ALT Policy Board July 2001 Diana Laurillard, Open University, UK The Soaring Costs and Hard-won Benefits of e-Learning

Learning activity Media forms Attending Narrative Investigating Interactive Discussing Communicative Practising Adaptive Articulating Productive Winning the benefits To fully exploit the capabilities of learning technologies match media forms to learning activities optimise the range of learning activities

Media formsMethods/Technologies NarrativeLecture, video, book, CD, Web InteractiveTutorial, Library, CD, Web CommunicativeSeminar, group, online conference AdaptiveLaboratory, field trip, simulation ProductiveEssay, product, animation Winning the benefits To fully exploit the capabilities of learning technologies Begin with ambitious learning objectives Challenge the technologies

Media formsMethods/TechsActivities NarrativeLecture/CDAttending InteractiveTutorial/WebInvestigating CommunicativeSeminar/CMCDiscussing AdaptiveLab/SimulationPractising ProductiveEssay/AnimationArticulating Winning the benefits To fully exploit the capabilities of learning technologies Begin with ambitious learning objectives Challenge the technologies

Plan to optimise benefits/reduce costs 1 draft student workload 2 optimise distribution of time 3 assess staff workload Total staff days = 557

Plan to optimise benefits/reduce costs More ICT improves the learning experience Total staff days = 627 (not 557) - but increases cost.

To change 40% study time to ICT (OU data): If all ICT material generated is new: Academic staff time increases by 50% Production staff time increases by 120% If 60% ICT material is generic and customisable: Academic staff time increases by 20% Production staff time increases by 30% Either way ~ Presentation staff time increases by 25% Resource implications Hence: need for workload/costing tools, initial investment

Modelling the costs and benefits...

Reversioning Convert from Word to XML Allows authors to use features of Word Documents can transfer between print and Web Metadata is added for ease of archiving and versioning Customisation Project Prove concept Adapt to generic form Customise to course Introduce ‘pre-versioning’ Reducing staff workload

Creating customisable pedagogy... Art Explorer Original interactive learning activity to fit objective ‘to reflect on categories of paintings’. ‘Elicitation Engine’ Underlying program architecture to deliver generic activity for objective ‘to reflect on categories of X’ The Trunk New learning activity using E-Engine with new objects to deliver same objective The Chemistry Set New learning activity using E-Engine with new objects to deliver same objective

Move the carbon atom from one reservoir to another by identifying the process change needed.

List of possible process changes Context 1 Context 2Context 5 Context 3Context 4 Object Process D

Creating customisable pedagogy... The Carbon Cycle Original interactive learning activity to fit objective ‘to understand the carbon cycle in terms of transition processes between reservoirs’. ‘The X Cycle’ Underlying program architecture to deliver generic activity for objective ‘to understand system X in terms of process changes between contexts’. ‘The Life Cycle’ New learning activity using ‘The X Cycle’ with new objects (stages of life), and processes (conception, growth, maturation) to deliver the same objective.

Reversioning Convert from Word to XML Allows authors to use features of Word Documents can transfer between print and Web Metadata is added for ease of archiving and versioning Customisation Project Prove concept Adapt to generic form Customise to courses Introduce ‘pre-versioning’ Reducing staff workload Good practice to reduce AL workload Ready-made activities and integrated Web resources Structured conferences for students Web-based community of practice for ALs

model the shift of academic time to ICT and R&D; invest in change and staff support use customisable design tools Reduce the Soaring Costs: Win the Hard-Won Benefits: plan the shift to more supported active learning promote sharing of educational resources encourage developmental testing