374,172 research outputs found
Podcasting to support students using a business simulation
Audio or video podcasts can be a useful tool to supplement practical exercises such as business simulations. In this paper, we discuss a case study in which different types of podcast were utilised to support the delivery of a course in international business. The students work in groups and run a fictional company using business simulation software, which gives them the opportunity to evaluate their decision making skills. A number of podcasts were used as reusable learning objects for different student cohorts.
Faculty members produced visually enhanced audio podcasts offered tutor discussions of key elements of the computer-assisted business simulation used by the students. The podcasts were made available via the virtual learning environment (Blackboard Vista), as well as for subscription by web browser-based RSS readers, such as Google and downloadable RSS readers, such as iTunes.
Our evaluation of this approach to using podcasts takes into account pedagogic and technical issues. Firstly, faculty members involved in this case study were interviewed to obtain their views and experiences on the process of producing podcasts as well as the suitability of podcasts to support their teaching. Secondly, students were surveyed and interviewed about the value of the podcasts and the way in which they were used.
This work is on-going and initial informal student feedback indicates that the podcasts engaged the students and supported their understanding of the international business module. This paper presents a snapshot of the current findings which generally support the value of this innovative way of using podcasting for learning and teaching
Quality assurance for digital learning object repositories: issues for the metadata creation process
Metadata enables users to find the resources they require, therefore it is an important component of any digital learning object repository. Much work has already been done within the learning technology community to assure metadata quality, focused on the development of metadata standards, specifications and vocabularies and their implementation within repositories. The metadata creation process has thus far been largely overlooked. There has been an assumption that metadata creation will be straightforward and that where machines cannot generate metadata effectively, authors of learning materials will be the most appropriate metadata creators. However, repositories are reporting difficulties in obtaining good quality metadata from their contributors, and it is becoming apparent that the issue of metadata creation warrants attention. This paper surveys the growing body of evidence, including three UK-based case studies, scopes the issues surrounding human-generated metadata creation and identifies questions for further investigation. Collaborative creation of metadata by resource authors and metadata specialists, and the design of tools and processes, are emerging as key areas for deeper research. Research is also needed into how end users will search learning object repositories
Designing and Building immersive education spaces using Project Wonderland: from pedagogy through to practice
This paper presents work on the JISC funded SIMiLLE project to build a culturally sensitive virtual world to support language learning. This builds on the MiRTLE project (funded by Sun Microsystems), which created a mixed-reality space for teaching and learning. The aim of the SIMiLLE project is to investigate the technical feasibility and pedagogical value of using virtual environments to provide a realistic socio-cultural setting and content for language learning interaction. The paper starts by providing some background information on the Wonderland platform and the MiRTLE project, and then outlines the requirements for SIMiLLE, and how these requirements will be supported through the use of a virtual world based on Project Wonderland. We then present our plans for the evaluation of the system, with a particular focus on the importance of incorporating pedagogy into the design of these systems, and how we can support good practice with the ever-growing use of 3D virtual environments in formalised education
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Distilling lessons from across different types of e-learning interventions
Most Higher Education institutions are now embracing e learning to some extent. Some have instigated institution-wide e-learning initiatives, whilst others are engaging in the use of e-learning to expand their portfolio of course provision and the development of new niche markets. But the successful deployment of e-learning, whether large-scale or more localised, is complex and multi-faceted. This paper considers these complexities by drawing on the findings across four disparate e-learning evaluations, arguing that these provide a valuable means of extrapolating key lessons to ensure better use of e-learning and avoidance of large-scale, spectacular and public disasters, such as the UK e-University
Bayesian Active Edge Evaluation on Expensive Graphs
Robots operate in environments with varying implicit structure. For instance,
a helicopter flying over terrain encounters a very different arrangement of
obstacles than a robotic arm manipulating objects on a cluttered table top.
State-of-the-art motion planning systems do not exploit this structure, thereby
expending valuable planning effort searching for implausible solutions. We are
interested in planning algorithms that actively infer the underlying structure
of the valid configuration space during planning in order to find solutions
with minimal effort. Consider the problem of evaluating edges on a graph to
quickly discover collision-free paths. Evaluating edges is expensive, both for
robots with complex geometries like robot arms, and for robots with limited
onboard computation like UAVs. Until now, this challenge has been addressed via
laziness i.e. deferring edge evaluation until absolutely necessary, with the
hope that edges turn out to be valid. However, all edges are not alike in value
- some have a lot of potentially good paths flowing through them, and some
others encode the likelihood of neighbouring edges being valid. This leads to
our key insight - instead of passive laziness, we can actively choose edges
that reduce the uncertainty about the validity of paths. We show that this is
equivalent to the Bayesian active learning paradigm of decision region
determination (DRD). However, the DRD problem is not only combinatorially hard,
but also requires explicit enumeration of all possible worlds. We propose a
novel framework that combines two DRD algorithms, DIRECT and BISECT, to
overcome both issues. We show that our approach outperforms several
state-of-the-art algorithms on a spectrum of planning problems for mobile
robots, manipulators and autonomous helicopters
Evaluation Strategy for the Re-Development of the Displays and Visitor Facilities at the Museum and Art Gallery, Kelvingrove
No abstract available
Using learning design as a framework for supporting the design and reuse of OER
The paper will argue that adopting a learning design methodology may provide a vehicle for enabling better design and reuse of Open Educational Resources (OERs). It will describe a learning design methodology, which is being developed and implemented at the Open University in the UK.
The aim is to develop a 'pick and mix' learning design toolbox of different resources and tools to help designers/teachers make informed decisions about creating new or adapting existing learning activities. The methodology is applicable for designers/teachers designing in a traditional context – such as creation of materials as part of a formal curriculum, but also has value for those wanting to create OERs or adapt and repurpose existing OERs. With the increasing range of OERs now available through initiatives as part of the Open Courseware movement, we believe that methodologies, such as the one we describe in this paper, which can help guide reuse and adaptation will become increasingly important and arguably are an important aspect of ensuring longer term sustainability and uptake of OERs. Our approach adopts an empirically based approach to understanding and representing the design process. This includes a range of evaluation studies (capturing of case studies, interviews with designers/teachers, in-depth course evaluation and focus groups/workshops), which are helping to develop our understanding of how designers/teachers go about creating new learning activities. Alongside this we are collating an extensive set of tools and resources to support the design process, as well as developing a new Learning Design tool that helps teachers articulate and represent their design ideas. The paper will describe how we have adapted a mind mapping and argumentation tool, Compendium, for this purpose and how it is being used to help designers and teachers create and share learning activities. It will consider how initial evaluation of the use of the tool for learning design has been positive; users report that the tool is easy to use and helps them organise and articulate their learning designs. Importantly the tool also enables them to share and discuss their thinking about the design process. However it is also clear that visualising the design process is only one aspect of design, which is complex and multi-faceted
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Learning design – making practice explicit
New technologies have immense potential for learning, but the sheer variety possible also creates challenges for learners in terms of navigating through an increasingly complex digital landscape and for teachers in terms of how to design and support learning interventions. How can learners and teachers make informed decisions about what technologies to use in the design and support of learning activities? This presentation will consider this question and present a new methodology for design – 'learning design', which aims to shift the creation and support of learning from what has traditionally been an implicit, belief-based practice to one that is explicit and design based. Learning design research at the Open University, UK has included the development of a set of conceptual design views, a tool for visualising designs (CompendiumLD) and a social networking site, for sharing and discussing learning and teaching ideas and designs (Cloudworks). An overview of this work will be provided, along with a discussion of the perceived benefits of this new approach to educational design
The future of technology enhanced active learning – a roadmap
The notion of active learning refers to the active involvement of learner in the learning process,
capturing ideas of learning-by-doing and the fact that active participation and knowledge construction leads to deeper and more sustained learning. Interactivity, in particular learnercontent interaction, is a central aspect of technology-enhanced active learning. In this roadmap,
the pedagogical background is discussed, the essential dimensions of technology-enhanced active learning systems are outlined and the factors that are expected to influence these systems currently and in the future are identified. A central aim is to address this promising field from a
best practices perspective, clarifying central issues and formulating an agenda for future developments in the form of a roadmap
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Community Dimmensions of Learning Object Repositories. <i>Deliverable 1</i>: Report on Learning Communities and Repositories
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