Distance Learning: Technologies; Enabling Learning at Own Place, Own Pace, Own Time

Transcription

1 R. Dawson, E. Georgiadou, P. Linecar, M. Ross. G. taples (eds). Learning and Teaching ssues in oftware Quality, Proceedings of the 11th Nternational Conference on oftware Process mprovement - Research into Education and Training, (NPRE 2006), April, outhampton, UK, BN , The British Computer ociety, pp Distance Learning: Technologies; Enabling Learning at Own Place, Own Pace, Own Time Elli Georgiadou and Kerstin V. iakas Middlesex University, UK chool of Computing cience e.georgiadou@mdx.ac.uk Alexandreio Technological Educational nstitute of Thessaloniki, Greece Department of nformatics iaka@it.teithe.gr Abstract Education and learning is undergoing a world-wide change by participation of teachers, students and industry and with governments actively involved in its promotion. Gordon Moore, the founder of ntel and originator of the famous Moore s Law in Electronics in his parting address on the day of his retirement in April 2001 said, Education is our Achilles heel. ndeed, the progress of our nations, their due position in the knowledge era depends upon how efficiently we empower our higher education system to become the engine of growth. The capacity to apply knowledge creates value. This capacity is best created through quality and holistic higher education with built-in development of the learner s values, ethics and character. This paper presents an overview of Distance Learning and associated technologies over the last 50 years. Until recently students worked largely in isolation. The advent of multimedia technologies and the widespread use of the nternet have put an end to isolation and have increasingly enabled interactive learning and teaching and facilitated the creation of learning communities. At the same time educators have shifted from the didactic/teachercentred mode of delivery to student-centred, participative teaching and learning. 1. Fifty years of Distance Education Distance mode education has undergone dramatic changes since the 60s when the UK Open University (OU) provided open education to thousands of students who might otherwise miss out on access to Higher Education. n previous years learning in distance mode entailed studying by correspondence. There was no technology involved and learners worked in isolation with occasional correspondence with tutors/advisors. Learning materials consisted of printed matter and books, and assessment was normally unseen examinations at the end of the study period. The OU student continued to study in isolation but now audio tapes, video tapes and TV programmes were added. Also, occasional seminar/tutorial support in local colleges augmented the distance mode delivery. Assessment involved both examinations and assignments, and some assignments were computer marked (through Optical Character Recognition). ome group telephone tutorials appeared in the mid-80s. The unprecedented developments in nformation and Communications Technologies brought a revolution in education. From the late 80s, throughout the 90s and at the beginning of the 21st century we have seen Videoconferencing, Virtual Learning Environments, Multimedia and nteractive Environments. These technologies have in turn demanded re-thinking of pedagogic principles and frameworks. The student is now able to study in Distance Mode yet to also be part of a community.

2 R. Dawson, E. Georgiadou, P. Linecar, M. Ross. G. taples (eds). Learning and Teaching ssues in oftware Quality, Proceedings of the 11th Nternational Conference on oftware Process mprovement - Research into Education and Training, (NPRE 2006), April, outhampton, UK, BN , The British Computer ociety, pp According to Wenger [1] Communities may develop as a consequence of interactivity; and/or interactivity is a function of community. Communities involve the mutual engagement of participants, a commitment to joint enterprise, and a shared repertoire of approaches/techniques. ) As shown in table 1 the pace of introduction of new technologies has accelerated dramatically in the last 20 years. n particular, in the last decade increasingly more interactive environments became mainstream. These developments enabled high technology solutions to support collaborative endeavour [2]. All human activity was affected including learning and teaching. tudying through the use of static technology often results of feeling of learner isolation. nteractive technologies enable the learner to participate in group discussions and group work, obtain feedback from the teacher and fellow students promoting group identity and belonging. Pedagogical innovations nowadays incorporate open, distance mode, lifelong, flexible, asynchronous, interactive and blended learning. Assessment methods and instructor training in the use of technologies, production of materials and pedagogic aspects as well as evaluation have become mainstream. Table 1 Distance Learning Technologies Printed Materials Audio Tapes Video Tapes TV lectures Group tutorial over the phone Videoconferences (bilateral) Videoconferences (multiple simultaneous links) nternet based Virtual Learning Environments Multimedia Computer upported Co-operative Work Mobile Devices Pedagogic Frameworks Learning Communities Communities of Practice Key: = tatic, =nteractive Learning at Own Place/Location Pre- 1960s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s A Distance Learner can truly study from another position (locally, regionally, internationally) and even while on the move due to the availability of mobile devices. Learning at Own Pace Distance Learners often study in part-time mode. Modular degrees form the backbone of British Undergraduate degrees. tudents can study in intensive mode or over a much longer period of time on customised programmes. Learning at Own Time Traditional modes of study are offered around a fixed timetable over pre-scribed academic sessions. Learners can study in a ay that accommodates other commitments (e.g. work and family) and restrictions (such as disability or illness).

3 R. Dawson, E. Georgiadou, P. Linecar, M. Ross. G. taples (eds). Learning and Teaching ssues in oftware Quality, Proceedings of the 11th Nternational Conference on oftware Process mprovement - Research into Education and Training, (NPRE 2006), April, outhampton, UK, BN , The British Computer ociety, pp Towards a general flexible teaching framework As we move from the industrial age to the information and knowledge age, a necessity is created for new models in education in order to face the new requirements. ome frameworks were proposed in the 90s concentrating on either the development of learning resources or the deployment of open and distance learning. n an emerging knowledge-shaped economy, which views organisations as knowledge creators and communities-of-work, a widening of the principles and concepts of the learning process is required. Broadening the context of technology and knowledge prompts for consideration of the role of the human being as an active and reflective learner. Technology should not only support the co-ordination of work processes; it should, additionally, serve the learning needs [3] The goal is to create a general flexible teaching framework for offering technology-based learning. The framework will give rise for an instructional design, which in a systematic way will create detailed instructional specifications, using learning and instructional theories, for the development, implementation, evaluation and maintenance of all the situations that facilitate learning and ensure the quality of the instruction. A D Web learning materials tudy Guides Review Questions Quizzes Notice boards nteractive essions Feedback mechanisms D R A = Analyse D = Design D = Develop U = Use R = Review = mprove U Figure 1: The ADDUR Model [3] Here we emphasise the cyclic nature of the process, and the need to built-in review and improvement sub-processes. Because an ntegrated Resource is made possible by the technologies (internet, data exchanges, database, and interactive platforms) the lifecycle is largely based on the prototyping paradigm with the emphasis on Reviewing and mprovements which are fed into the Analysis stage and so on. The learning resources are at the heart of the framework and comprise the learning materials which include specification of learning objectives and outcomes together with quizzes, study guides, review questions and interactive sessions.

4 R. Dawson, E. Georgiadou, P. Linecar, M. Ross. G. taples (eds). Learning and Teaching ssues in oftware Quality, Proceedings of the 11th Nternational Conference on oftware Process mprovement - Research into Education and Training, (NPRE 2006), April, outhampton, UK, BN , The British Computer ociety, pp Blended Learning Over the past few years technology-based teaching and learning approaches combined with traditional forms of teaching, such as classroom instruction and text-based materials, has led to the rise of the term blended learning [4]. The term blended learning is ill-defined and inconsistently used [5]. Definitions abound in the literature from broad definitions about combining face-to-face learning methods with technology to more narrow descriptions about combining a number of pedagogic approaches with an e-learning environment or combining media and tools in an e-learning environment [6]. However, if the blend of approaches is seen from the learners point of view (student centred learning) regarding own pace (including considerations of variations of experience of learning), own place and own time Blended Learning certainly offer advantages to many student groups. According to the Thomson Job mpact tudy [7] faster performance was found on real world tasks by people who had learned through a blended strategy than those who had studied through e-learning alone. imilarly, DeLacey and Leonard [8] reported that students not only learned more when online sessions were added to traditional courses, but student interaction and satisfaction improved as well. For a better understanding of the different approaches involved in blended learning table 2 is used. Table 2 - Blended learning approach adopted from Rosett et.al. [9] Live face-to-face (formal) nstructor-led classroom Workshops Coaching/mentoring On-the-job (OTJ) training Virtual collaboration/synchronous Live e-learning classes E-mentoring elf-paced learning Web learning modules Online resource links imulations cenarios Video and audio CD/DVDs Online self-assessments Workbooks Live face-to-face (informal) Collegial connections Work teams Role modeling Virtual collaboration/asynchronous Online bulletin boards Listservs Online communities Performance support Help systems Print job aids Knowledge databases Documentation Performance/decision support tools 4. Changing Demographics and the Learner s Viewpoint Distance education and more specifically elearning provides opportunities for access to geographically remote regions, people based in different countries, disabled people, people with work and/or family responsibilities. The student body is no longer comprised of 18-year old school leavers. Whilst in the past people studied and prepared for a career for life these days they invariably have a life of many careers. The unprecedented changes in nformation and Communications Technologies and the rapidly shifting (forceful and voluntary) populations as well as economies in transition demand that the workforce is educated and trained to satisfy the demands of industry at a global level. The learner therefore needs to meet these challenges whilst attending to other responsibilities (work, family, travel ). Laurrilard [10] identified a number of Drivers for change including: funding imperatives, learners needs, stakeholders demands, career opportunities and quality standards. Laurilllard [10] pointed out that in order to advocate a learner centred approach the learner and stakeholders (society in large) should be considered in the first place followed by career opportunities

5 R. Dawson, E. Georgiadou, P. Linecar, M. Ross. G. taples (eds). Learning and Teaching ssues in oftware Quality, Proceedings of the 11th Nternational Conference on oftware Process mprovement - Research into Education and Training, (NPRE 2006), April, outhampton, UK, BN , The British Computer ociety, pp (present and future). The other drivers, like strategy, quality standards etc. should be tuned to fit our goals. Learning environments such as WebCT provide for interactive learning whereby the student combines working on their own whilst they also have the option to relate to other students on the same course as well as to interact with the tutors and lecturers. 4. The teacher s view Moving from traditional teaching and learning demands a change of attitude on the part of the teacher. n the early days the enthusiasts and technical wizards started outing their existing materials (lecture notes, exercises, examples) on computers more or less replicating the paper-based method. This was coupled with the didactic method of the teacher as a guru and the student as a passive recipient of knowledge and wisdom. As we move towards participative methods of teaching and to the student-centred paradigm the teacher is challenged to anticipate areas of potential difficulty and to plan and respond to such situations prior to creating learning materials. The student will study in self-directed mode, often alone without a guru who will instantly provide an answer to his query/worry. ynchronous sessions can of course provide some instant interaction (bilateral) through and chat facilities. Technology and more specifically collaborative learning environments enable the creation of a learning community [1, 11] where the teacher participates in two ways namely by the prior preparation of materials, tests and case studies, and by actually conversing with the students both synchronously and asynchronously. 5. Blended Distance Education at Middlesex University The Global Campus model [12] is built around the synergy of the University and a Local tudy Centre at distant locations. tudents prepare by reading pre-prepared materials and by using the nteractive Learning Environment. elf assessment, on line tests and activities reinforce the understanding of concepts through Problem-olving. There are no lectures but students have access (electronically) with the lecturers who are based in the UK, and with their local tutors who are based at the Local tudy Centre which also provides library and computer facilities as well as administrative and pastoral support. Communication between all constituencies facilitates the process of learning and teaching. There are 7 types of communication channels in Blended Learning as practiced in the Global Campus model at Middlesex University. These are as follows: a) Administrative (e.g. posting examination scripts, and coursework samples) b) Programme Level Academic ssues (e.g. Annual Monitoring and Programme Reviews) c) Academic Liaison/upport e.g. addressing issues relating to the delivery of modules, difficulties and ideas for improvement d) Module leader to seminar/laboratories tutors e) tudents to seminar/laboratory tutors f) tudents to Module Leaders Module Leaders respond to s (LT copied in) this corresponds to the duty tutor slot practised at Middlesex whereby the module leader is available at a specific time for talking students g) tudents-to-students This is increasingly a channel used by students who are studying in this blended, hybrid mode. tudents taking the same module can communicate via the OA/WebCT infrastructure by posting messages, questions, and ideas. n general this forum forms the backbone of the overall communication process.

6 R. Dawson, E. Georgiadou, P. Linecar, M. Ross. G. taples (eds). Learning and Teaching ssues in oftware Quality, Proceedings of the 11th Nternational Conference on oftware Process mprovement - Research into Education and Training, (NPRE 2006), April, outhampton, UK, BN , The British Computer ociety, pp The Middlesex Global campus learning environment uses the in-house CATE model which stands for cope, Content, Activity, Think, Extra. Each learning unit (typically requiring a minimum of 9 hours of study for single units and 18 hours for double units). cope: provides the context, learning outcomes, required study time, details of equipment/software required and reading materials. Content: gives textual and pictorial information, introduces new concepts and knowledge. Activity: this section requires the learner to engage in problem solving aiming to develop in-depth knowledge and understanding of the issues introduced under content. Discussion and a solution to the activity follow. Think: This section includes review questions, group discussion topics, learning journal and end-of-unit self-assessment. Extra: here the students have opportunities to tackle further activities, further reading and generally they can explore areas out of interest and not necessarily because they will be examined down the line. n addition to the on-line materials students have a reader or core text book as well as a module handbook which contains general information, assignment specifications and case studies. 8. Conclusions and further work Recent years have witnessed the proliferation of nformation and Communications Technologies. uch technologies have accelerated the development of Distance Mode education (mostly in Higher Education). These technologies have facilitated a transformation in the mind set of educators and in the expectations of the learner who can engage in learning at their own place, own pace and own time. Lifelong Learning has become commonplace. Blended Learning is emerging as a popular and effective model [9] which encapsulates self-directed study and some face-to-face sessions including videolinks and virtual meetings.. We outlined the Global Campus model used at Middlesex University for the last 6 years. A similar model currently used at Middlesex University is under development at the Alexandrio Technological Educational nstitute of Thessaloniki, Greece. At Middlesex we are carrying out a number of longitudinal studies to monitor trends, identify good practice and achieve improvements to cater variations in culture [13], level of study and subject domain. Further work involves the development and deployment of the ADDUR framework, and its validation through the production of learning resources within academia, and of training materials for professional updating and continuous professional development in industry. References 1. Wenger, E. (1998): Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press 2. purr Kathy, Layzell Paul, Jennison Leslie, Richards Neil (1994): Computer upport for Cooperative Work, John Wiley&ons, Uk 3. Valkanos Nikolaos, Georgiadou Elli, Hatzipanagos tylianos, Berki Eleni, iakas Kerstin (2005): ADDUR: A Framework for the Development and upport of Resource Based Learning Environments and Materials, in A Dafoylas, Walaa Mohamed Bakry, Alan Murfy (eds): e-learning Online Communities, nternational Workshop Proceedings, 3 Jan. 2005, Cairo, Egypt, pp Kerres M., DE Witt C. (2003): A Didactical Framework for the Design of Blended Learning Arrangements, Journal of Educational Media, 28(2-3), pp

7 R. Dawson, E. Georgiadou, P. Linecar, M. Ross. G. taples (eds). Learning and Teaching ssues in oftware Quality, Proceedings of the 11th Nternational Conference on oftware Process mprovement - Research into Education and Training, (NPRE 2006), April, outhampton, UK, BN , The British Computer ociety, pp Oliver Martin, Trigwell Keith. (2005): Can Blended Learning Be Redeemed? E-Learning, 2(1), pp Jelfs A., Whitelock D. (2000) The notion of presence in virtual learning environments: What makes the environment "real"? The British Journal of Educational Technology pecial ssue from the Ninth nternational PEG Conference. Guest Editors Linda Baggott and Jon Nichol. Vol 31 No 2 pp N Thompon (2002): Thomson Job mpact tudy: The Next Generation of Corporate Learning 8. DeLacey B., Leonard D. (2002): Case study on technology and distance in education at the Harvard Business chool. Educational Technology & ociety, 5(2), 9. Rossett Allison, Douglis Felicia, Frazee Rebecca V (2005): trategies for Building Blended Learning, (retrieved ) 10. Laurillard, D (2001): Rethinking University Teaching: A framework for the effective use of educational technology. London: Routledge Publishers 11. Jäkälä, M. & Berki, E Exploring the Principles of ndividual and Group dentity in Virtual Communities. n the Proc. of AD 1st Conference on Web-based Communities, Lisbon Portugal Mar 12. Global Campus, Middlesex University, chool of Computing cience: (accessed 16/01/06) 13. Georgiadou, E., iakas, K.V. (2003): Technology-based Learning Cultural Dimensions and Considerations, n Proceedings of NPRE 2003, Limerick, reland