Developing lifelong learners: A novel online problem‐based ultrasonography subject

Online learning environments have a major role in providing lifelong learning opportunities. Lifelong learning is critical for successful participation in today's competitive work environment. This paper describes an online problem‐based learning approach to the creation of a student‐centred learning environment for the study of the biological sciences subject in the Graduate Diploma of Applied Science (Medical Ultrasonography) course at the University of Sydney. The environment is interactive and collaborative, with all communication taking place online. Students work in groups to study clinically relevant problems. A Web‐database system provides learner control in the process of knowledge acquisition, access to reference materials on the Internet and communication with the tutor and with peers through synchronous chat and asynchronous threaded discussion forums. Other online features include a protocol for problem‐solving, self‐assessment and feedback opportunities, detailed help, streaming audio and video and pre‐course, ongoing and post‐course questionnaires. This technology may be adapted to a range of disciplines and can also be utilized in on‐campus teaching

Learning patterns and learner profiles in learning object design

The questions that Andy Heath has posed are challenging and need more time for reflection than is possible here. The questions posed will inform the research as it develops further. However, in the interests of debate we would like to give our initial replies. We agree in general with Andy Heath's assessment of the limitations of the approach we are adopting. We recognise that this approach uses a very limited response to AccessForAll principles: our Transformation Augmentation and Substitution Service (TASS) is localised, not global, and relies on a limited set of learning patterns matched against a small subset of the potentially infinite set of learner profiles. Our intention is certainly not to reproduce the considerable efforts of the IMS AccessForAll or Dublin Core Adaptability working groups, but to interpret their potential impact on the thinking of courseware designers, tutors and students

Course developers as students: a designer perspective of the experience of learning online

Academic developers of online courses may not have experienced this mode of learning and teaching from the learner perspective. This article makes a comparison between suggestions for online course design from research literature and user perspectives from a focus group, responses to questions on the most and least effective aspects of online study and lasting impressions, and from reflective diaries kept by two of the authors while they were engaged in study from online courses. This direct evidence is used to highlight key issues in the literature from the viewpoint of the learner

Accessibility and adaptability of learning objects: responding to metadata, learning patterns and profiles of needs and preferences

The case for learning patterns as a design method for accessible and adaptable learning objects is explored. Patterns and templates for the design of learning objects can be derived from successful existing learning resources. These patterns can then be reused in the design of new learning objects. We argue that by attending to criteria for reuse in the definition of these patterns and in the subsequent design of new learning objects, those new resources can be themselves reusable and also adaptable to different learning contexts. Finally, if the patterns identified can be implemented as templates for standard authoring tools, the design of effective, reusable and adaptable resources can be made available to those with limited skills in multimedia authoring and result in learning resources that are more widely accessible

School/Community Cooperation: Action-Involved Learning

Since education/learning occurs before and after formal schooling, schools have no monopoly on it. In fact, education happens as people live and change and wherever there is intelligent action. Schools can benefit from wider intelligent action and can increase young people’s learning through co-operation with the changing world. Such changing speaks to action-involved learning and encourages a concept of a dynamic, interactive world. It contrasts to the Alexandrian and Platonic/Aristotelian concepts of a static, closed universe, where ideas are unchanged and fixed and where an external (authoritarian) authority pre-determines knowledge. The latter system puts the cart before the horse, by decreeing learning through order regardless of interest. An interactive, more democratic system engages one’s interests first, letting progress proceed by student initiative. The contrast between a prior/traditional education and action-involved community education is great. ACTION INVOLVED LEARNING. All life is education. Education requires participation. Public school should be primarily concerned with passing on the cultural community living and the improvement of the social order. A PRIORI/TRADITIONAL LEARNING. Education is gained only in formal institutions of learning. Education is adequately gained through studying about life. School systems should be primarily concerned with the improvement of heritage [...

Reviews

Martin Oliver (ed.), Innovation in the Evaluation of Learning Technology, London: University of North London, 1998. ISBN: 1–85377–256–9. Softback, 242 pages, £15.00

Reviews

Rob Phillips, The Developer's Handbook to Interactive Multimedia, London: Kogan Page, 1997. ISBN: 0–7494–2121–5.241 pages. £22.50

Humanism and individualism: Maslow and his critics.

Using broad-based literature, this study explores Abraham Maslow\u27s humanistic psychology within the contexts of ideological criticism, 20th century U.S. adult education philosophies, and the theoretical issue of philosophical categories