Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project PT1-LEO Work of Art

Transcription

1 Report on the most appropriate materials, the viability of using ICT and e- learning support in language training for this target population, and the realistic proportion of ICT support in blended learning for Museum Visitor Service Teams (MVSTs). 1. Introduction Nowadays we are offered an unprecedented amount of diverse options for professional development. We do not consider face to face training sessions as the single solution any more. Fast growing branch of educational technology offers more and more advanced tools, resources and methodologies to enhance teaching- learning process. Like in the traditional training there is no one unerring solution. The efficient learning programme depends on the aims, target group characteristics, available time, funding and many others. Additionally when designing any ICT enhanced solution we need to consider whether the target group is ready for it. Some online activities are suitable for all target groups and are easy even for novices, but many require certain level of online learning skills (like using online tools or learning in a remote or scattered groups). All this we needed to consider when designing a solution for Museum Visitors Service Team (MVST) during the Work of Art project. 2. Target group characteristic Careful target group diagnosis is one of the most important initial stages in the process of designing learning solution. Fortunately we had the time to design the instrument to evaluate the MVST professional profile and to run very detailed study. Findings from our research are described in detail in two documents: Profile Questionnaire RESULTS and MVST professional profile interpretation of the survey results. When analyzing possibility to involve some ICT enhanced solutions the most important facts were: only in 3 museums (out of 14) managers declared the MVST had some experience with e- learning or blended learning; 12 out of 14 museum declared timetable as a serious obstacle to training (MVST works in shifts);

2 9 out of 14 museums declared the lack of funding as a serious obstacle to language training; when asked about diverse areas of VET training only 1 out of 14 museums declared ICT; when asked to estimate the effective level of ICT skills only 4 museums (out of 14) declared it good (2) or high (2); most MVST need some basic English skills (A1 - A2 level) to help visitors in simple situations; most MVST are years old. What s important for this group is gaining a robust and usable knowledge and skills trained through being engaged in real- life situations. 3. Research Simultaneously to the target group diagnosis we did a complex research of possible ICT enhanced solutions. First of all, there is no ICT enhanced learning solution aiming at teaching MVST basic, everyday English, but there is a strong need for such training to be provided among MVST. We analyzed several online proposals in order to learn from them, and to propose our solution. Here we list 3 of them which we consider the most inspiring and informative Mi vida loca Short description: We ve started with one of the best online initiatives to teach languages. Mi vida loca is a language course in a form of online drama produced by BBC and awarded BAFTA for the interactive innovation in It s a 100% e- learning solution. Advantages / Inspirations for our solution: extremely immersive - we feel we are there with the main characters; real- life situation based; focused on the language skills needed by the target group; repetitive - we are exposed to the core vocabulary many times in many diverse situations;

3 as we are immersed into a situation some learning goes by the way; based on challenges - we are exposed to some situation and we need to react in order to solve it. Disadvantages / What to avoid in our solution: grammar part is built on a repetitive framework which makes it boring after several episodes; in several initial episodes we do not choose diverse option of reaction, there is always one we need to perform; streaming video could be problematic for people living in the outskirts; Mi vida loca is an online drama with concise plot leading us through various situation a traveler will face, whereas MVST are exposed to short kinds of interaction about only several museum related topics Connect with Haji Kamal Short description: Connect with Haji Kamal is an online training interaction by Cathy Moore based on the Action Mapping methodology. It s strongly focused on the interaction skills. It was designed for US army, and was a part of blended learning solution. Advantages / Inspirations for our solution: very immersive; real- life situation based; we learn through challenges; we learn also by observing and analyzing the reaction of Haji Kamal we are interacting with; we have to choose what to do, how to react; very easy to stream (based on modified photos). Disadvantages / What to avoid in our solution: we have two colleagues to help us through the challenge, which is very realistic in case of an army, but not applicable among MVST; we don t get any feedback from the mentor until we are done with the whole conversation.

4 3.3. Eurocatering Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Short description: Eurocatering is a portal delivering online learning materials for VET. It s focused on expert vocabulary for catering and hospitality sector delivered in several foreign languages. Advantages / Inspirations for our solution: immersive; real situations from the work; we have to react, so we learn by doing; simulations are enhanced by grammar exercises; there is a path to follow for the user; users are logged in and the data about their activity can be tracked; there is a possibility to print out certificate specifying the learning outcomes. Disadvantages / What to avoid in our solution: to be able to enter the simulation user has to go through all the grammar exercises; the graphical representation of the path user can follow is perceptionaly overwhelming. 4. Proposed approach Having the data from the target group research and about recent ICT solutions we suggest the blended learning solution (face to face sessions + ICT enhanced solution) to be the most appropriate. The face to face sessions will give MVST practical skills and knowledge in using foreign language and will increase their self- confidence. The ICT enhanced solution will have a strengthening role, enabling multi- repetitions even after the course is finished. We suggest to build an MVST dedicated online portal containing simulations and grammar exercises. Portal offered should be easy to use and designed with the best UX practices. User friendliness is one of the most important conditions for the portal to succeed, good design will facilitate the learning process and will give a rewarding experience.

5 4.1. Most appropriate materials. The materials we suggest are of two kinds: conversation s simulations and grammar exercises. Simulations have to be: museum context based (focused on the vocabulary needed in the real life situations in museum environment); immersive; easy to use; museum real situation alike; short. Grammar exercises should be: linked thematically to the simulations (user shouldn t be forced to accomplish any grammar exercises neither before the simulation nor after, grammar exercises should be suggested by a link to simulation but also offered separately); diverse; focused on the vocabulary and grammar from the museum environment Realistic proportion of ICT support in blended learning. In case of our target group we suggest blended learning solution, in which the ICT enhanced learning forms only an additional part. We suggest 2-3 simulations and 5-10 grammar exercises per topic. The role of online part is supportive aiming at making repeating easy and fun, and letting MVST come back even when the course is over Examples. To examine assumptions we ve made, we decided to produce some simulation prototypes. Building the whole portal and all the content is very time- and funds- consuming, so we decided to start with something smaller to get the feedback and observe how the MVST will interact with the material.

6 So we ve prepared 2 prototypes: Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships CAPTIONS CLOAKROOM Those are based on the best instructional design practices and adjusted to our target group. Both were produced with Adobe Captivate 8.

7 Simulations are based on photos taken in the MVST environment, are in a form of short conversations with the visitor with a well developed feedback. We provide user with 4 forms of feedback: - verbal from simulation character; - non- verbal from the simulation character; - additional - we can see what the character thinks; - a summary from the expert Testing sessions. On the 14th of May 2014 there was a testing session held in the National Museum in Kraków. Two groups (14 participants) were asked to try the prototypes and share their opinion. QUESTIONS ASKED: GENERAL QUESTION FOR THE BEGINNING: What do you think about this kind of e- learning as a complementary learning material? DETAILED QUESTIONS: Do you think it will help you learn? What advantages do you see in this solution? What disadvantages do you see in this solution? Would you use it at work or at home? What else can we do to help you learn new language? FINDINGS: GENERAL FINDINGS (WHAT THE GROUP HAS SAID) they liked the material very much; they appreciated the material is exactly for them, teaching exactly what they need; they told us the material is cool; they told us the material is easy to use; they told us they feel a need for learning foreign languages;

8 they liked they can use it and practice anytime/many times; they don t have time for it; at home they have other duties, at work they have to be careful and attentive all the time; without being forced to do this, it will be hard for them (discipline); in one group they ve asked for instrucions in polish; they would like to get printed material in form of crib sheet; short and easy to use; most of them live out of the town so they don t have a quick internet connection, the material should be light and easy to stream; GENERAL FINDINGS (MY OBSERVATION) before letting people use the material, an instructor should show them how to use it; those simulations were hard/challanging for the group; INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN (WHAT THE GROUP HAS SAID) the answers are too long; INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN (MY FINDINGS) 2 ending slides are confusing - > should be changed to one slide only; some people clicked the sound icon instead of the button (button and sound icon should be separated). 5. Viability of using ICT and e- learning support in language training. The testing session showed us that well implemented ICT enhanced environment seems not to be a difficulty for MVST, and using online solution could be even very rewarding for this target group. By well implemented environment we mean: - well designed portal (good UX design, good information architecture, user- friendly); - proper support for the target group; - feasibility session with the aim to prepare the group to use the portal.

9 The most important obstacle to the ICT use is not the ICT itself but the shifting timetable and lack of time for the training neither at work nor at home. 6. Conclusion This project has proved there is a tremendous need for a language learning solution in the museum environment. We should start building a solution for the MVST having in mind that the group and their needs will change over time. Hence the solution has to be in a form of framework, which will be flexible when it comes to the content. We should start with the simulations and grammar exercises, and with the time we can develop new elements (e.g. mobile app) that will meet the needs of the target group. Beata Tworzewska Centrum e- Learningu AGH 2014 All the reference material and the multimedia simulations can be found on the project website: project.eu/