Design of eLearning applications

1. Design of eLearning applications Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

2. Jyrki J.J. Kasvi • Researcher:Helsinki University of TechnologyIndustrial Engineering and ManagementWork Psychology and Leadership • Writer: Books and articles on information society, work psychology, computer games, comics, ... • http://www.knowledge.hut.fi/people/jkasvi/

3. HUT and eLearning • Continuous life-long learning – scope from basic to supplementary education • Flexibility of learning and teaching • Part-time students and part-time teachers • Interaction between research and teaching • Expenses / study unit ? • National and international networking • Learner centered learning theories • HUT should, by its nature, act as a developer and experimenter of new technologies http://virtuaali.tkk.fi/ Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

4. eLearning, hype or added value? What does the word eLearning mean to you? Is it • Computer based training in a new wrapping? • Computer is the main thing • Distance teaching in a new wrapping? • Computer networks are the main thing • Virtual learning in a new wrapping? • Simulations, role games, scenarios etc. • Learner is brought to the center stage. C&IT are applied to support learners. Simulations etc. are used to facilitate independent and group learning • Learning goal definition, internal learning motivation, support of learning situations and evaluation of learning outcomes are critical Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

5. Whole course But what is it? Big groups Asynchronic interaction Teacher driven Internal motivation Teacher centred Learner centred External motivation Learner driven Synchronised interaction Single learner A part of a course Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

6. Why so much noise? • All this has been possible for years? • The novelty comes from integration of new teknologies and pedagogical ideas • In addition (some) organisations are now able to adopt new practices and strategies made possible by new technologies ??? • In addition (some) teachers and trainers are now able to adopt new made possible by new technologies ??? • But there is still lots of hype involved. Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

7. Learners • Who are the learners? (easily forgotten) • What learner characteristics are important? • Age? Sex? Education? Computing skills? Attitudes? ??? • What characteristics does independent C&IT supported learning require from a learner? • What cognitive, affective, organisational (etc.) skills and facilities? • What kind of learning skills and? ??? • These must set the first learning goals! Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

8. Learner’s role • eLearner makes independent choices on learning goals, contents, methods, participation, progress and evaluation • How does this change learners’ roles and tasks? • They become independent (but are they or do they feel they are abandoned) • They set their own learning goals and evaluate their own learning • They work togethers instead of competing with each other. • Internet is a tool of communication! • The point is not to grade students but facilitate their learning. • But why do so many eStudents drop out???? Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

9. Autonomous learning • Open learning • learning packages • decentralised Distance learning - geographically disparate • Resource-based • learning materiel • for open learning • Flexible learning • Distance • self paced Independent learning • Collaborative • with peers • team effort Self-paced learning - asynchronous • Student-centred • learners influence content etc. Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

10. Trainer’s role Learners’ goals and problems are the starting point: • How can a teacher/trainer (or an eLearning system) support and guide an autonomous eStudent: • to carry responsibility on his/her own learning??? • to reflect and evaluate his/her own learning ??? • to manage his/her time use ??? • to develop his/her eLearning skills and facilities ??? • _______________________________? • How does eLearning influence trainers’ time use? ??? Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

11. Tutor’s place eLearning systems should facilitate different relationships between learners and tutors T O O O O O O O O O O O O O O T T O O O O O O O O O O O O O T T O O O O O O O O T O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Maier P. & Warren A. (2000) Integr@ting Technology in Learning and Teaching. Kogan Page. Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

12. Organisation’s role? • Technical (etc.) resources • Appropriate equipment and communication systems • Technical support avalaible for all user groups • Enough time reserved for independent learning activities! • Practices • Proper management of knowledge and documents • Attitudes • Readiness to accept learners’ autonomous activities and learner oriented learning outcomes. It is impossible to predict all the impacts. • Management of resistance of change. • Setting of functional goals instead of learning goals ??? Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

13. Interaction • How important to learning is learner’s and teacher’s interaction? • How important to learning is interaction between learners? • Should interaction be one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-many???? • Shoud interaction be asynchronic or synchronised? • How to facilitate interaction in Internet or a LAN/WAN? • What complications are connected to electronic interaction?One-to-one, one-to-many vai many-to-many? ??? Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

14. Evaluating learning outcomes • What is the goal of evaluation? • To grade learners? (or is it just a tradition?) • To help learners to assess their own learning? • What can you evaluate with and what compliations do various evaluation methods create ??? • Multiple choice tasks • Traditional exams with/without source material • Essays, presentations • Case based tasks • What other methods are there? • How to evaluate electronic participation and interaction? • Evaluation must be achored to functional goals! Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

15. Case: Knowledge Support of a learning organisation • Net based recruitment has worked so-and-so • Pre-test has worked very well • Task reports have been very good • Net based discussions have failed ... • Final assessment has shown that students have misunderstood some issues. This did not happen with traditional lectures. • Students have appreciated the flexibility • Students have wanted more concrete tutoring http://www.tuta.hut.fi/coursedata/Tu53267/brochure.htm Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

16. Why eLearning? • In the past several students from outside HUT have enrolled but had problems with participating the lectures and seminars • eLearning practices need to be tested • The content and scope of the course have made it a good pilot • The lecturer has suitable experience • Thus the course has been used to test distance learning Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

17. Some lessons learned • Identify and know your end users: • Who are your learners, teachers, assistants, content providers, administrators, ...? • What tasks do these user groups perform? • What goals and motivators do they have? • Base learning goals and evaluation to functional goals • Remember all the phases from learning goal setting to evaluation of learning outcomes • Focus on interaction • Build a community of learners (incl. teachers) • Use face-to-face communication in the beginning • The system or teacher should drag learners to interact • Reserve enough time • Both for learners and teachers/trainers Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

18. Never a goal itself... Jyrki J.J. Kasvi