Using the Internet as a delivery platform for Open and Distance Learning materials. Canterbury Christ Church College Saturday 28th February, 1998

Agenda Definitions The History of Open & Distance Learning What makes good Open & Distance Learning? Why use the Web for Open & Distance Learning? The Rise of the Cybernation Being ‘wired’ Designing Online Open & Distance Learning materials What makes good Open & Distance Learning Courseware? Other Issues Evaluating the effectiveness of online materials

Definitions

The History of Open & Distance Learning

What makes good Open & Distance Learning?

Why use the Web for Open & Distance Learning?

The Rise of the Cybernation

Being ‘wired’

Designing Online Open & Distance Learning materials

What makes good Open & Distance Learning Courseware?

Other Issues

Evaluating the effectiveness of online materials

Definitions (1/2) Open Learning A “philosophy” . It gives learners more access to learning, more choice and control over what and how they learn. Distance Learning A “technology” . It enables learners to learn without being in the same place as their teacher with the aid of specially prepared learning packages, conferencing and correspondence with a distant tutor.

Open Learning

A “philosophy” . It gives learners more access to learning, more choice and control over what and how they learn.

Distance Learning

A “technology” . It enables learners to learn without being in the same place as their teacher with the aid of specially prepared learning packages, conferencing and correspondence with a distant tutor.

Definitions (2/2) Multimedia Integrates many types of media into a single package - text, pictures, animation, video and sound. Synonymous with CD-ROMs. Hypermedia Integrates many types of media into a single package - text, pictures, animation, video, sound and hypertext (links to other documents). Synonymous with the Web.

Multimedia

Integrates many types of media into a single package - text, pictures, animation, video and sound. Synonymous with CD-ROMs.

Hypermedia

Integrates many types of media into a single package - text, pictures, animation, video, sound and hypertext (links to other documents). Synonymous with the Web.

The History of Open & Distance Learning First Generation Printed materials delivered via postal service. Second Generation OU’s and the use of broadcast and recorded media. e.g. radio, TV, fax, telephone, audio/video tape. Third Generation Interactive and digital technologies. e.g. interactive TV, electronic networks, computer based multimedia.

First Generation

Printed materials delivered via postal service.

Second Generation

OU’s and the use of broadcast and recorded media. e.g. radio, TV, fax, telephone, audio/video tape.

Third Generation

Interactive and digital technologies. e.g. interactive TV, electronic networks, computer based multimedia.

What makes good Open & Distance Learning? (1/3) Psychological Support Learners are usually highly motivated - this motivation needs to be stoked by stimulating materials. - Relevant to learner’s needs - Attractively presented - Written in a clear and friendly style - Designed to boost learner’s confidence

Psychological Support

Learners are usually highly motivated - this motivation needs to be stoked by stimulating materials.

- Relevant to learner’s needs

- Attractively presented

- Written in a clear and friendly style

- Designed to boost learner’s confidence

What makes good Open & Distance Learning? (2/3) Pedagogic Support Learners need to know where they stand in a course; what they are expected to learn; where their strengths and weaknesses are; and what progress they’ve made. - Clear structure and effective ‘chunking’ - Precise objectives - Self-checking mechanism - Feedback (on answers to questions) - Summaries

Pedagogic Support

Learners need to know where they stand in a course; what they are expected to learn; where their strengths and weaknesses are; and what progress they’ve made.

- Clear structure and effective ‘chunking’

- Precise objectives

- Self-checking mechanism

- Feedback (on answers to questions)

- Summaries

What makes good Open & Distance Learning? (3/3) Physical Support The relationship between the material and the learner should be a happy one, and there are simple ways in which the process of using materials can be made physically less tiring. - Access devices (e.g. ‘signposts’, headings, links) - Attractive and helpful layout - Helpful visuals - User-friendly packaging

Physical Support

The relationship between the material and the learner should be a happy one, and there are simple ways in which the process of using materials can be made physically less tiring.

- Access devices (e.g. ‘signposts’, headings, links)

- Attractive and helpful layout

- Helpful visuals

- User-friendly packaging

Why use the Web for Open & Distance Learning? User-friendly Availability of content-rich materials Customisable by tutor Integration of text, graphics, sounds, video, animation and communication into a single tool A minimal learning curve to use tool Students study at own pace Continuously accessible Cheap to prepare Low cost

User-friendly

Availability of content-rich materials

Customisable by tutor

Integration of text, graphics, sounds, video, animation and communication into a single tool

A minimal learning curve to use tool

Students study at own pace

Continuously accessible

Cheap to prepare

Low cost

The Rise of the Cybernation (1/2) The number of Internet Hosts since 1990

The Rise of the Cybernation (2/2) It is estimated that over 50,000,000 people in 90 countries are now ‘wired’...

Being ‘wired’ (1/3) Electronic Mail (e-mail) Tutor communicates with students and facilitates interaction amongst them. Online Resources Library Catalogues Databases Electronic Journals Information Gateways Gopher Searches Web Searches

Electronic Mail (e-mail)

Tutor communicates with students and facilitates interaction amongst them.

Online Resources

Library Catalogues

Databases

Electronic Journals

Information Gateways

Gopher Searches

Web Searches

Being ‘wired’ (2/3) Online Discussion Groups Local mailing lists List Servers (over 3000) Newsgroups MUDs / MOOs 3D Virtual Environments Technology Tools Applications (e.g. Word, Excel) CAI (e.g. tutorials, simulations, etc.) Assessment (e.g. SAQs, ITQs, MCQs)

Online Discussion Groups

Local mailing lists

List Servers (over 3000)

Newsgroups

MUDs / MOOs

3D Virtual Environments

Technology Tools

Applications (e.g. Word, Excel)

CAI (e.g. tutorials, simulations, etc.)

Assessment (e.g. SAQs, ITQs, MCQs)

Being ‘wired’ (3/3) Conferencing Data Audio Video

Conferencing

Data

Audio

Video

Designing Online Open & Distance Learning materials (1/3) Spend LESS time playing around with HTML, fancy graphics and backrounds. Spend MORE time thinking about the purpose and content of your web pages. Become familiar with new software tools for developing web pages, e.g. Microsoft FrontPage , Adobe PageMill , HotMetal & Microsoft Office 97. Utilise information that has already been developed for your course. Look at what is already available online.

Spend LESS time playing around with HTML, fancy graphics and backrounds. Spend MORE time thinking about the purpose and content of your web pages.

Become familiar with new software tools for developing web pages, e.g. Microsoft FrontPage , Adobe PageMill , HotMetal & Microsoft Office 97.

Utilise information that has already been developed for your course.

Look at what is already available online.

Designing Online Open & Distance Learning materials (2/3) Consult web sites that provide advice on web page layout and style. Utilise a consistent format for each of your web pages. Keep page lengths short, thus minimise on the amount of scrolling the student will have to do. Provide easy access to web pages and information using glossaries, indexes and site maps. MAXIMISE links to internal information and MINIMISE links to external information.

Consult web sites that provide advice on web page layout and style.

Utilise a consistent format for each of your web pages.

Keep page lengths short, thus minimise on the amount of scrolling the student will have to do.

Provide easy access to web pages and information using glossaries, indexes and site maps.

MAXIMISE links to internal information and MINIMISE links to external information.

Designing Online Open & Distance Learning materials (3/3) Don’t use unnecessarily large graphics or sound/video clips. These can take too long to download on a slow modem. Don’t let you web site become stale and out-of-date. Continuous development and maintenance of your web site is essential. Test, proof-read, pilot and evaluate your web site.

Don’t use unnecessarily large graphics or sound/video clips. These can take too long to download on a slow modem.

Don’t let you web site become stale and out-of-date. Continuous development and maintenance of your web site is essential.

Test, proof-read, pilot and evaluate your web site.

What makes good ODL Courseware? (1/5) Course Information office hours course aims and objectives course syllabus course calendar course handbooks reading lists examination time-table who to contact

Course Information

office hours

course aims and objectives

course syllabus

course calendar

course handbooks

reading lists

examination time-table

who to contact

What makes good ODL Courseware? (2/5) Class Communication tutor’s e-mail discussion groups to facilitate peer-to-peer discussion (e-mail, newsgroup and web) feedback forms electronic noticeboard FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) knowledge bases (learning trees)

Class Communication

tutor’s e-mail

discussion groups to facilitate peer-to-peer discussion (e-mail, newsgroup and web)

feedback forms

electronic noticeboard

FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)

knowledge bases (learning trees)

What makes good ODL Courseware? (3/5) Assignments & Assessment distribute assignments provide assessment - SAQs, ITQs and MCQs give solutions, hints, or samples of what you expect Material covered in the classroom make lecture notes, presentations and hand-outs available either as web pages or downloadable files

Assignments & Assessment

distribute assignments

provide assessment - SAQs, ITQs and MCQs

give solutions, hints, or samples of what you expect

Material covered in the classroom

make lecture notes, presentations and hand-outs available either as web pages or downloadable files

What makes good ODL Courseware? (4/5) Reference Material list materials in print and electronic form that supplement the course provide links to other web pages electronic journals & magazines online libraries online tutorials information gateways

Reference Material

list materials in print and electronic form that supplement the course

provide links to other web pages

electronic journals & magazines

online libraries

online tutorials

information gateways

What makes good ODL Courseware? (5/5) Interactive Tools spoken word - audio clips demonstrations - video clips simulations - animation modelling - Java / Javascript CAI - ‘Shockwave’ productions

Interactive Tools

spoken word - audio clips

demonstrations - video clips

simulations - animation

modelling - Java / Javascript

CAI - ‘Shockwave’ productions

Other Issues Copyright By default work is copyright - Berne Convention Don’t necessarily need copyright notice Nothing is Public Domain - unless author says so! It is very hard to enforce copyright Accessibility The Disability Act, 1996 Every graphic should have associated text Provide transcripts of audio/video clips Provide alternative mechanisms to online forms Make hypertext links descriptive not verbose

Copyright

By default work is copyright - Berne Convention

Don’t necessarily need copyright notice

Nothing is Public Domain - unless author says so!

It is very hard to enforce copyright

Accessibility

The Disability Act, 1996

Every graphic should have associated text

Provide transcripts of audio/video clips

Provide alternative mechanisms to online forms

Make hypertext links descriptive not verbose