The future of Virtual Learning Environments and Technology Enhanced Learning
Dr Daniel ThiemertIntelligent Systems Research Laboratory
School of Systems Engineering University of Reading, UK
www: http://www.isr.reading.ac.uke-mail: [email protected]
What is the workshop about
• About TEL and VLE- For what?- Why?
• Latest trends- Adaptive learning environments- Competency-based learning (at the work place)- Some examples and demos
• How you can get involved• All interspersed with some questions to and from you
Technology Enhanced Learning Now
• Very well established in the industry• Continuing education on almost any subject• State of the art and practice is Blended Learning• Estimated worldwide market volume 2014 > 95,000 Mio $
• Example: Turnover in Germany: • 523 Mio € in 2012• 582 Mio € in 2013 (+13.5%)
TEL and VLE
• VLE is part of TEL• Two main streams
- Learning (Management) Systems• To enhance the learning experience directly, e.g. usability, content, etc.• Really what the learner sees
- Leaning Analytics• To enhance the offerings by analysing
- how students/cohorts perform - Where there might be problems in the course design (e.g. many
students fail a particular assignment)- But also give feedback to the student with respect to where he is
standing compared to the cohort- Information therefore used both by the student as well as the
teacher/organisation
Why VLE and TEL?
• Well…- Technology is ever more present in every day life, so it is only
natural for it to find its way into the education sector- Students do not only want to learn in school (that is, if they are
motivated)• AAA Access: Anything, Anytime, Anywhere to learning content• Support for home assignments• ...
• Classic distance learning (Open University)• Regulatory Requirements FELTAG Recommendation• Virtual Learning Environments can support personalised learning improved learner experience- Adaptive Learning Environments (will come back to that in a
bit)
Questions (from me)
• Are you using any learning management systems?- Moodle, Blackboard,…?
• What are your experiences?- The good- The bad- And the Ugly
Future of Technology Enhanced Learning
Innovation is just around the corner:• New content paradigms
- Serious games and gamification- Simulation and immersion, 3D, AR
• New interaction paradigms- Non-touch interfaces- Multi-touch interfaces
• New delivery paradigms- Mobile learning- Micro learning, assistance systems- Learning on the spot
• New organizational paradigms- Massive(ly) Open Online Courses- Small scale Open Educational Resources
• New Learning Machines- Making use of analytics
Why Adaptive Learning Environments ?
• Pedagogical Reason- Different learners are not equal- Pedagogically different learning pathways through the same
content of a Knowledge Domain- Teachers are adaptive
• Business Reason- Different learners do not need to learn the same stuff- Situation and role dependent learning within a Knowledge
Domain
• Societal Reason- More and more „smart“ systems coming up- Individualization and personalization of learning
…and / but
• Learners cannot always be left to decide for themselves in which order to access learning content- Completely free learning needs a lot of discipline- Needs knowledge of what is to come in the learning
content• Chaotic learning is not as efficient as structured learning
- Some guidance is needed, based on some factors
Adaptive Learning Environments
• Is all about adapting to the specific learner’s needs• Adaptive Learning Environments are quite well understood.
- Dating back to 1977- much technical progress in recent years
• but huge gap between research and practical usage
Why this gap ?
• Most advanced systems not available for large user groups- Adaptive engines difficult to implement in standard LMSKeep the adaptive engine outside the LMS
• Cognitive modeling of content is rather difficultKeep the pedagogical knowledge, the domain knowledge and
the instructional media separated
• Pedagogical models are abundant – but rarely formalized Allow for a higher expressiveness of description
• Humans do not like to be part of a computer program Conscious decision of the learner in any learning step
How can this be improved ?
Good learning is well structured !• 1st level = lecture level
- Informationally and didactically closed pieces- Labeled Concept Container CC
• 2nd level = Knowledge Object KO level- KOs may be differentiated according to various factors
• Pedagogical concept- Introduction, Historical Overview, Current State, Summary
• Role and Situation- Technical Expert or Manager ? Fast or slow ?
• Personal Needs- Handicap ? Age ? Gender ? Culture ? Motivation ?
Example Didactics
Math for primary school educationCC are:• The Basics of Numbers
- 3 KO
• Basic Arithmetic Operations- 3 KO
• Addition- 4 KO
• Subtraction- 4 KO
Learning Pathways
• The alignment of CCs for a learner is called a macro learning pathway MLP- chronologically
forward/backward- physics/society - manager/technician
• The alignment of KOs in every CC is called a micro learning pathway µLP- Exx: Inquiry Based or Multi
Stage Learning- Exx: High/Low bandwidth
An example of Personalisation
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuysRWqAHC4
… so
• Personalisation happens based on some factors- Learning history- Learning environment- Personal needs and preferences
• Factors are called didactic factors (developed by educational experts)- However: still very much in the research phase
• Need to establish how they influence the learner experience• Prioritisation• Etc.
Learning Management Systens
Some Prototypes
• http://portal.intuitel-classroom.eu/
Questions to you
• How would you use such a system in your domain?
• Do you see this as useful, from a teacher perspective?
• Comments?
Learning Analytics
• To enhance the offerings by analysing - how students/cohorts perform - Where there might be problems in the course design (e.g.
many students fail a particular assignment)- But also give feedback to the student with respect to where he
is standing compared to the cohort- Information therefore used both by the student as well as the
teacher/organisation• Only established in the last couple of years• Mainly focusing on cohort analysis
Competency based learning
• Much more applicable to a setting that includes workplace-based learning / vocational training
• Entrustable Professional Activity
• Task based instead of construct based approach
• Crucial question: would I entrust this candidate unsupervised with this task? (with my sick mother, animal or teach my daughter/son…)
• An EPA is a task that an individual can be trusted to perform unsupervised, in a given professional context, once sufficient competence has been demonstrated.
What to do with Learning Analytics
Assessment Tools
Analytics
Feedback to:• Student• Teacher/Supervisor
Types of Feedback
• Where are - you doing well- You need improvements
• What to focus on next
• To Supervisor:- How are the students overall doing- Are there any flaws in the course- What to focus on
Questions to you
• How would you use such a system in your domain?
• Do you see this as useful, from a teacher perspective?
• Comments?
How you can get involved
• Why:- You can steer the research and development- You can get access to latest technology- And… there is funding available.
• EU is funding within its H2020 programme “Technologies for better human learning”- Subscribe to http://www.ideal-ist.eu/- Regularly partner searches are sent around in various domains
• ERASMUS+ actions on learning• Funding usually 100% of staff cost plus some 25% overhead• If you can, go to relevant information and networking days to make
contacts- There might be travel costs, but the benefits usually outweigh these
Final Points
• What do you expect from VLE and TEL?
• How do you see the future?
• What other application areas (apart from just learning)?- Career Management- …
Thank you
Dr Daniel ThiemertIntelligent Systems Research Lab (ISR)
School of Systems EngineeringUniversity of Reading
Whiteknights, RG6 6AY UKPhone: 00 44 118 378 7842
Fax: 00 44 118 975 [email protected], www.isr.reading.ac.uk