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Sunday, April 13, 2008

eLearning Papers Nº 7 ▪ 2008

Read the latest issue of eLearning Papers

Rapid e-Learning, as an informal educational tool for advanced students
Nicolò Antonio Piave
University of Macerata / Studio e-LearningONE di Formazione e Consulenza

Summary
This article deals with the possibility of introducing rapid e-learning software, usually used by teachers and content producers, into a hybrid learning paradigm and informal educational tool.
The advantage of using this kind of software in virtual classrooms represents the birth of two different but correlated free resources markets among the classic Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): one with simple resources, useful to be combined among them in order to create more complex digital contents, and another one made up of several complex resources coming from previous internal resources markets or, alternatively, directly from the Web.
Read more...

Distance training of teachers in a rural area in Kenya
Chiara Pozzi
Sociologist, e-learning didactic designer, Centro di Produzione Multimediale, University of Milano-Bicocca

Summary
Globalisation has intensified and delocalised social relations at a worldwide level; it has connected “distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Local transformation is as much a part of globalisation as the lateral extension of social connections across time and space.” (Giddens, 1990).
The revolutionary changes that have occurred in information technology and the ensuing phenomenon of the digital divide are important aspects of this process. In this study, we analyse the digital divide by looking at it from a peripheral perspective, compared to the developed world, where this revolution has started. Africa and Kenya thus become the changing local context from which we observe the penetration of new technologies as part of the globalisation process.
Read more...
Posted by at

eLearning Papers Nº 7 ▪ 2008

Read the latest issue of eLearning Papers

Rapid e-Learning, as an informal educational tool for advanced students
Nicolò Antonio Piave
University of Macerata / Studio e-LearningONE di Formazione e Consulenza

Summary
This article deals with the possibility of introducing rapid e-learning software, usually used by teachers and content producers, into a hybrid learning paradigm and informal educational tool.
The advantage of using this kind of software in virtual classrooms represents the birth of two different but correlated free resources markets among the classic Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): one with simple resources, useful to be combined among them in order to create more complex digital contents, and another one made up of several complex resources coming from previous internal resources markets or, alternatively, directly from the Web.
Read more...

Distance training of teachers in a rural area in Kenya
Chiara Pozzi
Sociologist, e-learning didactic designer, Centro di Produzione Multimediale, University of Milano-Bicocca

Summary
Globalisation has intensified and delocalised social relations at a worldwide level; it has connected “distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Local transformation is as much a part of globalisation as the lateral extension of social connections across time and space.” (Giddens, 1990).
The revolutionary changes that have occurred in information technology and the ensuing phenomenon of the digital divide are important aspects of this process. In this study, we analyse the digital divide by looking at it from a peripheral perspective, compared to the developed world, where this revolution has started. Africa and Kenya thus become the changing local context from which we observe the penetration of new technologies as part of the globalisation process.
Read more...
Posted by at

Skip the Tuition: 100 Free Podcasts from the Best Colleges in the World by Heather Johnson

Heather Johnson posted an excellent article listing 100 sources for free online education podcasts.

We've shown you how to take online classes for free, but not everyone has the patience or time to spend sitting at a computer.
These courses let you take your classroom with you, so you can get an education while you're sitting in traffic or just hanging out in the park. Check out these courses from some of the best colleges and universities out there to get a high quality education on the go.
Read more...

Source: OEDb-Online Education Database
Posted by at

Skip the Tuition: 100 Free Podcasts from the Best Colleges in the World by Heather Johnson

Heather Johnson posted an excellent article listing 100 sources for free online education podcasts.

We've shown you how to take online classes for free, but not everyone has the patience or time to spend sitting at a computer.
These courses let you take your classroom with you, so you can get an education while you're sitting in traffic or just hanging out in the park. Check out these courses from some of the best colleges and universities out there to get a high quality education on the go.
Read more...

Source: OEDb-Online Education Database
Posted by at

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Innovate Volume 4, Issue 4, April/May 2008


James L Morrison, Editor-in-Chief, Innovate has been in touch to reminds us about the following below.

Welcome to the April/May issue of Innovate. This issue offers practical accounts of how online technology can bridge the gap between learning and professional practice, explorations of educational applications of video game technology, and an update on current developments in open-access scholarship. We close this issue with a review of a Web site that provides test-based rankings of secondary education across the globe.

You may register for the April/May webcasts at
Webcasts will be archived and available in the webcast section of the article and in the Innovate-Live portal archive shortly after the webcast. All times are Eastern Standard Time (New York). You may use the world clock at
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ to coordinate with your timezone.

Schedule

April 24, 2008
11:00 AM EST
Preparing e-Learning Designers Using Kolb's Model of Experiential Learning

May 12, 2008
1:00 PM EST
Moving from Theory to Real-World Experiences in an e-Learning Community

May 14, 2008
11:00 AM EST
Game-Based Learning: A Different Perspective
Author: Karl Royle
Posted by at

Innovate Volume 4, Issue 4, April/May 2008


James L Morrison, Editor-in-Chief, Innovate has been in touch to reminds us about the following below.

Welcome to the April/May issue of Innovate. This issue offers practical accounts of how online technology can bridge the gap between learning and professional practice, explorations of educational applications of video game technology, and an update on current developments in open-access scholarship. We close this issue with a review of a Web site that provides test-based rankings of secondary education across the globe.

You may register for the April/May webcasts at
Webcasts will be archived and available in the webcast section of the article and in the Innovate-Live portal archive shortly after the webcast. All times are Eastern Standard Time (New York). You may use the world clock at
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ to coordinate with your timezone.

Schedule

April 24, 2008
11:00 AM EST
Preparing e-Learning Designers Using Kolb's Model of Experiential Learning

May 12, 2008
1:00 PM EST
Moving from Theory to Real-World Experiences in an e-Learning Community

May 14, 2008
11:00 AM EST
Game-Based Learning: A Different Perspective
Author: Karl Royle
Posted by at

Exciting New Sweepstakes from eInstruction!


Students and Teachers Mash It Up in eInstruction's "Content MeetsTechnology" Sweepstakes

Merging content with technology when they joined forces in December, eInstruction and the former Interwrite Learning announced "Content Meets Technology", a first-of-its-kind sweepstakes that asks teachers and students to submit, using 250 characters or less, their vision of the role of technology in education. Those thoughts will then post to an interactive Google Map mashup on the eInstruction site. The"mashup" of Google Maps (technology) and the student/teacher collaborations(content) is designed to mirror the merger of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning.
The student/teacher submissions, which will only be required for posting to the map, should highlight classroom achievements made possible by the use of technology or focus on the benefits of a technology-empowered classroom. The work, along with the name of the school, the grade, and the teacher's name, will appear on a Google Map of the world on the sweepstakes.
The combination of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning helps make teaching and learning fun and interactive in a whole new way, said Lisa O'Masta, Vice President of Marketing for eInstruction. We're celebrating this merger by asking teachers and students to participate in a groundbreaking, educational exercise that is itself a metaphor for the tremendous possibilities available when great content and great technology come together.
The sweepstakes begins on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 and ends on Thursday, May 13, 2008. Winners will be chosen randomly from each grade category and announced on Monday, May 19, 2008.


About eInstruction
eInstruction pioneered the first student response system for the education market during the 1980s. Its Classroom Performance System (CPS) provides instructors and students with real-time feedback on comprehension during instruction. Today CPS remains the leading student response system in education, being used with over 1.5 million students in more than 60,000
K-12 classrooms and over 400,000 students in more than 400 colleges and universities. In 2006, eInstruction acquired FSCreations and integrated its ExamViewR and Learning Series software and content platforms so instructors can seamlessly use publisher and proprietary question banks in lesson plans, quizzes and tests with eInstruction technology. The result is an integrated system for instruction and assessment with real-time feedback.

About Interwrite Learning
Interwrite Learning is a premier global provider of interactive learning solutions for primary, secondary and higher education markets. Interactive solutions, including the InterwriteT Board, Pad and Panel all come with Interwrite Software, a robust software package that includes thousands of images and resources to create dynamic and exciting lessons in an interactive learning environment.
Interwrite PRS, available in infrared, radio-frequency and "virtual" software configurations, is a powerful student response system that combines interaction and assessment to enhance classroom productivity and improve student results. Interwrite Learning has a rich 32-year history of delivering interactive solutions that are changing how the world learns.

Related link
Students, Teachers Challenged To Define Role of Technology in Education by Dave Nagel
Posted by at

Exciting New Sweepstakes from eInstruction!


Students and Teachers Mash It Up in eInstruction's "Content MeetsTechnology" Sweepstakes

Merging content with technology when they joined forces in December, eInstruction and the former Interwrite Learning announced "Content Meets Technology", a first-of-its-kind sweepstakes that asks teachers and students to submit, using 250 characters or less, their vision of the role of technology in education. Those thoughts will then post to an interactive Google Map mashup on the eInstruction site. The"mashup" of Google Maps (technology) and the student/teacher collaborations(content) is designed to mirror the merger of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning.
The student/teacher submissions, which will only be required for posting to the map, should highlight classroom achievements made possible by the use of technology or focus on the benefits of a technology-empowered classroom. The work, along with the name of the school, the grade, and the teacher's name, will appear on a Google Map of the world on the sweepstakes.
The combination of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning helps make teaching and learning fun and interactive in a whole new way, said Lisa O'Masta, Vice President of Marketing for eInstruction. We're celebrating this merger by asking teachers and students to participate in a groundbreaking, educational exercise that is itself a metaphor for the tremendous possibilities available when great content and great technology come together.
The sweepstakes begins on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 and ends on Thursday, May 13, 2008. Winners will be chosen randomly from each grade category and announced on Monday, May 19, 2008.


About eInstruction
eInstruction pioneered the first student response system for the education market during the 1980s. Its Classroom Performance System (CPS) provides instructors and students with real-time feedback on comprehension during instruction. Today CPS remains the leading student response system in education, being used with over 1.5 million students in more than 60,000
K-12 classrooms and over 400,000 students in more than 400 colleges and universities. In 2006, eInstruction acquired FSCreations and integrated its ExamViewR and Learning Series software and content platforms so instructors can seamlessly use publisher and proprietary question banks in lesson plans, quizzes and tests with eInstruction technology. The result is an integrated system for instruction and assessment with real-time feedback.

About Interwrite Learning
Interwrite Learning is a premier global provider of interactive learning solutions for primary, secondary and higher education markets. Interactive solutions, including the InterwriteT Board, Pad and Panel all come with Interwrite Software, a robust software package that includes thousands of images and resources to create dynamic and exciting lessons in an interactive learning environment.
Interwrite PRS, available in infrared, radio-frequency and "virtual" software configurations, is a powerful student response system that combines interaction and assessment to enhance classroom productivity and improve student results. Interwrite Learning has a rich 32-year history of delivering interactive solutions that are changing how the world learns.

Related link
Students, Teachers Challenged To Define Role of Technology in Education by Dave Nagel
Posted by at

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET)


Check out these interesting articles, appears in the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET) 2008, 24(2)

Photo by it's learning

Professor Sugata Mitra talking at the it's learning conference 2008 in Bergen, Norway.
He delivered an inspiring and witty keynote where he presented his well-known Hole in the Wall experiments.


Effects of remoteness on the quality of education: A case study from North Indian schools
Sugata Mitra
Ritu Dangwal and Leher Thadani

Abstract
This paper studies the relationship between geographic remoteness and the quality of primary education in rural Northern India. It then discusses this relationship in the context of educational technology. There is a significant negative correlation between the quality of education and the distance of a school from the nearest urban centre. No correlation was seen between the quality of education and average number of students per teacher or per classroom. The authors suggest that teacher migration and desire for migration are directly responsible for poorer quality of education in remote areas. The role of technology, therefore, becomes vital in such areas. We propose that appropriate educational technology, if designed for that purpose, will be needed to improve the quality of education in non-urban regions where good teachers will not remain.

Using blogging for higher order learning in large cohort university teaching: A case study
Brett Farmer, Audrey Yue and Claire Brooks
The University of Melbourne

Abstract
The small but developing literature on weblogging underscores its potential as an effective learning resource for use in higher education. This paper contributes to these discussions through an initial case study of the authors' experience with the on going development of an educational blogging resource for use in a large cohort, undergraduate liberal arts subject. Detailing the theoretical aims, design, implementation and incipient evaluation of the project, the paper supports the argument for the educational use and value of blogging but also highlights potential limitations and problem areas.

Quantifying the reuse of learning objects
Kristine Elliott and Kevin Sweeney

Abstract
This paper reports the findings of one case study from a larger project, which aims to quantify the claimed efficiencies of reusing learning objects to develop e-learning resources. The case study describes how an online inquiry project Diabetes: A waste of energy was developed by searching for, evaluating, modifying and then integrating as many pre-existing learning objects as possible into a learning design. Development times for the reuse approach were recorded and compared to estimates for the de novo development of an equivalent project. Outcomes suggest that considerable savings can be made using the reuse approach; we estimate a threefold increase in time to develop the Diabetes project using new objects in comparison to reuse. In this case study, gaining permission from owners to reuse objects was not a barrier to reuse. However, in some circumstances, being unable to source pre-existing objects to meet specific requirements, or having to modify objects for reuse, could be problematic.

Harnessing distributed musical expertise through edublogging
Eddy K. M. Chong

Abstract
The pedagogical potential of edublogging - blogging used as an educational tool and strategy - in music teaching has been explored in two previous studies; a third exploration has now been conducted. Recognising the social and contextual dimensions of knowledge and of the learning process, I reflect on all three experiences from a distributed cognition perspective, as opposed to a traditional cognitivist one. First, the edublogging scenario in each case will be seen through the lens of distributed cognition in respect of the nature of its learning community and culture. Then, these instructional endeavours are evaluated against the distributed cognition ideals. The pedagogy discussed here leverages the potential of edublogging to draw on distributed musical expertise. Apart from being in line with the current trend in learning theories towards emphasising distributed cognition and community based learning, such a pedagogical strategy in part also offers a viable solution to the challenge of addressing an increasingly expanding curriculum, whether in music or other subjects, due to knowledge explosion and the pressures of globalisation.

Is wiki an effective platform for group course work?
Irina Elgort, Alastair G Smith and Janet Toland

Abstract
This study reports on students' and lecturers' perceptions of using wikis as a platform for conducting assessed group projects in two postgraduate Master's level university courses. The results highlight the fact that student attitudes to group work, in general, are mixed, and that the use of wikis per se is not enough to improve these attitudes. On the positive side, students found wikis useful for arranging information and sharing knowledge, while instructors thought wikis made managing and marking group work easier and more effective. Other issues related to using wikis as a collaborative learning tool in higher education are also considered.

Coherence or interest: Which is most important in online multimedia learning?
Derek A. Muller, Kester J. Lee and Manjula D. Sharma

Abstract
The coherence principle states that all non-essential information in multimedia messages should be eliminated to minimise demands on cognitive resources. This assertion has been empirically verified in controlled laboratory studies with learners who have little prior knowledge and limited interest in the domain of instruction. It has not been investigated, however, whether the coherence principle generalises to real learning environments. In this study, 104 students from year 10, year 11, and first year university viewed either a concise or an extended online multimedia treatment on stellar spectra. The extended treatment included additional interesting information about the formation of black holes, galaxy collisions and the observation of dark matter. Following the multimedia, participants completed a retention and transfer test that covered only the material common to both treatments. Results showed students in both treatment groups achieved similar performance. This suggests that in authentic learning settings, interest may mitigate the effects of the coherence principle. Difficulties involved in measuring differences in learning within the constraints of a real learning environment are also addressed.

Related link
Dr. Sugata Mitra launched what came to be known as the Hole in the Wall experiment.
Posted by at

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET)



Check out these interesting articles, appears in the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET) 2008, 24(2)


Photo by it's learning

Professor Sugata Mitra talking at the it's learning conference 2008 in Bergen, Norway.
He delivered an inspiring and witty keynote where he presented his well-known Hole in the Wall experiments.


Effects of remoteness on the quality of education: A case study from North Indian schools
Sugata Mitra
Ritu Dangwal and Leher Thadani

Abstract
This paper studies the relationship between geographic remoteness and the quality of primary education in rural Northern India. It then discusses this relationship in the context of educational technology. There is a significant negative correlation between the quality of education and the distance of a school from the nearest urban centre. No correlation was seen between the quality of education and average number of students per teacher or per classroom. The authors suggest that teacher migration and desire for migration are directly responsible for poorer quality of education in remote areas. The role of technology, therefore, becomes vital in such areas. We propose that appropriate educational technology, if designed for that purpose, will be needed to improve the quality of education in non-urban regions where good teachers will not remain.

Using blogging for higher order learning in large cohort university teaching: A case studyBrett Farmer, Audrey Yue and Claire BrooksThe University of Melbourne

Abstract
The small but developing literature on weblogging underscores its potential as an effective learning resource for use in higher education. This paper contributes to these discussions through an initial case study of the authors' experience with the on going development of an educational blogging resource for use in a large cohort, undergraduate liberal arts subject. Detailing the theoretical aims, design, implementation and incipient evaluation of the project, the paper supports the argument for the educational use and value of blogging but also highlights potential limitations and problem areas.

Quantifying the reuse of learning objects
Kristine Elliott and Kevin Sweeney

Abstract
This paper reports the findings of one case study from a larger project, which aims to quantify the claimed efficiencies of reusing learning objects to develop e-learning resources. The case study describes how an online inquiry project Diabetes: A waste of energy was developed by searching for, evaluating, modifying and then integrating as many pre-existing learning objects as possible into a learning design. Development times for the reuse approach were recorded and compared to estimates for the de novo development of an equivalent project. Outcomes suggest that considerable savings can be made using the reuse approach; we estimate a threefold increase in time to develop the Diabetes project using new objects in comparison to reuse. In this case study, gaining permission from owners to reuse objects was not a barrier to reuse. However, in some circumstances, being unable to source pre-existing objects to meet specific requirements, or having to modify objects for reuse, could be problematic.

Harnessing distributed musical expertise through edublogging
Eddy K. M. Chong

Abstract
The pedagogical potential of edublogging - blogging used as an educational tool and strategy - in music teaching has been explored in two previous studies; a third exploration has now been conducted. Recognising the social and contextual dimensions of knowledge and of the learning process, I reflect on all three experiences from a distributed cognition perspective, as opposed to a traditional cognitivist one. First, the edublogging scenario in each case will be seen through the lens of distributed cognition in respect of the nature of its learning community and culture. Then, these instructional endeavours are evaluated against the distributed cognition ideals. The pedagogy discussed here leverages the potential of edublogging to draw on distributed musical expertise. Apart from being in line with the current trend in learning theories towards emphasising distributed cognition and community based learning, such a pedagogical strategy in part also offers a viable solution to the challenge of addressing an increasingly expanding curriculum, whether in music or other subjects, due to knowledge explosion and the pressures of globalisation.

Is wiki an effective platform for group course work?
Irina Elgort, Alastair G Smith and Janet Toland

Abstract
This study reports on students' and lecturers' perceptions of using wikis as a platform for conducting assessed group projects in two postgraduate Master's level university courses. The results highlight the fact that student attitudes to group work, in general, are mixed, and that the use of wikis per se is not enough to improve these attitudes. On the positive side, students found wikis useful for arranging information and sharing knowledge, while instructors thought wikis made managing and marking group work easier and more effective. Other issues related to using wikis as a collaborative learning tool in higher education are also considered.

Coherence or interest: Which is most important in online multimedia learning?
Derek A. Muller, Kester J. Lee and Manjula D. Sharma

Abstract
The coherence principle states that all non-essential information in multimedia messages should be eliminated to minimise demands on cognitive resources. This assertion has been empirically verified in controlled laboratory studies with learners who have little prior knowledge and limited interest in the domain of instruction. It has not been investigated, however, whether the coherence principle generalises to real learning environments. In this study, 104 students from year 10, year 11, and first year university viewed either a concise or an extended online multimedia treatment on stellar spectra. The extended treatment included additional interesting information about the formation of black holes, galaxy collisions and the observation of dark matter. Following the multimedia, participants completed a retention and transfer test that covered only the material common to both treatments. Results showed students in both treatment groups achieved similar performance. This suggests that in authentic learning settings, interest may mitigate the effects of the coherence principle. Difficulties involved in measuring differences in learning within the constraints of a real learning environment are also addressed.

Related link
Dr. Sugata Mitra launched what came to be known as the Hole in the Wall experiment.
Posted by at
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