Exciting findings

Lots of exciting little moments today...

• Discovering the My Citations section of Google Scholar - and that I have way more citations than I expected. Disappointingly though, because I currently don't have an educational institution email address, Google won't display my profile in Scholar searches. Boo.
• Following links to those who have cited me and finding the excellent (well, it looks it - I haven't read it yet) book Emerging Technologies in Distance Education by George Veletsianos, which showcases the international work of research scholars and innovative distance education practitioners who use emerging interactive technologies for teaching and learning at a distance...
• And then finding that while the book isn't available as an eBook on Google books, and is just shy of £30 on Amazon,  George, being a proponent of emerging technologies and pedagogies and digital scholarship, published the title under an open access license entitled Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, which can be downloaded for free at http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120177. Thank you George!
• Donald Clark has started an amazing blog marathon: 50 blogs on learning theorists over next 50 days. He's writing profiles on key figures in learning, theorists, practitioners and those directly relevant to e-learning. The coverage is quite fantastic... and will build into a super series. Thank you Donald!

Matrix of elearning concepts - mark 1

This is a quick post as I'm a bit behind this week. Hoping for some big catch up sessions on Thursday and Friday... trying not to panic yet!

Using the definitions of elearning concept we'd found, the task for Week 2 Activity 1 was to arrange those concepts on a matrix, showing where they might be categorised on the spectrum of Existing to New and of Formal to Informal.

This is my matrix:

A number of the concepts had me wondering about where to place them (obviously the point of the exercise!), so I also recorded some notes about why I positioned things as I did:

Blended learning - blend of new and existing, formal and informal. The fact that it includes web-based learning etc suggests it tends towards the new and informal.

Mobile learning - reliance on mobile technologies and cannot we yet assume ubiquitous access, therefore still quite 'new'. While may be used for formal access, gives greater opportunity for informal learning.

Virtual communities - initially largely informal. As there is wider uptake and integration into mainstream education, do they become more formal?

Flexible learning - I don't think this has yet been taken up by majority educators. Not yet integrated into most programmes.

Work-based learning - apprentice schemes etc have long history, therefore recognised as 'formal' training. However, OTJ aspect means training may be delivered informally.

Personalisation - widely available in informal, not-necessarily-learning-focused environments. Still a difficulty in achieving personalisation when there is a syllabus to be taught, standards to be met and need to check all material is covered, etc.

Just-in-time learning - relies on access to resources, therefore predominantly a new web-dependent method. No formal teaching - students learn what they want, when they require it. Risks lacking broader understanding as likely only to learn what is sufficient to achieve a task. May be some deep learning as result of applying it to context though.

Peer assessment - does not require new technology, but wider uptake *is* facilitated by web, etc. Not so widely used for formal (summative) assessment, and technology facilitates wider opportunities for informal assessment (e.g. commenting on blogs etc).

Collaborative learning - again doesn't require technology, but additional forms of collaboration may be facilitated by ICTs. Widely recognised as valuable medium, but still seems to be used mainly as an adjunct to more traditional approaches.

Learning objects - developed specifically for LMS-delivered computer-based learning, therefore 'new'. Standards, metadata requirements etc are a way of formalising the development. Usage is not restricted to formal context though.

E-assessment - computer supported marking available probably 20 years. Wider and more flexible uses are a newer development. I use assessment here in a summative context, therefore position towards formal axis - more informal, ad-hoc, on-demand, non-recorded or just-for-fun formative assessment is also possible though, and ICT is prime facilitator of this.

I actually found the formal-informal dimension quite hard to use, which was something of a surprise. I think I need a bit more of a think about what this really means. Also, I have a feeling that there might be some other dimensions on which it be useful to arrange these concepts. A lot of the discussion and reading in week 1 seemed to indicate innovations in elearning have particular implications for collaboration and community, so I wonder if an individual - collaborative axis might be useful to look at. This post is optimistically titled mark 1 - I'm hoping there'll be a chance for a mark 2, but don't hold your breath!

Elearning concepts

This post is hardly going to be the most insightful. It's simply the report of the result of Googling a number of elearning concepts, in search of definitions. More analysis of these concepts, and how they relate to new or existing and informal or formal learning coming up in the next post... (I hope!)

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Blended learning

• Learning events that combine aspects of online and face-to-face instruction. [http://www.astd.org/LC/glossary.htm] 
• A blended learning approach can combine face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated instruction. It also applies science or IT activities with the assistance of educational technologies using computer, cellular or Smartphones, Satellite television channels, videoconferencing and other emerging electronic media. Learners and teachers work together to improve the quality of learning and teaching, the ultimate aim of blended learning being to provide realistic practical opportunities for learners and teachers to make learning independent, useful, sustainable and ever growing.[Graham, C. R. (2005). "Blended learning systems: Definition, current trends, and future directions.". In Bonk, C. J.; Graham, C. R.. Handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. pp. 3–21. ISBN 0787977586. via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blended_learning]
• Blended learning is learning that is facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and is based on transparent communication amongst all parties involved with a course. [Heinze, A.; C. Procter (2004). "Reflections on the Use of Blended Learning". Education in a Changing Environment. University of Salford, Salford, Education Development Unit. http://www.ece.salford.ac.uk/proceedings/papers/ah_04.rtf. via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blended_learning]

Mobile learning

• Learning that takes place via such wireless devices as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or laptop computers.[http://www.astd.org/LC/glossary] 
• Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies.["Guidelines for learning/teaching/tutoring in a mobile environment". MOBIlearn. October 2003. pp. 6. http://www.mobilearn.org/download/results/guidelines.pdf.]
• The term covers: learning with portable technologies. Focuses on the mobility of the learner, interacting with portable technologies, and learning that reflects a focus on how society and its institutions can accommodate and support an increasingly mobile population. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-learning]

Virtual communities

• Synonymous with Online community: “A meeting place on the Internet for people who share common interests and needs. Online communities can be open to all or be by membership only and may or may not be moderated.”[http://www.astd.org/LC/glossary.htm] 
• A virtual community is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals. One of the most pervasive types of virtual community include social networking services, which consist of various online communities. The term virtual community is attributed to the book of the same title by Howard Rheingold, published in 1993.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_community]

Flexible learning

• is a set of educational philosophies and systems, concerned with providing learners with increased choice, convenience, and personalisation to suit the learner. In particular, flexible learning provides learners with choices about where, when, and how learning occurs. Sometimes also referred to as personalized learning. Flexible learning is a term often used in New Zealand and Australia see Shurville et al. (2008) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexible_learning]

Work-based learning

• Work Based Learning generally describes learning while a person is employed. The learning is usually based on the needs of the individual's career and employer, and can lead to nationally recognised qualifications. There are usually three components to Work Based Learning. These are practical skills, underpinning knowledge and key skills.[http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/datadictionary/businessdefinitions/WBL.htm]

Personalisation

• involves using technology to accommodate the differences between individuals.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personalisation]
• Tailoring Web content to an individual user. Can be accomplished by a user entering preferences or by a computer guessing about the user's preferences.[http://www.astd.org/LC/glossary.htm]

Just-in-time learning

• Just-in-time - Characteristic of e-learning in which learners are able to access the information they need exactly when they need it.[http://www.astd.org/LC/glossary.htm] 
• Just-in-time learning - Augmentation tools can help learners understand issues, acquire relevant information and solve complex issues by presenting supplementary information at the time of need or "on demand." This contrasts with traditional methods of associative learning, including rote learning, classical conditioning and observational learning, where the learning is performed in advance of the learner's need to recall or apply what has been learned. Snyder and Wilson[2] assert that just-in-time learning is not sufficient. Long-term learning demands continuous training should be individualized and built upon individual competencies and strengths.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_learning#Just-in-time_learning]
• JIT learning is broadly conceived as anywhere, anytime, anyhow learning that is just enough, just for me, and just in time.[http://adh.sagepub.com/content/5/3/308.abstract]

Peer assessment

• Self or Peer Assessment is the process of students or their peers grading assignments or tests based on a teacher’s benchmarks.[1] The reasons that teachers employ Self- and Peer-Assessment are that it will save them time, students may gain a better understanding of the material, and student’s metacognitive skills may increase. Rubrics are often used in conjunction with Self- and Peer-Assessment.[2][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-_and_Peer-Assessment]
• Student assessment of other students' work, both formative and summative, has many potential benefits to learning for the assessor and the assessee. It encourages student autonomy and higher order thinking skills. Its weaknesses can be avoided with anonymity, multiple assessors, and tutor moderation. With large numbers of students the management of peer assessment can be assisted by Internet technology. Peer assessment is assessment of students by other students, both formative reviews to provide feedback and summative grading. Peer assessment is one form of innovative assessment (Mowl, 1996, McDowell and Mowl, 1996), which aims to improve the quality of learning and empower learners, where traditional forms can by-pass learners' needs. It can include student involvement not only in the final judgements made of student work but also in the prior setting of criteria and the selection of evidence of achievement (Biggs, 1999, Brown, Rust and Gibbs, 1994).[http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/aa/landt/lt/docs/bostock_peer_assessment.htm]

Collaborative learning

• Collaborative learning is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together.[1] More specifically, collaborative learning is based on the model that knowledge can be created within a population where members actively interact by sharing experiences and take on asymmetry roles.[2] Collaborative learning refers to methodologies and environments in which learners engage in a common task where each individual depends on and is accountable to each other. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collaborative_learning]
• "collaborative learning" refers to an instruction method in which learners at various performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal. The learners are responsible for one another's learning as well as their own. Thus, the success of one learner helps other students to be successful. Proponents of collaborative learning claim that the active exchange of ideas within small groups not only increases interest among the participants but also promotes critical thinking.There is persuasive evidence that cooperative teams achieve at higher levels of thought and retain information longer than learners who work quietly as individuals. The shared learning gives leanres an opportunity to engage in discussion, take responsibility for their own learning, and thus become critical thinkers.[http://www.gdrc.org/kmgmt/c-learn/index.html]

Learning objects

• A reusable, media-independent collection of information used as a modular building block for e-learning content. Learning objects are most effective when organized by a meta data classification system and stored in a data repository such as an LCMS.[http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ict/services/teachingandresearchservices/elearning/abo utelearning/elearningglossary#f]
• Learning objects (sometimes called 'reusable learning objects' or RLOs) are small, self-contained packets of digital content, typically only 2 to 15 minutes in duration. Learning objects can be aggregated into courses, tagged with descriptive metadata (allowing search engines to find them) and can communicate with a learning management system (LMS), typically using SCORM.[http://www.elearningnetwork.org/wiki/learning-objects]
• "a collection of content items, practice items, and assessment items that are combined based on a single learning objective" [1]. They will typically have a number of different components, which range from descriptive data to information about rights and educational level. At their core, however, will be instructional content, practice, and assessment. A key issue is the use of metadata. Learning object design raises issues of portability, and of the object's relation to a broader learning management system.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_Objects]

e-assessment

• e-assessment is the use of information technology for any assessment-related activity. This definition embraces a wide range of student activity ranging from the use of a word processor to on-screen testing. Due to its obvious similarity to e-learning, the term e-assessment is becoming widely used as a generic term to describe the use of computers within the assessment process. Specific types of e-assessment include computerized adaptive testing and computerized classification testing. E-assessment can be used to assess cognitive and abilities. Cognitive abilities are assessed using e-testing software; practical abilities are assessed using e-portfolios or simulation software.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-assessment] 
• e-assessment is the use of computers and computer software to evaluate skills and knowledge in a certain area. It can range from on screen testing systems that automatically mark learners' tests (often providing almost instant feedback), to electronic portfolios where learners' work can be stored and marked. Both e-Assessment and e-Portfolios are becoming a fundamental part of modern education. They are essential for personalised learning providing benefits for learners, teachers and those involved with the administration of assessment within schools, colleges and training providers.[http://www.ocr.org.uk/eassessment/index.html] 
• Technology can support nearly every aspect of assessment in one way or another, from the administration of individual tests and assignments to the management of assessment across a faculty or institution; from automatically marked on-screen tests to tools to support human marking and feedback. Clearly, though, for technology-enhanced assessment to be effective, pedagogically sound developments need to be supported by robust and appropriate technology, within a supportive institutional or departmental context. 'Technology-enhanced assessment' refers to the wide range of ways in which technology can be used to support assessment and feedback. It includes on-screen assessment, often called e-assessment. [http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning/assessment.aspx]