1. Design of eLearning applications
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

2. Jyrki J.J. Kasvi
Researcher: Helsinki University of Technology Industrial Engineering and Management Work Psychology and Leadership
Writer: Books and articles on information society, work psychology, computer games, comics, ...

3. HUT and eLearning
Continuous life-long learning – scope from basic to supplementary education
Flexibility of learning and teaching
Part-time students and part-time teachers
Interaction between research and teaching
Expenses / study unit ?
National and international networking
Learner centered learning theories
HUT should, by its nature, act as a developer and experimenter of new technologies
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

4. eLearning, hype or added value?
What does the word eLearning mean to you? Is it
Computer based training in a new wrapping?
Computer is the main thing
Distance teaching in a new wrapping?
Computer networks are the main thing
Virtual learning in a new wrapping?
Simulations, role games, scenarios etc.
Learner is brought to the center stage. C&IT are applied to support learners. Simulations etc. are used to facilitate independent and group learning
Learning goal definition, internal learning motivation, support of learning situations and evaluation of learning outcomes are critical
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

5. But what is it? Whole course Big groups Asynchronic interaction
Teacher
driven
Internal
motivation
But what is it?
Teacher
centred
Learner
centred
External
motivation
Learner
driven
Synchronised
interaction
Single
learner
A part
of a course
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

6. Why so much noise? All this has been possible for years?
The novelty comes from integration of new teknologies and pedagogical ideas
In addition (some) organisations are now able to adopt new practices and strategies made possible by new technologies ???
In addition (some) teachers and trainers are now able to adopt new made possible by new technologies ???
But there is still lots of hype involved.
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

7. Learners Who are the learners? (easily forgotten)
What learner characteristics are important?
Age? Sex? Education? Computing skills? Attitudes? ???
What characteristics does independent C&IT supported learning require from a learner?
What cognitive, affective, organisational (etc.) skills and facilities?
What kind of learning skills and? ???
These must set the first learning goals!
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

8. Learner’s role
eLearner makes independent choices on learning goals, contents, methods, participation, progress and evaluation
How does this change learners’ roles and tasks?
They become independent (but are they or do they feel they are abandoned)
They set their own learning goals and evaluate their own learning
They work togethers instead of competing with each other.
Internet is a tool of communication!
The point is not to grade students but facilitate their learning.
But why do so many eStudents drop out? ???
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

9. Autonomous learning Open learning learning packages Distance learning
decentralised
Distance learning
- geographically disparate
Resource-based
learning materiel
for open learning
Flexible learning
Distance
self paced
Independent
learning
Collaborative
with peers
team effort
Self-paced learning
- asynchronous
Student-centred
learners influence content etc.
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

10. Trainer’s role How does eLearning influence trainers’ time use? ???
Learners’ goals and problems are the starting point:
How can a teacher/trainer (or an eLearning system) support and guide an autonomous eStudent:
to carry responsibility on his/her own learning ???
to reflect and evaluate his/her own learning ???
to manage his/her time use ???
to develop his/her eLearning skills and facilities ???
_______________________________?
How does eLearning influence trainers’ time use? ???
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

11. Tutor’s place eLearning systems should facilitate different
relationships between learners and tutors T O O O O O O O O O O O O O O T T O O O O O O O O O O O O O T T O O O O O O O O T O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Maier P. & Warren A. (2000) Technology in Learning and Teaching. Kogan Page.
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

12. Organisation’s role? Technical (etc.) resources Practices Attitudes
Appropriate equipment and communication systems
Technical support avalaible for all user groups
Enough time reserved for independent learning activities!
Practices
Proper management of knowledge and documents
Attitudes
Readiness to accept learners’ autonomous activities and learner oriented learning outcomes. It is impossible to predict all the impacts.
Management of resistance of change.
Setting of functional goals instead of learning goals ???
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

13. Interaction
How important to learning is learner’s and teacher’s interaction?
How important to learning is interaction between learners?
Should interaction be one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-many? ???
Shoud interaction be asynchronic or synchronised?
How to facilitate interaction in Internet or a LAN/WAN?
What complications are connected to electronic interaction?One-to-one, one-to-many vai many-to-many? ???
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

14. Evaluating learning outcomes
What is the goal of evaluation?
To grade learners? (or is it just a tradition?)
To help learners to assess their own learning?
What can you evaluate with and what compliations do various evaluation methods create ???
Multiple choice tasks
Traditional exams with/without source material
Essays, presentations
Case based tasks
What other methods are there?
How to evaluate electronic participation and interaction?
Evaluation must be achored to functional goals!
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

15. Case: Knowledge Support of a learning organisation
Net based recruitment has worked so-and-so
Pre-test has worked very well
Task reports have been very good
Net based discussions have failed ...
Final assessment has shown that students have misunderstood some issues. This did not happen with traditional lectures.
Students have appreciated the flexibility
Students have wanted more concrete tutoring
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

16. Why eLearning?
In the past several students from outside HUT have enrolled but had problems with participating the lectures and seminars
eLearning practices need to be tested
The content and scope of the course have made it a good pilot
The lecturer has suitable experience
Thus the course has been used to test distance learning
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

17. Some lessons learned Identify and know your end users:
Who are your learners, teachers, assistants, content providers, administrators, ...?
What tasks do these user groups perform?
What goals and motivators do they have?
Base learning goals and evaluation to functional goals
Remember all the phases from learning goal setting to evaluation of learning outcomes
Focus on interaction
Build a community of learners (incl. teachers)
Use face-to-face communication in the beginning
The system or teacher should drag learners to interact
Reserve enough time
Both for learners and teachers/trainers
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi

18. Never a goal itself...
Jyrki J.J. Kasvi