GRIDCOLE: a Grid Collaborative Learning Environment M.L. Bote-Lorenzo, L.M. Vaquero-González, G. Vega-Gorgojo, J.I. Asensio-Pérez, E. Gómez-Sánchez, Y.A. Dimitriadis University of Valladolid, Spain CLAG 2004

2 Index 1.Collaborative Learning Systems 2.Gridcole a.Approach b.Functionality c.Implementation 3.Sample Collaborative Learning Scenario 4.Conclusions and Future work

3 Index 1.Collaborative Learning Systems 2.Gridcole a.Approach b.Functionality c.Implementation 3.Sample Collaborative Learning Scenario 4.Conclusions and Future work

4 Collaborative Learning Systems Provide an environment with suitable tools in order to support a given collaborative learning scenario E.g: C-CHENE Promotes learning of concepts related to energy in physics Provides a free chat, a structured chat, and a collaborative energy chain editor CSCL researchers have developed many Collaborative Learning System

5 Drawbacks of most CLSs Lack of tailorability A tailorable CLS enables easy integration of suitable tools within a single environment in order to support a given collaborative learning scenario E.g: DARE, Symba Use of tools requiring supercomputing capabilities is not allowed Needed in many natural sciences and medical areas E.g: weather forecasting (CoVis Collaboratory) Use of tools requiring specific hardware resources not allowed Employed in many collaborative learning scenarios E.g: integration of seismographic sensors (Coldex Project) Interpretation of collaboration scripts not allowed Script interpretation enhances the effectiveness of learning E.g: COW, Coppercore

6 Gridcole A new CLS that aims to overcome the drawbacks of current systems Based on two standards IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD) Enables formal description of teaching-learning processes Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA) Defines a service-oriented structure for grid computing environments

7 Index 1.Collaborative Learning Systems 2.Gridcole a.Approach b.Functionality c.Implementation 3.Sample Collaborative Learning Scenario 4.Conclusions and Future work

8 Gridcole Technologies OGSA-based grids Service-oriented architecture Enable transparent access to: Large amounts of computing power Specific hardware resources IMS-LD documents Describe a learning scenario Roles to be played by each participant Sequence of learning activities to be performed by each role Tools and documents that support each activity Supports a wide range of pedagogies Can be applied to collaborative learning

9 Gridcole Approach OGSA-based grid used as a pool of tools Tools not limited in supercomputing or specific hardware needs Tools without such needs can also be employed IMS-LD documents employed as: A tailoring script describing the tools to be integrated A collaboration script to be interpreted in order to structure interactions between students

10 Suitability of Approach CSCL problemsOGSAIMS-LD Difficult integration Defines a set of conventions and uniform semantics - Scarce reuseHigh-level building blocks fit educator’s mental model Promotes learning design reuse and thus tool reuse TechnificationService provider in charge of deployment and set-up Authoring tools enable easy edition of IMS-LD documents

11 Index 1.Collaborative Learning Systems 2.Gridcole a.Approach b.Functionality c.Implementation 3.Sample Collaborative Learning Scenario 4.Conclusions and Future work

12 Tailoring Educators can tailor Gridcole providing an IMS-LD document The system follows IMS-LD document to find tools in a grid Educator can choose between different tool implementations

13 Support Gridcole supports the scenario following the IMS-LD document The sequence of activities to be carried out by each student is determined A personalized desktop is provided for each activity Desktop enables the use of grid service tools through graphical interface panes

14 Index 1.Collaborative Learning Systems 2.Gridcole a.Approach b.Functionality c.Implementation 3.Sample Collaborative Learning Scenario 4.Conclusions and Future work

15 Architecture

16 Prototype Gridcole is currently under development using GT3 and Java A first prototype has been built Shows the feasibility of our system

17 Index 1.Collaborative Learning Systems 2.Gridcole a.Approach b.Functionality c.Implementation 3.Sample Collaborative Learning Scenario 4.Conclusions and Future work

18 Educational context Course on Computer Architecture for undergraduate students Organized around a design project (three subprojects) Groups of four pairs collaboratively play the role of consultants Have to advise a given customer on a computing solution (machine, operating system, software, etc) The scenario applies for the first subproject, with clear learning objectives: Contents: Learn how to use benchmarks Get a quantitative impression on a few real machines Skills: Interpreting and selecting information Arguing Taking compromise solutions

19 Scenario outline Designed by course teachers Learning activities Model customer’s presumed computational load Test real machines using benchmarks Debate best solution for customer Tools Collaborative: group formation, concept map, task assignment, debate… Non-collaborative: text editor, … Specific hardware needs: benchmarking tool, …

20 Scenario realization Gridcole support will be evaluated from educational point of view next fall semester Tools offered in a grid shared by three Universities A limited version of this scenario has been realized using Gridcole prototype Includes four activities Employs three tools Collaborative task assignment tool Benchmarking tool Chat tool

21 Index 1.Collaborative Learning Systems 2.Gridcole a.Approach b.Functionality c.Implementation 3.Sample Collaborative Learning Scenario 4.Conclusions and Future work

22 Conclusions Tailoring, scripting, supercomputing capabilities, and specific resources are not supported by most CLS IMS-LD and OGSA technologies can be combined to address these issues Gridcole is a new CLS that builds upon IMS-LD and OGSA Gridcole can provide valuable support in real collaborative learning scenarios

23 Future Work Complete development of Gridcole Evaluation from educational point of view Characterization of tool services using the Learning Object Management (LOM) standard QoS provision

GRIDCOLE: a Grid Collaborative Learning Environment M.L. Bote-Lorenzo, L.M. Vaquero-González, G. Vega-Gorgojo, J.I. Asensio-Pérez, E. Gómez-Sánchez, Y.A. Dimitriadis University of Valladolid, Spain CLAG 2004