Approaches To ELearning: The Users Perspective

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Approaches To E-LearningThe Users Perspective

• Brian Kelly
• UKOLN
• University of Bath
• Bath, BA2 7AY

• Contents
• Session Aims
• Hands-on Session
• Discussion

Email B.Kelly_at_ukoln.ac.uk URL http//www.ukoln.ac.
uk/
UKOLN is supported by
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Session Aims

• The aims of this session are
• To gain hands-on experience of key e-learning
  technologies
• To reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the
  tools
• To help to identify the technologies which may be
  appropriate for use in your organisation

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Hands-On Exercises

• You should now
• Work through the exercises in the handout
• Work in pairs and discuss your findings
• Start at different points in the handout
• Exercise 1 Online Tutorial
• Exercise 2 Instant Messaging
• Exercise 5 Application Areas (Blogs Wikis)
• Exercise 10 Formats (Flash SMIL)
• Exercise 11 Learning Environments
• Bookmark lthttp//www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events
  /workshops/trieste-2004/urlsgt as this contains
  links to the resources in the handout

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Updates
E

• In exercise 8.4 you can use
• Seedwiki at lthttp//www.seedwiki.com/gt
• Swiki at lthttp//www.swiki.net/lisbk/ICTP-2004/1
  gt
• Use username / account ID ICTP-2004

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Discussion

• Have you come across anything new?
• Are there any technologies which seem very
  useful?
• Are there any technologies which disappoint you?

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Using An Online Tutorial
Exercise 1

• The Virtual Training Suite (VTS)
• Funded by the JISC for the UK Higher/ Further
  Education sector
• Initially covered small range of subject areas,
  but due to popularity, coverage extended
• Learning approach embedded (discover, review
  reflect)

What did you like about it and what could be
improved?
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Using Instant Messaging (IM)
Exercise 2 3

• Youve used the MSN Messenger Instant Messaging
  (IM) software
• IM can provide immediacy not available with email
• IM can provide addition features, such as sharing
  applications
• IM can be very interruptive
• IM software is not interoperable (MSN and AOL IDs
  cant easily communicate)

What did you like about IM and what could be
improved?
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Using Jabber Instant Messaging
Exercise 4

• Jabber
• Open source IM initiative, with variety of
  clients servers
• Not reliant on organisations such as Microsoft
  and AOL
• Currently limited functionality
• Interesting ideas under development such as
  BuddySpace from the Open University (UK)

What did you like about Jabber and what could be
improved?
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Using A Bulletin Board
Exercise 5

• phpBB
• A bulletin board application
• Open source
• Growing in popularity
• How do I find out about such forums?
• Is the data locked away?

What did you like about phpBB and what could be
improved?
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Using A Blog
Exercise 6

• Blog (Web log)
• An online diary
• Easy-to-use software for creating Blogs
• Often use open standards (e.g. RSS)
• Can be used
• For student learning logs
• To develop collective memory on courses

http//www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html
A blog is basically a journal that is available
on the web. The activity of updating a blog is
"blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a
"blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily
using software that allows people with little or
no technical background to update and maintain
the blog.
What role can Blogs have in e-learning?
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Wikis
Exercise 8

• A Wiki
• Collaboratively-edited Web site
• A Wiki
• Avoids need for students to spend valuable time
  in learning HTML tools
• Develops community working and trust

What role can Wikis have in e-learning?
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Orkut Social Network
Exercise 9

• Orkut
• Example of a social network
• Social networks
• Further developcommunity working
• Can be importance in distance learning and remote
  support

What role can social networks have in e-learning?
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Flash
Exercise 10

• Flash
• Popular file format for creating interactive Web
  resources
• Note
• Flash is a proprietary format
• Does not easily integrate with W3C architecture
• Problems withaccessibility

What are the advantages and disadvantages of
Flash?
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SMIL And SVG
Exercise 10

• SMIL and SVG
• Open standards for synchronised multimedia and
  vector graphics
• Based on XML
• But
• How mature are they?
• Are tools and expertise readily available?
• Do they have a role to play in your e-learning
  environment?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of
SMIL?
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MTS Open Courseware
Exercise 12

• Why bother developing e-learning resources?
• It is expensive
• You might be better using your scarce resources
  for other activities
• Quality e-learning resources are available for
  free!
• But
• The learning resource isn't the only factor
• Learning support is also needed

What other issues did you consider?
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VLEs
Exercise 13

• VLEs
• Virtual Learning Environments
• Is this the solution to your e-learning?
• How do you go about evaluating VLEs?
• Or should you using CMSs, Blogs, Wikis, to
  develop your own e-learning environment?

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MLEs
Exercise 14

• MLE
• Managed Learning Environment
• "refers to the whole range of information systems
  and processes of a college or university
  (including its VLE if it has one) that contribute
  directly, or indirectly, to learning and the
  management of that learning."lthttp//www.jisc.ac.
  uk/index.cfm?namemle_overviewgt
• A VLE can be one component of an MLE

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MSc Healthcare Informatics (1)
Exercise 14

• Applicants will need
• Information about course, requirements, costs,
  support,
• Advice on technical requirements for (a) online
  application process (b) course itself

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MSc Healthcare Informatics (2)
Exercise 14

• Students will need information on
• Course
• Progress
• Fellow students
• Support

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MSc Healthcare Informatics (3)
Exercise 14

• Course administrators will need to monitor
• Course modules
• Students' progress
• Posting to bulletin boards
• Support queries

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MSc Healthcare Informatics (3)
Exercise 14

• Course administrators will need to monitor
• Students' progress
• Posting to bulletin boards
• Support queries

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Questions