ELearning Principles and Practice

Nina Bresnihan

MTL16

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Contact Details

Email: Nina.Bresnihan@sccs.tcd.ie

Location: Lloyd 1.41

Notes: Blackboard and https://www.scss.tcd.ie/Nina.Bresnihan

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What is eLearning?

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What is eLearning?

Complicated…

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Problems of Definition

Background comes from multiple disciplines

eLearning

Distance Education

• Early adopters of ICT in education

Educational Technology

• Computer based training

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The Problem with Technology

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First Generation Distance Education

First generation models The correspondence course

Adapted to technological advances in printing and distribution

Access from geographically distant learners

Nipper, S. (1989). Third generation learning and computer conferencing. In R. D. Mason & A. R. Kaye (Eds.), Mindweave: Communication, computers, and distance education. Oxford: Pergammon Press.

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Second Generation Distance Education

Second generation model Multi-media distance teaching

Enhanced teaching materials

Broadcast media & some limited use of computers

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Models of Distance Education

Trentin considers first and second generation models to

be primarily the same

Focus on dissemination of materials

Feedback primarily written

Communication tutor-student with little or no student-student

interaction

Trentin, G. (2000). The quality-interactivity relationship in distance

education. Educational Technology Jan-Feb 2000 17-27

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Models of Distance Education

Third generation model

Recognises learning as a social process

Focus on community of learners

Relies upon modern communication technologies

Class SizeFirst and second generation suited to mass educationThird generation is more focussed on smaller class sizes

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Computer Based Training

Early 1960s onwards

PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching

Operations)

Drill and practice system

Developed into Web Based Training

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Computer Based Training

A systems approach to learning

Programmed instruction

“We thought it would take the instructors out of the learning

process and let workers gobble up self-paced (i.e., "don't

expect help from us") lessons on their own. We were wrong.

First generation eLearning was a flop.”

Jay Cross (1998)

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Technology

Delivery

Pedagogy

Communication

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1. Technology-Driven Definitions

“E-learning is the use of electronic media for a variety of

learning purposes that range from add-on functions in

conventional classrooms to full substitution for the face-to-

face meetings by online encounters” (Guri-Rosenblit, 2005).

“E-learning is to take a course online using a modem, wireless,

or cable connection to access academic course material from

a computer, phone, or handheld device” (Governors State

University, 2008).

“E-learning is distance education through remote resources”

(Marquès, 2006).

“E-learning is the use of technology to deliver learning and

training programs” (E-learning portal, 2009)

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2. Delivery-System-Oriented Definitions

“E-learning is the delivery of education (all activities

relevant to instructing, teaching, and learning) through

various electronic media” (Koohang & Harman, 2005).

“E-learning is an on-line education defined as the self-

paced or real-time delivery of training and education over

the internet to an end-user device” (Lee & Lee, 2006).

“E-learning is the delivery of a learning, training or

education program by electronic means” (Li, Lau &

Dharmendran, 2009).

“E-learning is defined as education delivered, or learning

conducted, by Web techniques” (Liao & Lu, 2008).

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3. Communication-Oriented Definitions

“E-learning is education that uses computerised communication systems as an environment for communication, the exchange of information and interaction between students and instructors” (Bermejo, 2005).

“E-learning is learning based on information and communication technologies with pedagogical interaction between students and the content, students and the instructors or among students through the web” (González-Videgaray, 2007).

“E-learning is defined as learning facilitated by the use of digital tools and content that involves some form of interactivity, which may include online interaction between the learner and their teacher or peers” (Ministry of Communication and Technology of New Zealand, 2008).

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4. Educational-Paradigm-Oriented

Definitions

“E-learning is the use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet to improve the quality of learning by facilitating access to resources and services, as well as remote exchange and collaboration” (Alonso et al., 2005).

“E-learning is a broad combination of processes, content, and infrastructure to use computers and networks to scale and/or improve one or more significant parts of a learning value chain, including management and delivery” (Aldrich, 2005).

“E-learning is defined as information and communication technologies used to support students to improve their learning” (Ellis, Ginns & Piggott, 2009).

“E-learning refers to educational processes that utilise information and communications technology to mediate synchronous as well as asynchronous learning and teaching activities” (Jereb & Šmitek, 2006).

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So how do we design and develop effective

Elearning?

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CONTEXT

LEARNERS

Learning Objects

Audio

Video

Screencasting

Multimedia for learning

Design

Instructional

Interaction

Information

Visual

Delivery Systems

Asynchronous

Synchronous

Blended

(flipped?)

Learning Environments

Virtual learning environments

Personal learning

environments

Communication

Synchronous

Asynchronous

Collaboration

Blogs

Wikis

Computer supported

collaborative learning (CSCL)

CS7066 Assignment - Description

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1. Individually, create a unit for learning which consists of

at least the following components

a. A unit descriptor

b. A technology-based content presentation to the learner

(which must include audio and/or video elements). The

presentation should normally be around 5 minutes in

duration.

c. External links or additional documentation for the learner.

d. An exercise, assignment or activity.

e. Relevant use of social media (such as discussion forum, blogs,

twitter etc)

Assignment - Description

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2. The unit for learning must be embedded into a page

within your WordPress site.

3. The unit for learning will be available for peer

review.

4. The unit for learning and the peer review outcomes

will be reflected upon.

5. The unit for learning will be presented in class.

Assignment – Marking Scheme

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65% Learning Unit

Unit Descriptor

Content Presentation

10% Technical competence

15% Reflection

On the learning unit design and development process

On the peer review outcomes

10% Presentation

Unit Descriptor/Analysis

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Aims:

Instructional Goal: What should the student be able to do

once the instruction is complete, define the successful end

point in broad terms

Instructional Analysis: What are the skills required by the

students to get to the end point in the instructional goal? What

are the steps in the process

Learners and Context

Where are your learners now?

This allows definition of the skills gap

Unit Descriptor/Analysis

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Outcomes

Performance, Conditions, Criteria

Activities

During the learning, learners will…

Assessment

To demonstrate the learning outcomes, learners will be asked

to…

The Content Presentation

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Around 5 minutes in length

Must contain audio and/or video

Technologies:

Moviemaker/iMovie

Camtasia

Articulate

Any software you are comfortable with

Design it using an Instructional Design methodology

E.g. Gagne

Make it clear that you have used one!

Follow the principles of Multimedia for Learning

External links and/or additional

documentation

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Provide further information

Links to:

Supporting content

Related content

More advanced content (leading on from your work)

Additional documentation

For example:

Handouts

Checklists

Podcast?

An exercise, assignment or activity

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Create something that allows the learner to practice or

assess what they have learnt

Can be embedded within the presentation

Can be formal assessment or practice

Should be aligned to the instructional goals

Relevant use of social media

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Integrate social media into the activity or learning

Require posting on a discussion board

Use of Twitter

Facebook page

Collaborative bookmarking

Technical Competence

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Validation and cross-browser compatibility

Overall design, theme or concept

Page layout

Colour

Images

Navigation

Media Elements (working, correctly embedded, etc...)

Proofing

Copyright/credits

Reflection

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Summarising your learning journey (based on entries from your

private learning journal and public WordPress blogging).

Explaining how learning outcomes have been approached

Peer Review

Process

Outcomes

Response

Presentation

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The presentation will be brief

Do not:

Go through the learning activity step-by-step

We will do that when assessing it

Do:

Be prepared

Tell us about the challenges

Tell us what you are proud of

Tell us about the experience (reflect!)

Tell us what you would do different

It is a chance to tell us things that we could not gather from reviewing the activity itself

Assignment – Submission

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12pm Thursday 19th November 2015 Draft Unit Descriptor document

Outline/prototype of content presentation

9am Saturday 21st November 2015 Peer review

12pm Wednesday 2nd December 2015 Content Presentation

Revised unit descriptor document

Reflection

5pm Friday 4th December 2015 Class Presentations

Aim: Instructional Goals

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Usually stated in terms of new skills, knowledge, or attitudes that

you want the learners to acquire.

What should the student be able to do once the instruction is

complete?

Defines the successful end point in broad terms

Instructional Goals

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The goals will direct all subsequent design decisions.

Think of it as the top of a great pyramid. After you

determine your goals, everything else must fit under it

and support it.

Instructional Goals

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In the end a complete goal statement should describe the

following:

The learners

What the learners will be able to do in the performance

context.

The performance context in which the skills will be applied.

The tools that will be available to the learners in the

performance context.

Example:

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We need a goal statement for a unit for learning designed to teach first year English students how to use a search engine to search the Internet for information related to their research topic.

Many students do not know how to effectively use the Internet to do research. While the Internet provides access to a great deal of information, students need to critically evaluate what they find to locate good scholarly sources to use when doing research on a topic.

This unit for learning was to present the criteria needed to help students search the Internet and then evaluate the quality of the information that they found. As a result it was hoped that they would avoid the large amount of misinformation permeating the Internet.

Unclear Goal?

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1. Write the ‘fuzzy’ goal down.

2. Identify the behaviours that learners would

demonstrate to reflect their achievement of the goal.

Write everything down to start.

3. Sort through the list of behaviours and select those that

best represent what is meant by the unclear goal.

Unclear Goal?

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4. Incorporate each of the behaviours into a statement that describes what the learner will be able to do.

5. Examine the goal statement and ask yourself this: If learners achieved or demonstrated each of the performances, would you agree that they had achieved the goal?

If the answer is yes, then you have clarified the goal.

Robert Mager. (1997). Preparing Instructional Objectives: A Critical Tool in the Development of Effective Instruction 3rd Edition (3rd ed.). Center for Effective Performance.

Example:

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Goal statement:

Given a research topic, first-year English students will use

an Internet search engine to locate information related to

their topic and then evaluate the quality of the sources they

find to select the most worthwhile

Instructional Analysis (what they need to

know)

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What are the skills required by the students to get to the

end point in the instructional goal?

List the steps you would perform if you were attempting

to achieve the goal (is the sequence important?).

Instructional Analysis Flowchart

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Create a flowchart of the information.

Include each of the steps

Indicate the behaviour being performed at each step.

Each step should have an observable outcome.

They should be sequenced in the most efficient order.

If there are decisions to be made along the way, include

decision steps to indicate that there is more than one possible

path.

Often the goal is put in a box at the top of the flowchart

Instructional Analysis Flowchart

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Example Flowchart

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Here is an analysis that was developed after determining the

major steps necessary to reach the goal. Note that no

substeps were identified at this point:

Given a research topic, first-year

English students will use an Internet

search engine to locate information

related to their topic and then

evaluate the quality of the sources

they find to select the most

worthwhile.

1.0

Obtain

Internet

access

2.0

Locate

Search

Engine

4.0

Evaluate

search

results to

select

appropriate

sites

3.0

Determine

search

method and

key words

5.0

Evaluate

individual

websites for

worthwhile

information

Subordinate Skills

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In order for learners to accomplish a specific step associated with your goal, it may be necessary for them to learn something or develop an ability to do something before receiving instruction on that step.

Answer the following questions regarding your goal steps:

Is there anything the learner must know (knowledge) or possess the ability to do (skill) before receiving the instruction associated with that step?

List the subordinate skills you identify for each goal step and substep.

How did you determine these subordinate skills? (Experience, observation, subject matter experts, etc.?)

Subordinate Skills Flowchart

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3.1

Describe

Procedure

for

searching by

requiring/

excluding

words using

“+” and “-”

3.2

Describe

Procedure

for

searching

using direct

quotes

3.3

…

3.0

Determine

search

method and

key words

Entry Behaviours

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For each of the subordinate skills you identified above, will provisions for the acquisition of this knowledge or skill be included in your instruction? If yes, treat it as a subordinate skill.

If no, treat it as an entry behaviour.

How can you decide which skills would be entry behaviours?

When you have answered these questions, add a dotted line to your flowchart indicating where the entry behaviours are.

All the skills listed above the line will be included in your instructional materials, and all the skills below the line will be ones learners will have to already possess before they are exposed to the instruction.

Learner and Context Analysis

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Describe the characteristics of your target population.

Describe the contextual characteristics of eventual

setting where the learners will use their new skills (a

classroom setting, a work setting, the real world…).

Describe the contextual characteristics of the setting

where the actual instruction will take place.

Learner Analysis - Considerations

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Cognitive abilities of the learner.

Previous experiences of the learner.

Motivation.

Personal learning style.

Interaction with the learning environment.

Learner Analysis - Questions

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1. What are the general characteristics of your target

population? Age, education level, topic area, etc.

2. Are there any entry behaviours that are not specific to

your goal, and yet you feel are required for your

intended learners to possess? (Entry Behaviours)

3. Do the learners already know something about the

topic? (Prior Knowledge)

Learner Analysis - Questions

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4. Do they have a positive attitude towards the content

and the delivery system? (Attitudes Toward Content

and Potential Delivery System)

5. Is it reasonable to expect them to want to learn what

needs to be learned? Is the topic likely to interest them?

(Academic Motivation)

6. Is it reasonable to expect that they can learn what

needs to be learned? (Educational and Ability Levels)

Learner Analysis - Questions

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7. Do they have any general learning preferences? (General Learning Preferences)

8. Do they have a positive attitude regarding the organization providing the instruction? (Attitudes Toward Training Organization)

9. Are there any important group characteristics? How similar or diverse are they? (Group Characteristics)

How do you obtain this information regarding the learner characteristics?

Performance Context - Questions

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Describe the context in which the learners will use their

new skills and knowledge after the instruction is

completed.

1. What type of organizational support can learners

expect to receive when they use their new skills?

(Managerial Support)

2. Will the use of their new skills depend on certain

equipment, facilities, tools, or other resources? (Physical

Aspects of the Site)

Performance Context - Questions

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3. Will they work alone or in a team? Will they work independently in the field or as a supervisor? (Social Aspects of the Site)

4. How relevant are the new skills to the actual context? Will the new skills actually be used in the performance setting? Are there any physical, social, or motivational constraints to the use of the new skills? (Relevance of Skills to context)

How do you obtain this information regarding the performance context?

Learning Context - Questions

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1. How many sites are there, and what are the

characteristics of the sites? What equipment and

resources are available? (Number and Nature of Sites)

2. Does the site include any tools or other items that are

necessary for the learning of the goal? Are there any

personnel or time constraints that you can identify?

(Compatibility of the Site With the Instructional

Requirements)

Learning Context - Questions

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3. Are the sites convenient to the learners, are there necessary

conveniences available, and is there adequate space and

equipment for the expected number of learners?

(Compatibility of the Site With the Learner Needs)

4. Does the learning environment adequately simulate the

performance environment? Is there anything that can be

done to make it more like the performance environment?

(Feasibility for Simulating the performance environment)

How did you obtain this information regarding the learning

context?

Outcomes

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Sometimes known as Objectives.

A detailed description of what students will be able to do when they complete your unit for learning.

Not what the instructor will be doing, but instead the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that the instructor will be attempting to produce in learners.

Outcomes are derived from the skills you identified in the instructional analysis (write one or more objectives for each skill listed).

Outcomes

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Three main components of an effective outcome (Mager(1997): Performance - a description of the behaviour that learners are

expected to perform

Conditions - a description of the circumstances under which the performance will be carried out

Criterion - a description of the criteria for acceptance of a performance as sufficient

Poor: The students will know how to tell time.

Good:

Students will tell the time represented on an analogue clock to the nearest minute.

PERFORMANCE

CRITERION

CONDITION

Outcomes

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Outcomes are derived from the skills you identified in the instructional analysis.

Beneath each one, answer the following questions:

1. What behaviour or performance is expected of the learner? In other words, what precisely should the learner be able to do?

2. What are the conditions that will prevail while the learner is attempting to accomplish the goal?

3. What are the criteria that will be used to determine if the learner has achieved the goal?

Use the answers to write an outcome for each one which includes the performance, the conditions and the criterion.

Scenario

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Class of part-time postgraduate students who are

expected to do group projects for assessment. To do this

successfully they need certain knowledge, skills and

attitudes. It’s your job to start to design a learning unit to

help them attain these things.

In groups:

Instructional goal

Instructional analysis

Learners and Context

Outcomes