Learning how to Learn Technical Team Network Tools and Distributed Educational Research Patrick Carmichael Richard Procter “Learning how to Learn”

Learning how to Learn Technical Team The TLRP a coordinated research initiative [whose] overarching purpose is to support and develop educational research leading to improvements in outcomes for learners of all ages, in all sectors and contexts of education, training and lifelong learning throughout the UK. 32 projects in 3 Phases Research Fellowships Research Capacity Building Network Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Extensions

Learning how to Learn Technical Team TLRP Themes Outcomes Lifecourse Synergy Capacity Transformation Impact Working Groups on Communication and ICT

Learning how to Learn Technical Team The Role of ICT in TLRP Support for Programme Management Role in Communication and Impact Development of a Programme-wide strategy of: –Data Archiving –Data Description –Data Reuse Survey Data SPSS/SAS/Minitab Files Qualitative Data Codesets Diaries and Biographies Images Video Audio Instruments Bibliographies Codes of Practice/Protocols‘Outputs’

Learning how to Learn Technical Team Is TLRP a ‘Programme’? Some programmes: –Human Genome Programme –Global Astronomical Mapping –Exploring Mars –SETI Shared Underlying Goals and Assumptions Communication and Collaboration Reciprocity Community and Capacity-building

Learning how to Learn Technical Team Learning how to Learn Project Phase II of TLRP – Student, Teacher and Organisational Learning Develops the work of the KMOFAP project and the Assessment Reform Group Involves: –Four Universities and c.20 HE Staff –Five Local Education Authorities –Two Virtual education action Zones –43 Schools

Learning how to Learn Technical Team Research Questions Key Questions for the Project –What can teachers do to help children learn how to learn? –What characterises the school that successfully manages how teachers create the knowledge and skills of learning how to learn for both teachers and pupils? –How can the knowledge and skills of learning how to learn effectively transferred within educational networks?

Learning how to Learn Technical Team The L2L Website: Roles Multiple Roles –provision of information about the nature and scope of the project –provision of materials for use by LEA and school coordinators –data collection and monitoring –project management and data analysis tools –provide exemplification of best practice Project ‘technical team’ –Patrick –Richard Participatory Design Approaches

Learning how to Learn Technical Team The L2L Website Over Time AspectStage 1Stage 2Stage 3 Data Webpages and Downloads Collaborative Data Collection and Discussion Data Exchange via Web Services Metadata Resource Discovery Architecture, Interchange and Reuse Modelling Relationships Key Technologies XML PHP XML-RDF Perl XML-RDF SOAP Perl Size 30MB <100 Files 200MB 2000 Files GB’s 10000’s Files

Learning how to Learn Technical Team Wombles and Weaverbirds Entire website is component based Entire website is metadata driven – including navigation, security, search and personalisation Each page of the site is constructed for you ‘on the fly’, reflecting project design and user needs Fine-grained differentiation of ‘permissions’ Not just scalable but ‘spawnable’ Ultra-lightweight and all built with free software

Learning how to Learn Technical Team OK, why Wombles? They make the best use of the things that they find They reuse components and combine them in innovative ways And Weaverbirds? Make amazing edifices out of tiny components Community-builders Not protected by copyright like Wombles

Learning how to Learn Technical Team Some Developments Component-based, metadata-driven resources: –Tobermory: Semantic Web Crawler Explores directed graphs linking data nodes “Tell us all about …” “See what you can find …” –“A County for Parliament”: Essex in the Civil War A classroom resource allowing ‘exploration’ of a complex data set –Survivors’ Fund: Testimonies from Rwanda Resource discovery and qualitative data analysis of life- histories of survivors of the genocide of 1994.

Learning how to Learn Technical Team Where Next? Developing: –Technologies to support ‘the Education Epidemic’ –Technologies to support ‘Organisational Learning’ –Technologies to support ‘Distributed Research’ –Ways of modelling pedagogy rather than learning resources These are (we think!) premised on: –The success of the ‘Semantic Web’ –Data Exchange and Discoverability –Trust Networks and Reciprocity

Learning how to Learn Technical Team Some Issues and Questions How do ‘programmes’ use ICT? And how might ICT contribute to the development of coordinated programmes of educational research? What is the role of ICT in maximising the impact of education research programmes and projects? Who designs ICT applications and how do they do so? Can Educational ICT learn from approaches like participatory design and appropriate technology? How much does this depend on social engineering rather than software engineering?