eLearning Constructing New Environments for Learning

ICT Technologies in learning … –allow participants to access information –facilitate communication Improvement? New ‘technologies can help us engage learners in active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative learning’ (Jonassen, 1999).

Paradigmatic Change Shift from the teaching-centred, receptive knowledge acquisition process, – to - more active, knowledge construction experience centred on learners Change in pedagogical foundations : –roles, environment & scenarios, centres, means, –new kinds of information, contents, disciplines. –learning process: new learning strategies

Technologies influence learning Technology features: –Ubiquity (of information & of devices) Weiser, 1991 –Collaboration enabling (communities of practice) –In authentic context (situated learning) –Interaction (fluent communication) Principles Engagement theory (Kearsly & Shneiderman, 1998) “Relate, Create, Donate” learning by creating, Students should participate in their learning design, from LMS to LAMS to LLL (life-long learning)

Competences (CEF, 2001) –general (‘savoir’, ‘savoir-être’, ‘savoir-faire’ and ‘savoir-apprendre’-> learning to learn). –specific of each discipline. Objective: learning to learn. –Then, 'can-do' or ‘know-how’ abilities or skills set the basis for learning objectives –Developed in practical tasks and contexts usually designed by teachers, with access to content, materials, and resources. Competences

Towards Specific Competences Experimental Sciences: problem solving activities or simulations: 'can-do' or ‘know-how’ skills Humanities: skills to cope with real life situations, creative thinking, CEF: competences for language learning –Integrating skills: linguistic, sociolinguistic & pragmatic components –Interaction: real communication in authentic contexts

e-Learning strategies CALL (Computer-assisted language learning) Web Resources. TELL & WELL Ubiquitous access to information anywhere anytime. Textual & multimedia information. Communicate (Interact) by reacting to information: –Initially with forms, –by writing in forums or chatting –New technologies for writing on the Web, such as blogging and wikis. AWLA & AIOLE

AWLA: A Writing eLearning Appliance A learning resource to write on the Web. Aim:to learn how to write by writing on a blended learning environment allowing ubiquitous collaboration. centred on learning design, which provides updatable description, instructions and links to external/internal materials (PBL). access to communication: Chat and reference language tools (a grammar parser, a lexicon, Wordnet, online dictionaries, Google search, images).

AWLA Roles With teacher as a guide: –Designing the learning activities: lesson plans, assignments,scenarios with XML-based RSS aggregation –Communicating with learner(s) via chat on the document as channel –Checking for mistakes, plagiarism, tracing the learners’ contributions With engaged learners –Enhancing traditional classrooms –Or in a community of learners –Collaborating creatively by interacting in authentic contexts

Users (learners) access facilities ◄ Easy entrance to the Website ◄ Easy, fast access to reading, writing and saving text information ◄ Collaboration (New Idea) ◄ Convertible to Word format  Access to corrected version ◄ Editable with images (multimedia)  Permanent display of the task ►  Access to additional contents ► ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲  Access to language tools (menu)  Access to communication facility: Chat based on the task channel

AWLA German & Spanish Interfaces

XML Feed Aggregation

AIOLE for Languages for Outgoing Erasmus Students European Community:European Community: –“language learning & the use of ICT” … Common European Framework of Reference for LanguagesCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages – “active use of language as interaction in learning” Blended LearningBlended Learning Mixture of traditional language courses with distributed learning –Oral interaction in face-to-face sessions –Reading, Listening & Writing online An I nteractive Online L earning E nvironment

AIOLE-CIVIEramus Activities: Web Writer: designed or selected by tutors/students Learning design (3 levels): – CEF B1 – Teacher – Student Learning design Getting Ready for Mobility Travelling, Accommodation, At the University, Everyday Situations.

AIOLE-CIVIEramus: AIOLE-CIVIEramus: Writing -Reading as browsing (as usual) -Involving writing as interaction) - Text, images, video or audio - Mutiple Choice Quizzes or Matching Exercises -Sentences for Fill-in-the- blanks completion. - Questions and Answers Kinds of Activities:

AIOLE-CIVIEramus: AIOLE-CIVIEramus: AWLA integration AWLA (A Writing Learning Appliance) - Learn to write by writing nywhere anytime on the Web - Task-based (scenarios) - with Tutors correction (similar to traditional)

Language eLearning with AWLA & AIOLE Writing Practice & communication (interaction) helps to internalize information, to build knowledge, learning a language by developing communicative skills: –Reading, Listening, and Writing online –Speaking (oral interaction) in face-to-face sessions »BLENDED LEARNING –Blended learning (where the teacher is essential) using content, quizzes & access to information (CAI) Writing process, based on tasks: TELL learning design scenarios Integrating Writing, Reading and Listening skills with speaking Adaptable to disciplines, languages, levels Ideal for Lifelong Learning and CLIL