Lab Group Roundtable July 2005

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Lab Group Roundtable July 2005 Harnessing
technology to personalise the learning
experience Diana Laurillard, Head of the
e-Learning Strategy Unit Department for Education
and Skills, UK
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Our aims for a 21st century system
Skills
Children
Secondary
Post-16
through our strategies for reform
Primary
14-19
HE
will need the contributions ICT and e-learning
can make
ICT in Schools Strategy
Post-16 e-Learning Strategy
Higher Ed e-Learning Strategy
Every Child Matters
through sector-based actions
An integrated online information service for all
citizens Integrated online learning and personal
support for children and learners A collaborative
approach to personalised learning activities A
good quality ICT training and support package for
practitioners A leadership and development
package for organisational capability in ICT A
common digital infrastructure to support
transformation and reform
all under-pinned by the priority system actions.
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Our aims for a 21st century system
Skills
Children
Secondary
Post-16
through our strategies for reform
Primary
14-19
HE
will need the contributions ICT and e-learning
can make
Harnessing Technology Transforming Learning and
Childrens Services
ICT in Schools Strategy
Post-16 e-Learning Strategy
Higher Ed e-Learning Strategy
Every Child Matters
through sector-based actions
An integrated online information service for all
citizens Integrated online learning and personal
support for children and learners A collaborative
approach to personalised learning activities A
good quality ICT training and support package for
practitioners A leadership and development
package for organisational capability in ICT A
common digital infrastructure to support
transformation and reform
all under-pinned by the priority system actions.
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Challenging objectives for e-learning

• Transform teaching and learning through
  personalisation
• Reach out to hard-to-reach groups
• Open up education to wider partnerships
• Achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness

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System priorities for an e-learning strategy
An integrated online information service for all
citizens Integrated online learning and personal
support for learners A collaborative approach to
personalised learning activities An ICT training
and support package for professors A leadership
package for organisational capability in ICT A
common digital infrastructure to support
transformation
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Where is research needed?
The contribution of personalisation to the
learners journey
Personalised needs analysis Access to information
and guidance
Assessment when ready Formative feedback Progress
files and e-portfolios
Adaptive, interactive learning environments Adapti
ng to learning style and pace Personalised
feedback and support
Partnerships offering flexible courses, modes,
locations and patterns of study
Curriculum choice through partnerships Provider
flexibility and online support
Early years School Adult skills HE
Personalised needs-benefits analysis Links to
informal learning opportunities Access to advice
and guidance
at any age
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Where is research needed?
Personalised needs analysis Access to information
and guidance
Assessment when ready Formative feedback Progress
files and e-portfolios
Adaptive, interactive learning environments Adapti
ng to learning style and pace Personalised
feedback and support
Partnerships offering flexible courses, modes,
locations and patterns of study
Curriculum choice through partnerships Provider
flexibility and online support
Personalised needs-benefits analysis Links to
informal learning opportunities Access to advice
and guidance
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Basic Action Planning Mgt RD
research
Where is research needed?
Personalised needs analysis Access to information
and guidance
Assessment when ready Formative feedback Progress
files and e-portfolios
Adaptive, interactive learning environments Adapti
ng to learning needs Personalised feedback and
support
Partnerships offering flexible courses, modes,
locations and patterns of study
Curriculum choice through partnerships Provider
flexibility and online support
Personalised needs-benefits analysis Links to
informal learning opportunities Access to advice
and guidance
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Priority 3 A collaborative approach to
personalised learning activities
Enable teachers and professors to create, adapt,
re-use and share resources Promote innovation by
developing flexible learning activity design
tools Review and update the curriculum and
qualifications to reflect the impact of
technology on learning and meet market needs in
e-skills for employment.
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Actions on personalising learning activities
include
Action Promote innovation by developing flexible
learning activity design tools ensuring that
e-learning products are based on robust evidence
of effective learning and teaching. Milestones Na
tional framework of standards for pedagogical
quality, accessibility, and safety, and
development process criteria available online by
2006 A cross-sector e-learning innovation
co-ordinating group in place, with appropriate
representation, to develop business models and a
cross-sector innovation fund, enabling
procurement of e-learning activities customisable
for different sectors and learner needs, for
2005 Programme of research on learning and
pedagogy established by Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Economic
and Social Research Council (ESRC) by 2006
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• We must move to the next generation of e-learning
  products that empower teachers and lecturers to
  be creative and innovative in their approach to
  pedagogy
• Basic research should be theory-driven
• Action research should be practice-driven
• Planning and management should be policy-driven

What theory??...
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There is a common thread
in the development of our understanding of
learning
- the learner as active agent in the learning
process
- the learner as active agent in the learning
process
John Dewey Jean Piaget Lev Vygotsky Jerome
Bruner Paulo Freire Gordon Pask Terry
Winograd Seymour Papert Lauren Resnick John Seely
Brown Ference Marton John Biggs Jean Lave
Inquiry-based education Constructivism Mediated
learning Discovery learning Learning as
problematization Learning as conversation Problem-
based learning Reflective practice Meta-cognition
Experiential learning Learner-oriented
approach Social constructivism Situated learning
1890 . . 1940 . . 1960 . . 1980 . . 2000 . .
share a common conception of the learning process
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What counts as active learning?
Inquiry-based education Constructivism Mediated
learning Discovery learning Learning as
conversation Problem-based learning Reflective
practice Meta-cognition Experiential
learning Learner-oriented approach Social
constructivism Situated learning

• Learners need to be
• engaged in goal-oriented tasks
• practising skills
• exploring and experimenting
• using feedback to adapt actions
• discussing what they do
• reflecting on what happens
• articulating what happens

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What are flexible learning activity design
tools?
There is a parallel with traditional study plans
which are essentially learning activity design
tools
And with traditional learning resources which
are essentially like learning objects or
digital assets
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Study plan for introducing a new concept
Illustrate the need for the concept
(imaginary numbers, government, energy)
Individual work on ideas for doing without
it Class discussion Demonstrate definition and
use of concept Group work on exercises using the
concept Class questions and answers Summary with
illustrations Preview objectives of next lesson
Demonstrate definition and use of concept
Presentation of the method/application with
examples Class questions and answers Individual
work on simple exercises to practise use Pairs
compare and discuss answers Demonstration of
correct approach Summary with illustrations
These are the pedagogical design tools teachers
are familiar with
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The e-learning version a learning activity
design tool populated with digital assets
Define the learning sequence using an activity
design tool
Individual exercise Group discussion to compare
results of individual activity Attend to
definition and use of concept Group work on
practical exercise Class questions and
answers Summary with illustrations Preview
objectives of next lesson
Individual exercise
select from existing digital assets
Construct elicitation for a set of objects Find
a target value in a simulation Rehearse an
interpretive observation exercise Practise a
procedure . . .
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Author defines question and resource links
Activity sequences stored for re-use and
sharing with colleagues
Authoring environment for an online discussion
activity
Author creates sequence by linking activities
Drag and drop activity tools to create sequences
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Findings from initial pilots
Stimulates reflection on pedagogy Supports
activity-based learning Promotes collaborative
learning and discussion Scaffolds the development
of autonomous learning Gives learners an insight
into real learning, with no right
answers Fosters collaboration between
staff Gives staff a sense of ownership
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Transforming teaching and learning
Enable teachers to drive design Challenge use of
technology from pedagogic theory Keep activities
format and resources separate Transfer pedagogic
design through activities format Train staff in
use of flexible learning activity design tools
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Priority 4 A good quality ICT training and
support package for practitioners
Provide initial training, professional
development, and access, to support the high
quality use of ICT and e-learning, through
guidance and exemplars Support subject-based
collaboration across sectors via online networks
of teachers, trainers and professors Encourage
transfer of good practice in evaluating the use
of ICT to improve learning and teaching across
the education inspectorates Encourage and
recognise good practice in the use of ICT through
professional recognition and accreditation
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And at HE sector level, actions on ICT training
and support include
Action Ensure that research in e-learning and the
pedagogy of subject teaching is given full
recognition. Milestones Research in e-learning
and the pedagogy of subject teaching to be fully
recognised within subject panels by 2007-08.
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Challenging objectives for e-learning

• Transform teaching and learning through
  personalisation
• Reach out to hard-to-reach groups
• Open up education to wider partnerships
• Achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness

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Achieving the vision
In five years we can build the common ground
that brings all our education services to the
point of using technology well In ten years
building on new capabilities and appetite for
innovation,
we could be anywhere
- depending on our ambition and imagination
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Harnessing Technology Transforming Learning and
Childrens Services
www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/e-strategy
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Case study HE Industry partnerships
Key actions
Impact
Situation
Created an environment with virtual buildings,
reception areas, personal offices, common rooms,
and project rooms. Offered partnerships between
academia, public sector organisations and
businesses. Provided access to research,
efficient document management, a powerful search
engine, regular alerts and expert links.
A first-class learning environment was achieved
where learners can access online resources when
they need them. Researchers in academia and
industry can work together more easily.
The Virtual Science Park at the University of
Leeds provides on line support for research
networks, professional and graduate learning and
out-reach activity.
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Access to online Law courses

• High demand across E Sussex colleges
• Only Sussex Downs College has a AS Law tutor
• Developed online resources for own and other
  school and college students
• Online resource, tasks, tests, and tutor
  support, as well as f2 support
• Interactive tests provide immediate feedback and
  guidance

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Results

• Online support helped to increase the students
  ability to manage their own learning
  independently.
• In 2003 100 of the students (both those who
  studied the course at the college and those who
  studied online) passed the AS level course.
• The college plans to offer AS Law to other
  colleges and schools
• Seeking funding to develop further ten AS level
  courses on-line using the same model.