Directory of Research and Expertise

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Research Summary and Profile

Research interests:

Social Sciences

Research keywords:

assessment, inclusion, teaching and learning, staff development, learning design, education, higher education practice

Regions:

Africa, Asia, Middle East, South America, United Kingdom

Summary of research interests and expertise:

Dr Linda Amrane-Cooper is Director of Academic Practice in Distance Education at the University of London and is Director of the Centre for Online and Distance Education. Linda's academic and professional career has spanned Higher Education, teaching, and Museum Education. Linda leads our PG Learning and Teaching in HE programme, working with higher education teachers across the Globe. Linda has extensive experience of working in varied International contexts and has a passion for supporting learners. Previous roles have included two posts as Dean. Linda leads a team of 44 Fellows who are thought and practice leaders in online and distance education. Linda has extensive experience of working in varied international contexts and has a passion for supporting learners and teacher development. Building on over 25 years’ experience of leading and supporting high quality learning and teaching, course design and senior leadership, Linda has led the Centre for Online and Distance Education since 2017. Linda also leads our PG Learning and Teaching in HE programme. Leading communities of enquiry and practice through the Centre for Online and Distance Education ensures that innovation, development, and research into online and distance education are part of Linda’s everyday work and from this she draws great inspiration. Linda’s current research and publications focus on assessment practices in online contexts in higher education and professional development of educators, and approaches to inclusion in online and distance education. 

Publication Details

Related publications/articles:

Date	Details
28-Aug-2024	Revolution, evolution, or regression – the transformation of assessments through times of pandemic and AI Conference papers In this paper we discuss the tensions between, revolution, evolution and regression that are shaping assessment practice in higher education.
08-Nov-2023	Rethinking assessment and academic integrity in the light of COVID19 and AI Conference papers Drawing on our longitudinal study at the University of London, we explore the ways in which assessment is developign in repsonse to the complex interplay of internal and external drivers.
20-Jun-2023	Making it Real: Assessment and the affordances of the new tools for learning Conference papers Presented by Linda Amrane-Cooper, Stylianos Hatzipanagos, Alan Tait, University of London ,UK and Liz Marr, Open University UK, our Action Lab was structured around two questions for participants to debate, through an envisioning process of heaven and hell scenarios:   1 Are concerns about academic integrity and the advent of AI tools deterring innovation in online assessment and driving the sector back to inauthentic assessment approaches such as classic invigilated exam centre modes? 2 What opportunities do online assessment and AI tools provide to enable more authentic, meaningful and inclusive modes of assessment for learning? What might these models look like?
22-May-2023	Developing as a teacher: changing conceptions of teaching and the challenges of applying theory to practice Journal articles Gwyneth Hughes, David Baume, Ayona Silva-Fletcher & Linda Amrane-Cooper (2023) Developing as a teacher: changing conceptions of teaching and the challenges of applying theory to practice, Teaching in Higher Education, DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2023.2212589 This paper reports on the development of a lecturer’s conceptions of teaching through formal training and explores how evolving conceptions of teaching impact on their plans and practices in teaching. In this study, lecturers who are participants in the University of London Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE) wrote narratives of their teaching development. The changes are described in terms of models of development of higher education teachers proposed by, chiefly, Kugel. Participants show clear evidence of conceptual development in terms of these models, but their changes to practice were less well developed within this study period. The paper identifies six different approaches to applying theory to practice and proposes that understanding these different stages in context is helpful for transforming lecturer practice in the longer term
16-Apr-2023	Inclusive Employability Toolkit, Articles The QAA funded Inclusive Employability Toolkit supports academic educators and careers educators who may be working with academic educators to develop employability through curriculum. Everyone’s starting point on this work is likely to be different, so in the Toolkit we don’t presume any existing knowledge and have created tools that are designed to be accessible, engaging and practical, and will build your confidence in approaching this work.
28-Mar-2023	Exploring inter-cultural interactions in an Online Distance Learning Professional Development course Conference papers In this paper we explore the findings and recommendations arising from a review of intercultural exchanges in an online transnational professional development course. Our review focuses on a case study: a professional development course running from September 2022 to June 2023 developed by the Centre for Online and Distance Education and The Open University China.
20-Mar-2023	Online and Distance Education for a Connected World Edited Book Edited by Linda Amrane-Cooper, David Baume, Stephen Brown, Stylianos Hatzipanagos, Philip Powell, Sarah Sherman, and Alan Tait Learning at a distance and learning online are growing in scale and importance in higher education, presenting opportunities for large scale, inclusive, flexible and engaging learning. These modes of learning swept the world in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The many challenges of providing effective education online and remotely have been acknowledged, particularly by those who rapidly jumped into online and distance education during the crisis. This volume, edited by the University of London’s Centre for Online and Distance Education, addresses the practice and theory of online and distance education, building on knowledge and expertise developed in the University over some 150 years. The University is currently providing distance transnational education to around 50,000 students in more than 180 countries around the world. Throughout the book, contributors explore important principles and highlight successful practices in areas including course design and pedagogy, online assessment, open education, inclusive practice, and enabling student voice. Case studies illustrate prominent issues and approaches. Together, the chapters offer current and future leaders and practitioners a practical, productive, practice- and theory-informed account of the present and likely future state of online and distance higher education worldwide.
01-Mar-2023	Silver linings: rethinking assessment pedagogy under the pandemic Journal articles Amrane-Cooper, L, Hatzipanagos, S., & Tait, A. (2023) 'Silver linings: rethinking assessment pedagogy under the pandemic'  EURODL,  Volume 25 (2023) – Issue 1 (March 2023). https://eden-europe.eu/new-article-on-eurodl-silver-linings-rethinking-assessment-pedagogy-under-the-pandemic/ In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic the higher education sector, in the United Kingdom and internationally, transitioned to online assessment, at a speed and scale which might have been unimaginable under normal circumstances. The priority in the sector was to ensure that fundamental principles of assessment, including integrity, were supported in the implementation of changes and no student was disadvantaged in accessing digital learning opportunities, when they were assessed. The paper focuses on a project that evaluated this transition and provided the opportunity to understand emergent approaches to assessment. It explores the transition from the perspective of the experience of the stakeholders that have been affected, primarily students and staff. It identifies processes and formats of assessment that worked efficiently and examines the implications for future practice in distance learning environments and for the sector
01-Sep-2022	Measuring the impact of the move to online assessment in the University of London international programmes 2020-2022 Conference papers Amrane-Cooper, L., Hatzipanagos, S., and Tait, A. (2022) ‘Measuring the impact of the move to online assessment in the University of London international programmes 2020-2022’ [Paper presentation]. Innovating Higher Education conference 2022: Digital Reset: European Universities Transforming for a Changing World. EADTU: Athens, Greece.
22-Jun-2022	Using the disruption of the pandemic to enhance assessment design in distance learning programmes Conference papers Hughes, G., Hatzipanagos, S, Amrane-Cooper, L. & Tait, A. (2022, June 22-24) Using the disruption of the pandemic to enhance assessment design in distance learning programmes [Paper presentation]. International Assessment in Higher Education Conference 2022, Manchester, UK.
07-Jun-2022	Developing Student Behaviours that Support Academic Integrity in Distance Learning Journal articles Amrane-Cooper, L., Hatzipanagos, S., & Tait, A. (2022) Developing Student Behaviours that Support Academic Integrity in Distance Learning. Open Praxis, 13(4), pp.378–384. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.13.4.461 The shift to online assessment during the pandemic has generated debates on academic integrity, also highlighting good practice in supporting students and staff. Academic integrity is commitment to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage and academic misconduct refers to practices that are not in keeping with these values and this commitment. There seem to be two dominant threads in such debates in higher education: one involves promoting creative design of authentic assessment and guidelines to students about institutional expectations concerning academic offences such as plagiarism and collusion; the other provides technological and practical safeguards to protect academic integrity. In this paper, we report on the outcomes of a project that evaluated in 2020 the pivot to online assessment at the University of London, UK. Our focus is academic integrity in distance learning environments by exploring the key themes of student and staff perceptions, and related pedagogical issues. We propose a set of measures that can enhance students’ perception of academic integrity and institutional approaches to mitigate against academic offences.
17-Jun-2021	Moving Assessment Online at Scale Conference papers Key Note paper at 2021 Research in Distance Education conference. Amrane-Cooper, L., Hatzipanagos, S. Tait, A. (2021) Moving Assessment Online at Scale. RIDE 2021 conference, June 18, 2021, Centre for Distance Education. After the onset of coronavirus, most universities across the Globe moved their assessment operations to online spaces. The rapid transition to online assessment (inc. traditional, pen andpaper, fixed time examinations) has demanded changes in approaches to assessment and has facilitated evolution and revolution in assessment approaches and student responses to assessment; with positive and negative consequences. The transition has also stimulated innovation by revisitinghow assessments are designed. For instance, online timed assessments formats present opportunities to improve student motivation and engagement and online assessment can increase authenticity as it uses digital tools and require digital literacies relevant to the professional lives of students. Our presentation draws from a project that evaluated the move to online assessment and providedthe opportunity to understand approaches to assessment. The talk will explore the experienceof moving examinations online at scale, at the University of London, and will reflect on the evolvingconsequences of that move.
17-Jun-2021	Inclusive Practice: learning from our students Conference papers Amrane-Cooper, L., Sanghera, A. (2021) Inclusive Practice: learning from our students. RIDE 2021 conference, June 18, 2021, Centre for Distance Education. The shift to online assessment at the University of London in summer 2020 affected all students whowere due to undertake end of course unseen written examinations in examinations halls. For thosestudents who would normally have adapted arrangements for the pen and paper examinations, suchas longer time or separate rooming, the move online presented both opportunities and challenges. We will report on some perspective from our students, and explore the implications for developinginclusive practice approaches.
22-Oct-2020	Towards A Post Covid-19 Digital Authentic Assessment Practice: When Radical Changes Enhance the Student Experience Papers Hatzipanagos, S., Tait, A., Amrane-Cooper, L. (2020) Towards A Post Covid-19 Digital Authentic Assessment Practice: When Radical Changes Enhance the Student Experience. In Enhancing the Human Experience of Learning with Technology: New challenges for research into digital, open, distance & networked education, Proceedings 2020 Research Workshop. European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN). In 2020, the Higher Education sector, in the UK and internationally, had to move to online assessment because of the Covid-19 pandemic, at a speed and scale which might have been unimaginable under normal circumstances. By upscaling and accelerating the adoption of digital assessment practices in distance and online education across the world, educators had to rethink assessment processes to make sure they were an integral part of the authentic digital life experience for students and staff. As these changes appear to be far from temporary, they have accelerated the transition to a “new normal” regime of assessing students online for the foreseeable future. The priority in the sector is that fundamental principles of assessment including integrity and authenticity are supported in the design and implementation of assessments. In addition ensuring that no student is disadvantaged in accessing digital learning opportunities, when they are assessed. The paper discusses a project that collected data about three final assessment routes students have taken. The aim was to generate understanding of this transition to online assessment, primarily from the perspective of the experience of the students who have been affected. Our findings explore student agreement with this transition to online assessment and provide an opportunity to understand student approaches to assessment and what they would like to see in future assessments. Finally we explore the implications for practice in distance learning and campus based environments and for the sector

Research Projects & Supervisions

Research projects:

Details

Longitudinal Evaluation of Online timed Assessments for distance education students In each of the summers of since 2020, more than 30,000 University of London students have undertaken over 90,000 online timed assessments each year, in place of conventional examinations in exam halls, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which precluded such events.  The University of London commissioned the Centre for Online and Distance Education to undertake a detailed evaluation of the move to online assessment in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023. The project team isled by Linda Amrane-Cooper, with CODE Fellows Stylianos Hatzipanagos and Alan Tait and University of London colleagues James Berry, Huw Morgan-Jones, Amardeep Sanghera, Mike Sawyer.  The project aimed to collect data about, and generate understanding of this transition to online assessment, primarily from the perspective of the experience of the students who have been affected, also including from the perspective of other key stakeholders (examiners, technical staff and programme directors).  A key objective of the evaluation was to support planning assessments in summer 2021, 2022, 2023, both at the University and within the Federation Member Institutions. The work has now converted to a longitudinal study which aims to inform planning and preparation for the evolution of assessment practices post covid.

Relevant Events

Related events:

Date

Details

14-Mar-2024

Research in Distance Education (RIDE) conference Research in Distance Education and e-Learning (RIDE) is an annual international conference organised by the Centre for Online and Distance Education (formerly CDE), University of London.  Through keynotes, panel discussions and individual research presentations it: Explores current themes and issues in online, flexible, blended and distance learning Showcases distance education methods and applications Promotes debate about challenges and solutions in this field. Details of our 18th RIDE conference taking place on 14, 15  March 2024 can be found here: https://www.london.ac.uk/centre-online-distance-education/events/research-distance-education-and-e-learning-ride-conference To join our mailing list please contact code@london.ac.uk.

Other editing/publishing activities:

Date	Details
2023	Book: Online and Distance Education for a Connected World Edited by Linda Amrane-Cooper, David Baume, Stephen Brown, Stylianos Hatzipanagos, Philip Powell, Sarah Sherman, and Alan Tait, Online and Distance Education for a Connected World: Learning at a distance and learning online are growing in scale and importance in higher education, presenting opportunities for large scale, inclusive, flexible and engaging learning. These modes of learning swept the world in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The many challenges of providing effective education online and remotely have been acknowledged, particularly by those who rapidly jumped into online and distance education during the crisis. This volume, edited by the University of London’s Centre for Online and Distance Education, addresses the practice and theory of online and distance education, building on knowledge and expertise developed in the University over some 150 years. The University is currently providing distance transnational education to around 50,000 students in more than 180 countries around the world. Throughout the book, contributors explore important principles and highlight successful practices in areas including course design and pedagogy, online assessment, open education, inclusive practice, and enabling student voice. Case studies illustrate prominent issues and approaches. Together, the chapters offer current and future leaders and practitioners a practical, productive, practice- and theory-informed account of the present and likely future state of online and distance higher education worldwide.
	Special Edition Journal: Contemporary issues in assessment in open, hybrid and online learning. The Centre for Online and Distance Education Director, Linda Amrane-Cooper and CODE Fellows Alan Tait, Stylianos Hatzipanagos are co-editing a special edition of the ICDE Open Praxis peer reviewed journal, entitled: Contemporary issues in assessment in open, hybrid and online learning.

Knowledge transfer activities:

Details
Supporting staff development in online and blended learning in Palestine The aim of this project was to assist colleagues in Palestinian universities to enhance their capacity and capability for developing, delivering and supporting effective online teaching, learning and assessment.  An intensive online programme of  synchronous and asynchronous learning activities and seminars was delivered to around 30 participants over 4 weeks.
Supporting the development of Open and Distance Education in Nigeria The aim of this project is to provide guidance and support for the development of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Nigeria in collaboration with the National Universities Commission, Nigeria. The ongoing programme of activity comprises a series of bespoke workshops and annual symposia for senior university management and staff in Nigeria and London. This project supports a joint memorandum of understanding established between the University of London and the Nigerian National Universities Commission which was established in 2017.
Supporting teacher development at the Open University of China This ongoing project reflects the strategic partnership between CODE and The Open University of China (OUC). With over 4.8 million students, OUC is the largest single provider of higher education in China, employing a blend of face-to-face and online/distance learning. CODE supports OUC in developing staff capability in teaching online through professional development courses, engages with collaborative research and welcomes OUC visiting scholars to London for placement in the Centre annually.  This project is funded by The Open University of China and the Sino-British Fellowship Trust. In collaboration with OUC in 2021/22 CODE ran an online staff development course for 250 OUC staff, and in 2022/23 we trained 100 OUC staff.

Consultancy & Media

Available for consultancy:

Yes

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