Learning Activity Reference Model

Charles Duncan, Ed Barkerc.duncan@intrallect.come.barker@intrallect.com

• Overview• Approach• Reference Model• Example• Further Work

LADiE

• Learning Activity Design in Education • JISC-funded project• Part of the e-Learning Framework

http://www.elframework.org/• Partners

University of SouthamptonUniversity of DundeeIntrallect Ltd

Associated Organisations

•SIESWE, Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education

•CPCET – Consortium for Post-Compulsory Education and Training

•LAMS International •RELOAD•Open Universiteit Nederland• Icodeon Software•CETIS

What is a learning activity?

•Reading a book•Attending a lecture/seminar/lab class•Research and write an essay/report•Undertake formative assessment•Combination of these aimed at a

common learning objective

What is a Reference Model?

•A reference model is an unambiguous means of sharing a common understanding of a precisely defined domain among people for whom the reference model definition may be the only point of contact

Who needs a reference model?

• Teachers and practitioners– To formulate activities in a form that can be

stored and exchanged

• Implementers, learning technologists– To build what the teacher wants using their

institutions existing technology

• Vendors and developers – To create systems that conform to a service

oriented approach to make the implementers lives easier

Approach

• Top-Down– Pedagogy driven

• Bottom-up– Technology capabilities

Use cases

• 11 detailed use cases• series of practitioners workshops• analysis of use cases• extraction of common services• extraction of “structure” of activity• gap analysis

Domain Coverage - gaps

• DialogPlus taxonomy of activities– Context– Learning outcomes– Teaching approaches– Type (what)– Technique (how)– Interaction – Roles (which)– Tools and resources– Assessment

Common services

• Email• Asyncronous

discussion• Synchronous

discussion• Wiki• Multiple choice

quiz

• Concept mapping • File storage area• Student record

system• ePortfolio

Bottom-up

• Interoperability– Ability to exchange learning activities at a

platform/service independent level– Ability to use existing activity designs as

templates for new activities

• Flexibility– Ability to configure an activity with different

services for the same purpose– Ability to change configuration with time (from

one year to the next)

Model

Creation

Set-up (services and population)

Run-Time

Services

Information

Orchestration (+services)

• IMS Learning Design• BPEL• Simple Sequencing• LAMS• VLE + Tools Interoperability• Hybrid of IMS LD and BPEL

Example – use case

• A 1st year HN Journalism class (Scotland) studying the UK print industry. Introductory session on structure of industry. The session would begin with a brief exposition on industry, followed by a brainstorm on categorising newspapers within the industry framework. The brainstorm would have the purpose of building dialogue and enabling validation of prior learning. An agreed model of the industry would be developed. A testing activity would follow to establish understanding and then a research based task.

• Classroom– Lecture– Discussion

• Computer-based– Discussion forum– Assessment– Research activity– Essay submission– Feedback

Example

• How to orchestrate this activity– Use IMS Learning Design– Integrate with services

Further work

• Examine other orchestration options• Extend the use cases• More and more detailed services• Sample implementations

Outputs

• Three guides:– Pedagogy Guide– Implementers Guide– Developers Guide

• Available – end of March