Challenges of Applying Online Learning Tools in Distance Learning

CoursesElio San Cristóbal Ruiz

UNED (Spanish University for Distance Education)Elio@ieec.uned.es

Main Ideas

Online learning tools, such as courseware, learning management system, assessment tools, virtual, and remote laboratories are used in blended and distance learning

This paper describes some online learning tools and the challenges to apply them in distance learning.

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Some E-learning Systems• Courseware: a set of e-learning resources (e-learning content,

test, other materials) in an established order.

• Learning management systems or LMS are a set of services that allow displaying theoretical content in an organized and controlled way.

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ServerUser

Database

Web pages. Packages,

modules, etc.

Request

Response

call

Return

Some E-learning Systems• Virtual labs are software of simulation that

allows students can carry out experiments from their home.

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Student

Student

Internet

WebServer

Some E-learning Systems• Remote labs are applications that allow

students to work with real instruments. In the case of remote web labs, students hand the instruments through Internet.

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Audio and video Server

DatabseServer

??

Instruments

Student

Student

Internet

WebServer

Controller

Current Situation• Each of these online learning tools is

designed and implemented, using different software architectures.

• Many universities create new online learning tools and do not use the existing.

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Current Situation

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Other Learning Systems

Current Situation• These learning tools provide learning services

and learning material such as, web pages, videos, assessments, etc. Normally, these contents do not fulfill with learning standards.

• The navigation and sequencing for all the learning systems that make up the learning environment is a complicate task. Professors have not to know about programming; therefore, an editor should be able to allow professors to create sequences of learning, using the different learning systems.

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Solutions and Initiatives

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• To make easier the searching of educational resources.

IEEE LOM -> Set of Metadata to describe learning Resources

Dublin Core……

Initiatives

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• Lab2go is a Web portal that aims at bringing online lab developers, researchers, professors and students.

Solutions and Initiatives

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• To make easier the reuse of educational resources.

IMS Content Packaging (IMS-CP) specification describes data structures that can be used to exchange data between systems.

Solutions and Initiatives

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• To make easier the reuse of educational resources.

Sharable Content Object Reference

Model (SCORM) is a collection and harmonization of specifications and standards that defines the interrelationship of content objects, data models and protocols

Solutions and Initiatives

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Solutions and Initiatives

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Initiatives

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• LiLa (stands for Library of Labs), a European eContentPlus project that promotes a portal of Online Labs resources and fosters exchanges on experiments between institutions.

Initiatives

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Initiatives

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• CORE SCORM. This project adds to SCORM a Web Service Runtime Communication Profile Standard (based on a Web Service binding of the IEEE 1484.11.2 functionality and on IEEE 1484.11.3) to exchange data between SCORM package and LMS.

Solutions and Initiatives

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IMS Global Learning Consortium Common Cartridge (IMS-CC) defines a new package interchange format for learning content, able to run on any compliant LMS platform.

Initiatives

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• IMS Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) v1.0 provides a single framework or standard way of integrating rich learning applications.

Initiatives

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• OCELOT (Open and Collaborative Environment for the Leverage of Online insTrumentation) is an open source and collaborative Online Laboratory framework and middleware. It uses W3C Widgets-based Graphic User Interface for delivering to the learner.

• Creating web architecture to exchange information (tracking users, result experiments, etc.) among remote laboratories and learning systems LMS, LCMS .

Initiatives

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Initiatives

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• The Global Online Laboratory Consortium. This is focused on promoting the development and sharing of, and research into remotely accessible laboratories for educational use. Some of the universities, which are in this consortium, are:

• University of Technology, Sydney • Massachusetts Institute of Technology • University of Deusto • University of Stuttgart • Carinthia University of Applied Sciences • Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia • Makerere University • Technische Universität Graz • The University of Queensland • TU Dortmund University • School of Engineering - Polytechnic of Porto • Universidad EAFIT • College of the North Atlantic Qatar

Initiatives

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A long way is being walked to create learning scenarios:

- New e-learning standards- And new technologies such as ESB and

services architectures are being developed

Thank you for your attention!

Elio San Cristóbal RuizUNED (Spanish University for Distance Education)

Elio@ieec.uned.es