Learning Design
eLearning Papers 27 Designing for learning. Published!
This 27th edition of eLearning Papers focuses on learning design, with the aim of clarifying and disseminating different perspectives and practices in the field.
The articles in this issue's In-depth section address how to best understand and use learning design, both in terms of tools and methodologies. The first pair of articles look at practical conceptualisations of learning design, supported by case examples. Dobozy's paper offers a three-tiered categorisation of learning design, while Buendía-García and Benlloch-Dualde's study attempts to track patterns in different learning scenarios and applies them to new learning design contexts. The second pair of articles reviews blended teaching or the increased participation of students in designing learning. Cameron and Tanti look at the usefulness of social media in authorising students to actively design their learning processes and Ligorio reviews six years of experimentation with a Blended Collaborative Constructive Participation (BCCP) model at the university level.
In From the Field, two classroom models are shared. Each report offers an example of teachers who have taken personalised approaches to integrating learning design strategies into their every day practices.
Taken together the articles in this special issue provide an up to date and authoritative overview of the field of learning design research and demonstrate the diversity of research that is going on in this area. “Designing for learning is the key challenge facing education today – practitioners need guidance and support to ensure that their design is pedagogically informed and effective, making innovative use of the affordances that new technologies offer” (Conole, G. Designing for learning in an open world, New York: Springer)
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Typologies of Learning Design and the introduction of a “LD-Type 2” case example
This paper explores the need for greater clarity in the conceptualisation of Learning Design (LD). Building on Cameron’s (2010) work, a three-tiered LD architecture is introduced. It is argued that this conceptualisation is needed in order to advance the emerging field of LD as applied to education research.
This classification differentiates between LD as a concept (LD Type 1), LD as a process (LD Type 2), and LD as a product (LD Type 3). The usefulness of the three types is illustrated by a case example of a virtual history fieldtrip module constructed in LAMS as Type 2 LD. This case shows the workflow from LD Type 1 to LD Type 2, followed by LD Type 3 research and development data. History as a learning area was chosen in this paper for its ability to illustrate LD concepts and the interrelationship of LD types.
The case serves to illustrate the foundations, scope and ambitions of this learning design project, which was underpinned by an educational psychology framework and firmly linked to the goals of the new Australian curriculum. The purpose of LD as process is to inform other teachers of the affordance of LD, providing contextualised data and to invite critique of particular TEL practices.
Using patterns to design technology-enhanced learning scenarios
Research on designing for learning is a field that has concentrated a lot of efforts in the context of technology-enhanced settings. This scenario has demonstrated the need to represent learning scenarios using a more formal perspective.
This paper reviews some representation mechanisms which enable the systematic design of learning issues in technological settings, and proposes an approach that applies pattern notations in an effort to better understand and prepare for different learning context.
A case study is also described to show the application of these scenarios in a specific technology-enhanced setting for teaching computing curricula. This application is based on the use of digital ink technologies and demonstrates how patterns may be able to mediate between pedagogical and technical issues.
Students as learning designers: Using social media to scaffold the experience
The ‘students as learning designers’ approach challenges transmission models of pedagogy and requires teachers to relinquish some control to their students so that they might have the space to experiment and discover how to learn.
This paper outlines the findings of two studies that allowed students to explore new ways of learning, where they were encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, and outlines what potential social media tools may have in facilitating this experience. These projects demonstrate that when students are empowered to design their own learning activities, they can deeply engage in the learning process.
Blended Collaborative Constructive Participation (BCCP): A model for teaching in higher education
The Blended Collaborative Constructive Participation (BCCP) model is a university teaching model built upon six years of experimentation.
Through a flexible structure and a set of six types of activities, the aim of this model is to put into practice a series of already well-established pedagogical principles, such as the Community of Learners, the Community of Practice, the socio-constructivist dimension, the dialogical perspective, and knowledge building.
A three-level system is presented as an assessment tool for web-forum discussions, organized around the contents of the course. This system is meant to be used by teachers and by students to monitor and support the evolution of the discussion.
Knowledge-building: Designing for learning using social and participatory media
This report presents the results of a classroom action research that looked at how one teacher redesigned her curriculum while integrating social media, Web 2.0 and face-to-face teaching in an Australian public high school.
It explores the qualities that social and participatory media bring to the classroom while focussing on students as active and valued participants in the learning process. Building knowledge using the uniqueness of social media enabled students to become active and valued resources for both the teacher and their peers. Designing for learning is a key challenge facing education today; this case offers ideas for learning designers and contributes to a research base that can support educators from all sectors.
Creating Invitational Online Learning Environments Using Art-Based Learning Interventions
Effective online learning environments are inviting; infused with respect, trust, intentionality, and optimism (Purkey, 2007).
Arts-based learning interventions like Reflective Poetry, Minute at the Movies Analysis, “Our Community” Soap Scenes, and Theme Songs facilitate invitational online classes. These inexpensive, adaptable interventions enhance learning environments by encouraging human connections and creativity.
Recipes for Systemic Change
This book explores the Helsinki Design Lab Studio Model, a unique way of bringing together the right people, a carefully framed problem, a supportive place, and an open-ended process to craft an integrated vision and sketch the pathway towards strategic improvement. It's particularly geared towards problems that have no single owner.
Universidade de Aveiro lança projecto Geometrix
O Projecto Geometrix, inserido no Grupo Álgebra e Geometria do Centro de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Matemática e Aplicações (CIDMA), é um projecto interdisciplinar agregando matemáticos, informáticos, educadores e desenhadores gráficos, dirigido aos diversos graus de Ensino com o objectivo de desenvolver novos ambientes de aprendizagem assistidos por computador.
Este projecto abrange duas vertentes, uma ligada à investigação nas áreas de Matemática, Inteligência Artificial e Educação Matemática tendo em vista a concepção de metodologias, arquitectura de sistemas e desenvolvimento de ferramentas computacionais para o ensino e a aprendizagem da Matemática, com ênfase na Geometria, e outra associada à produção de software educativo. Aglutina os seguintes sub-projectos:
- Ecotoons: software educativo de Matemática para o 1.º ciclo do Ensino Básico
- TexMat: livro interactivo de Matemática para o 2º Ciclo do Ensino Básico
- LpMat: software Educativo para Crianças com Necessidades Educativas Especiais decorrentes de surdez, perturbações do espectro do autismo, cegueira ou baixa visão, deficiência motora e mental
- IntBooks: plataforma agregadora de diversos tipos de tecnologia web para criação de documentos digitais
- Jogos: colectânea de jogos lúdico-educativos
- SGC – Sistemas de Gestão de Conteúdos
Um outro objectivo do Geometrix é o desenvolvimento de projectos em parceria com instituições nacionais e internacionais.
A equipa do Geometrix realiza a pedido de instituições, seminários referentes às suas actividades e sessões presenciais e experimentais com grupos de alunos. Os pedidos devem ser enviados por correio electrónico para o endereço dmat-geometrix@ua.pt
eLearning Papers in Online Educa Berlin 2011
Creative Learning Environments will be the focus of the session to be headed by Lieve Van Den Brande, Tapio Koskinen, and Gráinne Conole, at Online Educa Berlin, on 1 December 2011.
Creative learning is any learning which requires understanding, invention, making new connections or seeing things in a different perspective. Presenters in this session include concrete experiences and good practices showing evidence about the ways to organise, design and use creative Learning environments.
During the session, it will also be presented the 27th edition of eLearning Papers focused on Designing for Learning. Guest editor: Gráinne Conole.