The relation of PLE, LMS, and Open Content

Daniel Müller, IMC The relation of PLE, LMS, and Open Content

Session overview
WP5 Objectives
WP5 Learning Delivery Framework
WP5 Key Concepts
Learning Environment
Open Content
WP5 Widget Workshop_5.5.2009_Vienna: results
WP5 Widget Task Force
Objectives
Task Description

WP5 Objectives
Collect and further develop best practices for learning delivery with focus on the use of interoperable content (= Units of Learning), e.g. IMS-LD based, supporting competency driven higher education
Support the delivery of activity-based high-level (learning) scenarios (focus = teacher-learner-interactions), applying (open) content
Create guidelines that combine
Teaching Methods with
Open Content and
(Collaboration) Services
to create and provide stimulating learning environments under the specific use of IMS-LD
Evaluate the usage of IMS-LD to support competency-driven learning

WP5 Learning D elivery F ramework: Environments in which different modes and usages of standards for learning delivery will be tested Learning Management Personal Learning / Social Network PRIO 1 PRIO 2 Technical Services Standards Use Cases
IMS-LD
SCORM
Learner:
Book UoL
Learn within UoL
Finish UoL
Key Concepts
Teacher:
Search for UoL
Upload UoL
Match users to roles
Publish UoL
Teach within UoL
IEEE LOM
Widgets (W3C)
OAI-PMH
OpenSocial
RSS
Unit of Learing (UoL)
Learning Environment (LE)
Teaching method (curriculum-based, collaborative, resource-based)
Service/Tool
Learning Object/Content
Context

WP5 Key Concepts Context Unit of Learning Services Learning Objects Role Learner Learning Supporter Lesson Course Module Learning Environment gives meaning to gives meaning to defines is a uses Teaching Method is specified in implements implements uses uses uses

Area or location in which learning happens
consists of a a structured collection of components (e.g. learning objects) to support learning activities in a physical or virtual setting
from a technological perspective, a learning environment consists of a range of services and software technologies
A typical managed learning environment is based on Learning Management System in combination with various educational tools like virtual classrooms. “It delivers the learning to the users”
Other types of learning environments are so called “Personal Learning Environments” or “Social Learning Networks” , which differ in their degree of pre-structuring learning (activities)
(in accordance with Sandberg, J. A. (1994). Educational paradigms: issues and trends. In Lewis, R. Mendelsohn, P., (ed.), Lessons from Learning, (IFIP TC3/WG3.3 Working Conference 1993), pages 13--22, Amsterdam. North-Holland).
WP5 Key Concepts: Learning Environment

Learning Environment: LMS Scenario Description
Organizations
manage the system
by specifying the functionality within course rooms, and
providing the learning materials
Instructors
create courses
by using preconfigured learning scenarios
Learners
„ just“ learn
do not need to configure their environment

The common idea behind Learning Management Systems (LMS) is that e-learning is organized and managed within an integrated system
[C. Dalsgaard, “Social software: E-learning beyond learning management systems”, European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2006/Christian_Dalsgaard.htm, accessed on the 18.02.2009]
Learning Management Systems have been widely adopted by institutions and instructional designers in order to fulfill certain needs and requirements in a field of ever increasing demands for effective, and fast […] education and training
[P. Avgeriou, A. Papasalouros, and S. Retalis, “Towards a Pattern Language for Learning Management Systems”, Journal of Educational Technology & Society. http://www.ifets.info/journals/6_2/2.pdf , accessed on the 18.02.2009]
This is in line with the understanding that “the institutional imperative is to manage the learning process and the technologies adopted are those which reinforce traditional modes of working
[S. Schaffert, and W. Hilzensauer, „On the way towards Personal Learning Environments: Seven crucial aspects”, http://www.elearningeuropa.info/files/media/media15971.pdf , accessed on the 18.02.2009]
LMS: Opportunities

A LMS supports the management of learning content and learning activities, but with a focus on the traditional roles in a learning environment (teacher / learner) and provide efficiency gains rather than new pedagogical opportunities”
[C. D. Milligan, P. Beauvoir, M. W. Johnson, P. Sharples, S. Wilson, and O. Liber, “Developing a Reference Model to Describe the Personal Learning Environment”; in: W. Nejdl, and K. Tochtermann (Eds.), EC-TEL 2006, LNCS 4227, Springer, pp. 506-511]
LMS may be characterized as follows:
Focus on integration of tools and data within a course context
asymmetric relationships
homogenous experience of context
use of open e-learning standards for incorporating packaged learning materials (e.g. SCORM, IMS Content Packaging), and for incorporating automated assessments (e.g. IMS QTI),
access control and rights management
organizational scope (organization installs and manages the software)
[S. Wilson, O. Liber, P. Beauvoir, C. Milligan, M. Johnson, and P. Sharples, “Personal Learning Environments: Challenging the dominant design of educational systems”, Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society”, Giunti, Genoa, 2007, http://www.je-lks.it/en/07_02/04Art_wilson_inglese.pdf , accessed on the 18.02.2009, pp. 27-38]
LMS: Opportunities

The LMS should support the development and execution of four basic tasks via a simple, friendly and uniform user-interface:
Information distribution, e.g. announcing the tips of the day, calendar, glossary, etc.
Management of learning material, e.g. customisation of the user interface to the needs of the instructor, updating the learning material, etc.
Offer of Multiple communication facilities, e.g. asynchronous and synchronous communication.
Class management, e.g. on-line marking of students’ assessments, tracking learners’ participation, management of learners profiles, etc.
[C. McCormack, and J.D. Jones, Building a Web-based Education System, Wiley Computer Publishing, New York, 1997]
LMS provide a number of benefits to students and staff within an institution.
For the tutors: a simple set of integrated tools allows the creation of learning content without specialist computer skills, whilst class administration tools facilitate communication between tutor and cohort (for class announcements) and individual learners (for feedback)
For the learner: a single environment within which all online content can be accessed and communication can be managed.
LMS: Strenghts

According to the OECD, the success of LMS on campus-based universities has primarily been in relation to administrative and not pedagogical purposes .
[OECD – Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, “E-learning in Tertiary Education: Where do we stand?”, OECD, Paris, 2005, p. 15]
In this sense, LMSs are fundamentally a conservative technology; they are a solution to a set of organizational problems:
managing students
providing tools and delivering content, and
whilst they serve the needs of the institution well, they are often ill suited to the needs of learners.
This means that a management system aims primarily at teachers and administrators whereas it does not support the self-governed, problem-based and collaborative work of students
[C. Dalsgaard, “Social software: E-learning beyond learning management systems”, European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2006/Christian_Dalsgaard.htm, accessed on the 18.02.2009]
LMS: Weaknesses / Threats

WP5 Learning D elivery F ramework: Environments in which different modes and usages of standards for learning delivery will be tested Learning Management Personal Learning / Social Network PRIO 1 PRIO 2 Technical Services Standards Use Cases
IMS-LD
SCORM
Learner:
Book UoL
Learn within UoL
Finish UoL
Key Concepts
Teacher:
Search for UoL
Upload UoL
Match users to roles
Publish UoL
Teach within UoL
IEEE LOM
Widgets (W3C)
OAI-PMH
OpenSocial
RSS
Unit of Learing (UoL)
Learning Environment (LE)
Teaching method (curriculum-based, collaborative, resource-based)
Service/Tool
Learning Object/Content
Context

Learning Environment: PLE Scenario Description
Learners
manage solution
by searching, and choosing widgets and mini-apps for learning
PLE supports
self-paced learning, and
self-organized learning

PLE: Motivation
Learner
need “standard interface to different institutions’ e-learning systems”
(Van Harmelen 2006, see also Olivier & Liber 2001)
want to “maintain portfolio information across institutions”
want to be mobile and use the system online and offline

PLE: Characteristics
Accessing and searching (Attwell 2009; Neuhaus 2007)
Aggregating (Attwell 2009; Wilson 2005)
Scaffolding (Attwell 2009) , structuring (Milligan et al. 2006)
Manipulating (Attwell 2009), editing (Wilson 2005)
Analyzing (Attwell 2009), annotating (Milligan et al. 2006)
Storing (Attwell 2009, Wilson 2005, Schaffert & Kalz 2009)
Reflecting (Attwell 2009, Wilson 2005)
Creating (Milligan et al. 2006), knowledge construction (Schaffert & Kalz 2009), developping ideas (Attwell 2007b)

PLE: Towards a Definition
Two different point of view:
Attwell (2006) for example emphasizes clearly on the pedagogical value of PLEs for learning support.
Others (e. g. Van Harmelen 2007, Schaffert & Kalz 2009, Neuhaus 2007) label them systems or applications.
Definition:
“ A Personal Learning Environment (PLE) is an individually adaptable user interface consisting of Web 2.0 applications which allows learners to manage their lifelong learning in all contexts and situations and to communicate with peers and teachers”

PLE: Challenge the Definition!
“ Individually adaptable user interface
…
consisting of Web 2.0 applications
…
which allows learners to manage their lifelong learning
…
in all contexts and situations
…
and to communicate with peers and teachers”
…
-pedagogical approach, not tools
-web-based applications = supporters
-focus on learning processes, then drive potential PLE application area/contexts

PLE: Challenges
Questions to be answered:
Which requirements does the user fulfill for using Widgets for learning purposes?
Which competencies does the learner need?
In which study-phase does the learner ask for Widget-driven learning?
Where to find task-specific learning Widget(s)?

Open Content: Definition – Consumer Perspective
“ Digitized materials:
offered freely and
openly for
educators, students and self-learners
to use and
reuse for teaching, learning and research”
(OECD 2007)

Open Content: Authoring/Production Perspective
Professionals:
Professional institute
Professor
…
Non-professionals
Students
…
POP (point of production)
Public
Wiki
Blog
YouTube
Non-public
Vendor-driven solutions

Open Content repositories: Overview
iTunesU: http://www.open.ac.uk/itunes/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/theopenuniversity
Slidestar: http://slidestar.de/main.html#
Free Foreign Language Lessons: http://www.openculture.com/2006/10/foreign_languag.html
Free Lectures & Courses from great universities: http://www.openculture.com/2007/07/freeonlinecourses.html
MIT Open Courseware: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm

Learning with Open Content: Do a SWOT analysis!
Strenght
Cheap
Available
I can contribute to it
Common knowledge
You get the credit for it
Weaknesses
Quality assurance
You don‘t get the credits
Fear of non-aknowledgments
Opportunities
Makes up the different contexts (different disciplines)
Bridging the digital devide
Channel OC, try to find processes to make advantage of OC
Threats
Bancrupcy…

WP5 Widget Workshop_5.5.09_Vienna: general info
Vision: “towards the iCoper Learning Widget(s) to foster competence”
Objective: definition of learning-related Widget requirements with regard to the WP5 learning delivery environments Personal Learning Environment, and Social Network
Target group: iCoper WPLs/partners, and beyond
Number of participants: 32, two of them from JISC-CETIS, and further two participants from the ROLE and GRAPPLE projects
Information are available here:
http://www.educanext.org/dotlrn/clubs/icoper/wp5/new-lors//WP5_Widget_Workshop_Vienna

Task: design a PLE
Challenge for the end user to find the right widgets
General search skills are required (Information literacy issue)
Finding the core set of «learning widgets»
The teacher don’t know what widgets the students are using
Authoring environment/guidelines for the teacher to create widgets
Interoperability between platforms

Facilities that solve the raised problems: Recommender http://www.google.com/ig/directory?q=open+university&root=%2Fig&dpos=top&url=hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/109972500286724663473/fact-of-the-day.xml

Facilities that solve the raised problems: Widget maker http://www.google.com/ig/gmchoices?source=gdha

Facilities that solve the raised problems: Widget repository http://www.widgetbox.com/search?q=learning

Task: Widgets for learning delivery
Production Asynchronous communication Synchronous communication Interaction Wiki Weblog shared writing
Mail
- gmail
- popmail (general)
Forum/Messages
http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/comments
Tagging
Delicious
Tag-notification
http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/related
Social network
- Facebook
Chat:
instant messaging
video conferencing
audio conferencing
http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/youcamscom---webcam-chat-widget
micro-blogging
http://widgets.opera.com/widget/7206/
Search engine
general search
specific search(OR)
http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/objectspot

iCoper WP5 Widget Workshop_5.5.09_Vienna: results

Task: Widget categorization
Technical dimension: web-based, desktop, mobile
Usage type: Accessory, application, information [Apple categorization]
Usage scope: generic (RSS viewer) vs. domain/purpose-specific (equation simulator)
Educational context: Bloom Taxonomy [Krathwohl et al.]
Interaction complexity: one interaction (e.g. login) up to flows of interactions (e.g. Google Docs)
Dependency on server-side: Ajax vs. WebApp
Degree of interoperability: open (APIs) vs. closed, application layer vs. frontend (Microformats)
Licensing: open source vs. commercial
Personalisation/Customisation
Security dimension (privacy, identity, …)

Task: iCoper Widget definition
“ End-user's conceptualization of an:
interactive single purpose application,
including code and content,
for developing competencies through the display and/or update of data,
packaged in a way to allow a single download and installation on any TEL environment”

Task: SWOT-analysis – Widgets for learning
Strengths
Easy to use for both administrator and learner
Connectedness
Modularity
Granularity
Adapt environment to personal needs
Composability
Portability
Weaknesses
Incoherence – it is necessary to combine widgets into structure
Interoperability

Task: SWOT-analysis – Widgets for learning
Opportunities
Pick and mix approach for content authoring and instructional design
Maybe dependent on learning styles (autonomy of learners)
Threats
Loss of control
Informative load for students
Insensitive to context
Distraction

Task: mission statement for iCoper widgets
Learners and teachers should choose their learning environment
Widgets enable in a user-driven perspective:
Personalization of content and services
Learning in different settings such as PLE, and Social Networks
More flexibility for teachers and learners
Aggregate content and services from different providers at one learning environment
Motivation behind using them is their added value

WP5 Widget Workshop_5.5.09_Vienna: in a nutshell
It is hard to find learning widgets
Configuration of a PLE might be challenging for learners
Platforms are NOT interoperable (LLL)

WP5 Widget Workshop_5.5.09_Vienna: task force
Installation of a follow-upWP5 Widget Task Force
Elaborate potential Widget standards as well as technical-/interoperability-centered evaluation criteria for potential Widget platforms in the context of PLE, and SNW
All information of the WP5 Widget Task Force are available here:
http://www.educanext.org/dotlrn/clubs/icoper/wp5/new-lors//WP5_Widget_Task_Force

Task: Create your PLE till Thursday, 18.30
Incentive : We will pay you the MUPPLE-fee
When : Thursday, 16:15 - 17:30
Where : Workshop D
What : Present your PLE
Your PLE may be:
Web-based (choose the platform you want!)
Drawings
Consider „interoperability“ while creating your PLE
Cross-widget
Cross-platform
Consider:
Widgets that deal with OPEN CONTENT (authoring, and using it!)
Mashup-widgets
Communication between widgets

Announcement – MUPPLE @ EC-TEL09_Nice http://www.role-project.eu/?page_id=117

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The relation of PLE, LMS, and Open Content

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