Canada MoodleMootVancouver, B.C.

14 February, 2012

QUALITY IN E-LEARNING

Dr. Tony Bates,Tony Bates Associates Ltd

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Overview

Quality for whom?

From e-learning 1.0 to e-learning 2.0

Nine steps to quality online teaching

Conclusions

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Quality for whom?

Students? Instructors? Employers?

What kind of e-learning?

What subject domain?

Much in common with f2f

Focus here on unique needs of e-learning

Noe-learning

classroomaids hybrid distance

blended

distributed

What kind of e-learning?

From e-learning 1.0 to e-learning 2.0

E-LEARNING 1.0 (before web 2.0)

• Use of learning management system

• Instructor determines content

• Assessment by instructor

• Learning environment managed by instructor

• Any web 2.0 tools added by instructor

Quality standards

Lots for e-learning 1.0 (20)

• For different sectors/countries

• based on experience/research

• all quite similar

• mainly ‘process’ focused

• often unknown or ignored by instructors

The growth of web 2.0 in education

• blogs/WordPress, e.g. ETEC

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• wikis, e.g. UBC Latin American

studies

• video and audio, e.g. showing

dynamic change, talking through images

• e-portfolios

• open educational resources

Features of web 2.0

• End-user control/authoring

• Collaboration and sharing

• Collective intelligence

• Low-cost/free, adaptive software

• Rich media

• Portability/mobility

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Educational implications

• learners have powerful tools

• personal learning environments

• ‘open’ access, content, services

• learners find/create/add/adapt content

• power shift from teachers to learners

From e-learning 1.0 to e-learning 2.0

E-LEARNING 2.0

• Learning managed by learner

• Peer-to-peer collaboration

• Access to open content

• Learning demonstrated by creating multi-media materials (e.g. e-portfolios)

• Development of 21st century skills

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21st century skills

good communication skills

independent learning

ethics/responsibility

teamwork

flexibility

thinking skills

knowledge navigation

IT skills embedded in subject area

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Role of instructor in learning

1. Downes and Siemens: no role; learners are autonomous, self-directed (e.g., cMOOCs): no LMS

2. Guide-on-the side: facilitate, guide, interact, organize; learner also contributes: no or ‘open’ LMS

3. Teacher controls: LMS mainly (including xMOOCs)

When to use web 2.0

Learning as development: a move from dependent to independent or inter-dependent learning

Use of web 2.0 depends on:

• needs of learners

• requirements of accreditation

• your educational philosophy

Web 2.0 excellent tools for learner-centered teaching/developing 21st century skills.

Nine steps to quality e-learning teaching

1. How do you want to teach?

2. What kind of e-learning course?

3. Work in a team

4. Build on existing resources

5. Master the technology

6. Set appropriate learning goals for e-learning

7. Create a strong course structure/schedule

8. Communicate, communicate, communicate

9. Innovate and evaluate13

Step 1: How do you want to teach?

From this:

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to this?

+

Step 2. What kind of courses?

no e-learning fully e-learning

face-to-

face

classroom

aids

hybrid(reduced f2f +

online)

fully

online(distance)

blended learning

distributed learning

2. Distance education or hybrid learning?

where on the continuum should my course or program be?

three deciding factors:

targeted students

demands of subject discipline (content + skills)

resources

2 a Who are or will be my students?

Who benefits from e-learning?

full-time students wanting more flexibility (85% at UBC)

lifelong learners wanting new qualifications/upgrading

employers who want staff to learn in their own time or in the workplace

independent learners

2 b Subject requirements

What do students need to know? (content)

Content: haematology

What must they be able to do with their knowledge? (skills)

Skills: identify analytes, analyze glucose and insulin levels, interpret results

2 b: Subject requirements

Learning objectives

2 c. Resources

• your time ( workload; course design)

• LT support (instructional/web design)

• experienced colleagues

• technology (e.g. LMS)

• open educational resources(OER)

2. Blended, hybrid or distance?

Determine by analysis of:

(potential) students

+

needs of discipline

+

resources available

Who should make this decision? Program team?

3. Work in a team

Who is in team?

• instructor + instructional designer (initially)

• colleagues

• Web designer

• IT support?

3. Work in a team

Why?

• e-learning is different

• course design critical

• manage workload

• share experience/resources

• develop online learning activities for students

4. Build on existing resources

• Technology tools: LMS (e.g. Moodle), web conferencing

• Open educational resources: text; graphics, videos, animations, simulations, remote labs

• What your colleagues have developed

• Will save time

Molecule shapes simulation: phET,

University of Colorado at Boulder,

5. Master the technology• Moodle provides a structure

• Instructors need Moodle training

• Relate technology training to how you want to teach (‘Can I do this?’)

• Design (with team) course template

• Don’t get into LMS ‘wars’

• Explore (with team) new tools (9)

6. Set appropriate learning goals for

e-learningSame or different? Some

online roles:

• 21st century skills

• subject specific Internet/IT skills

• bring in outside world (experts, online resources, other students)

Communicate goals to students

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7. Design structure and activities

3 credit = 100 hrs online study = 8 hours a week

Topics or projects? Weekly?

Student activities: read, discuss, collect, do

Learning outcomes and assessment

Work with design team; control YOUR workload (and students’)

8. Communicate, communicate, communicate

• Be ‘present’ online every day

• Set clear expectations for students

• Clear learning goals, activities, deadlines

• Make students do the work

• 48 hours response maximum

• Monitor discussion forums

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9. Innovate and evaluate

• Steps 1-8: competency, effectiveness

• Exciting time to be an instructor

• New technology developments; new possibilities; mobile learning

• Web 2.0 tools: social media, e-portfolios, WordPress, new LMSs

• move to learner-centered teaching

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9. Innovate and evaluate

E-learning 2.0:

use of web 2.0 depends on:

• needs of learners

• requirements of accreditation

• your educational philosophy

However, web 2.0 are excellent tools for learner-centered teaching and developing 21st century skills

Evaluate and disseminate

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10. ‘Advanced’ e-learning design

core skill: knowledge management

how to find, analyze, evaluate and apply information

open content within a learning design

student-generated multimedia content: online project work

assessment by e-portfolios

Conclusions

• Good standards and best practices already exist: should be applied

• New tools/designs require new quality standards

• QA should not impede innovation

• Moodle valuable tool for providing structure/coherent learning environment; but other quality factors as well.

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(Some) questions

1. Do we need different quality standards for e-learning 2.0?

2. Implications of new teaching strategies for Moodle use? Web 2.0 tools: integrated or separate?

3. Implications of new tools such as e-portfolios and learning analytics for assessment?

4. Quality standards for MOOCs?

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