT systems? What are their views on new systems implementation? What matters, what doesn’t?
• 3.
  The study Focusgroups: 20 staff participated in a number of focus groups Part of a bigger project on developing an IT Skills Framework for Middlesex Participants were asked to brainstorm on: ‘ What is IT at Middlesex?’
• 4.
  What is IT?Anything to do with Computers, Information + Technology A tool to enable us to communicate, generate and disseminate information It can be troublesome, therefore we need to know how to deal with it
• 5.
  The Themes
• 6.
  Link the ‘hard’with the ‘soft’ skills Knowing how to use an IT system is one thing but we also need to have the soft skills and knowledge to deal with it and apply it Examples: ‘ Hard’ Skills ‘ Soft’ Skills Knowing how to use the VLE to upload teaching material Knowing about copyright, IP, data protection Using TurnItIn programme for coursework submission Understanding how the university deals with plagiarism
• 7.
  Considering new TechnologyI need to know what’s available What’s ‘out there’ What we are using Help us weigh up our option What’s possible, what’s not, +’s and –’s Tell me the good and bad – then let me decide!
• 8.
  Make it relevantto me What use is it to me? How will it help me work better, smarter, more efficient, or make life easier for me? Don’t make assumptions about its use to us – let us decide! Link new IT to our systems and business processes so they have meaning What are we missing out on?
• 9.
  Ultimately a questionof supply & demand Supply of IT may not necessarily match demand ‘ I decide what I use on the basis of what I consider to be essential for me at this point in time; I might consider it to be a ‘luxury’ item’ I may not have the time to use it I may not use it even though you think it is really useful new tool!
• 10.
  Using IT Once I have decided to use it… I need to know I have the help I need … Overcoming hurdles & problems A helping hand Help me explore Don’t make it difficult for me to try out new stuff … when I need it Help ‘on demand’
• 11.
  Dealing with change& new IT Communicate with us! Tell us about it Inform us about what we will need to change & why Don’t just undo what we’ve done Chicken & Egg Should our business processes/objectives/strategies inform what technology we use? OR Should the technology available drive our processes, objectives and strategies?
• 12.
  Everyday Survival Oftenit’s all about dealing with it and making it work We’re all in the same boat Can we assume a certain minimum knowledge? There are Core systems – everyone should know the basics (to help themselves & others) Don’t forget to maintain and develop our ‘Real’ Teaching & Learning Environment while you concentrate on our ‘Virtual’ Learning Environment!
• 13.
  Conclusion and Recommendations
• 14.
  Conclusion & RecommendationsEnd users make choices (why, when, where and how) Influential factors: Meaning & relevance Make it personal Communication & involvement Build relationship between end user & application Guidance & support Enable smooth transition & feedback