Piloting the DotLRN Shell Bernd Simon (Knowledge Markets) With Input from: David Massart (EUN) Michael Aram (KM) Jean-Noël Colin (FUNDP) Kris Popat (University of Bolton) Lars Ingesman (UNI-C) Tien Hoang Minh (FUNDP) Tarmo Toikkanen (AALTO) Will Ellis (EUN) Turkey Pilots May, 2012

Workshop Agenda  The DotLRN in the iTEC Big Picture  DotLRN in a nutshell  DotLRN for English Teachers  iTEC WP3’s Learning Activities  DotLRN Demo and Workshop March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 2

Workshop Agenda  The DotLRN in the iTEC Big Picture  DotLRN in a nutshell  DotLRN for English Teachers  iTEC WP3’s Learning Activities  DotLRN Demo and Workshop March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 3

Trends driving Innovation in Schools March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 4 Child-centred Learning Any time access to education On Demand Learning Evidence-based Personalization 21 st century skills Authentic Learning Standards for 21 st century skills Internal Motivation New Media Literacies Social Learning Source: Cranmer S., Ulicsak M. (2011) D2.1 - Summary Report of Scenarios Development Process.

What iTEC is doing technically: March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 5 Open and configurable learning technologies that 1.provide access to collections of resources beyond content 2.deliver these collections of resources across a wide range of platforms and devices. 3.stimulate teachers’ and learners’ innovative practice in facilitating learning

How are we going to do this? Via three key technologies: 1.Composer 2.Widget Store 3.Shells brought together in the iTEC Cloud. March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 6

How are we going to do this? Via three key technologies: 1.Composer 2.Widget Store 3.Shells brought together in the iTEC Cloud. March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 7 Focus of Today

What is the iTEC Cloud?  The iTEC cloud is based on WP7 to 10 technologies: – A Wookie-based Widget Store run by Bolton – Two LMS/VLE shells: DotLRN Shell run by KM Moodle Shell run by FUNDP  In the forthcoming weeks we aim at expanding the iTEC Cloud with – Identity management environment run by FUNDP – Composer run by KM  Eventually all WP7 – WP10 components will be integrated into the iTEC Cloud: – People & Events Directory – SDE – LRE – IWB? March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 8

Composer March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 9  An authoring tool that supports the composition of learning stories and activities that are enriched by resources made available via iTEC Application Store.  Functions as a back-end tool for performing administrative tasks such as the management of resources.  An authoring tool that supports the composition of learning stories and activities that are enriched by resources made available via iTEC Application Store.  Functions as a back-end tool for performing administrative tasks such as the management of resources.

Recent End-User Relevant Developments  Developing the Composer to a pre-pilot tool: – GUI Design: graphical design forms and form labels, e.g. functionalities vs. affordances navigation design folksonomies vs. taxonomies – Browser compatibility March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 10

Composer GUI: Adaptive Theme March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 11  Responsive User Interface: – Improve usability on smaller screens (widget container, mobile device, …)

Converge to WP3 March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 12  Relabeling, rearranging of form elements to get closer to WP3 terminology

Composer Challenge: Functionalities & Resources March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 13  A learning activity may require abstract functionalities, concrete resources, or both…learning activity  Actual “functionalities” and “resources” should derived by harnessing collective intelligence (tagging, collaborative taxonomy creation,…)

The iTEC Widget Store March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 14

What is a Widget?  iTEC widgets are standards based  The standard says they are small applications that are created using web standards that can run on your computer, mobile device or on the web.  In the case of iTEC we run these widgets on the web so you can access them from your VLE, MLE or other shell. March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 15

What widgets do we have? March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 16

Recent Widget Developments  GeoGebra Widgets  A Widget called Tiny is in development which links to social media functionality  Twitter Widget  uTube Widget March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 17

Shells as shown in the iTEC Teacher Community March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 18

Recent End-User Relevant Developments DotLRN  Translated WP3 learning activities into DotLRN Features and Widgets  Improved Usability of Widget Handling (seamless integration)  openID Integration (on-going): one user account for the iTEC Cloud including the teacher community Moodle  Translated WP3 learning activities into Moodle Features  … March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 19

The DotLRN Shell as part of the iTEC (Educational) Cloud  We started to distinguish between free iTEC pilots and iTEC Cloud Pilots: In free iTEC pilots any technology or tool can be used, including third party services like facebook, twitter, or locally available technology like VLEs - the local Moodle, for example - or IWB. March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 20

The DotLRN Shell as part of the iTEC (Educational) Cloud  iTEC Cloud Pilots - on the other hand - will be supported by WP7-10 technologies. The vision behind is a private educational cloud. We are about to set up a range of hosted services that will be made available to pilot partners. The iTEC Cloud will - as a starting point - include the following service types and instantiations: – identity management (IM) service: an openID service run by FUNDP – shells: Moodle run by EUN/FUNDP, DotLRN run by KM – widget store: a Wookie server with extra GUI run by EUN/BOLTON – content store: an OpenACS run by KM, LRE run by EUN March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 21

Workshop Agenda  The DotLRN in the iTEC Big Picture  DotLRN in a nutshell  DotLRN for English Teachers  iTEC WP3’s Learning Activities  DotLRN Demo and Workshop March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 22

Brief Introduction to the DotLRN Shell  DotLRN is a LMS – or also referred to as VLE  It has a similar architecture like other leading LMS in schools, i.e. supporting multiple schools with one installation  It is provided on a SaaS Basis  The service is highly successful in Austria and branded as LMS.at March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 23

Brief Introduction to the DotLRN Shell  It is based on a Community Concept: Users register – or are registered to - multiple communities such as courses, groups, classes, and schools.  Communities are served by applications – DotLRN applications – W3C widgets provided by the iTEC widget store March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 24

DotLRN - Applications Providing Information Course SyllabusCalendarNewsGetting in Contact Member Admini-stration Circular MailsChatForumsStoring KnowledgeFile StoragePhoto AlbumWikiWeblogLearning Problem- Based Learning Competence- Based Learning AssignmentsAssessingOnline TestGradebookFeedbackSelf-Evaluation

26 Modern learning management system Course syllabus Calender Teaching materials / library Assignments/exercises User administrationNews Competencies Assessment (gradebook) WeblogChat Forums ePOOL Bulk mail Picture galleries User support Availability/efficiency Training concept My DotLRN Calendar

Innovative teaching and learning environment across all types of schools 27  One log-in for the virtual teaching and learning environment Secondary school (NMS/HS) Secondary school (NMS/HS) Grammar school (AHS) Grammar school (AHS) Secondary college of business administration (HAK/HAS) Secondary college of business administration (HAK/HAS) Secondary college of tourism (HLW) Secondary college of tourism (HLW) Secondary college of engineering (HTL) Secondary college of engineering (HTL) Vocational school (BS/PTS/LFS) Vocational school (BS/PTS/LFS) Special needs school University of education (teacher training ) University of education (teacher training ) Others

Reliable infrastructure  Powerful and efficient software  Professional server in data centre (BMUKK – IT-Centre)  Daily back-up and professional concepts to prevent break-downs  Professional support of hardware and system 28 No additional effort for IT administrators at individual schools SCHOOLS CAN START WITHOUT FURTHER ADO No additional effort for IT administrators at individual schools SCHOOLS CAN START WITHOUT FURTHER ADO

Overall didactical targets Providing an innovative and target-oriented learning and teaching environment Framework of innovative learning environment 29 Didactical and technical support Teacher training Vgl. Euler/Wilbers, 2002, S. 10 Teaching materials LMS

Teaching materials on DotLRN  Weblinks  Files (download of various files: Word-, Powerpoint-, Excel-, MP3-, PDF-files, etc.)  Self-study exercises – multiple choice, gap-fill, etc.  Glossary  Textbooks (online informationen with navigation and PDF printing)  Online-Tests (assessment scheme, time-controlled)  Learning packages – combining resources to didactic/topic-oriented teaching units 30

Workshop Agenda  The DotLRN in the iTEC Big Picture  DotLRN in a nutshell  DotLRN for English Teachers  iTEC WP3’s Learning Activities  DotLRN Demo and Workshop March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 31

English Content Pool – Topics and Skills  More than 2,600 teaching materials available  Structured in topics/skills according to curriculum  Search filters (topic, skill, educational level)  Clear structure of curriculum content  Centrally maintained and up-dated 32 2,600 teaching resources Copying materials into individual courses clickclick

Competent Content Partners 33

British Council portal on DotLRN- 34  Promotion of Learn English materials, BRC events  Selected materials on LMS.at students do interactive exercises in familiar learning environment teachers access materials more easily

Self-study courses: Opportunity To Practice 35

Example: OTP Listening practice 36

Advantages for students 37  Improving language skills in familiar learning environment  Easy access to top-quality resources  Personal learning statistics OTP English grammar – 8,344 users OTP Listening practice – 1,770 users

Advantages for teachers 38  Easy access to BRC materials  Easy integration of materials in LMS.at courses  Information on BRC developments (number of teachers: about 4,500)  Teaching resources online AND offline

Workshop Agenda  The DotLRN in the iTEC Big Picture  DotLRN in a nutshell  DotLRN for English Teachers  iTEC WP3’s Scenarios  DotLRN Demo and Workshop March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 39

Workshop Agenda  The DotLRN in the iTEC Big Picture  DotLRN in a nutshell  DotLRN for English Teachers  iTEC WP3’s Learning Activities  DotLRN Demo and Workshop March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 40

WP3‘s Cycle 2 Learning Story focuses on – collaborative learning activities... potentially across organisations... or even boarders... has a distance learning perspective... is student-centred... is agnostic in terms of age group... does not focus on a particular subject domain March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 41

Proposed Learning Activities and potential DotLRN-related Technologies 1) Forming teams Student discuss in a DotLRN Forum set-up in a student community potential subjects they are interested in; they might also discuss group preferences or report on particular strengths. Based on the discussions the teacher forms DotLRN Courses. Alternatively we are investigating the integration of the TeamUp Widget. 2) Ad-hoc collaboration DotLRN Forums within the groups are used to further define the subject domain they are interested in. 3) Learning-oriented browsing As part of their work with the figures, the students browse the web for additional material, tutorials, presentations of a given figure. They collect all the resources found (e.g. links, youtube videos, files) in the DotLRN Library 4) Reflection A simple commenting feature of the DotLRN Library (under development) is used where the group notes status and reflections on the resource they have collected. March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 42

Proposed Learning Activities and potential DotLRN-related Technologies March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 43 5) Peer Feedback Students present their thoughts or work to others in order to get feedback. Depending on the work they may use a number of channels: YouTube in the DotLRN Library – latter maybe the iTEC media store - if they produce videos, or an IWB class session if the teacher wants to present results as part of a classroom discussion. 6) Information grouping This is a simple sort of mind mapping activity where students use the DotLRN Library Textbook or a Mind Mapping Widget (available?) or other information grouping tool to create an overview of the information they collect. 7) Prepare results The created DotLRN Library Textook is used to present the results of the group work.

Workshop Agenda  The DotLRN in the iTEC Big Picture  DotLRN in a nutshell  DotLRN for English Teachers  iTEC WP3’s Learning Activities  DotLRN Demo and Workshop March 2012 iTEC - Designing the future classroom 44

Thank you! The work presented in this presentation is partially supported by the European Commission’s FP7 programme – project iTEC: Innovative Technologies for an Engaging Classroom (Grant agreement Nº ). The content of this presentation is the sole responsibility of the consortium members and it does not represent the opinion of the European Commission and the Commission is not responsible for any use that might be made of information contained herein. March iTEC - Designing the future classroom WEB: