Diapositiva 1

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SeniorLearning Adapting e-learning techniques
for integrating senior citizens in the new
digital World
Ulm, 05/11/2007
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Abstract
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Abstract

• The overall goal of the SeniorLearning project,
  is train senior citizens on the practical use of
  internet, bringing them into the Information
  Society, by using
• An internet-based teaching
• An e-learning environment.
• In this paper we present the first years results
  of the SeniorLearning project
• Study and applications of pedagogical, technical
  and usability methodologies
• Approaches tailored to the needs of senior
  citizens in e-learning
• Study, application and adaptation of an
  e-learning environment
• Courses to the particularities of the target
  group
• Presentation of first draft versions of the
  SeniorLearning portal, courses and the learning
  environment
• Conclusion of good practices and recommendations
  based on the collaborative work carried out.

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OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY
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OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY

• The SeniorLearning objective was the design,
  development, testing, deployment and
  dissemination of a web based learning environment
  for senior citizens.
• with four e-learning courses as a starting
  point.
• Senior learners shall approach the use of
  computers, especially
• WWW-based ICT tools that will improve some
  aspects of their everyday life
• To know the real necessities of senior citizens
  we followed next steps
• Questionnaire for senior citizens about their
  current use of the computer and the Internet
• Questionnaire for seniors organizations about
  their experiences and wishes referring to
  computer and ICT courses.
• Identification of relevant resources (like
  national reports, studies, websites, )
• Analysis of senior citizens e-learning needs
  using the Internet in the countries of the
  project partners.
• Additionally case studies which create a
  functional environment for future evaluation of
  the efficiency of the final system by end users.

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OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY

• The next step was to define the requirements of
  the final users and the platform administrators.
• Analyze possible choices among existing Learning
  Management Systems (LMS).
• A good LMS would
• Have to provide for flexibility, portability,
  affordability and robustness
• The system should be able to deliver content in a
  comfortable fashion
• It was desirable to have a customizable system.
• Tools and the instructional design may demand
  for different usability considerations in the
  further development process.
• Following the suggested iterative design process
  these changes and adaptations have been tested
  and evaluated throughout the development process,
  taking into account the target of our project.

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SENIOR CITIZENS E-LEARNING NEEDS.
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SENIOR CITIZENS E-LEARNING NEEDS.

• The recommendations that we took into account for
  the kind of e-learning courses within the
  SeniorLearning project were
• The courses should be oriented to learn how to
  use applications that the target groups want to
  use, applications that would help in their
  everyday life.
• The courses should not be too abstract due to
  the statement that they like to learn together
  with other people in formal real world
  situations.
• Learners prefer to get know-how which means
  useful skills and not a collection of know-what.
• Content is important, as results said that
  training topics could be interests and hobbies
  use of email, online booking, etc.
• Didactics should be adapted to seniors needs and
  interests referring to trainers, age-based
  materials, methods, training and practice time
  .etc.
• Technology should be barrier free and adapted to
  their needs taking into account the usability
  recommendations.
• With the results obtained we proposed for the
  development the next aspects

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SENIOR CITIZENS E-LEARNING NEEDS Methods

• Possible methods within the SeniorLearning
  project are
• Learning management system with basic and
  advanced parts.
• Moderated courses.
• Self-learning courses (leading seniors to auto
  didactical experiments, with support of friends,
  peers or a senior network).
• Blended learning courses/groups.
• Additional printed or at least printable
  materials.
• Access to the contents also with quizzes, little
  games, etc.
• Links to other sources (e.g. Skype introduction)
  as a second resource.

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SENIOR CITIZENS E-LEARNING NEEDS General
conditions / framework

• The SeniorLearning partners decided about general
  conditions and framework
• Barrier free and easy to use software.
• Age-based terms.
• Tutorial support
• Duration of the single course, e.g. four to six
  weeks
• The age-based qualification of the moderator

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SENIOR CITIZENS E-LEARNING NEEDS Conductorship
And Institutions

• Conductorship
• The partners had to decide who will be the
  courses conductors, they decided
• courses are to be conducted by institutions,
  networks, peers.
• courses might be moderated but become
  self-learning courses as well.
• Institutions
• The institutions which migh be involved as
  partners in the SeniorLearning system are
• Senior groups, networks
• Universities of third age (U3A)
• Educational institutions with offers for seniors

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E-LEARNING COURSES
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E-LEARNING COURSES

• The main objective of SeniorLearning platform is
  to provide senior citizens the online tools to
  improve their skills in the WWW environment.
• TEACH WWW TO SENIORS WITH ONLINE TRAINING
  CHALLENGING!!!
• The final decision was to design four different
  courses, which are
• Content-oriented and tied up to seniors learning
  interests.
• Every course includes instructions about the
  SeniorLearning management system.
• The four courses are
• WWW for beginners
• Communication Through Internet
• Books on the web finding, buying, reading,
  discussing
• Plan a journey - useful information

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E-LEARNING COURSES1 WWW for Beginners

• First access to the Internet and explanation of
  the use of the browser (e.g. favourites list).
• Usual terms should be explained with practical
  examples (e.g. links).
• Seniors want to use the Internet meaningfully
  for example, the sensible use of basic functions
  of search engines
• Seniors are aware of security matters, so this
  should be content as well.
• Standard websites should be shown like news,
  practical advice sites (e.g. health, events,
  further SeniorLearning courses), etc..

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E-LEARNING COURSES2 Communication Through
Internet

• Internet as a Communication tool was pointed out
  as interest number one
• e-mail
• Instant Messaging (Chat)
• Forums
• IP Telephony (Skype)
• Purposeful use (in senior networks and projects)

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E-LEARNING COURSES3- Books on the web
finding, buying, reading, discussing

• Different possibilities of using the web,
  including technical and cooperative aspects
  referring to books as they play a central role
  for seniors.
• Use of search engines and online book stores
  finding interesting literature
• Buying books in an online store. Aspects of
  online paying and security.
• Download of eBooks
• Online discussions about the books contents with
  other seniors.

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E-LEARNING COURSES4 Plan a journey- useful
information

• Planning a journey with the help of the Internet
  and accompanying aspects.
• Finding useful websites (e.g. about travel
  destinations, booking tickets, events, but as
  well for hobbies like digital photography to
  process holiday pictures),
• Virtual exchange with other seniors about
  interesting subjects for example research by
  traveling or by web 2.0 tools (blogs, digital
  pictures online catalogues, like Flickr)
• The advanced use of search engines or web
  catalogues

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DEMANDS ON USABILITY
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DEMANDS ON USABILITY

• Definition
• Usability as defined in ISO 9241-111998 is
  understood as the "extend to which a product can
  be used by specified users to achieve specified
  goals with effectiveness, efficiency and
  satisfaction in a specified context of use
• The intention is to enable older adults to use
  online resources effectively, efficient, and
  with a positive attitude towards the medium.
• To design SeniorLearning platform we made some
  testing processes, these tests consisted of
• The initial testing was done on a standard Moodle
  environment including selected learning
  materials.
• Tests applied included a thinking aloud test with
  2 people out of the target group and a heuristic
  evaluation using the AARP heuristics.
• These tests gave basic hints about
• Very essential adaptations to be made on the
  platform
• Getting information on advantages and
  disadvantages of certain types of learning
  materials.

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DEMANDS ON USABILITY - Design Considerations

• Visual Design field Avoid the use of serif,
  novelty, and display typefaces. Use 12 point or
  14 point type size for body text. Use medium or
  bold face type. Present body text in upper and
  lowercase letters. Use all capital letters and
  italics in headlines only. Reserve underlining
  for links.
• Scrolling Avoid scrolling text.
• Colour Avoid yellow and blue and green in close
  proximity as these colours and juxtapositions are
  difficult for some older adults to discriminate.
  Use dark type or graphics against a light
  background, or white lettering on a black or
  dark-coloured background. Avoid patterned
  backgrounds. Warm colours and harmonic colour
  schemes are more suitable than cold colours and
  strange colour combinationsetc.
• Buttons and Styles Buttons should be logically
  arranged. They should be large enough (the same
  applies to symbols and text used for them). An
  easy to read fontetc.
• Language and Terminology Present information in
  a clear and familiar way. Use the active voice.
  Write short, straightforward sentences, etc.

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DEMANDS ON USABILITY - adaptation of the AARP
heuristics

• An adaptation of the AARP heuristics was applied
  to the draft versions of the four courses that
  were developed.
• Some of the questions of this heuristic test are
  related to
• the visibility of system status
• match between system and the real world
• navigation support
• help and documentation
• message design, etc.
• The results of these tests will be fed into the
  final version of the courses.

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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM
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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM

• To decide with LMS we were going to use to
  implement SeniorLearning platform we had to
  analyse the possible choices among existing LMSs.
  
• A good LMS will had to provide for flexibility,
  portability, affordability and robustness.
• We decided to use a modified version of Moodle to
  implement SeniorLearning. Moodle offers
• It Is open source free software e-learning
  platform designed to help educators to create
  online courses.
• Its modular design allows us for customizing the
  functionality of the system
• A personalization of the moodle interface to
  adapt it to the usability recommendations and
  users requirements, has been carried out.

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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM - Moodle CSS Style Sheet

• Taking into account the usability
  recommendations, the first adaptation that we
  carried out was to modify the Moodle CSS Style
  Sheet
• Created a new theme for all the platform.
• Modify the header of the platform, introducing
  our logo.
• Increase the size of the logos, to ensure that
  people can see them clearly.
• Use a Trebuchet sans serif typeface (Arial,
  Verdana, Helvetica etc.) that is not condensed.
• Use 12 point type size for body text and 18
  point type size for the headers or 14.

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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM - Moodle CSS Style Sheet
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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM - Moodle Login Page

• We also adapted the default login page, because
  it contained too much useless information and
  options that might confuse senior users.
• The SeniorLearning login page, only present at
  the centre of the page the option to introduce
  the user name and password, like the next figure
  shows

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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM - Content Distribution

• Moodle usually presents the content in three
  columns.
• The right and left columns are used to set
  different activity or announcements blocks, and
  the central part is used for the content.
• We decided that is more usable for the users,
  only have to columns,
• the left one for all the general blocks,
• the central one for the course content.
• So the aspect of the content of one of the
  courses looks like this

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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM - Content Distribution
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SENIORLEARNING PLATFORM - Roles

• In order to obtain the collaborative capability,
  the SeniorLearning platform hosts different roles
  to be assigned to users, where each role has
  different capabilities and permissions.
• These roles are
• Administrator Administrators will be able to
  administer users, courses, languages, etc.
• Course Creator Course creators will create new
  courses, and translate them to different
  languages.
• Peer Tutor Peer Tutors will moderate classrooms,
  forums, will post activities and provide feedback
  to students.
• Student students will sign up and learn contents
  of courses.

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FUTURE WORK AND FINAL CONCLUSIONS
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FUTURE WORK

• Taking into account the requirements of the
  project, and all the usability recommendations,
  we have set up an online alpha version of
  SeniorLearning platform with the 4 proposed
  courses.
• This version is really available online to be
  tested by partners and final users. It is hosted
  in the classroom section of www.seniorlearning.eu
  
• We will proceed to evolve seniorlearning into a
  beta version, by incorporating
• Content and usability enhancements
• Interactive introduction to courses using video
  and animation
• A collaborative version of courses, where peer
  tutors can monitor and help
• Methodology prepare activities for the courses
  (simple flash activity games, collaborative
  activities, etc) and a detailed text and video
  guideline for the tutor to be able to set up a
  course
• Courses content will be translated to different
  languages (we will start from Norwegian), and
  will validate the usability, content and
  methodology of seniorlearning in real
  environments (Adult school in Oslo- Strömmen
  Vidregående Skole)

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FINAL CONCLUSIONS

• The purpose of the project is two fold
• to deliver the first multilingual learning
  environment for seniors which teaches tools and
  resources of the Internet, to be hosted in
  www.seniorlearning.eu
• to deliver a formal set of recommendations and
  good practices of what we will have learned
  during this development.
• We are reaching Month 12 of this Grundtvig
  Project and we have one more year to try to meet
  this ambitious purpose
• A good multidisciplinary partnership, what we
  have, is key for the success of such a project
• To know more about the progress of the project,
  please check www.seniorlearning.eu
• To have more information or propose ideas or
  actions, please contact mre felip.miralles_at_cric.c
  at

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Thanks