mLearning, development and delivery : creating opportunity and enterprise within the HE in FE context

This research project was funded by ESCalate in 2006-7 to support Somerset College in developing the curriculum, as well as widening participation via the use of mobile communications technologies such as mp3 players and mobile phones. The Project represents a highly topical and timely engagement with the opportunities for learning provided by the burgeoning use of mobile computing/ communications devices. Activities bring together colleagues from Teacher Education and Multimedia Computing in an innovative approach to designing for and delivering the curriculum. The Project addresses pedagogic issues and also vitally involves current and future learners, providing them with a new context for skills development and entrepreneurship. Anticipated outcomes include informed development of new HE modules and professional CPD activities which address the skills and context of this emerging approach to delivering the curriculum. The Project also intends to trial and evaluate the use of mobile technologies to support a blended learning approach to programme delivery and the development of a FD module which could be delivered via a mobile computing device. An interim report and a final project report are available as Word and PDF file

Towards the 3D Web with Open Simulator

Continuing advances and reduced costs in computational power, graphics processors and network bandwidth have led to 3D immersive multi-user virtual worlds becoming increasingly accessible while offering an improved and engaging Quality of Experience. At the same time the functionality of the World Wide Web continues to expand alongside the computing infrastructure it runs on and pages can now routinely accommodate many forms of interactive multimedia components as standard features - streaming video for example. Inevitably there is an emerging expectation that the Web will expand further to incorporate immersive 3D environments. This is exciting because humans are well adapted to operating in 3D environments and it is challenging because existing software and skill sets are focused around competencies in 2D Web applications. Open Simulator (OpenSim) is a freely available open source tool-kit that empowers users to create and deploy their own 3D environments in the same way that anyone can create and deploy a Web site. Its characteristics can be seen as a set of references as to how the 3D Web could be instantiated. This paper describes experiments carried out with OpenSim to better understand network and system issues, and presents experience in using OpenSim to develop and deliver applications for education and cultural heritage. Evaluation is based upon observations of these applications in use and measurements of systems both in the lab and in the wild.Postprin

Connecting Students by Integrating the 3D Virtual and Real Worlds: We Need 3D Open Source Spaces to Keep Socialization, Communication and Collaboration Alive

Picture a world where imagination is the only limit; a world that stimulates students to learn, communicate, play and grow. The emergence of 3D Virtual Worlds has made this a virtual reality. Until recently this virtual experience has been separated from the real world by the limitations of software (proprietary systems), and constraints of hardware and networks (stationary consoles and network connections). Such separation limits the pedagogical utility that 3D Spaces can offer students. This article peeks around the corner of innovation by exploring a number of emergent open source developments that integrate the 3D Virtual and Real Worlds into a seamless reality, one that enhances pedagogical opportunities by integrating the practical and vocational actuality of the real world with the technical and imaginable possibilities of the Virtual Worlds. These possibilities are explored with reference to recent developments, pedagogical theory, and case studies in various open source 3D Virtual Worlds

If We Build It Will They Come? Creating a Virtual Classroom in Second Life

The Second Life Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) has been used as an educational resource in many different ways, ranging from simulating the traditional classroom, though interactive experiences, to practical creational activities. Supporting resources can include traditional multimedia, simulation tools and programming languages. Learning experiences may vary from the wholly extrinsic, learning about the outside world, to more intrinsic study of Second Life’s ecosystems and its built environment, or wholly in-world creative work. Within this broad scope, there is an opportunity to support many types of learning, and distance learning in particular. In this paper we propose an analytical framework for virtual learning environments in Second Life based on current practice. We describe the creation of a learning space within Second Life designed to explore how we might support distance learners using traditional environments for extrinsic learning experiences. We reflect on the utility of the framework in understanding the various forces at work in virtual learning contexts and evaluate the student experience. We conclude that despite the potential for Second Life to support distance learners with a broad set of tools and resources, technical constraints suggest that a more effective option would be to provide focused creative tasks for students in a managed laboratory environment

Web Programming

This Grants Collection for Web Programming was created under aRound Two ALG Textbook Transformation Grant. Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process. Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials: Linked Syllabus Initial Proposal Final Reporthttps://oer.galileo.usg.edu/compsci-collections/1000/thumbnail.jp

A basic web-based distance education model

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Computer Engineering, Izmir, 2005Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 147)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishxv, 201 leavesDuring the recent years, the rapid growth of the Web and multimedia technologies urged a shift of Computer-Based Educational Technology towards the Web. In the leading universities of the developed countries, studies on Web-Based Education have started and in an increasing manner are going strong. In the last few years, the leading universities of Turkey are also greatly interested in Web-Based Education and have started their re-structuring accordingly.The goal of this study is to design a basic model to be utilized by a university aiming to offer web-based distance education. In achieving this; by the use of system approach, a model comprising of three subsystems, namely system analysis, system design and evaluation&control, working in coordination with each other, has been tried to be proposed. There may be only one missing point of this study, that is; since preparing a lesson or program according to this model was not foreseen in this thesis, the effectiveness evaluations suggested in the evaluation&control subsystem could not be realized. It is recommended to realize such an evaluation in a further study to make it possible to reveal the effectiveness of web-based education by preparing a lesson or program according to this model.On the other hand, a survey has been conducted in Turkey in some of the universities either offering web-based education or are interested in studies in this field.The aim of this survey is to analyze from system design point of view the studies carried out in our universities on this matter and to get a picture of the existing situation.The directed questions aiming this were prepared by taking into consideration of the three stages of system design subsystem, i.e. administrative design, educational design, and technological design. It is intended for the result of this survey to shed light to the new-coming institutions in this field. As a matter of fact, each stage of this subsystem is a survey item itself and should be researched one by one in other studies.Furthermore, for individuals interested in distance education and web-based distance education and for people newly involved in this matter, this thesis is intended to be a reference material and to serve this purpose the sections are prepared containing the basic information accordingly. Nevertheless, since most of the information regarding system design are prepared without taking into consideration the disabled people, the relevant information are not complete. In another study, the offering of the web-based education to the disabled people, especially for deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, and blind students, has to be investigated.Finally, in this thesis the proposed model for the Web-Based Distance Education, as being a basic and conceptual model, has a flexible structure; i.e., suitable for all the institutions and establishments intending to offer the web-based education.What is important here, is to exploit the potential sources within the institution that will display the required systematic approach

Blended game-based learning environments: extending a serious game into a learning content management system

Serious games have recognized potential as a means to tackle many challenges in education, ranging from stimulating increased learner motivation, to transferring challenging concepts in a novel and engaging form. They are commonly shown to work most effectively in blended approaches to learning, whereby the game plays a core role in a wider pedagogic approach, often based around an experiential or exploratory model. In this paper, we explore how the integration of a serious game, and more generally gaming paradigms, can be extended to a learning content management system (LCMS) to support a blended and holistic approach to their use in education. Through a case study within the EU-Funded Adaptive Learning via Intuitive/Interactive, Collaborative and Emotional Systems (ALICE) project, we demonstrate a technical integration of a gaming engine with a proprietary LCMS, and discuss the broader pedagogic benefits of such an approach. In particular, we note how this method can support an 'intuitive guided' or scaffolded approach to learning, where the learner is given the potential to explore a non-linear learning environment, whilst scaffolding and blending provides the guidance towards ensuring targeted learning objectives are met

3D assistive technologies and advantageous themes for collaboration and blended learning of users with disabilities

The significance of newly emergent 3D virtual worlds to different genres of users is currently a controversial subject in deliberation. Users range from education pursuers, business contenders, and social seekers to technology enhancers and many more who comprise both users with normal abilities in physical life and those with different disabilities. This study aims to derive and critically analyze, using grounded theory, advantageous and disadvantageous themes and their sub concepts of providing elearning through 3D Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), like Second Life, to disabled users; hence providing evidence that 3DVLEs not only support traditional physical learning, but also offer e-learning opportunities unavailable through 2D VLEs (like moodle, blackboard), and offer learning opportunities unavailable through traditional physical education. Furthermore, to achieve full potential from the above mentioned derived concepts, architectural and accessibility design requirements of 3D educational facilities proposed by different categories of disabled students to accommodate for their needs, are demonstrated