1. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk Critical Serendipity Learning Objects and Learning Skills Thomas Rochford thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting. Jesus College, Cambridge – January 10 th 2007

2. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Overview CETL-RLO Workshops Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) - http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/ Learning Objects and Learning Design Serendipity and Learning Skills Implementation Issues Consider the issues arising from attempting a practical implementation of a Learning Object to facilitate ‘Serendipity’ Overview Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ JISC RELOAD Tools 1 Some Issues Serendipity – The Camel Story Non-textual Problem Solving “Elementary my dear Watson”

3. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 CETL-RLO 1 Workshops Sharing the LOAD UCEL Checklist Learning Goal Notes: 1 (CETL-RLO) Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning in Reusable Learning Objects http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/ 2 (UCEL) Universities Collaboration in eLearning. http://www.ucel.ac.uk/ load/workshop_packs.html Learner’s Role Media Considerations UCEL workshops 2 – resources for Healthcare Provides generic checklist for content, design and pedagogy Assessment Activities Learner’s Role(s) Receive Information Gather Information Participate in Activity Contribute Information Assess their learning Problem solve Other? Media Considerations Written Text Audio/Narration Images Animations Video Interactive Tasks Other? Assessment Computer based (MCQ, etc.) *Tutor feedback *Peer Assessment (Discussion) *Self-Assessment (Reflective) *Portfolio *Level-based *Other? Media Text, Images &/or Audio Images with audio only Multiple Images mixed with Text & or audio Text with free text boxes Other? Navigation Linear Branching Free Download

4. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Overview CETL-RLO Workshops Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) - http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/ Learning Objects and Learning Design Serendipity and Learning Skills Implementation Issues Consider the issues arising from attempting a practical implementation of a Learning Object to facilitate ‘Serendipity’ Overview Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ JISC RELOAD Tools 1 Some Issues Serendipity – The Camel Story Non-textual Problem Solving “Elementary my dear Watson”

5. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Learning Objects & Learning Design Learning Objects - Definitions Learning Objects are pieces of digital learning material that have clear learning objectives and context independence (Bill Tait – November 2006) 2 Notes: 1.http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AO P/LO_what.html 2.http://www.billtait.com/Presentation s/ISSoTL/ 3.http://www.ucel.ac.uk/about/rlos.ht ml 4.http://www.lamsinternational.com/ The main idea of 'learning objects' is to break educational content down into small chunks that can be reused in various learning environments, in the spirit of object-oriented programming (David Wiley 2003) 1 Learning Objects are defined here as any entity, digital or non-digital, which can be used, re-used or referenced during technology supported learning. (LTSC 2000) an interactive web-based resource based on a single learning objective and comprising a stand-alone collection of 4 components: presentation, activity, assessment & links (UCEL – November 2006) 3 Learning Design Based on pedagogic model (UCEL – checklist) Re-Usable Learning Workflow Portable via XML-based definitions Several implementations – SCORM, IMS, LAMS 4

6. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 RELOAD 1 Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/

7. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 RELOAD 1 Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ Learning Design Editor

8. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 RELOAD 1 Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ Learning Design Editor XML Output IMS Content 1.2.2 http://www.isfahan.org.uk/papers/manuni The Alchemy of the Mosque Sufism Architecture en Analysis of sufic influences in Iranian Architecture Sufism, Islam, Iran, Shiism, Isfahan, Architecture

9. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 RELOAD 1 Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ Learning Design Editor XML Output Learning Objects – Features (Issues) Sufism Architecture Analysis of sufic influences in Iranian Architecture Sufism, Islam, Iran, Shiism, Isfahan, Architecture Self-Contained (External Links, Assessment too?) Re-Usable (Personalisation, Boring?) Can be aggregated into Learning Design (XML Scripting?) Tagged with Metadata (Standards?)

10. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Overview CETL-RLO Workshops Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) - http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/ Learning Objects and Learning Design Serendipity and Learning Skills Implementation Issues Consider the issues arising from attempting a practical implementation of a Learning Object to facilitate ‘Serendipity’ Overview Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ JISC RELOAD Tools 1 Some Issues Serendipity – The Camel Story Non-textual Problem Solving “Elementary my dear Watson”

11. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Serendipity & Learning Skills The Three Princes of Serendip Notes: 1 Retold by Richard Boyle at http://http://livingheritage.org/ three_princes.htm “They were always making discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.” (Horace Walpole) Misfortune befalls the princes when a camel driver stops them on the road and asks them if they have seen one of his camels. Although they have not, they have noticed signs that suggest a camel has passed along the road. Ever ready to dazzle with their wit and sagacity, the princes mystify the camel driver by asking him if the lost camel is blind in one eye, missing a tooth and lame. The camel driver, impressed by the accuracy of the description, immediately hurries off in pursuit of the animal. After a fruitless search, and feeling deceived, he returns to the princes, who reassure him by supplying further information. The camel, they say, carried a load of butter on one side and honey on the other, and was ridden by a pregnant woman. Concluding that the princes have stolen the camel, the driver has them imprisoned. It is only after the driver’s neighbour finds the camel that they are released. The princes are brought before Emperor Beramo, who asks them how they could give such an accurate description of a camel they had never seen. It is clear from the princes’ reply that they had brilliantly interpreted the scant evidence observed along the road. As the grass had been eaten on one side of the road where it was less verdant, the princes deduced that the camel was blind to the other side. Because there were lumps of chewed grass on the road the size of a camel’s tooth, presumably they had fallen through the gap left by a missing tooth. The tracks showed the prints of only three feet, the fourth being dragged, indicating that the animal was lame. That butter was carried on one side of the camel and honey on the other was clear because ants had been attracted to melted butter on one side of the road and flies to spilled honey on the other. The deduction regarding the pregnant rider is more complicated than the rest and is somewhat lewd, so I shall let the princes tell it themselves: “I guessed that the camel must have carried a woman,” said the second brother, “because I had noticed that near the tracks where the animal had knelt down the imprint of a foot was visible. Because some urine was near by, I wet my fingers (in it) and as a reaction to its odour I felt a sort of carnal concupiscence, which convinced me that the imprint was of a woman’s foot.” “I guessed that the same woman must have been pregnant,” said the third, “because I had noticed nearby handprints which were indicative that the woman, being pregnant, had helped herself up with her hands while urinating.” 1

12. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 “Elementary my dear Watson!” Abductive reasoning Notes: 1 the three sections above are dervied from the definitiion in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abductiv e_reasoning 2.http://ksl.stanford.edu/people/sa m/abduction.ps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abductiv e_reasoning Abduction allows the derivation a as an explanation of b; abduction works in reverse to deduction, by allowing the precondition a of “a entails b” to be derived from the consequence b; in other words, abduction is the process of explaining what is known. 1 Concept invented by Charles Peirce in 1890 He later used the term to mean creating new rules to explain new observations, emphasizing that abduction is the only logical process that actually creates anything new. “I knew you came from Afghanistan. From long habit the train of thought ran so swiftly through my mind that I arrived at the conclusion without being conscious of intermediate steps. There were such steps, however. The train of reasoning ran: Here is a gentleman of a medical type, but with the air of a military man. Clearly an army doctor, then. He has just come from the tropics, for his face is dark, and that is not the natural tint of his skin, for his wrists are fair. He has undergone hardship and sickness, as his haggard face says clearly. His left arm has been injured. He holds it in a stiff and unnatural manner. Where in the tropics could an English army doctor have seen such hardship and got his arm wounded? Clearly in Afghanistan. The whole train of thought did not occupy a second...” (A Study in Scarlet) 2 “How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?”

13. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Non-textual problem solving What is written on the black stone? How will we search for it? Notes: 1 Retold by Richard Boyle at http://http://livingheritage.org/ three_princes.htm What do we know? What can we do?

14. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Non-textual problem solving Enlarge the image, enhance the brightness contrast and sharpness? What can we see? LA FONTAI NE·DEFOR TVNEOVI L·NIAQVEL LA FONTAINE DE FOR- TUNE OU IL N’Y A QUEL Google? ‘La fontaine de fortune’ mainly yields results about ‘Jean de la Fontaine’. What can we add to this? ‘Rene’?

15. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Non-textual problem solving Google : "la fontaine de fortune rene" Notes: 1.http://www2.unil.ch/fra/HistLitt/Co urs/Periode%20medievale/RnAnjou.htm Serendipity derives its advantage from the addition of ‘accidental’ knowledge:

16. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Overview CETL-RLO Workshops Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) - http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/ Learning Objects and Learning Design Serendipity and Learning Skills Implementation Issues Consider the issues arising from attempting a practical implementation of a Learning Object to facilitate ‘Serendipity’ Overview Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ JISC RELOAD Tools 1 Some Issues Serendipity – The Camel Story Non-textual Problem Solving “Elementary my dear Watson”

17. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Implementation – A Learning Journey A Learning Journey An emulation of the journey of the three princes in search of serendipitous knowledge – hopefully without misfortune, and within five minutes! Our journey starts in my back garden in Cambridge ….

18. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 A Learning Journey – Handel (London 1738) Notes: 1 ‘Ombra mai fu’: Enrico Caruso 1920. http://www. archive.org/details/CarusoHa ndel Ombra mai fu… Frondi tenere e belle Del mio Platano amato, Per voi risplenda il Fato. Tuoni, Lampi, e Procelle Non vi oltraggino mai la cara pace, Ne giunga a profanarvi Austro rapace. Tender and beautiful fronds Of my beloved plane tree, Let Fate smile upon you. May thunder, lightning, and storms Never bother your dear peace, Nor may you be profaned by blowing winds.

19. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 A Learning Journey – Sardis (Herodotus - 431- 425 BCE) Notes: 1 Bust of Herodotus and the ‘Agora’ at Sardis. 2.Herodotus, Histories, 7:31 http://www.sacred- texts.com/cla/hh/hh7030.htm ὡ ς δ ὲ ἐ κ τ ῆ ς Φρυγ ί ης ἐ σ έ βαλε ἐ ς τ ὴ ν Λυδ ί ην, σχιζομ έ νης τ ῆ ς ὁ δο ῦ κα ὶ τ ῆ ς μ ὲ ν ἐ ς ἀ ριστερ ὴ ν ἐ π ὶ Καρ ί ης φερο ύ σης τ ῆ ς δ ὲ ἐ ς δεξι ὴ ν ἐ ς Σ ά ρδις, τ ῇ κα ὶ πορευομ έ ν ῳ διαβ ῆ ναι τ ὸ ν Μα ί ανδρον ποταμ ὸ ν π ᾶ σα ἀ ν ά γκη γ ί νεται κα ὶ ἰέ ναι παρ ὰ Καλλ ά τηβον π ό λιν, ἐ ν τ ῇ ἄ νδρες δημιοεργο ὶ μ έ λι ἐ κ μυρ ί κης τε κα ὶ πυρο ῦ ποιε ῦ σι, τα ύ την ἰὼ ν ὁ Ξ έ ρξης τ ὴ ν ὁ δ ὸ ν ε ὗ ρε πλατ ά νιστον, τ ὴ ν κ ά λλεος ε ἵ νεκα δωρησ ά μενος κ ό σμ ῳ χρυσ έῳ κα ὶ μελεδων ῷ ἀ θαν ά τ ῳ ἀ νδρ ὶ ἐ πιτρ έ ψας. From Phrygia [Xerxes] entered Lydia; and here the road parts into two, and that which goes to the left leads towards Caria, while that which goes to the right leads to Sardis; and travelling by this latter road one must needs cross the river Meander and pass by the city of Kallatebos, where men live whose trade it is to make honey of the tamarisk- tree and of wheat-flour. By this road went Xerxes and found a plane-tree, to which for its beauty he gave an adornment of gold, and appointed that one of his ‘Immortals’ should have charge of it. 2

20. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 A Learning Journey - Xerxes (Persepolis 485- 465 BCE) Notes: 1 Carvings of Xerxes from Persepolis Ombra mai fu... Ombra mai fu Di Vegetabile, Care ed amabile Soave piu. Never was made a plant more dear and loving or gentle

21. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 A Learning Journey - Sir John Evelyn 1663 Notes: 1 Sylva, Sir John Evelyn, 1663, Ch.22 2.Adam Olearius 1656 quoted at. http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/ 3. Palace of Chehel Sotoon (40 Columns) - the wooden pillars are made from the ‘Chenar’ - Platanus orientalis …the incomparable and shady Platanus, that so beautiful and precious Tree which we reade the Romans brought out of the Levant, and cultivated with so much industry and cost, for its stately and proud head only; that they would irrigate them with Wine in stead of Water. Pliny tells us there is no Tree whatsoever which so well defends us from the heat of the Sun in Summer; nor that admits it more kindly in Winter. 1 Ombra mai fu, di vegetabile, care ed amabile, soave piu. Never was made a plant more dear and loving or gentle The Persians like specially a kind of wood, unknown in Europe, called Chenar.It is brown and has a wavy grain, and they use it for doors and windows, which, when rubbed with oil, become incomparably finer than those made here of walnut. 2

22. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 A Learning Journey - Sir John Chardin (Isfahan 1724) Notes: 1 A New and Accurate Description of Persia, Sir John Chardin 1724, Vol II Ch. 4 2. ‘Chahar Bagh’, Isfahan The Persians hold, that the Plantane hath a natural Virtue in it against the Plague, and all other Infections of the Air; and they affirm, that they had no more Contagion at Ispahan, their Metropolis, after they had planted them every where round about, as they did in the Streets and Gardens. 1 Ombra mai fu, di vegetabile, care ed amabile, soave piu. Never was made a plant more dear and loving or gentle

23. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 A Learning Journey – Back Home (Cambridge 2006) Notes: 1 Flora Europaea Vol. I, CUP 1964 Platanus orientalis. Linnaeus 1753 Up to 30m. Leaves 5-7 lobed, central lobe much longer than its width at base. All lobes coarsely dentate, rarely entire. Capitula (2-)3-6(-7) on a long pendulous axis. Balkan peninsula southwards from c. 42 0 N. 1

24. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Critical Serendipity – Pedagogy (1) Learning Goal: What will learners to do and how will this be achieved? Receive Information: Gather Information: Participate in activity: Contribute Information: Assess their learning: Problem Solve: Other: What will learners do and how will this be achieved? Text: Audio: Images: Other: Animations: Video: Tasks: To enhance understanding of the subject through the critical application of related, prior material. 1. Present scenario/’Object’ 2. Gather initial ideas 3. Present alternative contexts 4. Update initial ideas 5. Review, reflect & gain feedback 1. Listen to music 2. Form filling for self/tutor assessment

25. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Critical Serendipity – Pedagogy (2) Support for constructivist learning: Standard: Images & audio: Mixed Other: Adjustment of initial mental model & pre- conceptions to accommodate new experiences & information Method of assessment: Record initial ideas, enhancements and then assess progress – possibly via feedback from tutor. (cf. above.) Other relevant design factors: Design template: Free: Why? Navigation: Linear: Branching: Why? Text/Free Text Simple, easily modified. Simulates ‘accident’ but preserves some supporting structure

26. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10 th 2007 Critical Serendipity - Storyboard By looking at something in a different way you will increase your under- standing of it Objective Prior Knowledge What do you already/now know about it? Activity Ideas Use of Plane trees to remove carbon monoxide ‘London Plane’ Planning Activity – based? Ombra mai fu … Handel Opera Sources Music Sound device Herodotus ‘Persian fire’ Sardis Cultural traditions History/Culture Greek character set Xerxes East/West conflict Persepolis History/Politics N/A Columns Shade Architecture N/A Distribution Care Varietal forms Botany N/A How has your understanding increased? How will you apply this? Assessment Feedback