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Engaging Learning experiences
For the ELIXIR eLearning Workshop
Pedro L. FernandesInstituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
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Engaging Learning experiences
OutlineThe need for engagementPast and present experience: ●How they were inspired●Examples
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For the individual learner
Learning is a navigation experience
Instruction is essentiallyguidance to allowfor exploration
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Bioinformatics
The navigation experience is a hard challenge for bothlearners and providers
Can we do it in aformal class environment?
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Learning in Lectures
A class at the University of Bologna, by Laurentius de Voltolina)
No guidance
No navigation
Total disengagement
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Formal Lectures
Low efficiencyNo interaction No engagement
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Training requires proximity to ensure engagement
Proximity is relatively easy to happen in small learning environments
It is difficult to induce it in distributed environments
- Geographical- Time deferred
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Is eLearning the way out?
Quality eLearning is an option that requires area-specific design and production methods.
Some are difficult, most are labour-intensive
It must be worth-while to opt for it
Underestimating the effort in choosing the design methods and refining the production may easily result in bad quality products
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Is eLearning the way out?
The ongoing movement to transform learning encompasses eLearning provision, but also distance learning, blended learning, etc.
Learner-centered provision is the targetOpen Educational Resources are the modus faciendi
This transformation has most of its roots in the Connectivist learning model started in the 1990's by George Siemens and Stephen Downes, who were the creators of the first MOOC
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Connectivism
Connectivism is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity and self-organization theories. Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual.
Learning (defined as actionable knowledge) can reside outside of ourselves (within an organization or a database), is focused on connecting specialized information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing.
“Knowing Knowledge”, George Siemens 2006
http:www.elearnspace.org/KnowingKnowledge_LowRes.pdfGeorge Siemens
Stephen Downes
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Flipped Class (Aaron Sams e Jonathan Bergman)
Flipped-Class, a model initially created in a high school, based on integrally replacing lectures by videos and bringing home assignments to the class for group problem solving under supervision
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Flipped Class has spreaded
Aaron Sams in a class
The same techniques are applicable at all levels
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Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur)
The MOOCs have also been inspired by the pioneering work of Eric Mazur from Harvard , who noted that lectures were very ineffective “one way” vehicles for information delivery while education is (requires) a lot more
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Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur)
Education is knowledge provision, not information transfer. It is much more about making good use of the information out there (everywhere). Successful teaching activity consist of facilitating the sedimentation of connected concepts in the brains of learners.
Traditional student performace indicators are misleading. They measure the capacity to solve problems by patter matching. They cannot measure the understanding of concepts and the capacity to make use of them.
In a good learning environment, learners become optimally placed to provide learning to their peers.
“Peer Instruction: A User's Manual”, E.Mazur 1997“Confessions of a Converted Lecturer" , video http://youtu.be/85m0n3fQHRc
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MOOCs
MOOC poster April 4, 2013 by Mathieu Plourde licensed CC-BY on Flickr
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Distance Learning (Salman Khan )
● Salman Khan, started to share content freely in short videos and created the Khan Academy
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Distance Learning (Salman Khan )
More than 7000 short videos; wide range of subjects; assisted learning paths.
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Adaptive Learning
Knewton has started an innovative way of delivering learning content that is adaptive
José Ferreira
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When is eLearning provision worth the effort?
Large geographical dispersion of learners?
Modularization of content?
Asynchronous needs?
Seeking the benefits of interactivity?
Adaptable learning paths?
Recognition of learning achivements?
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eLearning in Bioinformatics Training?
Highly diverse audiences, difficult to tailor
Most of the content is fast evolving
- complex planning
- high maintenance cost
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What can be done to set ELIXIR off in the eLearning direction(s)
One may start gaining experience by using engaging techniques and testing them with a variety of audiences.
Some examples:● Discussion rooms in distance learning● Gamification / Interactive content● Active instant feedback● Dual audiences, remote training rooms
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Distance Learning with interaction
Medical School, University of Porto
250 students, >200 distant
Challenge: keep the same level of interaction for all students regardless of location.
Challenge: production of eLearning materials, interactive quizzes, SCORM for LMS
Highlighted Achievement: ONLINE discussion of clinical cases
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Distance Learning with interaction
Teach ECG interpretation
Small tutorials recorded in an improvised studio
Learning path defined by an overarching quizz
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Distance Learning with interaction
Teach auscultation
Learning tool with a graphical torso and library of real sounds
Training achieved by memorising sound patterns and locations,as well as associated pathologies
Listening repeatedly as much as needed
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Training with distant audiences
Traininrg Room in ??? Training Room in Oeiras, PT
SoundSlidesWhite boardFile sharingQ&A + chatVoting
SoundSlidesWhite boardFile sharingQ&A + chatVoting
Conferencing software
Bidirectional Video Call(Skype?)
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Training Assistant
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Software supported learning tools
Mind maps are being used to summarise recently acquired knowledge and to provide inquiry tools
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Software supported learning tools
Mind maps, also to provide inquiry tools
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Software supported learning tools
Mind maps, also to provide inquiry tools
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Web-based feedback tools
On fixed or mobile platforms, indifferently
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Badges for recognition
Recording learner and instructor achevements in the form of an electronic token
Can be easily attached to Cvs or job applications
Can be displayed publicly and endorsed
Good experiences with Mozilla Open Badges
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Microlearning
Breakdown of learning content so that it may fit short videos with narration.
This is being experimented by modifying existing training exercises
Tests with the new material will begin in early 2016.
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Distance and eLearning WS
For the last 5 years,a workshop to discuss the use of technology in adult education and training has been held in Oeiras, PT.
An informal research group has been created
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Bibliography
E-LEARNING Provocateur
https://ryan2point0.wordpress.com/