Shaping our Future: Towards a Pan-Canadian eLearning Research Agenda On-line Conference, from Montreal, May 22nd, 2008 The Case for an eLearning Research and Innovation Strategy Gilbert Paquette LORNET Scientific Director CRC in Instructional and Cognitive Engineering LICEF Research Center, Télé-université www.licef.teluq.uquebec.ca/gp

Study on International eLearning Initiatives Financed by CCL/CCA in 2005

Obstacles to an e-Learning strategy in Canada Education is not a federal competency ? Too many provincial jurisdictions with tight budgets ? E-learning is already sufficiently disseminated ? Insufficient awareness on the importance of eLearning in the knowledge society ? No need for sustained, coordinated programs and initiatives; no need for a eLearning strategy ?

Education is not a federal competency ?

Too many provincial jurisdictions with tight budgets ?

E-learning is already sufficiently disseminated ?

Insufficient awareness on the importance of eLearning in the knowledge society ?

No need for sustained, coordinated programs and initiatives; no need for a eLearning strategy ?

Organizations & Multiple Jurisdictions JISC_UK (since 1993) England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland Education.au (since 1997) All Australian states and territories education authorities (8); European Union – eLearning programs (since 2003) 27 countries; Multilingual Educause - USA 50 states

JISC_UK (since 1993)

England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland

Education.au (since 1997)

All Australian states and territories education authorities (8);

European Union – eLearning programs (since 2003)

27 countries; Multilingual

Educause - USA

50 states

Main Findings E-learning seen as a productive part of the new economy Strategies and actions are government initiated Embrace a wide scope of activities and stakeholders Substantial public funding Research, a fundamental dimension in the e-learning strategy Jurisdictional competencies and cultural diversity are not constraints to collaboration

E-learning seen as a productive part of the new economy

Strategies and actions are government initiated

Embrace a wide scope of activities and stakeholders

Substantial public funding

Research, a fundamental dimension in the e-learning strategy

Jurisdictional competencies and cultural diversity are not constraints to collaboration

JISC Initiatives Wide range of services and financial support to projects

Wide range of services and financial support to projects

Education.au Initiatives Wide range of services & capacities centered around accessing, developing and sharing online content & services : Business services (user needs) Technical services and solutions Comprehensive web services Scalable web solutions Standards and interoperability Web desk services Main current projects : EdNA Learning Object Repository myfuture.edu.au - Australia's career information service The Le@rning Federation : Australia / New Zealand, 2001-2006 Government Education Portal (Commonwealth) Interoperability standards development <.edu.au> domain name management

Wide range of services & capacities centered around accessing, developing and sharing online content & services :

Business services (user needs)

Technical services and solutions

Comprehensive web services

Scalable web solutions

Standards and interoperability

Web desk services

Main current projects :

EdNA Learning Object Repository

myfuture.edu.au - Australia's career information service

The Le@rning Federation : Australia / New Zealand, 2001-2006

Government Education Portal (Commonwealth)

Interoperability standards development

<.edu.au> domain name management

European Initiatives EC eLearning program (2004-2006): Education, training and lifelong learning Teachers, trainers, learners Schools and higher education institutions Promoting digital literacy European virtual campuses e-Twinning of schools & promotion of teacher training Transversal actions for the promotion of e-learning in Europe (including elearningeuropa - eLearning portal) European Schoolnet S chool networking and services Policy and Practice Interoperability and Content exchange

EC eLearning program (2004-2006):

Education, training and lifelong learning

Teachers, trainers, learners

Schools and higher education institutions

Promoting digital literacy

European virtual campuses

e-Twinning of schools & promotion of teacher training

Transversal actions for the promotion of e-learning in Europe (including elearningeuropa - eLearning portal)

European Schoolnet

S chool networking and services

Policy and Practice

Interoperability and Content exchange

EDUCAUSE (USA) Initiatives Professional development activities Applied research Strategic policy advocacy Teaching and learning initiatives Online information services Print and electronic publications, including books, monographs, and the magazines EDUCAUSE Quarterly and EDUCAUSE Review Special interest collaborative communities Awards for leadership and exemplary practices

Professional development activities

Applied research

Strategic policy advocacy

Teaching and learning initiatives

Online information services

Print and electronic publications, including books, monographs, and the magazines EDUCAUSE Quarterly and EDUCAUSE Review

Special interest collaborative communities

Awards for leadership and exemplary practices

Type of organizations JISC A NFP Organization led by Higher Education Councils of UK countries, Research Councils and UK universities representatives Education.au ltd. Non-profit Corporation put in place by a federal Australian Law in agreement with the Ministers of Education of the 8 States and Territories governments European Union initiatives They are projects put in place by EU Education Ministries decrees, funded by EU Governments EDUCAUSE : member-driven initiative Non profit association of 2,000 colleges, universities, educational organizations, 200 corporations, and 15,000 active members

JISC

A NFP Organization led by Higher Education Councils of UK countries, Research Councils and UK universities representatives

Education.au ltd.

Non-profit Corporation put in place by a federal Australian Law in agreement with the Ministers of Education of the 8 States and Territories governments

European Union initiatives

They are projects put in place by EU Education Ministries decrees, funded by EU Governments

EDUCAUSE : member-driven initiative

Non profit association of 2,000 colleges, universities, educational organizations, 200 corporations, and 15,000 active members

Funding JISC 2004-05: 137 M$ CAN funding from HE councils Education.au 2005 : 10 M$ CAN European Union eLearning prog. 2004-2006: 63 M$ CAN Eur. Schoolnet, 2006: 5,46 M$ CAN « eContent plus » 2005–08 : 214 M$ CAN TeLearn, 2005-06 : 78 M$ CAN EDUCAUSE 2006 : 13,6 M $US (only for central management)

JISC

2004-05: 137 M$ CAN funding from HE councils

Education.au

2005 : 10 M$ CAN

European Union

eLearning prog. 2004-2006: 63 M$ CAN

Eur. Schoolnet, 2006: 5,46 M$ CAN

« eContent plus » 2005–08 : 214 M$ CAN

TeLearn, 2005-06 : 78 M$ CAN

EDUCAUSE

2006 : 13,6 M $US (only for central management)

The Situation in Canada -Key issues and concerns

Canadian Initiatives Huge investments in the ICT infrastructure CANARIE’S eLearning : 32 projects through its 29 millions $ cost-shared; Program ended after 5 years Industry Canada funded Canadian participation in IMS and IEEE, now absent from these decision centers SchoolNet had a huge impact on K-12 and was ended while it was more and more productive Canadian participation to international initiatives like GLOBE is fragile The LORNET research network has achieved important R&D results that need to be transferred and disseminated; no funding for that

Huge investments in the ICT infrastructure

CANARIE’S eLearning : 32 projects through its 29 millions $ cost-shared; Program ended after 5 years

Industry Canada funded Canadian participation in IMS and IEEE, now absent from these decision centers

SchoolNet had a huge impact on K-12 and was ended while it was more and more productive

Canadian participation to international initiatives like GLOBE is fragile

The LORNET research network has achieved important R&D results that need to be transferred and disseminated; no funding for that

Why Are We Behind ? Discontinuity of major initiatives Short-terms financing of small projects Duplication and waste of efforts Separation of research and innovations projects from implementation and deployment initiatives Multiplicity of centers of decision Lack of strategy, long-term vision, determination and continuity Funding totally insufficient

Discontinuity of major initiatives

Short-terms financing of small projects

Duplication and waste of efforts

Separation of research and innovations projects from implementation and deployment initiatives

Multiplicity of centers of decision

Lack of strategy, long-term vision, determination and continuity

Funding totally insufficient

Proposals for an eLearning Strategy and a Research Agenda

Internet, the Ubiquitous Learning Platform Did you use the Internet at least once in the last seven days ? ( NetTendances 2007, Cefrio)

Did you use the Internet at least once in the last seven days ? ( NetTendances 2007, Cefrio)

Needed: A Vision and a Strategy for the Quality of Learning Learner centered approaches must be instrumented across boundaries, in a life long learning perspective Repositories of content resources, design resources, and interoperable tools must be made available to learners and educators and evaluated by them to ensure more quality Programs for the development of high-quality content and learning designs should be put in place systematically in workplace sectors and subject matters in universities, colleges and schools Programs for the professional development of teachers and trainers must be supported using eLearning technologies, including competency self-assessment resources.

Learner centered approaches must be instrumented across boundaries, in a life long learning perspective

Repositories of content resources, design resources, and interoperable tools must be made available to learners and educators and evaluated by them to ensure more quality

Programs for the development of high-quality content and learning designs should be put in place systematically in workplace sectors and subject matters in universities, colleges and schools

Programs for the professional development of teachers and trainers must be supported using eLearning technologies, including competency self-assessment resources.

Needed Initiatives eLearning R&D Dissemination Fund Action Research Joint Funding Program by the Canadian Research Councils Research Program on eLearning standards Implementation and Professional Training Sustain a Network of Learning Object Repositories Linked to the Globe Project. Support Communities of Practice to Develop High-quality Content and Learning Designs. Implement a User-based Evaluation Process. Develop eLearning Modules for educators eLearning professionals and Create Competency Assessment Programs

eLearning R&D Dissemination Fund

Action Research Joint Funding Program by the Canadian Research Councils

Research Program on eLearning standards Implementation and Professional Training

Sustain a Network of Learning Object Repositories Linked to the Globe Project.

Support Communities of Practice to Develop High-quality Content and Learning Designs. Implement a User-based Evaluation Process.

Develop eLearning Modules for educators eLearning professionals and Create Competency Assessment Programs

A Coordinating Agency BC Centre Prairies Centre Ontario Centre Québec Centre Atlantic Centre Nunavut Centre Coordinating Structure Business IntelligenceProgress & NeedsAss.. Policy orientation & Planning Infrastruc-ture, Tools & Standards Community Awareness Programs Research Programs ELearning Dissemina-tion Support

Some Research Priorities

Research on the Educational Web Increasing Social Networks Increasing Knowledge Networks 2 Social Web 1 Information Web 4 Intelligent Web 3 Semantic Web Internet Generations K S

Web 1.0 - The Technical Challenges: Interoperability, Reusability, Scalability, Flexibility SCORM QTI Etc. IMS-LD

Leaning Object Respositories: Networking Worldwide for Quality MERLOT (ÉTATS-UNIS) LORNET (CANADA) ARIADNE (EUROPE) NIME (JAPON) EDNA (AUSTRALIE) FRANCO : RAFAEL LACLO (AMERIQUE DU SUD) SCHOOLNET (EUROPE)

Web 2.0 - Social Interactivity

Mobility - PodCasting

Web 3.0 – The Knowledge Web

MegaTrends – The Future is Here New communication means and interfaces Collective creation and sharing of knowledge Prosumerism: Content production by users New forms of socialization Augmented and Virtual Reality Environments Personal mobile multimedia assistant Internet as the unique and ubiquitous educational platform

New communication means and interfaces

Collective creation and sharing of knowledge

Prosumerism: Content production by users

New forms of socialization

Augmented and Virtual Reality Environments

Personal mobile multimedia assistant

Internet as the unique and ubiquitous educational platform

Profund Impact on Learning Learning through personal research – Renewed importance on « Learning to Learn » Multiplicity of (valuable or unreliable) information sources Information management competencies are key Creating a new equilibrium between search/browsing and human interaction, between real and virtual activities New means for an active, constructive pedagogy based on real situation, problem solving, project-based learning, etc.

Learning through personal research – Renewed importance on « Learning to Learn »

Multiplicity of (valuable or unreliable) information sources

Information management competencies are key

Creating a new equilibrium between search/browsing and human interaction, between real and virtual activities

New means for an active, constructive pedagogy based on real situation, problem solving, project-based learning, etc.

Evolution of the Tasks and Roles of Educators On-line learning questions traditional models : inevitable focus on learner – team work – facilitation Frontiers between departments, institutions, countries are blurring – shift towards higher competencies – specialization and collaboration are essential Mobility of knowledge diversifies ways, time and places where to learn – Distance Ed is the future Large gap between students and professors towards perceptions and use of technologies - digital divide to evercome The number and the interaction of teaching decisions increases – need for a new ISD methodology

On-line learning questions traditional models : inevitable focus on learner – team work – facilitation

Frontiers between departments, institutions, countries are blurring – shift towards higher competencies – specialization and collaboration are essential

Mobility of knowledge diversifies ways, time and places where to learn – Distance Ed is the future

Large gap between students and professors towards perceptions and use of technologies - digital divide to evercome

The number and the interaction of teaching decisions increases – need for a new ISD methodology

New Institutional Challenges Educational institution and training department must change their processes towards networking instead of the industrial model Need to develop new forms of interaction, collaboration, evaluation and work for instructional design, learning resource production and search, and delivery processes Importance to model knowledge and competencies linked to processes and resources Invent services, content and media to be delivered in multiple ways: desktop, mobile devices, F2F meetings,… Become learning organizations - Offer means to acquire and develop information, media and method competencies to professors, staff and students – New roles for the libraries linked to knowledge portals

Educational institution and training department must change their processes towards networking instead of the industrial model

Need to develop new forms of interaction, collaboration, evaluation and work for instructional design, learning resource production and search, and delivery processes

Importance to model knowledge and competencies linked to processes and resources

Invent services, content and media to be delivered in multiple ways: desktop, mobile devices, F2F meetings,…

Become learning organizations - Offer means to acquire and develop information, media and method competencies to professors, staff and students – New roles for the libraries linked to knowledge portals

Shaping our Future: Towards a Pan-Canadian eLearning Research Agenda On-line Conference, from Montreal, 22nd, 2008 Merci ! www.licef.teluq.uquebec.ca/gp