Learning Design Showcase (3)

Ron Oliver Keynote from our internal Learning Design Showcase in early October.

"Learning designs that promote learning"
Slides for this presentation available at http://elrond.scam.ecu.edu.au/oliver/2005/tasmania.pdf
There's lots of doom and gloom about the use of technology in teaching and learning in literature, but can you imagine a world without technology? Use of technology, it is suggested, is used to maintain current practice. Ron is interested in the use of tech to enhance teaching and learning. (re-reading my notes I am reminded of Anne Bartlett-Bragg's insistence on the need for renovating vs creating learning in the Cool Results Online Event in September)

We need to start out with a clear conception of what constitutes learning - frequently it is seen as about knowledge acquisition. Ron prefers to think of it as experiential and performance based. In higher Education, tend to focus on learning self sufficiency- general skills such as thinking.

Learning Designs
In traditional environment is about planning the lesson, now that tech involved, people have forgotten about the planning needed.

Through the use of ADDIE and similar processes, often the materials are not good, not deep enough. Gagne - attention, inform objectives and stimulate recall.
Levels of engagement
Information access> information organisation > information processing

3 states of engagement, each important, and all 3 should be included.

Supporting effective learning
Knowledge construction
Through practice and reflection
Experiential processes
Thoughtful activities
Through self regulation
Meaningful assessment and guidance

Learning Designs
What is often missed is engagement for the learner. Reading text - very little stays in beyond very short term memory.
Inquiry based learning
· Rule based
· Case based
· Strategy based
· Role based

Jonassen argues that everything needs to have a context and a purpose.

Rule Based learning design
Trying to get learners to develop process or procedure. Giving students an opportunity to work with the processes through a task. Students are cast as actors. Series of activities for learners including accessing resources to support, and teacher actively supporting and connecting students.

Case Based
When you don't know what the rules are, this is higher level learning, enabling them to put own steps into processes.
Give tasks but not precise steps to follow, give example of how students have done it in the past.

Strategy Based Design
Where open ended situation with no set solution. Problem solving, knowledge application. Strategic thinking. Synthesizing. High level engagement, works well in groups (as do all of these)
When this project is marked, it is not on decision made, but on how arguments made. Knowledge as a means to an end, rather than knowledge for it's own sake.

Role Based Learning
Used Marie Jasinski example.
Very open environment. Each learner given role within learning environment. Each person needs to research and negotiate outcomes. Students learning about environment that are working in. articulating, assimilating, arguing.

Ron's recommended links
www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au [website has more information]

LAMS
James Dalziel
Icons used to develop a learning sequence
lamsinternational.com - exemplars are available.

Technology facilitated learning
· Information access
· Networked communication
· Interactive learning objects
· Publication (get students to put resources they develop online for future students)

The approach
· Intended outcomes
· How might that be demonstrated
· Describe a task that will lead to that outcome (authentic)

Supports
· Way points
· Guides, templates, schedules
· Peers, collaboration.
· Mentors colleagues, workplace supervisors.
· Tutorials, discussions information, rules, quiz.
· Have to collect the resources -

Have to make absolutely sure that I provide the supports, can't throw them to the wilderness of independent learning. Trick is to negotiate with students.

Tasks as organiser of student activity.
Too many resources should be made available so they can choose which ones not to use.

Future holds a lot of promise if we follow these principles.

Ron's home page includign links to papers, presentations etc http://elrond.scam.ecu.edu.au/oliver