London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Multimedia eLearning: achievements and challenges Tom Boyle London Metropolitan University Multimedia Workshop July 1, 03

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute In the beginning...

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute How do we get multimedia to be used and embedded in teaching and learning? How do we build on our achievements and create critical mass? How can we develop high quality multimedia learning environments?

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute The CD-ROM Age From the early to the mid-nineties Windows 3 and the Multimedia PC From the DOS prompt to interactive, multimedia learning environments Rich tool support –Director, Toolbook, Authorware Hypertext/Hypercard influence CD-ROM for delivery

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Multimedia learning PedagogyTools and materials

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Constructivism Authentic Interactive Engaging Encourage higher order skills Away from didactic transmission to interactive learning View of the computer –from teaching machine to –interactive multimedia learning environment

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Some examples

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute

Load Stagestruck

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute And then… The World Wide Web

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Deconstruct and reform Web breaks down barriers Issues of –communication –size and reuse –standards Models of learning A tale of two multimedias –multiplayer networked games

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute The C in ICT VIDEO Video controls Text confer- encing

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute The challenge of ubiquity? The challenge of mobile mutimedia learning? New MM design challenge –much greater emphasis on audio New affordances/constraints? –more flexible, interleaved learning –e.g grounded learning conversations New structural/delivery challenges –multimedia learning objects? Wider pedagogical challenges

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Achieving critical mass: learning objects? The issue of the re-use and repurposing of learning resources has become a central challenge for learning technology Electronic libraries of reusable pedagogical resources Component based design Empowering tutors as multimedia designers?

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Learning objects and standards IEEE LOM draft definition –A learning object is defined as any entity, digital or non-digital, that may be used for learning, education or training IEEE (March 2002) Two broad interpretations Minimum pedagogically meaningful unit –clear learning goal or objective Granule –Reusability –Lego brick analogy

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Standardization background International work on learning objects standards Two main standards/specifications –Metadata –Learning object packaging IEEE LOM (Learning Object Metadata) standard – June 2002 IMS content packaging specification

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Packaging and metadata

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Design of MM learning objects? Design principles for authoring objects How to author pedagogically effective learning objects Pedagogical rich and effective Reusable Repurposable (?)

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Cohesion Each unit should do one thing and one thing only One clear learning goal or objective Minimum pedagogically meaningful unit Flexible re-use –technically –higher order pedagogical flexibility Example

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Controlled coupling The unit should have minimal bindings to other units There should be no necessary navigational bindings to other units (embedded hyperlinks) Learning object content should not refer to the content in another source so as to cause necessary dependencies Challenge: how to manage coupling so as to create –free-standing, re-usable objects – that are pedagogically rich

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Demonstrations

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Pedagogy High failure and drop-out rates Pedagogical challenges –abstraction –complexity –demotivation/disengagement Demonstration of pedagogical features

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute

A national repository of high quality learning objects ? Critical mass

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Cataloguing and quality assurance? Metadata –IEEE LOM standard –shaped by the community of practice Quality assurance UCEL approach –peer review of LOs Merlot –trained reviewers –community around the repository

London Metropolitan University Learning Technology Research Institute Some key challenges Be creative: high quality design –relate pedagogy and multimedia affordances Co-operative and collaborative learning –multimedia and communication Create critical mass and impact –standardize and share –repositories and more Building communities of practice