Linda Carswell

A holistic approach to supporting distance learning using the Internet: transformation, nottranslation

This is the first of a series of papers describing how the Open University, a large distance education institution, has embraced the Internet as a medium for supporting its students, tutors, academics, and administrators throughout the education process. This paper reports on a holistic approach to integrating technology into the teaching process which addresses how to provide necessary functions in effective forms—some traditional, some new. It describes the development and structure of actual systems, which incorporate electronic student registration; electronic assignment submission, marking, and recording; electronic tutorials and other interaction; and electronic examinations. It describes and summarises some of the findings of the evaluation of those systems, including student, academic, and administrator feedback. Finally, this paper reflects on the benefits of an integrated holistic approach in exploiting the Internets potential to support distance learning on a massive scale. Subsequent papers in this series will address specific areas in detail:the student experience, the role of the tutor in an electronic environment, and the institutional perspective.

Resources, tools, and techniques for problem based learning in computing

In a problem-based learning (PBL) environment, students work in groups on real-life problems and have the opportunity to determine for themselves what they need to learn in the relevant subject area(s). A common feature of problem-based learning is to provide students with a range of resources that assist them in solving the problems. This paper attempts to classify resources according to the educational functions and activities for which they will be used. It also discusses communication patterns, assessment, and evaluation with respect to problem-based learning. Finally, it presents two case studies, one that illustrates a progression of problem development within the PBL environment and one that describes a practical application of PBL, with appropriate use of resources, for a first-year course in Java.

The “Virtual University”: toward an Internet paradigm?

Universities make the assumption that providing distance education is a simple process of translating from one medium to the next: the current popular medium being the Internet. However, the danger in this approach is two fold. First, if the components of distance education are ill understood then an inappropriate pedagogy and strategy may result. Second, a lack of understanding of the properties of the Internet as a medium may cause unrealistic and unrealisable expectations. Thus the inappropriate strategy is matched to an unreliable medium expectation and the distance education programme is unlikely to provide the desired educational environment for the student. This paper highlights the need to understand the components of distance education and the properties of the Internet before embarking upon a distance education programme via the Internet: the Virtual University. The paper summarises some of the experiences of the Open University in this field and reports on areas needing further research such as tutoring (problem-solving sessions) and electronic learning/teaching materials (development).

The Web and distance learning: what is appropriate and what is not (report of the ITiCSE '97 working group on the web and distance learning)

The World Wide Web is increasingly being used to provide opportunities for distance learning. This report explores the motivations for developing Web-based distance learning and examines a range of issues including ethics, pedagogy, planning, advantages, disadvantages, and appropriate and inappropriate uses. The analysis takes a learner-centric view, classing as appropriate those uses of the Web that further the traditional educational values of quality, outreach, and flexibility. Examples of inappropriate uses are also given.

Teaching via the Internet: the impact of the Internet as a communication medium on distance learning introductory computing students

The use of the Internet is a common theme in current educational technology research. However, hype does not augment learning, and new technology alone does not promise improvement. The question is does Internet presentation alone affect learning outcomes? This study examines two groups of distance learning students on a single course, using the same learning materials, but with different means of communication. One group consists of conventional distance learning students who communicate with their instructors via telephone and written correspondence, while the other group communicates electronically via the Internet. Attitudes, learning styles, self perceptions, grades, and experiences for each group are compared to assess the impact of the Internet, as a communication medium. The Internet as a communication medium is not found to have any significant effect on learning outcomes, and neither is any learning style profile. The student experiences are favourable in both mediums, however those using the Internet reported greater flexibility and faster response times.

Interactive multimedia pedagogies: report of the working group on interactive multimedia pedagogy

This working group report proposes a set of criteria for effective design and use of educational multimedia. These criteria are organized around the mutually interdependent roles of teacher, learner, and technology in the educational process. The criteria constitute a first attempt, grounded in educational theory, at a response to important pedagogical and social issues that have been raised with respect to traditional instructional approaches. Some illustrations of potential uses of multimedia are discussed. Finally, recommendations are offered regarding public policy and institutional activities to promote development and dissemination of well-designed multimedia materials and equitable access to the technology necessary for their use.

An adventure game approach to multimedia distance education

There are many areas of study which are notoriously difficult to present by traditional distance learning methods. Typically these are areas which demand a great deal of interaction between the student and tutor and are best taught through practical experience and considered reflection upon experience. For example, within the discipline of computing, one such area is the teaching of information systems analysis and design. The emergence of multimedia computing has provided educationlists with a learning tool more able to replicate some of the desired interaction required to teach difficult areas of learning at a distance. In particular, it offers the opportunity to provide a richer learning experience coupled with interactivity in an integrated learning environment. This desired interactivity is evident in multimedia games as is motivation. These characteristics make the gaming paradigm an attractive catalyst for learning. In this paper we describe the motivation for developing a multimedia adventure game for teaching information systems. 1 Multimedia computing and learning Although the potential of the computer as a learning tool was recognised as early as 1960, its application generally has a poor record. In a desire to be current, many institutions rushed into this technology without a determined emphasis on the achievement of academic goals [1]. A repeated theme in computerised learning is the utilisation of technology for technology’s sake. Tried and tested learning principles are often ignored, resulting in poor quality materials. While the use of computers in teaching offers advantages over other media, such as static and inflexible text based materials, it presence alone is insufficient. It needs to be guided and directed in order to achieve ‘education’. Learning theories have something to offer in guiding the underlying learning structure. For example Bloom’s Taxonomy [2] of objectives are still applicable as they identify steps in the learning process which assist in the knowledge development process. Gagn6’s [3] hierarchy of capabilities is useful to help establish a clearer definition of aims: what strategies should be employed to achieve set objectives. Pwmisaion to make digitalmard copy of part or all Of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage, the copyright notice, the title of the publication and its date appear, and notica is given that copying is by permission of ACM, Inc. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers, or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission andlor a fee. Integrating Tech. into C.S.E. 6/96 Barcelona, Spain @ 1996 ACM 0-89791 -844-4196/0009 ...

Computer Science Education over the Internet: The Future?

3.50 The utilisation of task analysis in defining sequencing of learning determines the complexity of the learning required and can identify smaller achievable objectives or competencies which can be mapped to objectives in a multimedia environment. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning [1] can be readily adopted in that desirable actions can be ‘rewarded’, such as in a gaming environment: pedagogic aims, objectives and instruction are disguised by the aims and motivation of the game. Without a clear specification of learning aims and objectives the materials may fail to achieve the required pedagogic objectives. Historically, different modes have been used in courseware development, many of which have their roots in recognised learning models. For example, drill and practice has its foundations in behaviorism and focuses on operant conditioning where the subject is reinforced by positive or negative feedback. Tutoring differs from drill and practice in that it serves as a complete learning situation, ranging from the introduction of new material to assessing and recording the learning success. It incorporates a wider range of material and the learners are encouraged to construct their understanding at a self directed pace. Simulations are powerful techniques that teach by imitation and replication [4]. They exploit theories of constructivism based on research by Brtmer and Papert in the 70’s that suggest ‘learning by doing’. Many of these approaches have been implemented on computers but fail to realise the potential capabilities of the computer as a learning tool. How best to use this tool is still unclear but the emergence of multimedia opens up greater potential for exploitation by providing a learning approach which is interactive, engaging and stimulating. By increasing interactivity and integration a much more engaging and qualitatively richer learning experience is possible. It is this combination of media text, video/TV, graphics, animation, voice/sound/music and computer-based activities and interactivity which is encompassed by the term ‘multimedia’. 2 Multimedia genres The dimensions that characterise multimedia may be used to distinguish different multimedia activities or genres. The dimensions of this space are interactivity and integration of media; described and illustrated in Figure 1. The interactivity dimension distinguish the extent to which the user is able to influence the order in which objects are displayed. The integration of media dimension seeks to describe both the ‘ Although other media and other modes of interaction are becoming available e.g. gesture [5] they are still much less prevalent than the four principal media of text, video, graphics and sound which dominate multi-media.

The Web and distance learning: what is appropriate and what is not

The popularity of the World Wide Web (the Web) has encouraged people to speculate about the future of the educational process, particularly in computer science, where access to the Web is readily available. There are many examples of the Web being put to effective educational use, but equally there are many misconceptions and misuses. For example, the simplistic notion that all that has to be done is publish information on the Web for users to access it through the Internet is seriously flawed. It has been suggested to one of the authors that Web technology will result in there being no need for teachers, leading to the demise of conventional educational institutions. In this scenario, the savings that would accrue would certainly be worth pursuing, but at what educational cost? Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples of naive attempts to move down this road; for example, university teachers wanting to edo awaye with conventional lectures by making their lecture notes available to students via the Web. The desire to move away from conventional lectures may well be meritorious but to replace them with a set of notes can hardly be viewed as an improvement in the educational process (though perhaps in some specific cases it is!). It can be argued that the conventional lecture, being a one-way delivery process, is an ineffective tool: learning and understanding primarily occur outside the lecture. It is indeed regrettable to see electronics being used solely to deliver lectures to larger audiences in response to the need to reach more students and hence reduce unit costs. However, there are some notable exceptions (see Wallace and Mutooni, 1997) where genuine attempts have been made to provide eweb-based lecturese that exploit the strengths of the Internet.