A learning design toolkit for fostering effective e-learning Professor Gráinne Conole, University of Southampton NVU –Konferansen 2005, Kaltur for e-elearning Levanger th March 2005

Communication tools , discussion boards, chat Assessment tools TOIA, QuestionMark Integrated learning environments Blackboard, WebCT Online information tools Gateways and portals Growth of e-learning tools

Mediating tools and resources Multiple forms of communication Variety of resource Via gateways and portals Testing systems Virtual simulations Tools to manipulate and store

Increasing impact of ICT National initiativesICT catalysts - VLEsFunding drivers Drivers Organisational structures Roles, skills and practice Teaching, learning and assessment Impact ICT as mission critical

ICT promises New modes of learning Building on work of others Communities of learners Sharing resources IndividualisedInteroperable Richer feedback Mobile E-learning hype

Patch use of communication tools Stilted collaborations VLEs for admin and as content repositories Information overload Not pedagogically informed -ve Negative aspects

Critical mass of mediating tools and resources Shift from individual to socially situated Learning in context Learning through problem solving +ve Positive aspects

Technology pros and cons Access to wealth of resourcesInformation overload, quality issues New forms of dialogueLiteracy skills issues New forms of communityLearner identity and confusion Speed of access, immediacyLack of permanency, surface Virtual representationsLack of reality, real is fake

New methods of online data collection Adaptivity Virtual networks Intelligent tools International collaboration Information explosion The Grid Beyond the web - the next generation

Learning by doing In the company of others Through experience Through dialogue Socially situated Through reflection Mercer Vygotsky Laurillard Papart Kolb Dewey LaveJarvis Paiget Wenger Theories of learning Key characteristics of learning

Reality check… repackaging the box Passive learning Pedagogical bias Mismatch of resources to tasks Learner and tutor confusion! –Identity and roles –Plethora of resources and tools –Lack of clarity of what is important and when

The missing link Plethora of tools and resources Enormous potential but underused Wealth of knowledge about learning Didactic/behaviourists models predominate Gap between the potential of the technologies (confusion over how they can be used) and application of good pedagogical principles (confusion over which models to use)

Back to the drawing board… Use of a learning design toolkit to –Rethink teaching, learning and assessment –Make learning and teaching approaches more explicit –Enable appropriate use of Tools and resources Choice of teaching and learning techniques Innovative approaches to assessment

What is a toolkit?  Toolkit are:  Easy-to-use for practitioners  Produce demonstrable benefit  Provide guidance, but are not prescriptive  Adaptable and easy to customise to local context  Used to plan and scope  Used iteratively over time  Reusable – can share resources and templates

Learning Activity Toolkit Guides teachers through the process of articulating their teaching approach Results in the production of a ‘lesson plan’ for a particular learning activity Prompts and supports teachers as they create or modify learning activities, linking pedagogical approaches to teaching techniques, tools and resources

Methodology Reviewed –Learning theories and identified key elements of learning Definition of a learning activity –Distil out Geographers’ implicit thinking –Definition of a learning activity and its components –Relationships between components –Mapping and reality check with real examples

Learning activity components Context –Subject, level, learning outcomes, environment, etc Learning and teaching approaches –Theories and models Tasks –Type, techniques, tools, resources, interaction, roles –Associated assessments – types, techniques

Tackling the problem… Need to understand –The way e-learning can (and can’t!) be used –Changing organisational context –New skills needed and impact on individuals Rethink designing learning activities –Apply learning theory –Make appropriate use of tools and resources –Devise innovative approaches to assessment

Creating learning activiites Use of a learning design toolkit to –Rethink teaching, learning and assessment –Make learning and teaching approaches more explicit –Enable appropriate use of Tools and resources Choice of teaching and learning techniques Innovative approaches to assessment

Making the link Pedagogical approach – didactic Learning outcome – knowledge Tasks – assimilative Assessment - focusing on re-production of knowledge –MCQs, drills, short answer, essays –Tutor feedback, tutor assessed

Making the link Pedagogical approach – cognitive apprenticeship Learning outcome – application Tasks - experiential Assessment - focusing on use of concepts in different contexts –Report, field work, project –Tutor assessed; may be peer- or self- evaluated

Making the link Pedagogical approach – problem-based Learning outcome – analysis Tasks – information handling Assessment – focus on application of concepts to problems –Exercise, practical, project –Tutor assessed or peer- or self-evaluated

Making the link Pedagogical approach – dialogic Learning outcome – evaluation Tasks – communicative Assessment - focus on critiquing and argument –Group presentation –Peer-evaluated

Making the link Pedagogical approach – problem-based Learning outcome – analysis Tasks – information handling Assessment – focus on application of concepts to problems –Exercise, practical, project –Tutor assessed or peer- or self-evaluated

Uses Guidance –On the development of learning activity –Mapping pedagogy to tools and resources Repurposing –Query database of existing learning activities Research –Development of new e-learning models Quality assurance

Benefits Providing guidance and support Making link between pedagogy and tasks more explicit Mapping of approaches with techniques and associated tools and resources As a means of articulating out practitioner understanding Generation of generic templates and models

References Conole, Dyke, Oliver, & Seale, (2004), ‘Mapping pedagogy and tools for effective learning design’, Computers and Education, June 2004 Conole and Dyke, (2004), ‘The affordances of ICT’, ALT-J, 12.2 Conole and Fill, (Submitted), ‘Specification for a learning design activities toolkit’, Computers and education Conole, (2004), ‘Report on the effectiveness of tools for e- learning’, report for the JISC commissioned ‘Research Study on the Effectiveness of Resources, Tools and Support Services used by Practitioners in Designing and Delivering E-Learning Activities’

Acknowledgements People –Karen Fill –Martin Dyke –Chris Bailey –Martin Oliver –Helen Beetham –Jonathan Darby Funders –JISC/NSC DialogPlus project –HEFCE E-Learning Research Centre –JISC e-pedagogy programme

A learning design toolkit for fostering effective e-learning Professor Gráinne Conole, University of Southampton NVU –Konferansen 2005, Kaltur for e-elearning Levanger th March 2005