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Engaging Learning experiences

For the ELIXIR eLearning Workshop

Pedro L. FernandesInstituto Gulbenkian de Ciência

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Engaging Learning experiences

OutlineThe need for engagementPast and present experience: ●How they were inspired●Examples

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For the individual learner

Learning is a navigation experience

Instruction is essentiallyguidance to allowfor exploration

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Bioinformatics

The navigation experience is a hard challenge for bothlearners and providers

Can we do it in aformal class environment?

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Learning in Lectures

A class at the University of Bologna, by Laurentius de Voltolina)

No guidance

No navigation

Total disengagement

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Formal Lectures

Low efficiencyNo interaction No engagement

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Training requires proximity to ensure engagement

Proximity is relatively easy to happen in small learning environments

It is difficult to induce it in distributed environments

- Geographical- Time deferred

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Is eLearning the way out?

Quality eLearning is an option that requires area-specific design and production methods.

Some are difficult, most are labour-intensive

It must be worth-while to opt for it

Underestimating the effort in choosing the design methods and refining the production may easily result in bad quality products

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Is eLearning the way out?

The ongoing movement to transform learning encompasses eLearning provision, but also distance learning, blended learning, etc.

Learner-centered provision is the targetOpen Educational Resources are the modus faciendi

This transformation has most of its roots in the Connectivist learning model started in the 1990's by George Siemens and Stephen Downes, who were the creators of the first MOOC

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Connectivism

Connectivism is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity and self-organization theories. Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual.

Learning (defined as actionable knowledge) can reside outside of ourselves (within an organization or a database), is focused on connecting specialized information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing.

“Knowing Knowledge”, George Siemens 2006

http:www.elearnspace.org/KnowingKnowledge_LowRes.pdfGeorge Siemens

Stephen Downes

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Flipped Class (Aaron Sams e Jonathan Bergman)

Flipped-Class, a model initially created in a high school, based on integrally replacing lectures by videos and bringing home assignments to the class for group problem solving under supervision

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Flipped Class has spreaded

Aaron Sams in a class

The same techniques are applicable at all levels

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Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur)

The MOOCs have also been inspired by the pioneering work of Eric Mazur from Harvard , who noted that lectures were very ineffective “one way” vehicles for information delivery while education is (requires) a lot more

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Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur)

Education is knowledge provision, not information transfer. It is much more about making good use of the information out there (everywhere). Successful teaching activity consist of facilitating the sedimentation of connected concepts in the brains of learners.

Traditional student performace indicators are misleading. They measure the capacity to solve problems by patter matching. They cannot measure the understanding of concepts and the capacity to make use of them.

In a good learning environment, learners become optimally placed to provide learning to their peers.

“Peer Instruction: A User's Manual”, E.Mazur 1997“Confessions of a Converted Lecturer" , video http://youtu.be/85m0n3fQHRc

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MOOCs

MOOC poster April 4, 2013 by Mathieu Plourde licensed CC-BY on Flickr

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MOOCs

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MOOC engagement patterns

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Distance Learning (Salman Khan )

● Salman Khan, started to share content freely in short videos and created the Khan Academy

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Distance Learning (Salman Khan )

More than 7000 short videos; wide range of subjects; assisted learning paths.

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Adaptive Learning

Knewton has started an innovative way of delivering learning content that is adaptive

José Ferreira

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When is eLearning provision worth the effort?

Large geographical dispersion of learners?

Modularization of content?

Asynchronous needs?

Seeking the benefits of interactivity?

Adaptable learning paths?

Recognition of learning achivements?

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eLearning in Bioinformatics Training?

Highly diverse audiences, difficult to tailor

Most of the content is fast evolving

- complex planning

- high maintenance cost

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What can be done to set ELIXIR off in the eLearning direction(s)

One may start gaining experience by using engaging techniques and testing them with a variety of audiences.

Some examples:● Discussion rooms in distance learning● Gamification / Interactive content● Active instant feedback● Dual audiences, remote training rooms

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Distance Learning with interaction

Medical School, University of Porto

250 students, >200 distant

Challenge: keep the same level of interaction for all students regardless of location.

Challenge: production of eLearning materials, interactive quizzes, SCORM for LMS

Highlighted Achievement: ONLINE discussion of clinical cases

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Distance Learning with interaction

Teach ECG interpretation

Small tutorials recorded in an improvised studio

Learning path defined by an overarching quizz

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Distance Learning with interaction

Teach auscultation

Learning tool with a graphical torso and library of real sounds

Training achieved by memorising sound patterns and locations,as well as associated pathologies

Listening repeatedly as much as needed

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Training with distant audiences

Traininrg Room in ??? Training Room in Oeiras, PT

SoundSlidesWhite boardFile sharingQ&A + chatVoting

SoundSlidesWhite boardFile sharingQ&A + chatVoting

Conferencing software

Bidirectional Video Call(Skype?)

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Training Assistant

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Software supported learning tools

Mind maps are being used to summarise recently acquired knowledge and to provide inquiry tools

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Software supported learning tools

Mind maps, also to provide inquiry tools

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Software supported learning tools

Mind maps, also to provide inquiry tools

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Web-based feedback tools

On fixed or mobile platforms, indifferently

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Badges for recognition

Recording learner and instructor achevements in the form of an electronic token

Can be easily attached to Cvs or job applications

Can be displayed publicly and endorsed

Good experiences with Mozilla Open Badges

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Microlearning

Breakdown of learning content so that it may fit short videos with narration.

This is being experimented by modifying existing training exercises

Tests with the new material will begin in early 2016.

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Distance and eLearning WS

For the last 5 years,a workshop to discuss the use of technology in adult education and training has been held in Oeiras, PT.

An informal research group has been created

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Bibliography

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Bibliography

E-LEARNING Provocateur

https://ryan2point0.wordpress.com/

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Thanks