Technology-enhanced Learning: EU research and its role in current and future ICT based learning environments Pat Manson, Head of Unit Technology-enhanced Learning; Cultural Heritage Directorate-General Information Society

Slide no 2 EU research in ICT for learning Research policies - European Research Area –migration from small projects to large scale and comprehensive initiatives that can generate critical mass and impact - for researchers, for eventual markets, and for public sector actors Information Society policies - Lisbon Agenda and eEurope Action Plans –ICT in schools to broadband, eLearning Action Plan, virtual campuses, GRID and skills Technology-enhanced Learning firmly anchored as a societal and an economic challenge

Slide no 3 Research & non-research in technologies for learning Research - pre-competitive, longer term Impact needs - adoption by practitioners, organisational change and practices, translation into affordable & usable market tools Other programmes - eTEN, eContent + Member States initiatives in context of eEurope and ERA pilots, and eLearning Programme All contribute to supporting the mainstreaming of e-learning

Slide no 4 Multimedia applications for education & training: IST Focus – integrating ICT in education & training environments and processes Foster broad access to quality learning resources and services Improve learning and support innovation through –New organisational scenarios for universities and schools –New experimental delivery systems for life-long learning –New pedagogical approaches New experiences for different communities of learners

Slide no 5 School of Tomorrow Flexible Higher Education Advanced Training Systems The Learning Citizen Interoperable Tools, Service and Content Results from RTD projects Collaborative learning Learning resources & tools Brokerage systems Virtual labs & campuses Convergence between knowledge management and learning systems Universal access to self-learning Informal & mobile learning environments Building infrastructures for e-learning in Europe

Slide no 6 School-related projects - focus & results Collaborative learning –ITCOLE - an open source platform for collaborative learning and knowledge building (FLE3) - and its application in progressive enquiry and problem-based learning (see –Additional tools for collaborative learning and supporting the development of modeling skills (CO-LAB and MODELLINGSPACE) Learning resources & tools –The provision of tools supporting the authoring of multimedia learning resources by teachers and students (ITALES, SEED) –Mobilisation of leading educational publishers (e.g. Hachette, Giunti, Sanoma, Klett) from several European countries to produce learning resources for schools (CELEBRATE, YOUNGNET).

Slide no 7 School-related projects - focus & results Innovating through ICT –ICT-based toys and pedagogical approaches to science teaching and learning (LAB of TOMORROW, COLDEX, –Interesting work being developed with virtual characters exploring the affective aspects associated to the use of ICT for learning (VICTEC) –A thematic network addressing the topic of Special Education Needs has been launched providing researchers and practitioners with information on how to address this topic (SEN-IST-NET - ) … these are just a few examples

Slide no 8 University-related projects - focus & results Virtual campuses and labs –LEDA - sharing knowledge creation and supporting student/teacher interactions & peer learning. –PEARL - a collaborative environment for science and engineering students to undertake experiments. Brokerage systems –CUBER - brokering access to distance learning courses and modules –UNIVERSAL - an electronic brokerage system for learning resources. The brokerage platform is marketed under the brand name EducaNext. Where pedagogy meets knowledge sharing…

Slide no 9 Learning citizen Advanced training projects Universal access to self-learning –brokerage systems (“clearing house” for payments, new business models for service providers, inclusive distance learning services (PedCare, Fellows, METACAMPUS) Informal & mobile learning environments –testing the possibilities of mobile learning (mlearning, MOBIlearn) Advanced training - exploring convergence between training and knowledge management systems

Slide no 10 Key findings Results to date are characterised by: –Innovation in context – new approaches to pedagogical methods but standard technologies –Developing new paradigms – but tension between technological and pedagogical approaches –Often fragmented solutions Continuing challenges: –Metadata and developing (re-)usability of learning objects –Supporting personalisation & adaptation –Changing organisational models –Sustaining the social context of learning Input to ongoing research issues & targets

Slide no 11 Technology-enhanced Learning in FP6 Ubiquitous access to personalised learning through life “Work on e-learning will focus on personalised access to, and delivery of, learning as well as on advanced learning environments at schools, universities and in the workplace that take advantage of the development of ambient intelligence” ERA imperatives - critical mass to maximise impact; co-ordination between national and European initiatives

Slide no 12 Technology-enhanced Learning Intrinsic links of Pedagogical Technological Organisational aspects Target Groups Higher education ……. Organisational aspects Pedagogical aspects Technical aspects Focus on the learning process - Learner is at the centre - Organisational context: intertwined relationship between learner and organisation & where we have most impact

Slide no 13 TeLearn: our goals for European research Reinforce learning as a social process through new collaborative models Customise learning to individual needs - at school, work, throughout life Build competence - by linking organisations’ objectives and learning goals of individuals Support (new) pedagogical approaches that ‘blend’ new and old ways of learning Improve quality and learning-effectiveness putting the learner at the centre

Slide no 14 TeLearn: technology focus of research Leading edge technologies (e.g. broadband, mobile, GRIDs, ubiquitous computing) to be applied according to insights from pedagogical research - encourage early adoption and influence developments Interoperability of technology components for new architectural models using commodity products - integration into advanced services & platforms Knowledge modelling, representation and visualisation for learning - creating interoperable and widely accessible knowledge pools Computer Supported Collaborative Learning - flexible communities of practice

Slide no 15 TeLearn: first projects under FP6 Portfolio - 8 projects (2 Networks of Excellence; 2 Integrated Projects; 3 targetted research; 1 coordination action); 141 organisations; with funding of ca. 41 MEuro Projects overall show –balanced mix of generic solutions and domain specific –links with national projects and synergies with international initiatives –Formal and informal learning intertwine – breaking barriers with fixed (organisational) learning contexts Community building –bringing together researchers, stakeholders / users, commercial companies –consensus building through the Networks of Excellence

Slide no 16 TeLearn: FP6 1st Call results Innovative learning: –personalisation and adaptive learning for individuals and groups (iCLASS; PROLEARN; KALEIDOSCOPE) –dynamic mentoring system for maths teaching (LeActiveMath) –integrating experience based learning into the classroom (CONNECT) –NoEs: research on new methods and new approaches to learning with ICT (KALEIDOSCOPE) Focus: on using technology for new learning processes and on improving our understanding of these

Slide no 17 TeLearn: first projects under FP6 Learning resources & next generation learning platforms –adaptative use of resources - schools, workplace (iCLASS; PROLEARN) –GRID-based platform supporting collaborative learning (ELeGI) Interoperability and Standards –take-up and adoption, implementation and compliance test, pre-competitive standardisation (TELCERT; UNFOLD) –focus on learning objects, learner modelling, metadata, semantic web

Slide no 18 Technology-enhanced Learning For further and ongoing information: TeLearn website + mailing list