New learning ousting old methodsPienaar and WilsonDEANZ 2010 : Copyright ® 2010 e-Blended Learning Solutions Ltd. All Rights Reserved. New learning ousting old methodsPienaar and WilsonDEANZ 2010
Social constructivismFocal point of changeDesign and delivery Distance learning course Learning Management System : Social constructivismFocal point of changeDesign and delivery Distance learning course Learning Management System
Content : Content Part one:
The learning environment and pedagogical model
The 2010 Horizon report
Where e-learning is leading us
Setting the scene
Content : Content Part two:
These ideas in practice: BAC L3 Project
Deliberate congruencies BAC L3 and current trends and the instructional design strategy
Where to from here
Conclusion
The 2010 Horizon Report: What learners look to us to learn : The 2010 Horizon Report: What learners look to us to learn ‘Technology tools that might still be on the periphery of our personal e-learning radar screens are about to be adopted widely by those we serve. If we don’t develop an understanding of and familiarity with them now, the learners who currently turn to us for assistance may leave us behind.’ (Signorelli, 2010)
Slide 6 :
Will we be left behind? : Will we be left behind? One Year Horizon: mobile computing and open content
Two- to Three-Year Horizon: e-books and augmented reality
Four- to Five-Year Horizon: gesture- and visual-based computing (Signorelli, 2010)
Frequently used e-learning tools : Frequently used e-learning tools Online learning sites driven by Wikipedia-style collaborations.
Classroom-based efforts which benefit from social networking tools, including online discussion boards and live chats, Twitter, and Jott, and many of which eventually become online learning modules through postings on YouTube.
Online sites where communities of learners use a variety of tools to create and share learning resources and modules. (Signorelli, 2010)
Setting the scene from the strategic learning perspective : Setting the scene from the strategic learning perspective ‘Social constructivism extends constructivism into social settings, wherein groups [of students] construct knowledge for one another, collaboratively creating a small culture of shared artifacts with shared meanings. When [the student] is immersed within a culture like this, one is learning all the time about how to be a part of that culture, on many levels.’ (moodle.org, 2010)
Setting the scene from the learner perspective : Setting the scene from the learner perspective We started with a paper-based distance delivery model and moved to minimum presence online delivery of supplementary materials.
Opportunity for connected learners to:
have discussions online with tutors
have discussions online with each other
access supplementary materials anywhere, anytime
These ideas in practice: Practical Education Institute (PEI) The BAC L3 project : These ideas in practice: Practical Education Institute (PEI) The BAC L3 project History
Project path
The blend
Forums
Current project status
These ideas in practice: Practical Education Institute (PEI) The BAC L3 project : These ideas in practice: Practical Education Institute (PEI) The BAC L3 project PEI is one of the largest training providers in New Zealand.
They have been teaching students for over 20 years.
PEI’s vision is “To be an international leader in meeting the educational aspirations of our students through needs-focused learning”.
Their aim is to support the educational experience of their students by using both traditional and the latest technology.
PEI strives to provide educational pathways in a caring, competent and culturally safe environment.
History : History NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND COMPUTING (Level 3) (62 credits)
History : History Existing resources
PEI has been delivering this course to distance learning students using a paper-based model for several years. Over this time, it has built up very good hard copy resources that more recently have been supplemented with interactive CD-ROMs and DVDs.
History : History Existing student support
Solid student support has been developed where students can communicate with their tutors through phone support, F2F workshops and one-on-one visits to their homes (roves).
History : History Student challenges
Despite this, many students still struggle with their distance learning course. Two areas in particular were identified as being the cause of this struggle.
These were:
student isolation
a low standard of literacy and numeracy
History : History Student profile
Here is a snapshot of a typical BAC L3 student:
Maori descent
2nd chance learners
new to computing technology
dropped out of secondary school
lacking confidence
requiring a high level of facilitated help
studying part time from home
from all over New Zealand
History : History Existing limitations
Specific feedback from existing students pointed out three limitations with the materials that they felt were affecting student outcomes:
More activities are needed for students to practice what they are learning.
Students are unable to submit a piece of work and receive feedback on it until the assessment stage of the course.
The course is heavily text-based.
History : History Solutions
It was decided that a mix of media in an LMS offering could be used to improve student outcomes. Students would benefit from StudyMate activities, Moodle quizzes and activities, and forum interactions with the tutors and other students.
The main aim of these activities is to engage the learner and to demonstrate scenarios to help improve recollection and understanding of the content and improve assessment outcomes.
Students could also let us know, through the forums, how the content could be improved to meet their needs.
Project path : Project path ‘Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.’
The existing resources for students were good so the online offering had to supplement and improve the existing offering for it to be a more effective teaching tool for students.
Project path : Project path Objectives
All stakeholders were consulted and the project requirements began to emerge. To meet both the students and the company’s needs, the following objectives were decided upon:
improve student outcomes
increase student retention
speed up student progress through the course
create a feeling of student community
improve communication between students and tutors
Project path : Project path Goals
The project team was given the challenge of working out how to achieve these objectives using LMS functionality. They came up with the following goals to improve student outcomes:
Adopt a student-centred approach.
Use a constructivist teaching model that will allow the learning process to be active, constructive and target-oriented.
Create a deeper understanding for students, as well as sustainable learning outcomes.
Allow students to dip in and out of the content at their own pace.
Collaborate with students on many levels.
Project path : Project path The blend
Self-paced distance learning sits at the core of the business model for the BAC L3 course. Since we were enhancing an existing course, this model was to remain.
Due to NZQA requirements, students sit a hard copy assessment. Students will still receive a hard copy workbook and assessment materials.
Web-based access allows students the extra benefit of having 24/7, 365-day online access to their learning materials.
Students unfamiliar with online learning benefit from the simple and effective, user-friendly help system on the LMS.
Project path : Project path The blend
LMS instructional design tools promote collaboration, activities, and critical reflection.
Tutors use the LMS student survey system and the student tracking tools to monitor student progression, and to intervene where necessary.
The automated LMS feedback, student tracking and comprehensive reports help reduce the workload for tutors.
StudyMate activities provide a game based contrast in the learning which makes the student experience more interesting.
Project path : Project path Forums
Students receive extra support through the LMS forums while still retaining their current student support options.
Due to self-paced learning, students can be in different parts of a course at any one time. Therefore, the use of forums to create some synchronous ‘class time’ together is particularly desirable.
Online forums provide effective teaching and training as they allow for asynchronous communication among multiple students. Tutors can start guiding students towards using the LMS communication functions, applying Gilly Salmon’s model.
The use of forums with this particular target audience must be well structured. Students need to become actively involved in the forums so that communication is established.
Project path : Project path Retrieved 26 June, 2009, from http://www.atimod.com/e-tivities/5stage.shtml Forums
Project path : Project path Key points to the future success of the project include:
encouraging students to use the forums to give feedback on the course
using questions that are constantly dealt with in the forums to form the base of further content development
The existing course is a skeleton that needs to be fleshed out with more online content. The best way to decide what this content should be is to let the students tell us.
Current project status : Current project status PEI’s website was updated to include the online supplementary materials.
An automated online registration system was developed to support the enrolment process.
Administration systems were realigned to support online registrations.
Appropriate staff were trained in the functionality of Moodle.
Reporting system.
Quiet launch was undertaken.
Deliberate design congruencies : Deliberate design congruencies Asynchronous forums open to students and tutors Journal entries and access to blogs Students have equal share in content evolution Limited access, accurate document control, project release management Online social network Wikipedia-style collaborations Create and share learning resources and modules Implementation of the enabling technology must proceed with due care
Deliberate design congruencies : Deliberate design congruencies Benefit from social networking tools, including online discussion boards Mobile computing e-books Constructivism Next phase as driven by learners (Facebook, Ning) Netbook investigation and connectivity Workbooks for BAC L3 adapted to online readability The next level of development determined by learners
Conclusion : Conclusion The boundless possibilities that technology offers in regards to access to learning in society today is evident.
The development and future build of the BAC L3 will become the template design for other such courses needing to change.
Bibliography : Bibliography Berger, P. L. and T. Luckmann (1966). The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge, Garden City, NY: Anchor Books
Seymour Papert and Idit Harel, I. (1991). Constructionism, Ablex Publishing Corporation
Social constructivism. Moodle.org. http://docs.moodle.org/en/Philosophy . downloaded 15 march 2010.
The End : The End Thank You