The Learning Design Revolution: Implementing the Learning Activity
Management System (LAMS)
Professor James DalzielDirector, Macquarie University E-learning Centre of Excellence (MELCOE)
www.melcoe.mq.edu.au
Presentation for Oxford Learning Design Workshop, 13th January 2004, UK© Copyright 13/1/04 James Dalziel
Overview
• Why do we need a revolution in e-learning?
• Introducing Learning Design– Background and Concepts
• Examples of Learning Design– What is Constructivism?
• Summary & Questions
Why do we need a revolution?
• BETT, ALT-C, etc demonstrate rich and vibrant e-learning
• E-learning content is being taken up by many universities and schools
• Many schools (and most Universities and FE colleges) are adopting learning platforms (VLEs, etc)
What, if anything, is the problem?
E-learning Content Today
• Most assumes single learner, self-paced learning
• Often little more than textbooks online?
• Content-centric, transmission model of education– What is the implied pedagogy?
E-learning Content Today
• Teachers can feel something fundamental is missing “This doesn’t feel like what I do everyday in my teaching”
• Why doesn’t e-learning facilitate “Lesson Plans”?– That is, software that describes and manages sequences of
collaborative learning activities (not just content)
• We have “best practice content” but what about “best practice process”?
ICTInformation and Communication Technologies?
Pedagogical Models and Standards
• With the exception of Learning Design, current e-learning standards/specifications tend to assume:– Single, isolated learner
– Primary focus on content delivery
– Interactivity provided by self-test questions, exercises
– Course length generally 30 minutes to a few hours
• Pedagogical theory?– Transmission model of education
– Computer as authority by proxy
– Learning as short, bite-sized “chunks”
• Focus mainly on technical details, not learner experience
• Learning Design assumptions:– Single or multi-learner environments, flexible groupings
– Primary focus on sequencing of learning activities
– Interactivity provided by discussion groups, chat rooms, etc (as well as by self-test & simulations)
– Includes content delivery as one type of learning activity
– Able to describe long-term learning
• Pedagogical theory?– Supports different models, including constructivist & transmission
– Computer as gateway to other learners and resources
– Learning is still broken down into “chunks”, but can be part of a broader whole
Pedagogical Models and Standards
Introducing Learning Design
• Learning Design is a name given to a new field of e-learning technology based on “best practice process”
• Learning Design = Sequence of Collaborative Learning Activities
• Learning Designs can incorporate single learner content, but also collaborative tasks such as discussion, voting, small group debate, etc
• Learning Designs can be stored, re-used, customised
Introducing Learning Design
• Learning Design has various other names:– Pedagogic Design
– Pedagogic Frameworks
– Learning Trails
– Learning Activity Sequences
– “Powerpoint for educational activities”
– Educational Modelling Language,
– “Process VLE”, etc
• Learning Design as Lesson Plans– But not just a description of the activities -
Learning Design software can help facilitate the activities
Authority Creator Arranger Learner
Prescribe
Author
Add Metadata & Submit toLearning Object Repository (LOR)
Design LearningActivity
Structure LOs &Activities
StructureAssessment
Organise StudentRoles/Groups
Student Login
Do Learning
Do Assessment
Record
Infoseeker
Student Searches
COLIS Global Use Case: Final Version
Facilitator
Facilitate Learning
Facilitate Assessment
Package New/Modified LO/LD
Quality Assurance
Outcomes/Competencies
Monitor
Monitor Learning
Monitor Assessment
Cataloguer
Certify
Search LORs via Gatewayfor LOs & Learning Designs
Review Metadata & Resources (& Licenses if DRM)
Obtain Links or DownloadLOs & Learning Designs
Authority Creator Arranger Learner
Prescribe
Author
Add Metadata & Submit toLearning Object Repository (LOR)
Design LearningActivity
Structure LOs &Activities
StructureAssessment
Organise StudentRoles/Groups
Student Login
Do Learning
Do Assessment
Record
Infoseeker
Student Searches
COLIS Global Use Case: Final Version - Learning Activites =
Facilitator
Facilitate Learning
Facilitate Assessment
Package New/Modified LO/LD
Quality Assurance
Outcomes/Competencies
Monitor
Monitor Learning
Monitor Assessment
Cataloguer
Certify
Search LORs via Gatewayfor LOs & Learning Designs
Review Metadata & Resources (& Licenses if DRM)
Obtain Links or DownloadLOs & Learning Designs
“Rendering” XML
Data interchange XML
Run-time tooldescription XML
Learning ObjectMeta-data XML
Learning Objects versus Learning Activities
“Rendering” XML
Data interchange XML
Run-time tooldescription XML
Learning ObjectMeta-data XML
Learning Objects versus Learning Activities
LAMS
• Short Example: What is Constructivism?– Week 1: Discussion environment - initial thoughts
– Week 2: Review of content and search for websites
– Week 3: Small group debates with scribe reporting back to whole class
– Week 4: Submit report for marking and comments
• Demonstrations:– Student view
– Monitoring view
– Authoring view
Simple example of Learning Design
Learner Environment
Monitoring Environment
Authoring Environment
Authoring different pedagogical sequences
• Consider a sequence as follows:
(1) Consider a question
(2) Review content
(3) Debate ideas
(4) Conduct assessment
Authoring different pedagogical sequences
• Consider a sequence as follows:– (1) Consider a question; (2) Review content; (3) Debate ideas;
(4) Conduct assessment
• How could this be conducted differently?– Fully online over a month (distance e-learning)
• (1) Discussion Forum (Class); (2) Share Resources; (3) Chat and Scribe (Small groups); (4) Submit report
– Fully online over an hour (in a computer lab)• (1) Live Q&A; (2) Present Resources; (3) Chat session (Class); (4)
MCQ quiz (show group average and high scores)
– Partially online and partially face to face over a week (tutorial and online tasks)
• (1 & 2) Discussion forum and Present Resources; (3) Face to face tutorial debate; (4) Group project submission
– Text descriptions of face to face (only) activities (no tech)
Fully online over a month: (1) Discussion Forum (Class); (2) Share Resources; (3) Chat and Scribe (Small groups); (4) Submit report
Fully online over an hour: (1) Live Q&A; (2) Present Resources; (3) Chat session (Class); (4) MCQ quiz (show group ave and high scores)
Partial Online and F2F: (1 & 2) Discussion forum and Present Resources; (3) Face to face tutorial debate; (4) Group project submission
Text Decsriptions for Face to Face (only) activities - LAMS sequence just as descriptive framework - does not “run” the sequence
Summary and Questions
• Learning Design as a “process VLE”– Facilitation of sequences of collaborative learning activities
– Learning Designs can be stored, re-used, and customised• A new category of “e-learning content”
• The coming revolution of “best practice process”
• Pilot studies (eg KTC) confirm the transformational impact of the Learning Design approach
• For further information about LAMS, see:– www.melcoe.mq.edu.au/res.htm (articles and PPTs)
– www.webmcq.com.au/home/LAMS/LAMS.pdf (Teacher guide)
• Questions?