Bridging the gap: e-learning research

Bridging the gap a review of e-learning research at Southampton Gráinne Conole University of Southampton Email: g.c.conole@soton.ac.uk ELRC conference, 2 st November 2005

Snapshots of current work Review of tools for effective practice Learning design

Lessons learnt

from UKeU!

Methodological issues

Theoretical

frameworks

Types of tools and their uses Manipulating data Word, Excel Presentation The Web, PowerPoint Finding information Search engines, portals Managing Databases, Project Manager Personal management Diaries, calendars

Types of tools and their uses Communication Email, discussion forums Visualisation Mindmaps, visual tools Guidance and support Wizards, tutorials Evaluation CAA tools, Web tracking Analysis SPSS, NVIVO

Word - use and impact Sharing Creating and sharing resources Presentations Generating ideas Changing roles Used ubiquitously Distributed cognition Collaborative working Changing the way we create knowledge

Quality

vs content

Potential versus reality

Gap between the

potential of the technologies

(confusion over how they can be used)

and

application of good pedagogical principles

(confusion over which models to use)

Plethora of tools and resources Enormous potential but underused Wealth of knowledge about learning Didactic/behaviourists models predominate

Mediating artefacts for learning design Context Tasks Pedagogy Learning activity Mediating artefacts

Mediating artefacts

Narratives

Case studies

Peer dialogue

Expert guidance

Knowledge building

Networked communication

Lesson plan

Tips and tricks

Demonstration

Answer gardens

FAQs

Schema

Toolkits

Models

Mediating artefacts

Mediate between user and learning activity

Help inform decision making

Support re: context , pedagogy or tasks or a combination

Contextually rich to more abstract

Range of formats – textual, dialogic, visual, structural

MA affordances

A ccessibility – ease of retrieval, simplicity

Speed of change - adaptability

Diversity - tailored to individual needs

C ommunication and collaboration - ‘peer dialogue’ MA better than a ‘lesson plan’ MA

Reflection – toolkits designed to encourage the user to revisit and adapt

MA affordances

Immediacy - degree of contextualisation

Multimodality – navigational routes, toolkits more multimodal than lesson plans

Risk - a more tightly MA has less unintended consequences

Monopolisation - ‘one-size-fits-all’ cf bespoke, contextually located MAs

S urveillance - in-built tracking and recording mechanisms

Lessons learnt from UKeU Corporate/ academic clash Profit driven Little or no needs analysis or marketing

Unrealistic timeframe

/deadlines

Theoretical

frameworks

Perceived benefits? Student centred and flexible Built on concept of learning objects Made HEIs critique & reflect on existing provision

Constructivist

learning activities

An idea ahead

of its time?

Methodological issues Feeder disciplines Wealth of methods No shared language Tension between quantitative & qualitative

Lack of rigour,

anecdotal & case based

Methodological innovations

Theoretical

frameworks

Impact on research Bibliographic tools Endnote New discourses Chat, Wikis, access grid Data collection Online, multiple sites Data analysis New powerful tools Publishing JIME, e-Prints

Research opportunities Communication Email, discussion forums, Chat, video conferencing Interactivity Wikis, Web logs Collaboration Grid-technologies, sharing tools Data analysis SPSS, NVIVO Data mining Portals, databases

Discussion forums

Current focus

Shift from analysis of content to

multimodal approach

Richer interpretation

Use of grounded theory,

critical recall events etc.

Early research Initially focused on analysis of content Analysis mainly via pre-defined codes

Problem

Didn’t capture the complexity of the event

Lack of contextualisation

Codings too rigid

Theoretical perspectives Distributed cognition and Person-Plus (Salomon, Pea, Perkins) Intelligence distributed between mind and surroundings ‘ Effects with’ and ‘effects of’ technology Dialogue (Vygotsky, Mercer, Laurillard ) Language as a tool, Joint construction of knowledge “ Inter-thinking”, Conversational framework Systems thinking, metaphors modelling (Senge, Morgan) Capturing organisational and cultural aspects Activity Theory (Engestrom, Wertsh, Scollon) Mediating artefacts, mediated discourse

Thanks! Researchers Chris Bailey Annamaria Carusi Jonathan Darby Maarten de Laat Karen Fill Ann Jeffrey PhD students Patrick Fullick Zhen Li Julie Price Cathy Richard George Roberts Bill Warburton Colleagues Education ECS Geography Neonatology Nursing Externally

References

Conole, Darby, Carusi, De Laat, Wilcox (Submitted), Lessons learnt from the UKeU experience, Continuing Education Studies

Conole, G. (2005), Mediating artefacts, CALRG presentation , OU

Conole (2002), ‘The evolving landscape of learning technology research’, ALT-J , 10(3), 4-18

Conole (2003), ‘Understanding your organisation’ in the ‘Creating a Managed Learning Environment (or MLE) infoKit’, available online at http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk

Conole, Dyke, Oliver, and Seale, (2004), ‘Mapping pedagogy and tools for effective learning design’, Computers and Education ,

Conole and Dyke, (2004), ‘What are the affordances of Information and Communication Technologies?’, ALT-J , 12.2

Conole and Fill, (2005), ‘Specification for a learning design activities toolkit’, JIME special issue on learning design

Conole (2004), ‘Report on the effectiveness of tools for e-learning’, report for the JISC commissioned ‘Research Study on the Effectiveness of Resources

Bridging the gap a review of e-learning research at Southampton Gráinne Conole University of Southampton Email: g.c.conole@soton.ac.uk ELRC conference, 2 st November 2005