Introduction to virtual learning environments-Updated February 24, 2004

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1. Overview of module (1/2)• Theory (introductory lecture) and practice

(exercise and seminar)• Contents of the introductory lecture

– Technological points related to e-learning

– Pedagogical points related to e-learning

– Combining these views

– Education and the WWW

– Cases

– Introducing our exercise and giving topics to each group

see page 1 in your material

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1. Overview of module (2/2)

• Some terms– E-education

– E-learning

– Web-based learning

– Blended learning

• Framework – (1) content, (2) learning process, and (3) technology

• Module consists of lectures and an exercise.

see pages 1-2 in your material

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2. Some useful concepts

• Hypertext

• Hypermedia

see page 2 in your material

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3. Usability issues of hypertext (1/3)

• Usability Acceptability

• Four categories of usability issues:

Navigation

Screen design and layout

Terminology consistency, and

Match with the user's tasks

see pages 2-3 in your material

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3. Usability issues of hypertext (2/3)

• Nielsen (1989)– Difference between users-> need to use a pilot group

and need different mechanisms for different tasks

• Leventhal (1993)– Hyperholmes-comparing conventional book to

hypertext (ht)

– ht users were marginally accurate in answering questions, and excelled at the questions where the key information was embedded in a text entry.

see page 3 in your material

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3. Usability issues of hypertext (3/3)

– Problems with especially the web: disorientation, navigation inefficiency and cognitive overload

– Critical issues while creating webpages (Nielsen, 1999): download speed, search mechanism, scrolling on navigation pages, effects

see page 3 in your material

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4. Virtual communities (1/2)

• Groupware enables– communication, – collaboration, and – coordination see page 4 in

your material

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4. Virtual communities (2/2)

• Virtual communities consist of groups of people who have regular contact with one another in cyberspace

• Four types of virtual learning communities: – 1.    Virtual Learning Communities of

Relationship,– 2.    Virtual Learning Communities of Place,– 3.    Virtual Learning Communities of Mind, and– 4.     Virtual Learning Communities of Memory.

see page 4 in your material

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5. Approaches of learning (1/6)

• Behaviorism,

• Objectivist way, i. e. objectivism,

• Cognitive way, i. e. Cognitivism, and

• Constructivist way, i. e. constructivism Jonassen (1992a)

see pages 4-5 in your material

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5. Approaches of learning(2/6)

• Behaviorism– Stimulus->response– In educational software

• Question->Answer see page 5 in your material

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5. Approaches of learning(3/6)

• Objectivism– Transferring knowledge-a student assimilates

what a teacher or an software or a website tells

see page 5 in your material

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5. Approaches of learning (4/6)

• Cognitivism– Learners interact with that information,

interpret it, and build personal knowledge representations

see pages 5-6 in your material

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5. Approaches of learning (5/6)

• Constructivism– Compared to cognitivism, constructivism is

more concentrated on in which ways these changes in knowledge representations occur

see page 6 in your material

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5. Approaches of learning (6/6)

• Two Schools of Constructivism– Social constructivism

• Important while trying to understand CSCL

• Cultural and social contexts are important

– Cognitive constructivism• understanding through many channels: reading,

listening, exploring and experiencing his or her environment (Piaget, 1977)

see page 6 in your material

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6. Effect of the approaches on educational software (1/3)

• Behaviorist principles– Teaching machines – Computer assisted instruction (CAI)– Virtual reality (VR)

see pages 6-7 in your material

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6. Effect of the approaches on educational software (2/3)

• Four paradigms by Koschmann (1996):– computer-aided instruction (CAI), – intelligent tutoring Systems (ITS), – Logo-as-Latin, and – computer-supported collaborative learning

(CSCL)see page 7 in your material

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6. Effect of the approaches on educational software (3/3)

• Leidner and Jarvenpaa (1993, 1995)– Hands-on students use:

• appeared to help students assimilate the information and acquire insights not stated by the instructor

– Not requiring hands-on use:• students' attention increased in the class sessions

– Teaching procedural and exploratory materials• computers are more useful in teaching skills rather

than in teaching facts and knowledge

see page 8 in your material

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6.2. IT visions and learning– IT has been used in the same way in education as in

enterprises

– Automated classrooms• computer-aided instruction (CAI)- for example, drill end practice

programs

– Informate up• for example, the use of e-mail

– Informate down • for example, learning networks, hypermedia simulation

technologies and virtual reality

– Vision to transform• for example, the use of CSCW and CSCL applications

see pages 9 and 10 in your material

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6.3. Hypertext and educational theories

Constructivism

Hypertext (hypermedia)

• Learning style

•Experimental learning = Action->Experiment

see page 10 in your material

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7. Education and the WWW (1/6)

• General approach = five strategies– 1) Traditional strategy– 2) Simple technology adoption– 3) Moderate (Internet/Intranet)

technology adoption– 4) Complex technology adoption– 5) Total technology adoption

see pages 11 and 12 in your material

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7. Education and the WWW (2/6)

– three kinds of collaboration tools • Software and services for community

building• Software and services for project work• Software and services for course

administration and collaboration.

see page 12 in your material

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7. Education and the WWW (3/6)

• Approaches of constructivism, situated action, and cognitive flexibility – Effects like disorientation, navigation

inefficiency and cognitive overload have multiplied on the web

– Trails and guided tours– Situated action and cognitive flexibility

see pages 12 and13 in your material

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7. Education and the WWW (4/6)

• Future– Internet 2– Mobile learning

see pages 13 and14 in your material

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7. Education and the WWW (5/6)

• Internet 2– 10 gigabits per second– Applications:

• Video conferencing• Digital video• Internet Television• Virtual Classrooms• Virtual Laboratories• Online Libraries• Distance learning• Mobile Internet

see pages 13 and14 in your material

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7. Education and the WWW (6/6)

• Mobile learning– A framework

• Mobile learning applications

• Mobile user infrastructure (browser, handheld device)

• Mobile protocol (adoption of content with WAP)• Mobile network infrastructure (cellular systems,

satellites, etc)

– Four steps of learning paradigms (or views)• understanding of knowledge management and

learning communities are needed

see page 14 in your material

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Some interesting hypertext or the WWW cases in the field of education

• CSILE (Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environment)

• Nestor• BSCW (Basic Support for Collaborative Work)

• Mobile learning project Mobilearn

• Finnish applications

– ITRI at University of Jyväskylä see pages 15-17 in your material

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9. My own research in the postgraduate studies (1/3)

• Collaborative hypertext

• The WWW-based coursework in the basics of informatics

• Idea of web-based seminar

see pages 17-20 in your material

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9. My own research in the postgraduate studies (Case 1)

• Collaborative hypertext– discussion phase– authoring phase– annotative phase

• Toolbook as a tool– http://www.asymetrix.com/products/

see pages 17 and 18 in your material

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9. My own research in the postgraduate studies (Case 2)

• WWW-based coursework in the basics of informatics– a slideshow presentation

– coursework of three layers • 1) slides themselves

• 2) links

• 3) search engines and directories (e. g. Altavista or yahoo)

– The students were required to report their findings (learning) concerning three features in the course work

see page 18 and 19 in your material

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9. My own research in the postgraduate studies (Case 3)

• The Course Knowledge work and its tools• Web CT and its presentations feature• Working in small groups (3 to 5 students) dealing

with one typical knowledge work profession (lawyer, teacher, etc.)

• Presentations were put in each group’s separate workspace on the web

• Other groups commented on the outcomes• Control groups to compare the value

see pages 19 and 20 in your material

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10. Exercise

• Either– Application on the Web

• or– article-based exercise

see pages 20-22 in your material