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LightBiteLightBite

User requirements for

Learning at the Workplace

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Table of content

Introduction 3

Structure of this document 3

LightBites 4

Tools and infrastructure 5

Time investment 8

Management 8

Other remarks 9

Conclusion 10

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Introduction

As described in other documents, the scope of this project is learning for practical application of knowledge, for learning at the workplace. So learning that can be applied for example in factories, to learn about standard procedures, machines, etc. The learning is short in principle (not like a course taking days or longer). So the person who gets the instruction, does (or can do) the learning during his/her work to continue shortly after with his/her work. This unit of learning we will call a LightBite. The project is about finding what is necessary to make e-learning at the work floor successful and to implement and describe an example toolset to achieve this.

Although the term user requirements is often used for requirements related to the user interface and features of a software tool, it is used here to describe the requirements of both end users as implementers of systems to facilitate the learning at the workplace. These user requirements are a result of the findings of research done with the help of participants in the field.

The research has been done with managers in industry and blue colour workers. We did interviews with people from different fields. From these interviews we created a summary of requirements that a set of tools (further called toolbox) should fulfil to support working at the workplace.

To make a quick start using the concept of a LightBite and the necessary tools, we created an example toolbox with at least the minimum of features necessary implemented and some more. This document scopes what can be done with the toolbox and which features are still needed or nice to have. So after reading this document, you should have an idea of which features are important to have available according to the average opinion of the people in the field we interviewed and which features can be expected in the toolbox. Of course you are free to replace some tools with other preferred tools, the current toolbox is merely a proof of concept.

Structure of this document

During the interviews the interviewees came up with a lot of conditions that should be fulfilled in order to introduce e-learning at the workplace. In the framework of the ‘my knowledgebox at work’ project we will try to incorporate as much of these conditions as possible. If we were not able to implement some condition we will clarify why this was the case.

We divided the outcomes in categories for these conditions, like

• LightBites• Toolsandinfrastructure• Timeinvestment• Management• Otherremarks

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LightBites

The first question to ask is: What is a LightBite?

An LightBite is a small training module which solves the employee’s problem instantly, refreshes key tasks of the employees/organisation or prevents problems in the future; a small training module is (could be) about 2 to 5 minutes of training with the involvement of ICT.

Below we listed the recorded remarks in bold. We have placed some comments on each of them to show how the remark is treated in the toolbox and/or the project.

Limited number of high quality LightBites • (rather than large number of low quality LightBites): This means that people do want some quality assurance on the LightBites available. If over time too many tests, try outs or outdated LightBites are in the system, this will hinder the users. As a consequence there should be a monitoring person who can delete LightBites that are no longer wanted. We implemented a deletion function to delete LightBites both from the authoring as the learning environment.

A LightBite should be short• : In other words, learning should not take long. We estimated it to 2 to 5 minutes duration but of course we are not so rigid to restrict to this. It is just an idea. The software does not enforce a LightBite to be short because such a thing is hard to define because it depends on the learning and the actual form used.

Using pedagogical games like Game of the Goose• : It was not the purpose of the project to provide a great variety of pedagogical forms. Also to emphasize the simplicity of the LightBite and its creation we choose to provide a minimum of forms only.

LightBites should be able to search and retrieve• : We have implemented a Searchable repository of LightBites. So users can search for some term or with a specific id to find the LightBites they need.

Reusability of LightBites (there must be a positive Return Of Investment)• : Once a LightBite is created, one likes to reuse the LightBite as a template for new LightBites and to reuse materials inside (pictures, multimedia) in other LightBites. We have provided this possibility. We even made it possible to reference other material without actually copying the uploaded materials.

Rapid LightBite development (reducing time and cost), intuitive to use• : Mentioned 4 times, so this seems important. We have used an authoring tool that assembles materials from the Internet or uploaded files together with pieces of text to create a (series of ) webpage (s) that together form the instruction. We started off with a tool that was originally built to maintain your personal e-portfolios. Part of that can still be found in the design. We hope that by embedding the software in the toolbox, it still feels for the user as a LightBite tool since the steps to follow are essentially the same. We have provided a manual to prevent the user from being confused.

Look at different interfaces, and make sure that all the languages are fine, make it as intuitive as •it can. This entails two conditions: make the tool multi-lingual and make the user interface intuitive. To achieve this we have put as little interface features for the average user as would be the minimum required to use. That is to say: Searching and finding LightBites should be very evident. LightBites can be found too by entering a unique short code just like people are used with widely used systems like You Tube. Furthermore: We separated (and hided) features that are only visible for authors/logged in users and visitors of the site. There are three main sections: a learning environment, an authoring environment and an administrating environment (where authors can inspect what they have created). By separating these environments we hoped to prevent the user interface from being too cluttered with functionality.

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LightBites available through intranet, internet, LMS, SAP,...the system of the organisation• : Mentioned 5 times. One wants to have the possibility to link to a specific LightBite. We implemented that: every LightBite can be accessed by means of a unique url. The toolbox is currently installed on a webserver, so it can surely be accessed over the Internet, but there is also the possibility to install the toolbox on other webservers or on the Intranet as long as the configuration fulfils the system requirements of the toolbox. To make this possible we tried to keep the requirements low. A standard Apache server (to be more specific: a so called LAMP server –see the installation guide for further details) with a database and Java servlets possibility is all rather standard and can run on a low cost server.The connection to learning management systems, SAP and other systems, is out of scope of this project, but we implemented a clear application interface to communicate between the toolbox and other systems. Of course we only implemented a few protocols to communicate. New protocols can be developed in the future.LightBites compatible with OTRS (Open Ticket Request System)• : Once mentioned. The idea is that the LightBites to be created can be linked or can be steered by the information needs from the field. We have not worked on this, but it would be nice to have an administration tool to register the information needs and link them to the LightBites once they are developed.

LightBites compatible with ISO certification• : It is not clear what kind of ISO certification is meant, but we recognise the need to produce materials that can be reused after the first creation. Since the Core of the LightBite is a piece of html-text with some additional files that can be downloaded as a zip file, this is all compliant with many other tools, making migration of LightBites possible.

LightBites compatible with HR-tool PeopleSoft• , This condition we find to specific to implement in this project. But of course the users of PeopleSoft could work with a link to a LightBite.

Objection to open source• : Mentioned twice. Since the outcome of this project is not a software tool to be commercially used, we consider this condition as not relevant.

Open source: not willing to pay license fees• : Mentioned twice. The software that will be the result of the project will be Open Source and without fee. So we consider this condition as fulfilled.

Tools and infrastructure

Light objects, limited download time• : The LightBite may not be too big in size to ensure short download time. As mentioned before, we do not restrict the authors with respect to size in practice. We raise an error if a LightBite is bigger than 1 MB and the settings of the tool are set such that this restriction should be enforced, but currently we left these checks out. Of course a low threshold depends on the elements used in the LightBite if you use to large flash files it can’t be fast. We do our best to make it as light as possible. Depending on the kinds of elements we use.

Use of repeating patterns• : Depends on how you create your LightBite. If you make use of the authoring tool, the basics are to assemble small elements like pictures, video’s text etc into a LightBite. These elements (so-called evidences) are stored in the authoring tool and can be reused the next time you create a LightBite. More complex patterns by combining elements are not supported and should be redone every time. Of course one can use an old LightBite as a start off for a new LightBite and save it differently. An example would be to have a picture on the left.

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Use of templates and checklists• : With this is meant that educational material/instructions often follow a kind of pattern obeying a pedagogical approach. There might be checklists to enforce rules of best practice. For example: it is good practice to have a test or some interactive element after a reading element to trigger the learner to read it again or think it over causing him/her to remember it better.Within the project we have been thinking about the pedagogical approach and methodology, but we have not incorporated it in the tool. There are many ways of teaching depending on taste and insight and we do not want the tool to enforce a decision. The philosophy is to keep it simple: offer media and text as material and some small multiple choice tests (with immediate feedback). To get started we provide a couple of templates for the presentation style of the LightBite. It might be good to have a ‘master LightBite’ to start off with. Such an element does not exist yet. But we have created quite some example LightBites that are uploaded and ready to be viewed.

Attractive content• : good variety of audio, images, videos, text, ...: Mentioned twice. We have created the possibility to mix different formats and multimedia in one format. Of course there are formats not supported as there are too many. For the future we would like to make use of a plugin-library for the conversion of various media formats to a more restricted set of supported formats as it is almost impossible to have a player that supports them all.

Screencasts for certain ICT-skills, websites with screenshots• : There will be a user manual to explain how to go around in the tool and this will contain screenshots as well to visualise the user interface and get users with different ICT skills quickly going. It might be good to present such a manual within the toolbox.

Use of video and audio clips (instead of coaching by coffee lounge manager)• : In the repository there will be an integrated video and audio player. We have provided an embedding possibility in the authoring tool. Showing video or audio is a three-step procedure: uploading to the storage (via the LightBite interface), viewing the properties of the produced element holding the video and using the shown embedding code in the authoring tool.

Blended learning• : the mix of classroom (brick) and e-learning (click): It is up to the companies to deal with that. It is outside the toolbox.

Flexibility to make our own material, no ready-made product• : The authoring tool will allow for the maximum of flexibility to compose materials. The only thing that is fixed, will be the available styling for the presentation as a whole (pieces of text can be styled a bit too). The more advanced users can adapt the style of course.

PowerPoint with voice (Brise, Adobe Connect)• : We haven’t really looked into that. Of course users can upload a PowerPoint to the system, let users download it and play it locally, but there is no real advantage of using a toolbox then.

Translation programs in support of the communication with foreign customers (explaining •products in coffee lounge): The idea is to have kind of translation possibility to publish in various countries material. We have not included a translation tool into the toolbox. If people want to create LightBites in different languages, there are tools for that to be found. We did not consider it absolutely necessary, but it could be nice to have a translation plugin.

Easy maintenance of knowledge with versioning• . Currently we are not able to roll-back: changing the LightBite will overwrite what you had. It is out of the available development time to implement version management into the system.

Deliver learning content via email• : We deliver the learning content as a Html page to be viewed online: the LightBite. If there is the need viewing the LightBite offline, the LightBite can be downloaded (by authors) and send by email as a zip-file.

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SCORM compatible (lesson templates)• : Mentioned three times. We have not included tools to create Scorm, but since it is widely used and this requirement came up, we have implemented a Scorm player. Just like with multimedia, an embed code will be produced so that it can be embedded in a LightBite inside the authoring tool.

Open source• : The tool will be published as Open Source.

Feedback and evaluation system in the classroom• : This does not fall inside the scope of this project.

Checklists, Procedures, Prices and FAQs on mobile devices• : This does not fall inside the scope of this project.

It has to be easy, user-friendly and practical• : We have made the user interface as simple as possible. We restricted the functionality to the minimum for a web tool based on these user requirements. I.e. there should be at least the possibility to: upload, search, download and create materials. We further worked on playing/showing material and of course there is the option to create and maintain accounts and login. The LightBite tool is translated in the main languages for this project: English, Dutch, French, Bulgarian and Greek. Other available languages are German and Spanish.

Making available a database with FAQs for example that can be uploaded in handhelds• : If the company maintains a storage to hold simple question/answer pairs that can be synchronised with the handheld of the employee, this can be valuable. We have not exactly implemented this, but one could maintain an element in the authoring tool that lists the question –answer pairs or alternatively, create one Lightbite per pair that can easily be found when given suitable keys in the description. One can think of ‘FAQ’ + question thus making it possible to find all frequently asked questions with some of the words in the question. There are options to achieve something like a question-answer mdoule, although there is no implementation of such a content element in the authoring environment.

Online library with materials in the sphere of geology, mining, production of sands and kaolin• : This is a very specific content related requirement. Of course, since the toolbox has no restrictions with respect to content, this is possible and it is up to the user to do this.

Online platform for self-training of the employees regarding their working and syndicate •rights, for online consultations from the employees in the HR department, trainings on safety on the working place and environmental preservation. Create your own LightBites: There are a number of elements in this remark that we would like to highlight. First is that the tool should be online, secondly that users can do self-training and that users can create their own LightBites. The rest of the remark is more content related. Users have the possibility to register themselves to create new LightBites. There is no hierarchy enforced who can create or reject LightBites. All registered users can create LightBites and maintain and delete their own materials. In the authoring tool we have the possibility to email a reviewer. This could be somebody in charge of the quality of the LightBites in the system. Note that this option is not obligatory either.

Unfortunately we still do not have a methodology with which we can evaluate the level of •knowledge acquired or the level of application of the new knowledge on the working place: The toolbox does not include guidance to the acquired content or to evaluate how the learning material is received and applied. This is too much context dependent. Since we recognise that giving structure to the informal learning culture reasonis important, we believe guidance is an essential part for the organisation to succeed in implementing learning at the working place. But since it is too context dependent, we have not implemented evaluation modules in the toolbox.

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Basic functions due to lack of learner autonomy• : Because the employee has no way to do autonomous learning, little development is made in his/her career. By providing a tool that is user friendly enough to empower learners, they can take control over their own learning. Of course they still depend on learning material being available. We believe that the philosophy of having LightBites – with the emphasize on light – gives little obstacles of laying knowledge down into small instructions and are easy to consume thereby improving the autonomy of the employee to learn.

Limited information due to employees lack of knowledge and experience in using e-learning •tools: Users should not be overwhelmed with lots of information to learn how to use the tool. Since we do not provide a tracking mechanism, it is a very open system with only one focussing point: a website where they can search and view materials as often as they want, just like they would do with a search engine or a popular site like YouTube.

Time investment

Business continuity should not be jeopardized• : Mentioned three times. This is one of the reasons that we adopted the philosophy to have the LightBites being small. So it takes little time to create and consume them, thus enabling the use of the tool on the workplace.

Maximum of 30 minutes of training per week (coffee lounge)• : This is up to institute where the software is used of course, but hints to the fact that the learning investment is short of nature every time.

Management

The next requirements are very important, but should be fulfilled by the management team. They are about the culture in the organisation and the support needed. We sum these requirements up here since they arose from the interviews.

The human resources department manager needs to engage actively in implementing the •LightBites in the company: The HR manager could assign the task to a couple of First Line Managers to develop LightBites and collect materials, organise a short course on how to work with the toolbox (we think that the toolbox is already very intuitive), but it might be good to get things started.

Together with leading organizations to develop specialised modules in order to fulfil the •adequate content: The toolbox has a storage engine (a so called repository) and this special repository we developed, is able to cooperate with other toolboxes to share the content. So it is possible to create a network of toolboxes all contributing to the pool of valuable LightBites for this community.

The company budget needs to include financial stimulus for qualification increase of the •workers.

Introduction of a system for following the course of learning• : We have not implemented a system for tracking the learning. A following system should be adopted by the organisation itself. Some LMS combined with a test engine could bring a solution here. The LMS could contain links to the online LightBite produced in the toolbox together with a small test to see if the employee really understood what the LightBite was about. The integration of such an LMS tool was not in the scope of the project, but would be very well possible in the future.

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Need to build an e-learning culture• : The term e-learning is misleading. The culture should be that it is possible to share knowledge throughout the company and that by dividing the learning into small units, it is feasible to gain or look up knowledge without disturbing the day to day work that has to be done too.

Introduce more technology within the organisation• : There is not necessarily more technology necessary needed than quite common technology like an up to date browser and an Internet connection. One can possibly work with handhelds or with a computer at the working place. Of course these need to be available.

Promote self-paced learning: the user should be able to perform the learning at his/her own •speed: This is mostly a matter of management. The employee can view the LightBite as often as he/she likes, also at home or offline (by downloading the LightBite) and there are no time constraints built in. So the user can do the learning at his/her own pace.

Increase learning autonomy• : the learner should be able to determine when, where and what learning he desires: Of course a learner is dependent on the material that is put out there available, but apart from that he is able to do the learning autonomously.

Increase awareness in the opportunities offered by e-learning• : The best way for users to start using a toolbox like this to make the most of the opportunities of e-learning, is to see a couple of examples how the investment of ‘consuming’ a LightBite helped them in doing their work and was somehow a bit enjoyable. It is the challenge of the management to offer such LightBites and to ensure a kind of continuity in the development and use of LightBites.

Maintain knowledge and experience within the organisation• : In an organisation there is more knowledge than you would be aware off after working somewhere for a while. It is not only the courses and diploma’s, but also the day to day knowledge a new employee would have to ask at colleagues the first couple of weeks. This knowledge is too simple to present in a course and often forgotten to mention because it is too obvious for the current employees. But apart from this hidden knowledge there is knowledge and/or experience for which one always relies on the same person or group of persons. Of course it is important not to be entirely dependent on certain employees in case they leave the organisation or are not available for some reason. By writing the knowledge down, one can maintain it for the organisation in the future.

Other remarks

My Knoledgebox at work should offer a rapid authoring tool• : We provide a system to create LightBites quickly.

It is essential that the learning materials are in the language of the learner• : Of course we can offer a limited number of languages only. For the learning environment we have created a language mechanism such that all translations in the user interface are contained in a single file per language. Translation into another language can be done by translating this file of definitions. For the authoring tool such a mechanism is not available, so we restrict the tool there to English. We hope and expect that the people who create LightBites master the English language enough not to be hindered too much by this to use the tool successfully. We worked on the usage of very basic English in the authoring tool and created a user manual which is available in the different project languages, i.e. Dutch, French, English, Greek and Bulgarian. With these two measures we believe most of the language barriers are overcome. After using the authoring tool a couple of times, the concepts used inside the tool will be clear enough to create a LightBite easily.

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Conclusion

This document gave hopefully a sufficient overview of the user requirements for e-learning at the work floor to become possible and successfully applied. We have based the requirements on the interviews we have done giving the prerequisites of what people thought was important. We annotated all the remarks with the results to be expected from the project.

We think that for a toolbox (maybe this toolbox) to be successfully applied to enable e-learning at the work floor there are X requirements that stand out are

There should be a simple online tool to search and view learning material (preferable Open Source).•

Learning should take a short time and creation of a simple LightBite should not take long.•

There should be a culture of sharing (created).•

The toolbox we have created fulfils most requirements and could be seen as a proof of concept. Other tools could be used to achieve a similar effect, but that would ask for work on the integration of the tools in the toolset, work that has been done now by the project group. The toolset consists at least of a storage (and retrieval) environment (a repository), an authoring environment and a learning environment. By making it a set of online tools, the tools can be widely applied in different organisations without depending on a specific operating system environment. The toolbox can be used via the standard toolbox website, be installed stand alone or even be installed several times at different locations to form a network of toolboxes sharing their LightBites. It is up to the organisation which case suites best.

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LightBiteLightBitePartners involved :

RayCom

Lid van de Associatie Universiteit Gent

Partner in e-learning

vzw asbl

FE.BI

vzw asbl

FE.BI

With the support of :

Coordinated by:

Belgian Network for Open and Digital LearningKongostraat 79000 Gentinfo@be-odl.org

More information about this project on :

www.LightBite-project.net