AODM as a framework and model for characterising learner experiences with technology

The task of characterising learner experiences with technology is increasingly becoming complex due to continuous technological advancements that enable learners to connect, collaborate, generate educational resources and promptly share them in various settings. The challenge for the educator is to understand how to effectively capture and represent learners’ current and future experiences with technology. This paper presents ‘Activity-Oriented Design Method’ (AODM) as a framework and model for characterising personalised and contextualised learner experiences with technology. The objective is to show how AODM can be used to understand learner experiences by examining learner practices with technology and interactions with each other. The aim is to assess the significance and adequacy of AODM as a framework and model that contributes to future understanding of learner experiences with technology. In order to support our arguments, we draw practical insights from two studies that applied AODM to e-learning investigations. The outcome of this analysis is an assessment of the capacity of AODM as a model and framework for characterising both current and future learner experiences with technology. Furthermore, the analysis illuminates the processes of change that inform the design and use of future technologies for learning

Systematic development of courseware systems

Various difficulties have been reported in relation to the development of courseware systems. A central problem is to address the needs of not only the learner, but also instructor, developer, and other stakeholders, and to integrate these different needs. Another problem area is courseware architectures, to which much work has been dedicated recently. We present a systematic approach to courseware development – a methodology for courseware engineering – that addresses these problems. This methodology is rooted in the educational domain and is based on methods for software development in this context. We illustrate how this methodology can improve the quality of courseware systems and the development process

A vignette model for distributed teaching and learning

Computer software and telecommunication technologies are being assimilated into the education sector. At a slower pace, educational methodologies have been evolving and gradually adopted by educators. The widespread and rapid assimilation of technology may be outstripping the uptake of better pedagogical strategies. Non‐pedagogical development of content could lead to the development of legacy systems that constrain future developments. Problems have arisen with computer‐based learning (CBL) materials, such as the lack of uptake of monolithic programmes that cannot be easily changed to keep pace with natural progress or the different requirements of different teachers and institutions. Also, hypertext/hypermedia learning environments have limitations in that following predefined paths is no more interactive than page turning. These considerations require a flexible and dynamic approach for the benefit of both the teacher and student. Courses may be constructed from vignettes to meet a desired purpose and to avoid the problems of adoption for the reasons that programmes cannot easily be changed or are not designed to meet particular needs. Vignettes are small, first‐principle, first‐person, heuristic activities (which are mimetic) from which courses can be constructed Vignettes use an object‐orientated approach to the development of computer‐based learning materials. Vignettes are objects that can be manipulated via a property sheet, which enables changing the object's inherent character or behaviour. A vignette object can interact with other vignette objects to create more complex educational interactions or models. The vignette approach leads to a development concept that is horizontally distributed across disciplines rather than vertically limited to single subjects

Adaptive development and maintenance of user-centric software systems

A software system cannot be developed without considering the various facets of its environment. Stakeholders – including the users that play a central role – have their needs, expectations, and perceptions of a system. Organisational and technical aspects of the environment are constantly changing. The ability to adapt a software system and its requirements to its environment throughout its full lifecycle is of paramount importance in a constantly changing environment. The continuous involvement of users is as important as the constant evaluation of the system and the observation of evolving environments. We present a methodology for adaptive software systems development and maintenance. We draw upon a diverse range of accepted methods including participatory design, software architecture, and evolutionary design. Our focus is on user-centred software systems

A conceptual architecture for interactive educational multimedia

Learning is more than knowledge acquisition; it often involves the active participation of the learner in a variety of knowledge- and skills-based learning and training activities. Interactive multimedia technology can support the variety of interaction channels and languages required to facilitate interactive learning and teaching. A conceptual architecture for interactive educational multimedia can support the development of such multimedia systems. Such an architecture needs to embed multimedia technology into a coherent educational context. A framework based on an integrated interaction model is needed to capture learning and training activities in an online setting from an educational perspective, to describe them in the human-computer context, and to integrate them with mechanisms and principles of multimedia interaction

Enhancing the design curriculum through pedagogic research

Pedagogic research is becoming increasingly recognised as an important aspect of academic life. Many generic studies (Marton, Saljo, Entwistle, Biggs, Gibbs, Prosser, Trigwell et al), focusing on broad concepts of student learning, have found a purchase within particular disciplines. Concepts of 'deep' and 'surface' approaches to learning are now commonplace within subject-based rationales. Approaches to assessment have also benefited from research of this kind. The value of this kind of research is most pertinent when it is used at subject level to explore the learning and teaching axis. Subject-focused research, using these established frameworks and methodologies, is only just beginning to emerge. Inevitably, the application of this new research is not so widespread. Subject-based research asks the questions about what it is that is characteristic about learning and teaching a particular subject. Recent research in creative subjects (Reid A, 1998 and Reid A and Davies A, 2000) has revealed that the quality of learning is predicated on how both students and teachers conceptualise the subject of study. In design, for instance, what teachers think design is determines how they frame the curriculum and how they go about teaching. Equally, students beliefs about what design is underpin their intentions when they go about learning. The research reveals that there are significant qualitative differences amongst teachers as well as students as to what design is. This has an impact on the quality of the outcomes of learning design. This paper explores the implications of the outcomes of thi

The evolution of pedagogic models for work-based learning within a virtual university

The process of designing a pedagogic model for work-based learning within a virtual university is not a simple matter of using ‘off the shelf’ good practice. Instead, it can be characterised as an evolutionary process that reflects the backgrounds, skills and experiences of the project partners. Within the context of a large-scale project that was building a virtual university for work-based learners, an ambitious goal was set: to base the development of learning materials on a pedagogic model that would be adopted across the project. However, the reality proved to be far more complex than simply putting together an appropriate model from existing research evidence. Instead, the project progressed through a series of redevelopments, each of which was pre-empted by the involvement of a different team from within the project consortium. The pedagogic models that evolved as part of the project will be outlined, and the reasons for rejecting each will be given. They moved from a simple model, relying on core computer-based materials (assessed by multiple choice questions with optional work-based learning), to a more sophisticated model that integrated different forms of learning. The challenges that were addressed included making learning flexible and suitable for work-based learning, the coherence of accreditation pathways, the appropriate use of the opportunities provided by online learning and the learning curves and training needs of the different project teams. Although some of these issues were project-specific (being influenced by the needs of the learners, the aims of the project and the partners involved), the evolutionary process described in this case study illustrates that there can be a steep learning curve for the different collaborating groups within the project team. Whilst this example focuses on work-based learning, the process and the lessons may equally be applicable to a range of learning scenarios