Blogging has become an extremely popular electronic means to share knowledge and ideas in the form of a chronological journal. Read more about what blogs are in the previous article.
For those interested in setting up a blog for any subject specific purpose, here is a short list of what can be considered as a few of the top free blogging platforms available on the web;
Wordpress
Blogger
Tumblr
Posterous
TextPattern
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Monday, 12 December 2011
Interim Patient Consent Policy
An interim patient consent policy has now been published on the CORTEX website.
This policy will remain in-place until the full legal position regarding patient consent in the context of medical education can be assessed and a policy protecting the School’s interested can be written and approved.
School of Medicine Patient Consent Guidelines
This policy will remain in-place until the full legal position regarding patient consent in the context of medical education can be assessed and a policy protecting the School’s interested can be written and approved.
School of Medicine Patient Consent Guidelines
Learning Central (Blackboard)
Access to Blackboard is via http://cue.cf.ac.uk. To login to Blackboard simply use your Cardiff University username and password.Note: Being able to log into Blackboard does not mean you have been granted permission to see any of the content modules within Blackboard. Refer to the information below for advice on how to get access to the modules you think you should be able to see.
Enrollment on Blackboard Modules
Student Enrollments
Student enrollments are handled via the University’s student management system, SIMS. SIMS is used by Registry to track all student data, including the courses and modules they are enrolled on and their status on that course (including information about tuition fees). If students do not have access to their appropriate modules, the first point of contact should be Registry to check the student details within SIMS.
Staff Enrollments
Staff access to the School of Medicine’s Blackboard modules can be granted by the School’s local Blackboard administrators.
To request access to a module, please email the medic IT team with full details of the module you require access to (including the full module code and module title) along with your Cardiff University username.
Please note we cannot provide access to another School’s modules – this must be done by their local Blackboard administrator.
Access for NHS Staff
Access for External Examiners
External examiners are entitled to access Blackboard, and will need a Cardiff University user name and password to do so. Under normal circumstances Registry will arrange login details for all external examiners.
To request access to specific Blackboard modules, use the procedure outlined above Staff Enrolments, providing the IT Team with the examiner’s user name.
In the event the examiner has not been issued with a user name and password by Registry, you should email medicIT@cardiff.ac.uk and explain that you require access for an examiner who has not received a user name and password. You should provide the name and contact details for the external examiner as well as details of the Blackboard modules they will require access to. The School’s IT Team will issue a user name and password and enrol the new account on the appropriate Blackboard modules.
Note: external examiners will only be granted student-level access to Blackboard modules unless further access is expressly requested by the module leader.
Temporary Accounts
The eLearning Team have a number of temporary accounts available that can can be loaned out to other members of staff to use as test accounts. This may be particularly useful if you need to review a Blackboard module (and activities) from a student’s perspective. Similarly accounts can be loaned out to guest users on a temporary basis.
To request a temporary account please email the medic e-learning team.
Wikis
A wiki is an editable web page which enables many-to-many communication – it is essentially a database created by a group rather than an individual (e.g. Wikipedia). Wikis are similar to blogs but allow the text on the website to be edited by others, with the creation of a common document that can be shared between individuals. One of the big advantages of collaborating with wikis is that it should reduce email traffic.
Wikis can be used to share dialogue and information among participants in group projects, or to allow learners to engage in learning with each other, using wikis as a collaborative environment to construct their knowledge or to be part of a virtual community of practice. Wikis show the evolution of thought processes as students interact with the site and its contents.
As users can modify the content of a wiki, allowing such manipulation carries some risks. Thus wikis are often monitored to ensure that inappropriate language or content are not allowed; however, this can be time-consuming.
How to do it
There are many different wiki creating and hosting services available. Wikimatrix provides a comparison of the key features offered by a variety of services. There are also plenty of other non-wiki collaborative editing tools such as googledocs. Most wiki-hosting services have a built-in search system for you to find wikis of interest, and there are some general wiki-search engines such as wikiindex.
Incorporating wikis
Considerations
In an open and collaborative web environment, anyone can very easily post copyrighted material without the permission of copyright holders (e.g. patient anonymity when clinical data and images are posted), post otherwise unsuitable or misleading content
A lack of clear and complete authorship/editorship information attached to each wiki entry, including authors’/editors’ affiliations and credentials, is a serious quality issue. Wiki author anonymity also poses questions for higher education institutions where assessment and grading are still typically based on individual efforts
Wikis are sometimes prone to vandalism and, as a result, to serious quality issues, because of their free form nature and the (relative/potential) lack of control over their content (e.g. edit in a way that reduces its accuracy, or even delete a good wiki entry)
Wikis do not have the functionality expected on more traditional web sites, such as the use of highly visual dynamic backgrounds that are integrated with various multimedia. However, they are highly useful pedagogically as a low technology approach to providing an online presence with the ability to have links to other online resources or to store a variety of files
Solutions
Monitoring and moderation: Wiki software packages have built-in ‘Administrator’s functionalities’ to support monitoring and moderation. However, these tasks can be very time-consuming and may prove to be too great a challenge to ask of educators who already lack time and resources
The ‘closed environment’ scenario: e.g. Learning Central – The wiki owner(s) /Administrator(s), enforce, check, and limit wiki and blog registration and editing privileges to selected, well-defined, and verifiable special interest groups or communities of users. Everyone else will still be able to access/read the wiki and, if desirable to also post limited (moderated) comments (to build a community)
Obtaining Patient Permission: Permission must be sought when posting clinical photos/videos, and all efforts should be made to preserve individuals’ privacy. Clinical wikis may also be password protected if necessary to further preserve patient confidentiality. The software also makes it a simple matter for an editor to delete/revert or modify material that violates patient privacy. Refer to patient consent and copyright policies
Wikis can be used to share dialogue and information among participants in group projects, or to allow learners to engage in learning with each other, using wikis as a collaborative environment to construct their knowledge or to be part of a virtual community of practice. Wikis show the evolution of thought processes as students interact with the site and its contents.
As users can modify the content of a wiki, allowing such manipulation carries some risks. Thus wikis are often monitored to ensure that inappropriate language or content are not allowed; however, this can be time-consuming.
How to do it
There are many different wiki creating and hosting services available. Wikimatrix provides a comparison of the key features offered by a variety of services. There are also plenty of other non-wiki collaborative editing tools such as googledocs. Most wiki-hosting services have a built-in search system for you to find wikis of interest, and there are some general wiki-search engines such as wikiindex.
Incorporating wikis
- To create multimedia presentations and simple digital stories as they are able to incorporate sounds, movies and pictures
- As e-portfolios illustrating their utility as a tool for collection and reflection of current thoughts
- To form groups around specific topics and might also prove to be an ideal vehicle for soliciting ongoing input for research or projects where community input can help inform and direct subsequent investigation
- As repositories for meeting notes. Agenda items are contributed prior to a meeting; notes added during the meeting are saved in a public archive
Considerations
In an open and collaborative web environment, anyone can very easily post copyrighted material without the permission of copyright holders (e.g. patient anonymity when clinical data and images are posted), post otherwise unsuitable or misleading content
A lack of clear and complete authorship/editorship information attached to each wiki entry, including authors’/editors’ affiliations and credentials, is a serious quality issue. Wiki author anonymity also poses questions for higher education institutions where assessment and grading are still typically based on individual efforts
Wikis are sometimes prone to vandalism and, as a result, to serious quality issues, because of their free form nature and the (relative/potential) lack of control over their content (e.g. edit in a way that reduces its accuracy, or even delete a good wiki entry)
Wikis do not have the functionality expected on more traditional web sites, such as the use of highly visual dynamic backgrounds that are integrated with various multimedia. However, they are highly useful pedagogically as a low technology approach to providing an online presence with the ability to have links to other online resources or to store a variety of files
Solutions
Monitoring and moderation: Wiki software packages have built-in ‘Administrator’s functionalities’ to support monitoring and moderation. However, these tasks can be very time-consuming and may prove to be too great a challenge to ask of educators who already lack time and resources
The ‘closed environment’ scenario: e.g. Learning Central – The wiki owner(s) /Administrator(s), enforce, check, and limit wiki and blog registration and editing privileges to selected, well-defined, and verifiable special interest groups or communities of users. Everyone else will still be able to access/read the wiki and, if desirable to also post limited (moderated) comments (to build a community)
Obtaining Patient Permission: Permission must be sought when posting clinical photos/videos, and all efforts should be made to preserve individuals’ privacy. Clinical wikis may also be password protected if necessary to further preserve patient confidentiality. The software also makes it a simple matter for an editor to delete/revert or modify material that violates patient privacy. Refer to patient consent and copyright policies
Podcasts
A podcast is a digital recording, commonly in the form of an audio MP3 file, but it may also include other formats, including video. The downloaded digital media files can be played on a range of devices including personal computers, laptops etc… that have a media player, such as iTunes or Windows Media Player installed. Podcasts can also be played on a wide range of portable devices, including iPods, MP3 players and an increasing number of mobile phones, and Portable Digital Assistants (PDAs).
Podcasting’s essence is about creating content for an audience that wants to listen when they want, where they want, and how they want. Several podcast RSS clients such as iPodder and, iTunes can be freely downloaded and configured to each user’s interests and needs. As with blogs, there are many searchable podcast directories available, including Podcast.net and the Educational Podcast network.
How to do it
Podcasts are created by recording an audio file and then making it available on the internet. This can be done in as simple or sophisticated a way as required, but does require basic recording equipment. There are various useful tutorials available online, such as How to Podcast. Open source audio editing and recording software, such as Audacity, is available to assist with podcast creation.
Incorporating Podcasts
For more examples refer to those listed by MELSIG (Media Enhanced Learning Special Interest Group).
Podcasting’s essence is about creating content for an audience that wants to listen when they want, where they want, and how they want. Several podcast RSS clients such as iPodder and, iTunes can be freely downloaded and configured to each user’s interests and needs. As with blogs, there are many searchable podcast directories available, including Podcast.net and the Educational Podcast network.
How to do it
Podcasts are created by recording an audio file and then making it available on the internet. This can be done in as simple or sophisticated a way as required, but does require basic recording equipment. There are various useful tutorials available online, such as How to Podcast. Open source audio editing and recording software, such as Audacity, is available to assist with podcast creation.
Incorporating Podcasts
- To record lectures (or preferably, parts of lectures) for those students unable to attend the lecture in person
- To record textbook content by chapter allowing students to ‘read’ or review texts while walking or travelling to class (can be significant aid for auditory learners)
- As downloadable libraries of high resolution heart and respiratory sounds for medical students
- By students as part of a multimedia project
- To provide generic feedback to students
For more examples refer to those listed by MELSIG (Media Enhanced Learning Special Interest Group).
Blogs
A blog (short for ‘web log’) typically describes an online personal diary kept on the Web, usually maintained by one person – even one with few Web publication skills. The blog is a includes regular entries of commentary, links, or other material such as graphics or video about a particular topic. The activity of updating a blog is known as ‘blogging’ and someone who keeps a blog is a ‘blogger.’ Blogging is a straightforward and interesting way for students to generate, share and keep up-to-date with timely and topical information.
Research currently suggests that blogs engage students in knowledge sharing, reflection and debate, and so often attract a large and dedicated readership. This has the advantage of creating small virtual groupings of individuals interested in co-constructing knowledge around a common topic. Through linking, commenting and feedback, good or popular ideas spread quickly, while unpopular ideas are simply ignored.
The RSS feeds generated by blogs mean users can subscribe to the blog and automatically receive updates as and when new content is added to the blog. Blog subscription and syndication services include general ones such as Blogbridge, or specialised services such as Scienceblogs. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Due to the vast number of blogs available comprehensive blog search facilities are available at Technorati and Google.
How to do it
There are a variety of blogging services available, many of which are free. When choosing a service, you must consider the configuration and moderation options available – for example, do you want your blog to be open to all, or just invited guests? Some of the major blogging services include Edublogs, WordPress and of course the University’s Learning Central. JISC also provides a useful summary comparison chart.
Incorporating Blogs
Despite the early state of implementation, there are several studies that list advantages for using blogs in educational settings including:
Considerations
Solutions
Blogging can be seen as a behaviour of social knowledge construction, and the use of blogs in online educational settings has the potential to help enhance students’ knowledge sharing and learning effectiveness. However, some students may not blog in spite of the availability of blog platforms.
Research currently suggests that blogs engage students in knowledge sharing, reflection and debate, and so often attract a large and dedicated readership. This has the advantage of creating small virtual groupings of individuals interested in co-constructing knowledge around a common topic. Through linking, commenting and feedback, good or popular ideas spread quickly, while unpopular ideas are simply ignored.
The RSS feeds generated by blogs mean users can subscribe to the blog and automatically receive updates as and when new content is added to the blog. Blog subscription and syndication services include general ones such as Blogbridge, or specialised services such as Scienceblogs. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Due to the vast number of blogs available comprehensive blog search facilities are available at Technorati and Google.
How to do it
There are a variety of blogging services available, many of which are free. When choosing a service, you must consider the configuration and moderation options available – for example, do you want your blog to be open to all, or just invited guests? Some of the major blogging services include Edublogs, WordPress and of course the University’s Learning Central. JISC also provides a useful summary comparison chart.
Incorporating Blogs
Despite the early state of implementation, there are several studies that list advantages for using blogs in educational settings including:
- As e-Portfolios for personal reflection on clinical experience or as portfolios to store personal thoughts and information sources
- To capture and disseminate faculty-generated content as well as peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and acquisition
- As a forum for discussion that goes beyond coursework to include other areas of personal exploration
- To informally follow the progress of a topic more quickly than is possible within the rigorous expert review model of evidence gathering required by academic journals
Considerations
- In an open and collaborative web environment, anyone can very easily post copyrighted material without the permission of copyright holders (e.g. patient anonymity when clinical data and images are posted), post otherwise unsuitable or misleading content
- Blogs are sometimes prone to vandalism and, as a result, to serious quality issues, because of their free form nature and the (relative/potential) lack of control over their content
- Blogs do not have the functionality expected on more traditional web sites, such as the use of highly visual dynamic backgrounds that are integrated with various multimedia. However, they are highly useful pedagogically as a low technology approach to providing an online presence with the ability to have links to other online resources or to store a variety of files]
Solutions
- Monitoring and moderation: Blog software packages have built-in ‘Administrator’s functionalities’ to support monitoring and moderation. However, these tasks can be very time-consuming and may prove to be too great a challenge to ask of educators who already lack time and resources
- The ‘closed environment’ scenario: e.g. Learning Central - The blog owner(s) /Administrator(s), enforce, check, and limit wiki and blog registration and editing privileges to selected, well-defined, and verifiable special interest groups or communities of users. Everyone else will still be able to access/read the blog and, if desirable to also post limited (moderated) comments (to build a community)
- Obtaining Patient Permission: Permission must be sought when posting clinical photos/videos, and all efforts should be made to preserve individuals’ privacy. Clinical blogs may also be password protected if necessary to further preserve patient confidentiality. The software also makes it a simple matter for an editor to delete/revert or modify material that violates patient privacy. Refer to patient consent and copyright policies]
- Importantly, educators need to set guidelines and expectations to maximize the benefits of blogs
Blogging can be seen as a behaviour of social knowledge construction, and the use of blogs in online educational settings has the potential to help enhance students’ knowledge sharing and learning effectiveness. However, some students may not blog in spite of the availability of blog platforms.
Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is commonly referred to as a second generation of services
available on the web, allowing users to do more than just retrieve
information. Social software is considered a key web 2.0 development,
since it encompasses services which facilitate collaborating, sharing,
meeting and communicating with others online. Although much of this
activity is currently social, there is a huge education potential in
these tools, particularly with students who are not campus-based.
While there is no set definition of Web 2.0, the phrase generally refers to the use of interactive and collaborative web applications as social media platforms, where users participate by generating their own content alongside the content provided by the websites themselves. This characteristic is often stated as being the primary difference between Web 2.0 and the original World Wide Web (Web 1.0).
Web 2.0 applications allow students to easily create their own content and also to actively share information, opinion and support across networks of students. They are relatively easy to use requiring little or no technical expertise and there are many free an Open Source versions availble that offer flexibility and convergence options with a number of systems. In addition, they provide educational opportunities for students ‘any time, any place’. The collaborative and engaging nature of these tools can then be used to support a number of educational processes such as reflection, knowledge building and encouraging student participation and discussion.
Web 2.0 Terminology
Web 2.0 literacy is increasingly important, so here is a glossary of social media terminology to help you get the ‘gist’ of the jargon.
An outline of different social software tools follows. However, it is important to note that there is a growing trend for services which combine different features in one package, such as services which enable you to join online communities, set up blogs and wikis and share photographs all via one website.
Blogs
Blogs (short for ‘weblogs’) are personal websites that allow rapid updating by the author and can be most easily described as a web-based diary. Content can be easily created (listed in date order) and shared. They are designed to be interactive, allowing others to post comments about the blog entries; however, it is usually not possible for anyone to alter the content except the owner. Syndication options enable users to subscribe to blogs and digests. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Examples of blog platforms include: Learning Central, edublogs. Microblogging – allows users to send brief text updates e.g. Twitter.
Wikis
Wikis are similar to blogs but allow the text of the website to be edited by others, with the creation of a common document that can be shared between individuals. Examples of wiki platforms include: Learning Central, MediaWiki (the platform that wikipedia is based upon). wikis give an opportunity for users with different types of knowledge, confidence and communication to contribute equally to a joint publication. Collaborators who lack confidence to argue a case in a ‘live’ face-to-face debate can feel more comfortable making the same points in a wiki environment where the pace of discussion is slower and the quality of the thinking is more significant than force of personality.
Podcasts
Podcasts are audio recordings made available on the internet, which can be played on computers or downloaded to hand-held devices such as MP3 players, providing the potential for ‘anytime, anywhere’ mobile learning experiences. Users can subscribe to podcasts using RSS feeds, so that any new broadcast in a series is automatically downloaded to their PC or device. Podcasts have been embraced by the education sector, since they offer a lively method of communicating with different audiences – whether for lectures, discussions, audio guides etc…
Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking allows users to save online resources as bookmarks, which can be accessed from any device with an Internet connection, both by the bookmarker and by the wider community. Most bookmarking sites also allow bookmarks to be tagged to make finding them easier later. In these systems, bookmarks represent ‘links’ to web resources (they do not attach a copy of them). Examples of social bookmarking platforms include: digg, diigo
Media Sharing – Visual media can be uploaded and stored on a website and shared with please ensure that you refer to consent and copyright policies. Examples of media sharing platforms include: Flickr , You Tube
Social Networking – Involves the process of building online communities, often accomplished both through ‘groups’ and ‘friends lists’ that allow greater interaction on websites. Several approaches can be combined in these sites to make them extremely versatile e.g. blogging and file sharing. Examples of social networking platforms include: Cardiff University Connections Service, My Space, Facebook
Social software tools can provide significant support to both traditional teaching and distance education programs by facilitating interaction, collaboration, and the formation of
social networks among students.
Further Resources
Cardiff University Learning and teaching support
Learning Central
JISC e-Learning Programme
Donald Clarke “Don’t lecture me”
JISC Report “Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World”
www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/heweb20rptv1.pdf
HEA e-Learning Programme
JISC Advance – Guide to Digital Media
7things you should know about… Podcasting
7 things you should know about… Blogs
7 things you should know about… Wikis
While there is no set definition of Web 2.0, the phrase generally refers to the use of interactive and collaborative web applications as social media platforms, where users participate by generating their own content alongside the content provided by the websites themselves. This characteristic is often stated as being the primary difference between Web 2.0 and the original World Wide Web (Web 1.0).
Web 2.0 applications allow students to easily create their own content and also to actively share information, opinion and support across networks of students. They are relatively easy to use requiring little or no technical expertise and there are many free an Open Source versions availble that offer flexibility and convergence options with a number of systems. In addition, they provide educational opportunities for students ‘any time, any place’. The collaborative and engaging nature of these tools can then be used to support a number of educational processes such as reflection, knowledge building and encouraging student participation and discussion.
Web 2.0 Terminology
Web 2.0 literacy is increasingly important, so here is a glossary of social media terminology to help you get the ‘gist’ of the jargon.
- Tags - The categorization of content by users adding tags (short, usually one-word descriptions or keywords to facilitate searching). As opposed to a classical taxonomy-based categorization system (e.g. MESH), they are usually non-hierarchical, and the vocabulary is open
- Tag Clouds – Give you a visual idea of tag frequency for a blog or other social media site. The more popular a tag, the bigger the text appears in the cloud.
- Folksonomies – These are collections of tags created by many users within a single system
- Syndication – allows websites to ‘push’ new content to users. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works, such as blog entries, news headlines, audio and video in a standardized format. RSS benefits users who want to subscribe to multiple feeds using a feed reader. To provide a single point of access for updates to content from multiple sources. An increasing number of medical journals have RSS feeds available
- Mashup – involve the merging of information from multiple sources. For example, Google maps and BBC traffic data
- Open Source – Open Source refers to software that is available to the general public at no monetary cost. However, there may still be restrictions on what you can and cannot do with the software
An outline of different social software tools follows. However, it is important to note that there is a growing trend for services which combine different features in one package, such as services which enable you to join online communities, set up blogs and wikis and share photographs all via one website.
Blogs
Blogs (short for ‘weblogs’) are personal websites that allow rapid updating by the author and can be most easily described as a web-based diary. Content can be easily created (listed in date order) and shared. They are designed to be interactive, allowing others to post comments about the blog entries; however, it is usually not possible for anyone to alter the content except the owner. Syndication options enable users to subscribe to blogs and digests. Increasingly, blogs incorporate multimedia, and you can also upload and read them via mobile devices. Examples of blog platforms include: Learning Central, edublogs. Microblogging – allows users to send brief text updates e.g. Twitter.
Wikis
Wikis are similar to blogs but allow the text of the website to be edited by others, with the creation of a common document that can be shared between individuals. Examples of wiki platforms include: Learning Central, MediaWiki (the platform that wikipedia is based upon). wikis give an opportunity for users with different types of knowledge, confidence and communication to contribute equally to a joint publication. Collaborators who lack confidence to argue a case in a ‘live’ face-to-face debate can feel more comfortable making the same points in a wiki environment where the pace of discussion is slower and the quality of the thinking is more significant than force of personality.
Podcasts
Podcasts are audio recordings made available on the internet, which can be played on computers or downloaded to hand-held devices such as MP3 players, providing the potential for ‘anytime, anywhere’ mobile learning experiences. Users can subscribe to podcasts using RSS feeds, so that any new broadcast in a series is automatically downloaded to their PC or device. Podcasts have been embraced by the education sector, since they offer a lively method of communicating with different audiences – whether for lectures, discussions, audio guides etc…
Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking allows users to save online resources as bookmarks, which can be accessed from any device with an Internet connection, both by the bookmarker and by the wider community. Most bookmarking sites also allow bookmarks to be tagged to make finding them easier later. In these systems, bookmarks represent ‘links’ to web resources (they do not attach a copy of them). Examples of social bookmarking platforms include: digg, diigo
Media Sharing – Visual media can be uploaded and stored on a website and shared with please ensure that you refer to consent and copyright policies. Examples of media sharing platforms include: Flickr , You Tube
Social Networking – Involves the process of building online communities, often accomplished both through ‘groups’ and ‘friends lists’ that allow greater interaction on websites. Several approaches can be combined in these sites to make them extremely versatile e.g. blogging and file sharing. Examples of social networking platforms include: Cardiff University Connections Service, My Space, Facebook
Social software tools can provide significant support to both traditional teaching and distance education programs by facilitating interaction, collaboration, and the formation of
social networks among students.
Further Resources
Cardiff University Learning and teaching support
Learning Central
JISC e-Learning Programme
Donald Clarke “Don’t lecture me”
JISC Report “Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World”
www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/heweb20rptv1.pdf
HEA e-Learning Programme
JISC Advance – Guide to Digital Media
7things you should know about… Podcasting
7 things you should know about… Blogs
7 things you should know about… Wikis
Using Audio
Audio offers an important dimension that can enhance the student’s learning experience. There are three primary audio elements that can be used in educational technology:
Why use Audio?
Audio appeals to the auditory learning style and can be effective for walking students through flowcharts or explaining complex images or concepts. It can also create a sense of human touch when used for introductions and expert opinions. Audio files in the form of podcasts, offer students convenience as they appreciate learning on the go as well as the ability to stop, review and repeat the podcast, reinforcing learning and assisting in revision.
Considerations
It is important that the decision to use audio is carefully considered and well thought out otherwise it can:
Podcasts
Podcasting allows students to use their technology-based entertainment systems (iPods, MP3 players) for educational experiences. Because students are already familiar with the underlying technology, podcasting broadens educational options in a non-threatening and easily accessible manner. Most podcasts to date are audio files, but they can include images and video too. Podcasts can be played on a computer or any mobile device that plays .mp3 or .m4a files. This includes iPods and other audio players, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones.
Podcasts are relatively fast, easy and inexpensive to produce and are convenient for many students as they can learn at their own pace, in their own time and in a location of their choice. Podcasting is not limited to content delivery, students can create their own podcasts as a record of activity, as a way to collect notes, or as reflection on what they have learned. Podcasts can sometimes be perceived as being less engaging due to reduced interaction (e.g. Inability of the student to ask questions and inability of the lecturer to gauge understanding) in which case they can be improved by using them in conjunction with blogs, e-mails and wiki’s.
Students are able to subscribe through syndication to receive automatic updates. Syndication or RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as audio, video and blog entries in a standardized form. They benefit users who want to subscribe to timely updates from favoured websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place. RSS feeds bring updates directly to the user, there is no need to go to multiple web sites, and the person can know almost the instant new information is posted as all new content is ‘pushed’ onto their browsers when it becomes available.
Equipment Needed to Create Audio Files
All of the tools needed to create, modify, and distribute audio files are generally within reach of anyone with a reasonably well-configured laptop/PC. However, it is worth remembering that your audio quality is never going to be better than what you originally recorded. So you need to do the best you can to record good quality audio from the start.
A good microphone is essential and you need to control your recording environment (Media Resources have a sound booth). However tempted you may be to use the built-in microphone of your laptop – don’t! Although it might be of good quality, it will readily pick up hard drive and computer fan noise. Use a microphone that you can plug into the computer and put in the ideal place for recording. JISC offer general guidance on microphone characteristics, selection and care. Once recorded, your ‘raw audio’ should be edited to ensure that it has maximum educational impact on the user.
How to Create Audio Files
Further Resources
JISC Digital Media – Audio advice
How to Podcast Tutorials
Handbook on Digital Video and Audio in Education
New England Journal of Medicine
Access Medicine – A weekly series of podcasts features lectures from world-renowned academic physicians on topics in internal medicine
CTisus-Computed Tomography Podcasts – Educational content for radiologists, radiology technologists, and other professionals in the principles and practice of CT scanning (computed tomography)
MedicineNet – Produces the podcast ‘Doctors on Health’, which explores current health news and trends in medicine for physicians
- Speech (Narration e.g. Expert opinion)
- Music (Introductions and transitions)
- Sound effects (e.g. Heart and respiratory sounds)
Why use Audio?
Audio appeals to the auditory learning style and can be effective for walking students through flowcharts or explaining complex images or concepts. It can also create a sense of human touch when used for introductions and expert opinions. Audio files in the form of podcasts, offer students convenience as they appreciate learning on the go as well as the ability to stop, review and repeat the podcast, reinforcing learning and assisting in revision.
Considerations
It is important that the decision to use audio is carefully considered and well thought out otherwise it can:
- Be costly and time-consuming if material has to be re-edited frequently
- Be distracting for students who prefer or need to read content. Here, the option for the student to mute the narration and read a transcript instead may be a feasible alternative
- Slow down students (since many would read faster) which can perhaps be a good thing in certain circumstances as some students tend to click through e-learning lessons too quickly to easily absorb the information
- Promote passive engagement of content, if learners opt to read e-mail or do other tasks while listening to the audio
- Audio files can be large, therefore, users must have sufficient bandwidth to download them
Podcasts
Podcasting allows students to use their technology-based entertainment systems (iPods, MP3 players) for educational experiences. Because students are already familiar with the underlying technology, podcasting broadens educational options in a non-threatening and easily accessible manner. Most podcasts to date are audio files, but they can include images and video too. Podcasts can be played on a computer or any mobile device that plays .mp3 or .m4a files. This includes iPods and other audio players, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones.
Podcasts are relatively fast, easy and inexpensive to produce and are convenient for many students as they can learn at their own pace, in their own time and in a location of their choice. Podcasting is not limited to content delivery, students can create their own podcasts as a record of activity, as a way to collect notes, or as reflection on what they have learned. Podcasts can sometimes be perceived as being less engaging due to reduced interaction (e.g. Inability of the student to ask questions and inability of the lecturer to gauge understanding) in which case they can be improved by using them in conjunction with blogs, e-mails and wiki’s.
Students are able to subscribe through syndication to receive automatic updates. Syndication or RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as audio, video and blog entries in a standardized form. They benefit users who want to subscribe to timely updates from favoured websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place. RSS feeds bring updates directly to the user, there is no need to go to multiple web sites, and the person can know almost the instant new information is posted as all new content is ‘pushed’ onto their browsers when it becomes available.
Equipment Needed to Create Audio Files
All of the tools needed to create, modify, and distribute audio files are generally within reach of anyone with a reasonably well-configured laptop/PC. However, it is worth remembering that your audio quality is never going to be better than what you originally recorded. So you need to do the best you can to record good quality audio from the start.
A good microphone is essential and you need to control your recording environment (Media Resources have a sound booth). However tempted you may be to use the built-in microphone of your laptop – don’t! Although it might be of good quality, it will readily pick up hard drive and computer fan noise. Use a microphone that you can plug into the computer and put in the ideal place for recording. JISC offer general guidance on microphone characteristics, selection and care. Once recorded, your ‘raw audio’ should be edited to ensure that it has maximum educational impact on the user.
How to Create Audio Files
- Create a script of the content that needs to be covered – the flow needs to be organised, logical and the writing should be clear and precise
- Record and edit your script in digital format using sound recording software. There are many free Open Source tools for recording audio and include: Audacity, Myna, Levelator
- In terms of accessibility, prepare any supporting resources for students such as a transcript documents
- Decide on how to distribute the audio files to learners either as online audio files integrated within a tutorial or as podcasts and upload the tutorial/podcasts to Learning Central
- Keep the recording to an appropriate length – Research suggests audio segments within instruction should be kept to 1-2 minutes. Podcasts ideally should be kept to within 15 minutes
- Maintain clear educational context, content and structure – Audio should always begin with a clear context for the information being presented and end with a review of the most important things to remember
- Avoid overly complex and dense content that contains lots of facts and figures
- Use an informal tone – The quality of speakers’ voices, speech patterns, intonations, and other sound effects may not be the same as those of a professional broadcast. Some training and practice, both in handling an audio-only medium and using the technology may be required
- Offer flexible/multiple delivery options in order to accommodate different students’ preferences for subscribing and downloading
Further Resources
JISC Digital Media – Audio advice
How to Podcast Tutorials
Handbook on Digital Video and Audio in Education
New England Journal of Medicine
Access Medicine – A weekly series of podcasts features lectures from world-renowned academic physicians on topics in internal medicine
CTisus-Computed Tomography Podcasts – Educational content for radiologists, radiology technologists, and other professionals in the principles and practice of CT scanning (computed tomography)
MedicineNet – Produces the podcast ‘Doctors on Health’, which explores current health news and trends in medicine for physicians
Step 4: Install, Maintain & Develop Prototype (Rapid Prototyping - 4 Step Instructional Design Model)
Once you have implemented your amendments, the learning episode should be installed and appropriately maintained.
A logical directory structure is required to keep all of the graphics, text, audio clips organised into folders in such a way that you know where to find them when they need updating. Documentation should also be developed such as user guides and any further information.
Your evaluation should continue as part of an iterative process, in particular feedback from students. This will allow you to improve the effectiveness of your tutorial.
Click here to repeat Step 3 – Utilize Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 2 – Construct Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 1 – Analyze.
A logical directory structure is required to keep all of the graphics, text, audio clips organised into folders in such a way that you know where to find them when they need updating. Documentation should also be developed such as user guides and any further information.
Your evaluation should continue as part of an iterative process, in particular feedback from students. This will allow you to improve the effectiveness of your tutorial.
Click here to repeat Step 3 – Utilize Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 2 – Construct Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 1 – Analyze.
Step 3: Utilise Prototype (Rapid Prototyping - 4 Step Instructional Design Model)
A crucial part of the prototyping process is the utilization of the design with peers and potential learners. During utilization, the strengths and weaknesses of the prototype can be discovered. This needs to be done in a structured and timely way. There are three stages to the evaluation and ideally, each stage would occur in sequence, with a revision step between each stage where amendments to the prototype are made.
Ideally you should gain feedback on the following elements:
Click here for more information on Step 4 – Install, Maintain and Develop Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 2 – Construct Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 1 – Analyze.
- Expert/Peer Review – Competent experts in the field check the content for validity, relevancy and currency
- Student Review – At this stage ideally a small number of learners work through the materials (four to eight selected from the student audience)
- e-Learning Review – The e-learning team proof, apply quality standards, evaluate instructional design, ease of navigation, screen design layout, technical performance
Ideally you should gain feedback on the following elements:
- Content
- Sequence and layout
- Media chosen
- Graphics/animations
- Navigation
- Assessments
- Objectives and Outcomes
- Overall comments
Click here for more information on Step 4 – Install, Maintain and Develop Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 2 – Construct Prototype.
Click here to repeat Step 1 – Analyze.
Step 1: Analyse (Rapid Prototyping - 4 Step Instructional Design Model)
In essence, the first step of the Rapid Prototype process is to conduct a focused and structured analysis of the students and their needs and requirements. The following elements should be considered.
Learning Needs
An assessment of student needs and the identification of any potential problems at this stage will allow you to make some general goal statements. Any analysis should consider:
This analysis is vital in order to identify the best way to achieve those needs and check your interpretation.
Student Audience
Students will not buy in to you tutorial unless it suits their needs, interests and motivations. Without this information it would be possible to end up with a learning episode that is either too easy or difficult. Five categories of audience characteristics can be considered including:
Resources
When choosing the right delivery system – or combination, you must consider your students resources such as financial, time, facilities, equipment, materials, institutional characteristics and existing instructional resources.
This is also an opportunity to expose your students to new media and methodologies and to demystify technology; however, do not assume too much prior knowledge. At this point you should be able to:
Identify the delivery methods most conducive to learning and any associated learning constraints
Check accessibility elements
Use self-study materials and distance learning methodologies that allow learners to study independent of time and space (however, it is important that learners do not feel isolated)
Content
Essentially, what the learning episode should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal/s. Content analysis considers what learners need to do to perform and what learners need to know to perform. Your analysis should discover:
Learning Outcomes
These will describe what students will be able to do upon completion of the instruction and should be stated in terms of precise, measurable, and observable actions. Conducting an analysis of learning outcomes allows you to formulate a general aim and establish the associated objectives. At this stage a statement of objectives is simply the definition of a plan for the design and as a plan, it serves two functions:
Establish Learning Objectives
Clearly defined learning objectives lead the learner into the learning episode. They drive the lesson and inform learners of what they will be able to do upon completion of the lesson. Improperly stated objectives are frustrating to the learner and will ultimately mislead. It is important to explain up-front why the learner should bother.Having already established through your content analysis the level of learning your lesson represents, Bloom’s Taxonomy and corresponding list of verbs may be helpful at this stage (Table 1).
Table 1: Bloom’s level of learning taxonomy
Once you are happy with the analysis you have conducted and are ready to move forward and develop your prototype, please talk through your session requirements with one of the e-learning team. This way we can establish:
What multimedia you may need to use
What graphics, illustrations, animations etc… you require
Answer any questions and offer advice and guidance on best practice
Click here for more information on Step 2 – Construct Prototype.
Learning Needs
An assessment of student needs and the identification of any potential problems at this stage will allow you to make some general goal statements. Any analysis should consider:
- The task and conditions
- Current performance levels
- Potential problems/s or potential causes
- Desired performance outcomes and the associated expectation of your learning episode as related to the outcomes
This analysis is vital in order to identify the best way to achieve those needs and check your interpretation.
Student Audience
Students will not buy in to you tutorial unless it suits their needs, interests and motivations. Without this information it would be possible to end up with a learning episode that is either too easy or difficult. Five categories of audience characteristics can be considered including:
- Instructional preference - The type of presentation, the need for practice, the type and amount of feedback, the time available and the likely location when reviewing content
- General characteristics – Student demographics, IT skills
- Affective characteristics – Motivation, self-concept, attitudes, interests
- Entry skills – Existing knowledge, skills and abilities
- Personal/Physical characteristics – Geographic location, sensory, motor or mental conditions
Resources
When choosing the right delivery system – or combination, you must consider your students resources such as financial, time, facilities, equipment, materials, institutional characteristics and existing instructional resources.
This is also an opportunity to expose your students to new media and methodologies and to demystify technology; however, do not assume too much prior knowledge. At this point you should be able to:
Identify the delivery methods most conducive to learning and any associated learning constraints
Check accessibility elements
Use self-study materials and distance learning methodologies that allow learners to study independent of time and space (however, it is important that learners do not feel isolated)
Content
Essentially, what the learning episode should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal/s. Content analysis considers what learners need to do to perform and what learners need to know to perform. Your analysis should discover:
- What the lesson should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal
- How you will organise and sequence the content in easily completed chunks
- How you will balance self-direction carefully with more structured learning
- What level of learning each piece of content represents (e.g. does the content require the simple recall or recognition of facts, or more abstract mental processes and intellectual activity?) This is crucial because it determines how you will write your performance objectives, and how you will assess performance based on those objectives
Learning Outcomes
These will describe what students will be able to do upon completion of the instruction and should be stated in terms of precise, measurable, and observable actions. Conducting an analysis of learning outcomes allows you to formulate a general aim and establish the associated objectives. At this stage a statement of objectives is simply the definition of a plan for the design and as a plan, it serves two functions:
- To communicate to everyone involved the purpose of instruction
- To delineate tasks the learner will pursue
Establish Learning Objectives
Clearly defined learning objectives lead the learner into the learning episode. They drive the lesson and inform learners of what they will be able to do upon completion of the lesson. Improperly stated objectives are frustrating to the learner and will ultimately mislead. It is important to explain up-front why the learner should bother.Having already established through your content analysis the level of learning your lesson represents, Bloom’s Taxonomy and corresponding list of verbs may be helpful at this stage (Table 1).
| Level of Learning | Associated Verbs |
| Knowledge | Arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, state |
| Comprehension | Classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate |
| Application | Apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write |
| Analysis | Analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticise, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test |
| Synthesis | Arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set-up, write |
| Evaluation | Appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend, estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate |
Table 1: Bloom’s level of learning taxonomy
Once you are happy with the analysis you have conducted and are ready to move forward and develop your prototype, please talk through your session requirements with one of the e-learning team. This way we can establish:
What multimedia you may need to use
What graphics, illustrations, animations etc… you require
Answer any questions and offer advice and guidance on best practice
Click here for more information on Step 2 – Construct Prototype.
Rapid Prototyping: 4 Step Instructional Design Model
The rapid prototyping instructional design model offers a systematic approach to aid you in the creation of learning materials for the web. It allows you to develop a prototype, which gives you and others the opportunity to visualise and evaluate your lesson design early in the process, ultimately saving you time and costly revisions.
The design model itself is a four step process. The overlapping boxes represent the fact that the various processes do not occur in a linear fashion. In other words, the analysis of students and their needs, content requirements and resources depends in part upon the knowledge that is gained by actually building and using your prototype.
Step 1 Analyse
In essence, the first step of the process is to conduct a focused and structured analysis of the students, their needs and requirements.
Learning Needs
Assessing student needs and any potential problems allows you to make general goal statements. Analysis is needed of the task and conditions as well as the current and desired performance outcome requirements.
Student Audience
Students will not buy in to you tutorial unless it suits their needs, interests and motivations. Without this information it would be possible to end up with a learning episode that is either too easy or difficult.
Resources
When choosing the right delivery system – or combination, you must consider your students resources, constraints, facilities, materials, equipment, institutional characteristics and time availability.
Content
What the learning episode should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal/s. Content analysis should consider what learners need to do to perform and what learners need to know to perform.
Learning Outcomes
These will describe what students will be able to do upon completion of the instruction and should be stated in terms of precise, measurable, and observable actions.
Establishing Learning Objectives
Clearly defined learning objectives lead the learner into the learning episode. They drive the lesson and inform learners of what they will be able to do upon completion of the lesson.
Click here for more information on Step 1 – Analysis.
Step 2 – Construct Prototype
The rapid prototyping process continues with the parallel processes of design and review, or construction and utilization. It involves:
Incorporating your chosen pedagogical approach such as problem-based, collaboration, self instruction
Deciding what content should be contained and how it should be structured and sequenced
Preparing review and/or assessment questions, learner assignments
Deciding what multimedia you require
Deciding what is the proper ratio of text to audio, graphics, and interactivity
Click here for more information on Constructing your prototype.
Step 3 – Utilise Prototype
A crucial part of the prototyping process is the utilization of the design with peers and potential learners. During utilization, the strengths and weaknesses of the prototype can be discovered. However, this needs to be done in a structured and timely way. Ideally you should gain feedback on the following elements:
Click here for more information of utilizing your prototype.
Step 4 – Install, Maintain and Develop
Once you have implemented your amendments, the learning episode should be installed and appropriately maintained.
Your evaluation should continue as part of an iterative process, in particular feedback from students. This will allow you to improve the effectiveness of your tutorial.
Click here for more information on installing, maintaining and developing your prototype.
The design model itself is a four step process. The overlapping boxes represent the fact that the various processes do not occur in a linear fashion. In other words, the analysis of students and their needs, content requirements and resources depends in part upon the knowledge that is gained by actually building and using your prototype.
Step 1 Analyse
In essence, the first step of the process is to conduct a focused and structured analysis of the students, their needs and requirements.
Learning Needs
Assessing student needs and any potential problems allows you to make general goal statements. Analysis is needed of the task and conditions as well as the current and desired performance outcome requirements.
Student Audience
Students will not buy in to you tutorial unless it suits their needs, interests and motivations. Without this information it would be possible to end up with a learning episode that is either too easy or difficult.
Resources
When choosing the right delivery system – or combination, you must consider your students resources, constraints, facilities, materials, equipment, institutional characteristics and time availability.
Content
What the learning episode should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal/s. Content analysis should consider what learners need to do to perform and what learners need to know to perform.
Learning Outcomes
These will describe what students will be able to do upon completion of the instruction and should be stated in terms of precise, measurable, and observable actions.
Establishing Learning Objectives
Clearly defined learning objectives lead the learner into the learning episode. They drive the lesson and inform learners of what they will be able to do upon completion of the lesson.
Click here for more information on Step 1 – Analysis.
Step 2 – Construct Prototype
The rapid prototyping process continues with the parallel processes of design and review, or construction and utilization. It involves:
Incorporating your chosen pedagogical approach such as problem-based, collaboration, self instruction
Deciding what content should be contained and how it should be structured and sequenced
Preparing review and/or assessment questions, learner assignments
Deciding what multimedia you require
Deciding what is the proper ratio of text to audio, graphics, and interactivity
Click here for more information on Constructing your prototype.
Step 3 – Utilise Prototype
A crucial part of the prototyping process is the utilization of the design with peers and potential learners. During utilization, the strengths and weaknesses of the prototype can be discovered. However, this needs to be done in a structured and timely way. Ideally you should gain feedback on the following elements:
- Content
- Sequence, layout and navigation
- Media chosen
- Graphics/animations
- Assessments
- Objectives and Outcomes
- Overall comments
Click here for more information of utilizing your prototype.
Step 4 – Install, Maintain and Develop
Once you have implemented your amendments, the learning episode should be installed and appropriately maintained.
Your evaluation should continue as part of an iterative process, in particular feedback from students. This will allow you to improve the effectiveness of your tutorial.
Click here for more information on installing, maintaining and developing your prototype.
Selecting an Instructional Design Model
Effective instruction, whether occurring via conventional face-to-face methods or e-Learning should be the result of careful planning that follows a transparent process. Instructional Design (ID) models aim to provide conceptual and communication tools that can be used to visualize, direct and manage processes for generating episodes of guided learning. The better the instruction is planned and developed, the better learning experiences and outcomes it will bring to learners. There are numerous instructional design models which can be broadly incorporated into two main theoretical approaches:
The systematic approach – has a behaviourist foundation, ID is viewed as a process consisting inputs, processes and outputs, very precisely predicted and predetermined prior to instruction
The constructivist approach – is based on epistemological and psychological aspects of constructivist learning views. Here, there is no emphasis on predetermined design steps, just principles (e.g. to include learning in related and authentic contexts)
The application and value of a particular model is dependent on the instructional situation, problem or task and the true value of a model can only be determined within the context of its use. A taxonomy of ID models can help clarify the underlying assumptions of each model, and help identify the conditions under which each might be most appropriately applied. For example, Gustafson’s taxonomy is based on a set of assumptions that each creator of an ID model has made about the conditions under which the development and delivery of the instruction will take place. While many of the models are similar, each take a slightly different approach to the design of instruction. Some are more systematic and/or prescriptive than others, some are a step-by-step process, while others are more open-ended and allow the designer to take a looser path through the model. Most of them have some sort of graphical representation of the model to make following it relatively easy and they vary in the amount of expertise required by individuals to apply the model.
Research tends to suggests that at the root of many popular ID models is a systematic process to the design task, that breaks it down into discrete and manageable units. This encourages the setting of a design objective and provides a way to know when that objective has been met. It also emphasizes the idea of the process being an interdependent group of items that form a unified whole. In this case the outcomes of each component directly or indirectly impact on every other component of the ID process to some degree.
ADDIE
Most models today tend to be a variation of the basic ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). Developed for engineering projects in the 1950′s, ADDIE provides a mainstream approach for designing and developing e-Learning resources. The phases sometimes overlap and can be interrelated. ADDIE provides a dynamic, flexible guideline for developing effective instruction; however, a key criticism often leveled at the approach is that it was never designed to take into account today’s rapid application tools.
Rapid Prototyping
Tripp and Bichelmeyer’s Rapid Prototyping model originated in manufacturing with a focus primarily on development. A variation of the ADDIE model, rapid prototyping borrows from the most valuable aspects of the systemic approach. Learners, subject matter experts and peers interact with prototypes in a continuous review and revision process. It is a four stage process. The overlapping boxes represent the fact that the various processes do not occur in a linear fashion. In other words, the analysis of students and their needs, content requirements and resources depends in part upon the knowledge that is gained by actually building and using your prototype. Developing a prototype so early in the design phase, enables all those who have invested in it to visualize and evaluate what the final product truly needs to resemble. This approach helps by developing a possible product while not investing a large amount of time and money. More emphasis can then be placed on the evaluations of the prototypes to help ensure good sound instructional content.
Click here for more information on each of the rapid prototyping steps.
The systematic approach – has a behaviourist foundation, ID is viewed as a process consisting inputs, processes and outputs, very precisely predicted and predetermined prior to instruction
The constructivist approach – is based on epistemological and psychological aspects of constructivist learning views. Here, there is no emphasis on predetermined design steps, just principles (e.g. to include learning in related and authentic contexts)
The application and value of a particular model is dependent on the instructional situation, problem or task and the true value of a model can only be determined within the context of its use. A taxonomy of ID models can help clarify the underlying assumptions of each model, and help identify the conditions under which each might be most appropriately applied. For example, Gustafson’s taxonomy is based on a set of assumptions that each creator of an ID model has made about the conditions under which the development and delivery of the instruction will take place. While many of the models are similar, each take a slightly different approach to the design of instruction. Some are more systematic and/or prescriptive than others, some are a step-by-step process, while others are more open-ended and allow the designer to take a looser path through the model. Most of them have some sort of graphical representation of the model to make following it relatively easy and they vary in the amount of expertise required by individuals to apply the model.
Research tends to suggests that at the root of many popular ID models is a systematic process to the design task, that breaks it down into discrete and manageable units. This encourages the setting of a design objective and provides a way to know when that objective has been met. It also emphasizes the idea of the process being an interdependent group of items that form a unified whole. In this case the outcomes of each component directly or indirectly impact on every other component of the ID process to some degree.
ADDIE
Most models today tend to be a variation of the basic ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). Developed for engineering projects in the 1950′s, ADDIE provides a mainstream approach for designing and developing e-Learning resources. The phases sometimes overlap and can be interrelated. ADDIE provides a dynamic, flexible guideline for developing effective instruction; however, a key criticism often leveled at the approach is that it was never designed to take into account today’s rapid application tools.
Rapid Prototyping
Tripp and Bichelmeyer’s Rapid Prototyping model originated in manufacturing with a focus primarily on development. A variation of the ADDIE model, rapid prototyping borrows from the most valuable aspects of the systemic approach. Learners, subject matter experts and peers interact with prototypes in a continuous review and revision process. It is a four stage process. The overlapping boxes represent the fact that the various processes do not occur in a linear fashion. In other words, the analysis of students and their needs, content requirements and resources depends in part upon the knowledge that is gained by actually building and using your prototype. Developing a prototype so early in the design phase, enables all those who have invested in it to visualize and evaluate what the final product truly needs to resemble. This approach helps by developing a possible product while not investing a large amount of time and money. More emphasis can then be placed on the evaluations of the prototypes to help ensure good sound instructional content.
Click here for more information on each of the rapid prototyping steps.
Tips for Constructiong mLearning
If appropriately facilitated, mobile learning (m-Learning) can benefit learners by providing instructional materials and interaction through their mobile devices wherever and whenever they need it.
Tip 1
Information to be displayed on m-learning devices should be chunked into between five and nine meaningful units to compensate for the limited capacity of short-term memory and the limitation of the display device.
Tip 2
Rather than being presented in a textual format, the information should be organised in the form of a concept map or a network that shows the important concepts and the relationship between the concepts.
Tip 3
Pre-instructional strategies should be used to allow learners to store the framework of the lesson. This is critical for m-learning since information will be presented in pieces and learners will need to use the general framework to integrate the pieces.
Tip 4
Learning materials need to use multimedia strategies that are information-rich rather than textual strategies. As a result, the writing style has to change from textual writing to a greater use of visuals, photographs, videos and audio.
Tip 5
Intelligent agents should be used in m-learning systems so that most of the work is done behind the scene, minimising the input needed from learners and the amount of information presented on the display of the mobile devices.
Whether you choose to exclude the connectivity from your classroom or to include it, there exists the potential for creating learning communities.
Tip 1
Information to be displayed on m-learning devices should be chunked into between five and nine meaningful units to compensate for the limited capacity of short-term memory and the limitation of the display device.
Tip 2
Rather than being presented in a textual format, the information should be organised in the form of a concept map or a network that shows the important concepts and the relationship between the concepts.
Tip 3
Pre-instructional strategies should be used to allow learners to store the framework of the lesson. This is critical for m-learning since information will be presented in pieces and learners will need to use the general framework to integrate the pieces.
Tip 4
Learning materials need to use multimedia strategies that are information-rich rather than textual strategies. As a result, the writing style has to change from textual writing to a greater use of visuals, photographs, videos and audio.
Tip 5
Intelligent agents should be used in m-learning systems so that most of the work is done behind the scene, minimising the input needed from learners and the amount of information presented on the display of the mobile devices.
Whether you choose to exclude the connectivity from your classroom or to include it, there exists the potential for creating learning communities.
Mobile Learning (mLearning)
Today’s students live in a world enveloped by the Web. News can be
read from online publications, blogs can be used to publish student’s
own content and they can share up-to-the minute updates using Twitter –
and for the last few years students have been doing this on their
phones. The computing world is rapidly going mobile with a plethora of
devices and a maze of operating systems and applications (apps) (Prensky
(2005, 2010).
Mobile learning (m-Learning) is based on utilizing the functionalities of mobile phones, hand held computers and other mobile devices to enhance learning. If appropriately facilitated, m-Learning can benefit students by providing instructional materials and interaction wherever and whenever they need it providing “just-in-time, just enough, and just for me learning” Traxler 2007. This increases the flexibility for students studying at a distance (Rekkedal, 2002) and potentially increases student retention (Fozdar and Kuma, 2007).
To accompany the latest mobile hardware, computer technology companies are researching and developing ever-increasing mobile communications software adapted for the small screen. Microsoft, Apple, Blackberry, and Google have all created their own mobile operating systems and are developing long lists of software applications as the use of smartphones becomes more widespread (Tapscott, 2009).
Considerations
Some of the key things to consider when considering using mobile devices in the learning environment include:
Benefits of m-learning
Challenges of m-Learning
As with all forms of technology, integrating mobile learning into your teaching programme offers potential challenges including:
Integrating Mobile Devices
Here are a few examples of how mobile devices can be integrated within your teaching programme:
Mobile learning (m-Learning) is based on utilizing the functionalities of mobile phones, hand held computers and other mobile devices to enhance learning. If appropriately facilitated, m-Learning can benefit students by providing instructional materials and interaction wherever and whenever they need it providing “just-in-time, just enough, and just for me learning” Traxler 2007. This increases the flexibility for students studying at a distance (Rekkedal, 2002) and potentially increases student retention (Fozdar and Kuma, 2007).
To accompany the latest mobile hardware, computer technology companies are researching and developing ever-increasing mobile communications software adapted for the small screen. Microsoft, Apple, Blackberry, and Google have all created their own mobile operating systems and are developing long lists of software applications as the use of smartphones becomes more widespread (Tapscott, 2009).
Considerations
Some of the key things to consider when considering using mobile devices in the learning environment include:
- Learning content – just enough, brief content – ‘nuggets’ Metcalf and De Marco (2006) noted that mobile devices are beneficial in making small amounts of knowledge available when we are not otherwise occupied
- Portability of the device – e.g. phones are carried everywhere, frequently used
- The mobility and flexibility of the student
Benefits of m-learning
- Mobile learning is great for people on the go as it allows anywhere, anytime, access to content - enabling just-in-time learning
- There is a social media focus, facilitatating collaborative learning experiences that can enliven or add variety to conventional lessons or courses
- Mobile learning can also help combat ICT resistance by providing a bridge between mobile phone and PC literacy as well as appealing to tech-savvy students because of the media-rich environment
- There is a social media focus, facilitating rapid communication. This can be very beneficial for students and educators alike (e.g. feedback could be provided at a much faster rate). Such communication also enhances interaction and collaboration between and among students enabling peer-to-peer learning and support
- Using such devices can also reduce cultural and communication barriers between faculty and students by using communication channels that students like
Challenges of m-Learning
As with all forms of technology, integrating mobile learning into your teaching programme offers potential challenges including:
- The possibility that tech-savvy students will have an unfair advantage over non-technical students creating a feeling of isolation or of being ‘out-of-the-loop’. Additional learning resources may be required
- The requirement that certain media be reformatted or offered in multiple formats
- Design content restrictions because of the limited display capacity (small screen sizes) in mobile devices. The interface should convey the message using the smallest amount of text, and navigation must be built into the system to allow learners to move between screens and sections of the lesson
- It may make it easier for some students to cheat in assessments
Integrating Mobile Devices
Here are a few examples of how mobile devices can be integrated within your teaching programme:
- Record lectures or parts of lectures
- Contribute to a course blog and/or wiki
- Listen to instructor-generated podcasts
- Create narrated slide shows with your photos
References
Metcalf, D. S., & De Marco, J. (2006). M-learning: Mobile
learning and performance in the palm of your hand. Amherst, MA: HRD
Press.
Prensky, M. (2005). What can you learn from a cell phone? Almost
anything! Journal of Online Education, 1(5). Fischler School of
Education and Human Services at Nova Southeastern University.
Prensky, M. (2010). Teaching digital natives: Partnering for real learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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