AssipaBlog

A couple of weeks ago I blogged on 'The Seven Challenges of e-Learning Design (Part 1)'. It received some kind words from some in the ed-tech blogging community. My colleague Mike Malloch was less convinced. He pointed to the poor writing and the lack of well thought through ideas. (He also pointed out there were eight challenges, not seven!)

I plead guilty. But I have a defence. I increasingly see my blog as part of my everyday work. Many of the things I write are the sort of things that never before made it beyond the back of an envelope hurriedly scrawled down in a conversation with a colleague or written in the pub. Should these things be shared? I think so. At the end of the day this blog is mine - and if anyone else chooses to read it that is up to them. I am always gratified when someone reads my notes and even more so when they reply. More so, I think that knowledge development may really take place through an exchange and discourse around half thought out ideas - sometimes born of need (to produce a plan for a project), obsession (or too much beer) rather than in well formulated dissertations.

So you have been warned. Here is Part 2 of the Seven Challenges of e-Learning Design. It is written out of conviction, but also because I have a deadline to produce a plan for the ASSIPA project meeting. Would love to have any feedback - negative or positive.

Technorati Tags: e-learning design, e-portfolios, non formal learning, pedagogy, social software

I am designing an e-learning programme for the european Commission funded ASSIPA project. The project aims to develop a face-to-face and e-learning programme for teachers in adult education to develop their skills and practices in self-evaluation . A face-to-face programme has been produced and will be piloted in June 2005. The programme is heavily process oriented, encouraging participants to reflect on and evaluate their own learning experiences. The programme is based around a series of different activities, providing a scaffold for learning. Short input sessions provide the theoretical background to the different activities. As such the programme is highly structured but is also student centred in that it is the learners own experiences which provide the raw material for learning.

Converting the programme to e-learning provides a series of challenges. I think I would argue that these challenges lie at the heart of good e-learning design - whatever the subject.

Part one of this port reviews the challenges will outline my approach to the pedagogy and design.

Technorati Tags: e-learning design, pedagogy

Lars asked me if I could post up the minutes of the last meeting here as he was having problems with his computer. Minutes are attached - click on link below to download the Word file

ASSIPA Kick-off Meeting Min.doc

Course Description

Aim:
To equip teachers in adult education with the skills necessary to help students review their learning

Duration:
4 days x 6 hours = 8 sessions

Objectives
At the end of the course teachers will be able to
 Explain the purpose of student learning reviews and say why students are encouraged to reflect on their own learning experiences
 Discuss the links between different theories of learning and the practice of student learning reviews and say where in the learning cycle the student review  process  is located
 Outline some of the different models and methods for conducting / facilitating student learning reviews
 Demonstrate the skills of facilitating a student learning review
e.g.     group facilitator styles
active listening skills
groupwork skills
group teaching methods
 Identify the practical, environmental and managerial issues related to student learning reviews
 Discuss the ethical issues associated with student learning reviews


Structure:

Day 1 Morning:

1st Session:     Introduction
                      Course structure background
2nd Session:    Reviewing in practice:
                       Exercise to provide live material on ‘How people learn’ plus review

Day 1 Afternoon:

1st Session:     Learning theory / review practice – how they fit
                        ERL Materials (FEU)
                        Learning styles exercise
2nd Session:    Feedback loop – publish / process/ generalise /apply stuff
                        Review of days learning

Day 2 Morning:

1st Session:    Facilitator styles
                        Input and exercise

2nd Session:    Practical data gathering techniques

Day 2 Afternoon:

1st Session:    Active listening skills workshop

2nd Session:    Active listening skills continuing: Giving and receiving feedback

Day 3 Morning:

1st Session:     Review of yesterday’s learning
                        Intro to Group dynamics
2nd Session:    Workshop exercises on group dynamics

Day 3 Afternoon:

1st Session:    Running discussion groups

2nd Session:    Individual projects

Day 4 Morning:

1st Session:    Feedback on projects

2nd Session:    When not to review! - Exercise

Day 4 Afternoon:

1st Session:    Ethics of intervention

2nd Session:    End of course review




Course Content:

Experience Reflection Learning materials from FEU
Active Listening Skills
Six Category Intervention Analysis
Group Dynamics
………

Skills acquired:

Adaptable exercises…..we have known!
Best / worse learning experience trios
Giving feedback
Debriefing
Entire workshop of active listening skills
How people learn exercise
Coins
Squares
Experiential learning exercise
Operation go type exercise
Learning diaries
Information storage and retrieval exercises

Issues:
Use of live material as ‘cases’ on the course – capturing the here and now
Reviewing own learning as basis for understanding the process
When do you review > contrasting times of day, immediately after? After a gap? +’s and –‘s Use different techniques on course
Inductive vs deductive….theory> illustration> debrief   practice> review> build learning

Course Description:

Aim:
To equip teachers in adult education with the skills necessary to help students review their learning

Duration:
4 days x 6 hours = 8 sessions

Objectives:
At the end of the course teachers will be able to
 Explain the purpose of student learning reviews and say why students are encouraged to reflect on their own learning experiences
 Discuss the links between different theories of learning and the practice of student learning reviews and say where in the learning cycle the student review  process  is located
 Outline some of the different models and methods for conducting / facilitating student learning reviews
 Demonstrate the skills of facilitating a student learning review

Skills Generated:
group facilitator skills
active listening skills
groupwork skills
group teaching methods
 Identify the practical, environmental and managerial issues related to student learning reviews
 Discuss the ethical issues associated with student learning reviews


Indicative content

Day 1 Morning:

1st Session:     Introduction
Course structure background

2nd Session:    Reviewing in practice:
Exercise to provide live material on ‘How people learn’ plus review

Day 1 Afternoon:

1st Session:     Learning theory / review practice – how they fit
ERL stuff (FEU)
Learning styles?
Exercise

2nd Session:    Feedback loop – publish / process/ generalise /apply stuff
        Review of days learning

Day 2 Morning:

1st Session:      Facilitator styles
                       Input and exercise

2nd Session:    Practical data gathering techniques

Day 2 Afternoon:

1st Session:    Active listening skills workshop

2nd Session:    Active listening skills continuing: Giving and receiving feedback

Day 3 Morning:

1st Session:       Review of yesterday’s learning
                        Intro to Group dynamics

2nd Session:    Workshop exercises on group dynamics

Day 3 Afternoon:

1st Session:    Running discussion groups

2nd Session:    Individual projects

Day 4 Morning:

1st Session:    Feedback on projects

2nd Session:    When not to review! - Exercise

Day 4 Afternoon:

1st Session:    Ethics of intervention

2nd Session:    End of course review


Course Content:

Experience Reflection Learning stuff from FEU
Active Listening Skills
Six Category Intervention Analysis
Group Dynamics
………

Adaptable exercises…..we have known!
Best / worse learning experience trios
Giving feedback
Debriefing
Entire workshop of active listening skills
How people learn exercise
Coins
Squares
Experiential learning exercise
Operation go type exercise
Learning diaries
Information storage and retrieval exercises

Issues:
Use of live material as ‘cases’ on the course – capturing the here and now
Reviewing own learning as basis for understanding the process
When do you review > contrasting times of day, immediately after? After a gap? +’s and –‘s Use different techniques on course
Inductive vs deductive….theory> illustration> debrief   practice> review> buid learning