LAMS: The Learning Activity Management System James Dalziel Professor of Learning Technology & Director, Macquarie University E-learning Centre of Excellence (MELCOE) Presentation for AIS IT workshop, 16 th November, 2005

Introducing Learning Design Learning Design is a name given to a new field of e-learning technology Learning Design = Sequence of Collaborative Learning Activities Learning Designs can incorporate single learner content, but also collaborative tasks such as discussion, voting, small group debate, etc Potential to “wrap” a single-learner Learning Objects with a sequence of collaborative tasks **Learning Designs can be stored, re-used, customised

Demonstration Example: LAMS LAMS illustrates the Learning Design approach In trials for over two years in Australia and UK –Strong positive response from both teachers and learners –State school trials in New Zealand, NSW, SA, Tas, others Applicable to all education sectors (schools, VET, HE, corporate training, adult and community learning, etc) –Eg, UK DfES/SST & JISC trials; Oxford, Cambridge, ANU, New Zealand Ministry of Education/National Library, etc LAMS released as freely available open source software by the LAMS Foundation, commercial support services provided by LAMS International Pty Ltd –Both supported by Macquarie University

LAMS Live Demonstration (For a screenshot walkthrough of a demonstration similar to the one shown live, see over ) Case Study: LAMS UK School Implementation - JISC Video

LAMS Live Demonstration Example: What is Greatness? (short version, from Dalziel, 2003) - Week 1: Discussion environment - initial thoughts - Week 2: Review of content and search for websites - Week 3: Small group debates with scribe reporting back to whole class - Week 4: Submit report for marking and comments Demonstrations: - Student view - Monitoring view - Authoring view NB: This example, including the screenshots is slightly different to the example shown live during the presentation at the LAMS launch.

Progress indicator for activities: Hand = Current Blank = Yet to come Text = Completed Students can access current and past activities Student notebook/ journal. Thoughts can be entered at any time, or as part of a sequence actvitiy. Entries have two options: private to student or viewable by teacher Main Activity Area: Contains the relevant tool for each activity For example, this is the main page for an asynchronous discussion forum, showing instructions at the top of the page, and a teacher-generated thread below Student Environment

Discussion page within a thread from the main forum page The initial post was prepared by the teacher during authoring of this sequence, with student posts over time below

Share Resources tool, with teacher selected websites/files viewable in pop-up windows (with instructions)

Pop-up window with website loaded below and teacher created instructions, advice, etc above. Instructions can have several steps.

Example of student submission of website to be shared with group (can include pop-up comments)

Combined chat and scribe tool Chat window in top half of screen, showing sample chat session Scribe tool with questions prepared by teacher during authoring, with open boxes for scribe to record outcomes of chat session (others either agree or continue chat)

Small group chat session outcomes from the scribe are sent to a whole class noticeboard: several small group outcomes shown in this example.

Students upload a report from their desktop for comments and marking by teacher (can be a range of file types)

This is the teacher monitoring area for a live sequence. The “Sequence” tab shows a live “whole class” view of student progress – green dots indicate individual students. Monitoring Environment

The “Learners” tab in monitoring shows a live view of each student’s progress – Blue = completed Red = current Green = yet to do. To view s student’s individual contributions to a task, the teacher clicks on the relevant activity. The student’s view (including their contributions) of the selected activity is shown in a pop-up window

Activity Tools are stored in a library, and can be dragged and dropped into the main workspace to create sequences Authoring Environment Activity sequences are stored in a repository for re-use, and to be shared with colleagues if desired This is the Greatness sequence from an authoring perspective with links between tools created by drawing lines between activities using the “Transition” tool Greatness is a very linear sequence. Non linear sequences can be created using sets of optional activities.

Introducing the LAMS Community LAMS Community provides a global website for groups to discuss the use of LAMS and share sequences –New approach to the dream of sharing, re-use and adaptation Free, open platform (based on OpenACS/.LRN) –Anyone can join at: Key Community Features –News (inc RSS) - Sub-communities –Discussion forums - Surveys –**Sequence repository (inc RSS) - FAQs Initial community structure –“Getting started”, K-12, Higher education, R&D, Technical, etc –Can add new open or closed communities as needed –Tech community is the home for open source LAMS dev

LAMS Community for sharing and developing LAMS Learning Designs - Login

Teacher Home Page – Personalised Portal View of all Communities

Teacher Home Page – Personalised Portal View of all Communities (cont)

Single Community View

Forum View

Sequence Repository – Public View

Individual Sequence – Detailed View

Example of Search page including results

Individual Sequence – Download page

Overview of Sequences you have shared

LAMS Opportunities for AIS IT Trial LAMS using accounts from today: –Server at –Username: “jsmith” (ie, first letter of first name, then surname) –Password: “johns” (ie, first name, then first letter of surname) –Getting started: –Teachers Guide Details of Moodle integration at Technical support and hosting services available, see