Making Tracks – Bridging the Chasm Partnership between  University of Hull ( Robert Sherratt and Steve Jeyes)  Icodeon Ltd (Warwick Bailey)  NRICH Maths at Cambridge University (Mike Pearson and Charlie Gilderdale mainly) ELF demonstrator using the ADL coLab/ ISIS/ ASSIS Simple Sequencing outputs and NRICH’s wealth of developing Maths learning activities / problems etc

Why did we do it ?  Easy creation of standards conformant sequenced learning trails incorporating resources from NRICH  Introduce explorative games-based educational environments  Use Simple Sequencing creatively to help a learner capture pedagogical strategies for problem solving (Systematics teaching) develop thoughtful play leading to useful reflective insights and methods of solution

Technical Overview

4 Demo and Fallback

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Challenges and Problem Areas  Substantial development was needed to deliver reusable sequenced resources  On its own Simple Sequencing can only realistically be used for sequences that truly are simple  Additional technologies may be needed for complex developments such as games based learning  Can these limitations be overcome with better authoring tools?

7 V Card Trail  Teaching Systematics the structure and tools for problems  Capturing Teacher / Learner dialogue  Charlie Gilderdale storyboarding with 138 ppts with problems, hints, directions etc  Converted to active simulation (Flash) and relevant docs (XHTML etc)  Being sequenced to mimic the appropriate Teacher intervention

8 Card 1 Length of arms3 Start no.1 Increment1 No. of solutions3 TimedNo Time allowedn/a Start Number Rangen/a Increment rangen/a Hint text: Try all the different possible numbers at the bottom. Objective: Find all solutions Submit sequence: Finished if learner has found all solutions and thinks so. Suggested Level: 1

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10 Planet Vogsphere

11 Planets unavailable grey

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14 for these and many more great bridges

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16 How to bridge the chasm ??  Tough challenge – ok for savvy developers with plenty of glue and string  Definitely needs meta-tools to allow for widespread adoption

17 Rules decide entry visibility and exit Initial room Other rooms appear depending on behaviour Other floors accessed depending on behaviour and roll up elevation plan Basic views for structure

18 Tutor Tutorial Learning Learner Designs Learning Interacts Reflects Creates Model & Narrative Activities Tasks Goals Experience / Pilots (Monitors) Advises/Stimulates Tracks (Objectives) (Rules/Rollup) Builds concepts Adapts Actively Engages Controls Activities Directs Learning Adapts (Rules/Visibility)

19 Prototype authoring tool

20 Extra Technical slides  Not to be talked through  End now !!!

How ? (technical stuff ) Services SSRun (ISIS output) CMIRun (a prototype adapter developed for this project providing the SCORM 2004 CMI services) Standards SCORM 2004 packaging IMS Content Packaging, IMS Simple Sequencing as used by SCORM 2004 Sequencing and Navigation book, and SCORM 2004 run time environment. Technologies Java, Javascript (Ajax), Flash Actionscript

Successes  ISIS SSRun service works well and has improved with refactoring  The LMS webapp demonstrates how a server can use SSRun to create adaptive navigation  The SSRun unit test framework has proved very useful in verifying the behaviour of sequencing manifests.  Automated creation of courses containing dumb resources which use simple choice or flow sequencing is achievable.

The Future  Use the Making Tracks LMS to create a portable pick and mix application so teachers can select, annotate and sequence resources from NRICH  What should JISC/CETIS do next Lobby for improved standards for reusable learning resources that are less didactic We have identified some simple extensions that would help see the Final Report for more details

Simple Sequencing problems  It’s extremely time consuming to create and test manifests where there is interaction with intelligent SCOs.  Opaque documentation. Nothing for users.  With intelligent SCOs, sequencing exceptions are handled at the wrong level.  Conformance tests are incomplete.  In practice it is limited to sequencing dumb or templated resources.

SCORM CMI problems  For SCOs, the CMI database is essentially write-only.  Inter-SCO communication is limited to passing information via objectives.  Attempt limits can not be reset.  These factors bias the standard towards assessment rather than learning.