Next steps for LAMS and Learning Design: Bug fixes, Branching and Pedagogic Planners James Dalziel Professor of Learning Technology, and Director, Macquarie E-Learning Centre Of Excellence (MELCOE) Macquarie University Keynote presentation for the 2007 European LAMS Conference, University of Greenwich, July 5 th, 2007

Overview The promise of Learning Design …and the challenge of representational frameworks The technology challenges of Learning Design –“Bug fixes” More flexible Learning Design structures –Branching, conditionality, data in/out, “floating” activities The “pedagogic turn” for Learning Design –Pedagogic & Activity Planners

The Promise of Learning Design Describe “Run” Re-use Share Improve Critique Research …good practice in teaching and learning

The Promise of Learning Design Don’t we do all these things already? Two problems: –E-learning tends to have a narrow “content transmission” view of teaching and learning, so we can easily share content (articles, websites, lecture recordings), but have great difficulty sharing group learning activities –We lack a widely adopted representational framework for (group) learning activities

Music Notation In the western music tradition, prior to the baroque period, there were a series of partial but not sufficient notational approaches The adoption of a common framework for music notation means that today we can look at music from hundreds of years ago, and understand the composer’s intent –Did subsequent music flourish because of this framework? NB: Music notation is not complete (there is still much left to interpretation), but it is sufficient for sharing, even down the through the ages

First page of the manuscript of Bach's lute suite in G Minor. Wikipedia.org Date of manuscript unknown. Held in Florence, Italy. Photo by Asiir 17:00, 13 February 2007, Wikipedia.orgAsiir

Nautical terminology Abaft the Beam Backstays Binnacle Fo'c's'l Futtock Halyard Loblolly boy Mizzen Poop Shroud Stun's'l Yard arms Norton / HarperCollins Publishers

The Promise of Learning Design Educational modeling language, IMS Learning Design, LAMS, etc, are each an attempt to provide a representational framework for describing teaching and learning processes If the history of music is a guide, then these frameworks don’t have to be complete, but they do need to be sufficient for someone else to understand and replicate the intent To read music, you require basic training in the notational system (that is, some expertise is required) –To what extent will this be required for Learning Design?

The Background to LAMS LAMS is an attempt to provide a representational framework for teaching and learning processes (“inspired” by IMS Learning Design), as well as a system to “run” them (if desired) LAMS has always had a special focus on “Learning Design enabled” tools to make it easy to run a design –This is important not just for use with students, but so that an educator can immediately see what their design looks like to students, to allow the educator to easily reflect on and change their design The LAMS visual “drag and drop” authoring environment helps educators to “see” their teaching and learning processes –It is not simply a convenience; visualisation appears to significantly influence how educators think about Learning Design

LAMS V2 Author – Bedside manner sequence

Technology Challenges Technology for Learning Design has proved far more challenging to build than, I think, anyone suspected The field is littered with software projects that did not achieve their goals –Although few people want to talk about this At its heart, Learning Design is a new kind of workflow system where groups of people (not data or processes) travel through the system –Much harder than presenting content on a webpage

Technology Challenges LAMS V1 started as a R&D prototype when it wasn’t clear, to me at least, that it was even possible to build a Learning Design system While it achieved its educational goals, it’s internal software structures left a lot to be desired One byproduct was that it became almost impossible to solve some bugs, and stability was not ideal

Bug Fixes? Based on the technical (and educational) lessons learned from developing LAMS V1, we began rebuilding the system in late 2004, and release V2 in December 2006 LAMS V2 has many new features (and the foundations for many more) and a completely new software architecture (especially for pluggable tools) …and perhaps most importantly, it is much easier to identify and fix bugs - so please tell us when something doesn’t work!

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LMS/VLE Integration LAMS V1 has been integrated with Blackboard, WebCT, Moodle, Sakai,.LRN –Single sign-on + some extra features for launching sequences LAMS V2 integrations released so far – Moodle, Sakai –Updated Blackboard Building Block underway, Powerlink starting now – expect both out before end of the year Deeper integration yet to be implemented: –Assessment/reporting (sequence completion; scores) –“Tools integration” – sequencing LMS/VLE tools from LAMS

Sakai 2.3 & LAMS/RAMS V2 Integration: Instructor view of user sequences

Sakai & LAMS/RAMS V2: Sakai-based selection of authored sequences

Sakai and LAMS/RAMS V2: Opening Authoring direct from Sakai

More Flexible LD Structures One of the justified negative reactions to LAMS to date has been its lack of support for certain types of common teaching and learning structures, eg –Different students doing different activities –Using information from past activities to decide on future paths or tasks –Structures which are not so linear; “support” activities –Improvisational approaches/changing your plans as you go

More Flexible LD Structures LAMS V2 was built with more flexible structures in mind, but it will take time to implement all of these –Especially with an easy to use interface “Live Edit” (edit on the fly) now available (V2.0.3) –Modify a live sequence “mid stream” New features coming for LAMS V2.1 –Branching –Conditionality, data in/out –Advanced groupings –Sequences within optional boxes –“Floating” activities

New RAMS Features: Live Edit (starting with running sequence in Monitor)

New RAMS Features: Open live sequence in special author mode (some locked)

New RAMS Features: Can change sequence structure/tools for those not locked

New RAMS Features: Live sequence is immediately updated for current users

Implementation of new Branching Features for LAMS V2.1

“Zoom In” editing of Branching activity in LAMS V2.1

The Pedagogic Turn for LD? A key driver for Learning Design systems is the concept of a pedagogic metamodel / pedagogic neutrality –A flexible software platform should aspire to support a wide range of pedagogical approaches However, many educators find a “blank canvas” challenging –“Couldn’t you give me some good templates to fill out?”

The Pedagogic Turn for LD? Are we ready to begin adding good pedagogic practices back into Learning Design systems? –Provided we don’t limit the flexibility of the underlying platform by doing so…. Flexible Learning Design Platform: Capable of many pedagogic approaches Good practice templates + Limited authoring “Full” Authoring

Pedagogic Planners Pedagogic/Activity/Module planner? Regardless of name – the key idea for me is a decision process which leads you to choose a mostly pre-configured template which is easily completed & run –Requires a set of good practice activity templates In the future, I hope LAMS can provide tools to support the creation (and sharing) of templates for planners –We welcome feedback on our new “mock-ups” for a planner

LAMS Activity Planner: Selecting a template

LAMS Activity Planner: Filling out the key content for a selected template

Conclusion Towards a representational framework for the teaching and learning process –Music notation only took several hundred years LAMS V2 as a foundation for robust Learning Design –So please tell us when it doesn’t work so we can fix it! Additional flexibility coming in LAMS V2.1 –Branching, conditionality, floating activities, etc Supporting the creation and sharing of Pedagogic/Activity/Module Planners