Creating a UW Online Environment for Learning

Creating a UW Online Environment Creating a UW Online Environment for Learningfor Learning

Andrea Chappell<[email protected]>

LT3 and IST, University of Waterloo

Presentation for MBET Group

14 June 2002

MBET Overview (14 June 2002) 2

What is a UW online What is a UW online Environment?Environment?

A place for … Course content

– Basic, supplemental, remedial, etc.

Communications between instructor/student, student/student, student/expert, etc.

Online activities to support the course Supporting the instructor and student online


Learning Management Systems?Learning Management Systems?

A LMS provides a lot of those featuresThere are lots to choose from … even a

couple we could afford!UW has chosen Blackboard as a LMS, but …– we’re using it differently than most– we don’t want to stay committed to one


When is an LMS the answer?When is an LMS the answer?

When you want … … an easy way for faculty to control their own

course environment. … to present a common course look & feel. … to improve course administration

processes. … to standardize on a toolset to economize

on cost and support.


I say again, when is an LMS I say again, when is an LMS the answer? (Rephrased)the answer? (Rephrased)

When you want … … a way to dump course notes on the Web

for no pedagogical gain? … to present a VendorX look & feel while

paying them to advertise their Product? … to add to course administration processes? … to pay a lot of money for a mediocre

toolset which the vendor might not progress?


Our Goals for UWonEOur Goals for UWonE

Provide support for rethinking teaching while moving online– Content isn’t “king”, our professors are!

Create "buffer zone" between courses and tools – So we can change tool sets!

Unify UW look and feel (a UW "branding”) Build a framework for new online courses with

equal support across campus


UW online Environment UW online Environment (“UWonE”)(“UWonE”)

Three infrastructure components:

1. Pedagogical model (T5) is foremost!2. Tools for online course activity

(discussions, self assessment, group work, assignment feedback)

3. “Gateway” (pulling it all together)


T5 Model: a “T’s”-erT5 Model: a “T’s”-er

Tasks (drives student through Topics)Tutoring (feedback: generic, peer,

instructor, …)Tools (online activity: discussion, quiz,

simulations, …)Topics (the content: course notes,

online resources, animations, ...)Teams (groups working together)


UWonE: Pedagogical model – UWonE: Pedagogical model – T5T5

1) Pedagogical model

for going online: T5 Founded in:

– Tasks which drive students through the course content

– Tutoring that provides feedback to students

2)Tools 3) Gateway


UWonE: ToolsUWonE: Tools

2) Tools Used to support course:

– Online activities– Online course “task

holder” creation (not content) – T5 editor

– Delivery– Course admin.

1)T5 3) Gateway


UWonE: GatewayUWonE: Gateway

3) Gateway Integration

– Central authentication– Population from classlists,

synch’ing drops and adds

Supports online users– Tips and how-to’s for

students and faculty– Status information

1)T5 2) Tools

12MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

In a picture …In a picture …


T5 Model: Supporting the T5 Model: Supporting the ProcessProcess

“The New Classroom” Workshop 3 half days over 3 weeksUp to 20 faculty at a timeFocus on designing task and tutoring Support for move online via the T5

Editor


T5 Model: T5 EditorT5 Model: T5 EditorHomegrown template++ editorSupports model by:

– Providing layout structure (template) for task creation

– Automatically integrate tools to task area (coming this summer)

Exportable to standalone HTML


T5 Model: Big FinishT5 Model: Big Finish

Key is to tie pedagogy to the technology– Some “faculty development” programs teach why

and tech., but don’t pull them together– T5 model provides framework for online activity– T5 editor provides mechanics for instructor:

independence and support for their model adoption

Tech to back burner, puts learning model first


Tools: CurrentTools: Current

Blackboard WebBoard – online discussions DE developed tools:

– Group assignment upload, management, feedback– One minute summary (frequent course review)– Automated group assignments– Audio feedback from professors– Etc.


Tools: BlackboardTools: Blackboard

One of the top two LMS (other WebCT) “OK” for self-assess quizzes, online

discussions, marks, assignment uploadVery restrictive model (linear, disjoint)Very $$ to hook into enterprise systems

(e.g. SISP)Can’t modify it at all!


Tools: Blackboard (cont’d)Tools: Blackboard (cont’d)

Not going through front door!– Use direct URLs into specific tool for specific

course (turn LMS upside down)– Not for content storage! …T5 db contains task

content + resource uploads

Solid trustworthy system that we will someday want to replace

How to change if too many “hooked”?


Tools: What’s next?Tools: What’s next?

Maybe QuestionMark Perception quiz/test

Angel from CyberLearning Labs (LMS!)– Have access to code and API so, …

Modifiable!– Want to reach in to more tools– Make changes to tools– Has some “gateway” features


Supporting UWonESupporting UWonELT3 supports UWonE through:

– departments/Faculties with local support,– individuals already working with LT3

New DCE person to support tool setsIST contribution:

– Software system support– some tech-only tool use– recent retreat voiced agreement of more LT

support


Recapping (finally)Recapping (finally)

Want our own online model (T5) for engaging students online– LMS don’t offer enough pedagogical flexibility– Waiting for a “drop in your model” LMS!

Meanwhile, T5 editor and workshop and tools

Want to be able to maneuver in tool space– Avoid being tied to VendorX LMS

Want to experiment, but live through it!


Questions?Questions?

UWonE: http://ist.uwaterloo.ca/~chappell/LT3/UWonE

LT3:http://lt3.uwaterloo.ca

Angel:http://www.cyberlearninglabs.com

Documents

Creating a UW Online Environment for Learning