Application of Pedagogic Patterns to the Design of Distance Learning Materials Steve Wade University of Huddersfield

What’s wrong with this conversation?

The conversation was about… The development of a distance learning module tentatively entitled “Web-Based Information Systems Construction”. We were designing the module and discussing the ways in which it would be supported in Blackboard

The conversation was about… There were arguments about the definition of a module. Is it… A relationship A means of facilitating learning A means of equipping students with skills An artefact

The conversation was about… Eventually we agreed that a module delivery system must support communication between Staff and Students Students and Students about an unfolding story

But what is the story??????

Patterns are meant to: Help us to tell a relevant story with an exciting plot –Something to talk about

Patterns are also meant to: Capture Expert Practice Communicate Expertise to Others Solve Common Recurring Problems Provide a Vocabulary of Solutions. Work with other Patterns

Catalogue Entry for a Pattern Problem Context Forces Solution Examples of Use (several) Consequences and Resulting Context

Example Catalogue Entry Problem Everything is in a terrible mess and nothing seems to go right Context: Everything is in a terrible mess for everybody else as well Forces: When things are a mess bad things happen. When the mess is cleared up fewer bad things happen.

Another Example Problem There is too much to teach and more is added daily. If you try to teach it all you will never finish. Context We prefer Active Students who learn through doing Solution Teach what the students Need To Know to facilitate problem solving

How software engineers talk to each other Why don’t you just have an immutable singleton null object iterator mediate between your composite decorated facade and the conoculator valve? Or maybe bridge the flyweight proxy prototype with a factory method memento adapter?

How pattern-oriented course developers talk to each other It may be necessary to Spiral to give some needed background on the important topics. A Lay of the Land example can be used to show the students an example of a big idea in action. If there are many important ideas it can be Larger Than Life. A Fixer Upper can be a good way to get started. It must emphasize the big idea of course. If the idea is complex, use a Toy Box example to introduce it. You may need to use Occam to extract its essential core and build an example around that. Interrelated ideas can often lead to components of a Tool Box.SpiralLay of the LandLarger Than LifeFixer UpperToy BoxOccamTool Box

Quest for a Pattern Language for Development of Course Materials Using patterns numbered and documented by the… Pedagogical Patterns Project:

We need patterns that: guide our thinking about the course itself, rather than its delivery. help guide our design about sequencing the material and deciding on activities. help throughout the running of the course guide us into effective assessment strategies

Community Goal Write a pattern language for developing courses for computing students Most current work emphasises: The course will be object-oriented Using Java Involving programming, analysis and design But I’m interested in Business Computing

How the language evolves Author mines then documents a pattern Author Submits Shepherd Assigned Shepherd Gives Feedback/Author Revises Paper Workshopped by Group of Authors Author Revises Pattern numbered and published in PPP

Questions?