The Learning Design Revolution: Implementing the Learning Activity

Management System (LAMS)

Professor James DalzielDirector, Macquarie University E-learning Centre of Excellence (MELCOE)

james@melcoe.mq.edu.au

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?