Unbounded - Exploring the Potential of Technology Based Learning

SL Simulation Improves Test Scores by 28%

2008-10-06T20:02:14Z

Those of us who design, develop and deliver learning experiences in virtual worlds have spent the last couple of years learning, experimenting and researching the myriad of possibilities for delivering learning using virtual world applications. All the while we were positive that we were on the fringe of a technology that could deliver better results. Still, we all bit our lips when the questions were asked about assessment results and answered with the same general stock response, "Well, the technology is so new that there simply has not been any published results yet." Several months ago I witnessed and played a role in a simulation of the US/Canadian border delivered in Second Life for Canadian Border Services Agency. The simulation was created by The Virtual World Design Centre at Loyalist College headed by my friend Ken Hudson. It was very exiting to then see the results of that simulated training experience. When compared against other delivery methods, the Second Life simulation delivered this year improved test scores by a whopping 28%! Wow! Read more about the simulation and the results here: http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2008/09/simulating-succ.html

Technology Euphoria?

2008-09-12T19:47:03Z

This article in June 2008 Training & Development magazine by Marc J. Rosenberg, outlines issues and concerns that training professionals have observed in the nearly age of online training. Training organizations are taking a hard look at online training and how technology can really contribute to the desired outcomes of corporate training programs. Five key questions are discussed. First, is technology a strategy or a tool? The answer to this seems obvious, but many organizations have focused on the LMS or course catalog instead of the the purpose or desired outcomes of the training. Second, is the culture right? A poor learning environment may compromise even great learning. a good learning culture is one that supports shared learning and open exchange flowing across organizations and locations. Third, the wrong solution for the wrong problem. Technology end-runs can only delay poor processes, fixing the problem is essential, technological answers may only delay the inevitable. Fourth, is the course the overarching concept? In the past, most training was packaged into courses or modules, once completed, the learning was over. Today, web-based robust knowledge bases provide a much more immediate and ongoing way to distribute information and share learning. Web 2.0 has contributed to this and provides an opportunity for more collaborative work and strategies. Instant messaging and social networking tools also add to the possibilities for training to be a continuous process, not a one time event. Fifth, how is success defined? Pre and Post testing is often the method used to determine success in a training situation. However, more focus is now being placed on the client's definition of the success of the program. Were the desired outcomes accomplished according to the client. Is there a marked improvement in areas of concern? Training and technology go hand in hand, as this article points out, but a new way of looking at that relationship is something trainers and organizations need to consider when trying to solve the issues or problems that may exist in their organization and when trying to provide the best training for employees.

Flash over function

2008-09-02T16:02:08Z

This kiddy training potty is a shining example of bells and whistles being chosen over effective learning architecture. My wife and I purchased this “nifty “ unit that lights up and talks thinking that it would make potty training more engaging for our two-year-old daughter. I quickly came to find that all the lights and voices were actually working against my daughter learning to successfully use the toilet. I could go down a list of how the designers of this product got it wrong but ultimately, it comes down to improper formative feedback given out randomly and not supporting and re-directing the actual decisions and/or actions of the learner. The designers built a triggering system into the seat with a couple of states, on and off. When in the on state, (ie. butt on seat) the device gives messages like “going potty is fun” and other cutesy little things. OK, there’s nothing wrong with that aside from being rather annoying over and over. Here is the real problem: once the child get’s off the seat and triggers the off state, the potty says, “You did it! You went potty!” My reaction the first time was horror! As every parent knows, this is not the case in the beginning of potty training and as of yet my child has NOT gone potty but has consistently been given feedback stating otherwise every time. So while the little toilet voice is giving its inaccurate feedback, I am trying to revise it and tell my daughter that she made a good try but next time it would be even better if “pee pee” went in the potty. Still the cutesy voice and celebration lights in the potty had me beat. It was cooler and more “engaging” than Dad. I think you can see where I am going with this. The very same example can be applied to larger learning initiatives for adult learners where we get sucked into technologies that ultimately don’t adhere to sound learning architecture and either provide no feedback or inaccurate feedback due to system, design or content limitations and shortcomings. Feedback is where it’s at…Get it right!

Can user experiences drive learning innovation?

2008-08-22T21:24:07Z

In our society of constant change and innovation why are we stuck with a 1950's era education system? Traditional classrooms with blackboards and lecture style sessions were the era of my parents education. How can this form of eduction thrive today? The problem with this system of education is that it does very little to engage the minds of todays youth. As a designer/developer I am constantly looking at new technologies to learn from. Recently a few emerging technologies have caught my eye and made me think about the possibilities of user interfaces evolving learning methodologies. In the near future I believe the user experience will be the spark that drives the innovation of our educational system. User experience design examples include: Multi-Touch Technology http://www.perceptivepixel.com/ Real world 3D based projections http://vizoo.com/showreel_wmvs/EPK_Cheoptics360_XL.wmv 3D Based Computing Desktop http://bumptop.com/ If these technologies grew into learning kiosks, could this spark a new initiative in edutainment? "Tell me and I Forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand." – Chinese Proverb

Learn from Corporate Education

2008-08-15T14:34:08Z

We academics have a record of being rather insular; we think all important education and research occurs in an academic environment. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you are looking for effective professional education and for educational innovation, look at Corporate Education. One source I continually review and find useful is Learning Circuits – ASTD’s online magazine covering e-learning. They frequently have reports of cutting edge innovation and education. For example, the current issue has “Informal Learning: Overlooked or Overhyped,” by Andrew Paradise and “The Way We Learn Now,” by Amy Christen. Check it out! http://www.learningcircuits.org/

Gas prices push students to online learning

2008-08-08T14:49:47Z

A number of institutions with online programs have noticed a definite increase in online participation during this summer session. The Chronicle of Higher Education has been following this situation and reported in July that the Tennessee Board of Regents reported a 29% increase in online course participation. Brevard College in Florida reported a 25% increase. Research into the increased participation has revealed that students are considering the cost of gas to attend class in relationship to the cost of online tuition and working from home. SUNY Learning Network has an online calculator that students can use to compute the cost of gas to attend class vs the cost of online course tuition. This trend may not continue into the fall, but institutions are paying close attention and will certainly utilize the concept of "online" to save money in their promotions if the trend appears to have substance.

E-Learning from a Student's Perspective -- by Susannah Elliott

2008-08-05T20:42:46Z

During a large family vacation last summer, my relatives would sometimes be confused when I had to duck out of some activities to go use the resort’s computer to turn in papers for online classes I was taking. “You’re paying for that? You’re just teaching yourself!” they would say. I was taking a lower-level “Introduction to Literature” class and a political science class on “Current World Problems” through branches of Ohio University (it’s cheaper to take classes through branches than the main campus). It’s true that there were no lectures from the professors –- in fact, there was very little communication with them other than their administering the assignments from the syllabus. I never felt like I was missing out, though. In my poli sci class, for example, the assignments for research papers were genuinely challenging and required that I actually learn the material through the readings my professor assigned. It was not an “easy A,” despite what many other students think is the norm for online classes. Additionally, I felt that my professors were always available to help, and I valued their knowledge in creating assignments and choosing things for us to read. I wasn’t really just “teaching myself” –- I wouldn’t know where to start if I were to create a course for myself on current world problems. Another question my family would ask me is how we were expected to take exams online without cheating and looking up answers during the test. For any online class I’ve ever taken, it is assumed that we’ll use resources other than our own memories to take tests. It’s possible to have a valuable class without taking tests, too, though, and my political science class was one of those courses. I think that whether or not online exams are worth it really depends on how the instructor organizes them; I’ve felt challenged and forced to learn something when exams pose thoughtful essay questions, but I have also been in the situation where weekly, online reading quizzes require only a flip through the textbook to find bolded words and definitions. In my experience, the success of an online class simply depends on how creative and skilled the instructor is; it’s just like any other class, but in a more convenient medium.

Lively and Learning

2008-07-24T16:00:28Z

Google just "quietly" released its own virtual world: Lively. Overall, I found it a rather clumsy experience although part of that could be blamed on my own ramp up with the Lively UI. For those accustomed to other virtual worlds, Lively will seem a bit limiting in functionality and short on graphic presentation. Also, it is PC only at the moment. )-: That said, it is an important moment in the virtual world industry if for nothing else in terms of the name equity attached to any app being put out as a Google product. What does it mean for learning? It offers a real change in how 3D portals might be integrated into a learning experience. The real weakness of Second Life and other virtual worlds is document management and dynamic management of text, both creation of and readability of, within an experience. The integration of Lively with the browser is perhaps its greatest strength and where we begin to see the realization of a more ubiquitous virtual world experience. One can now see how a current learning experience could be enhanced with chunks of 3D learning content/activities that could support a greater challenge and do so in a way that would not break the user from the greater learning interface or LMS. I believe other virtual world platforms will need to step up to this or other similar kind of browser integration to continue to compete in the long term. Want to know more? Check out this World2World discussion on the topic: http://www.world2worlds.com/media/bliplively.html

Announcing a Great Learning Initiatives from Opera Software

2008-07-11T21:09:14Z

Opera Software has recently released an exceptional Web Standards Curriculum. The curriculum provides a resource for educators, students, and business' spotlighting best practices for the web. Students may set aside concerns about questionable resources and feel confident in the best practices of HTML, CSS, and Javascript presented in this curriculum. This curriculum provides up to date best practices for todays students and web browsers alike. This is exciting news for educators that focus on online distributed learning. Educators now have an open reliable reference to point towards regarding standards in web design/development. This curriculum has support from many leaders in the web community such as Yahoo! and the Web Standards Project. Is it true that once you've seen one web resource you've seen them all? No. This curriculum is relevant to todays best practices for web professionals. Check it out at: http://www.opera.com/wsc/ This curriculum is free and open to the public domain.

Ask the Techies Live Event in Second Life

2008-01-18T16:40:28Z

Join D.Lee Beard & Chris Keesey live in Second Life. Friday, January 25th. 2008 @ 1pm Eastern time at the Ohio University Second Life Campus Auditorium. At this event you can ask your tech or Second Life questions live. Visit AsktheTechies.com for a quick link that will teleport you to the Ohio University Auditorium.

Need a Life?

2008-01-09T19:52:31Z

This quarter Ohio University Without Boundaries is offering FREE Second Life orientations for Ohio University students, staff, faculty, and Athens community members. Join us Fridays at 2 p.m. in Stocker Center Lab 308 and learn how to set up the program, create, design and dress your avatar, and start exploring OU's island and the rest of this virtual world. Stocker Center is located on West Green and is building #103 on the campus map. For more information: Education Meets Virtual Reality Official Second Life Site OU Second Life Users' Facebook Group Please direct any questions to: Meghan Louttit OUWB Design Assistant ml237004@ohio.edu

Virtual Worlds Conference Notes

2007-10-22T18:05:45Z

I attended the Virtual Worlds Conference in San Jose a couple of weeks ago. I must say, it truly rejuvenated my interest in the topic. Beyond that, it really got me thinking to the bigger picture of a greater integrated 3D Internet and how industry and specifically learning and training fit into that bigger picture. Here are my notes from the conference: Virtual Worlds Conference and Expo Notes

From a Real Student

2007-10-08T21:26:43Z

Meghan Louttit is a Senior at Ohio University majoring in Journalism. Meghan is also one of our student employees at Ohio University Without Boundaries. I asked Meghan to prepare a page or so on her experience with online learning. Meghan had taken a couple of undergraduate Blackboard-based courses. My goal was to see through the constant discussions of technology, marketing and everything else we as educators fill our time talking about and to get right at the student's honest perceptions and experience. There are many things that can be taken from her experience. I will clam up and let you be the judge of how Meghan could have been better served. --- Christopher ------------------------------------------------------------------- ONLINE LEARNING By Meghan Louttit Two years ago I watched the 1959 movie Ben Hur from the comfort of my dorm room loveseat. In every way I should have really enjoyed this movie – Charlton Heston and religious overtones. Instead my friend and I sat there watching with our heads wilting, every half hour getting up and raiding the mini-fridge. By the time it was over I couldn’t tell you anything new about the film. I don’t remember one significant scene, even though I can still quote lines from The Ten Commandments, which I haven’t watched in about 10 years. This is all there is to say about my first online class. Other than the fact that we got to watch When Harry Met Sally one week (the class was about American Cinema), I can’t recall much of anything I was taught that quarter. This is not meant to be an insult to the professor, who did all he could to encourage discussion – we had to answer discussion questions, make posts on blackboard (our own, and ones responding to others) and watch videos of his lectures. Like any other class, online classes really come down to what you want to get out of them, and more than any other class, you only get out of it what you put in. Not to say that part of the reason I didn’t get as much out of it as I could have isn’t at least in part, my fault. I could have paid more attention and I could have put more effort into my posts. However, the core value of most classes is the discussion. If I had put that same amount of work into a class that I actually had to go to, I would have inherently gotten more out of it simply from watching the movies with my classmates, talking about them and hearing others’ opinions and thoughts, in addition to the professor. There’s something about how one comes off in a forum post that doesn’t quite translate into actual conversation. The class turned me away from online courses. It wasn’t that the professor was bad or that the work was too much. But no matter how much work I put into it, I couldn’t see myself really getting out of the class what I wanted to. I had no motive to pay attention already understanding that I wasn’t going to get what I was looking for, or what would have made taking it in the first place worthwhile. The thing about learning is that the most important part of it is not just facts, dates and figures, but the time in the classroom that you spend interacting with the professor and other students. Yet, here I am again, a senior, taking another online class for my Tier III requirement. I thought about the decision carefully – did I want to put myself in that situation again? Ultimately my answer was yes, mostly because while I would like to learn something from this class, and while I understand I could learn more from being in the same room as my classmates, I am honestly just looking to fulfill a requirement. The best thing about this course is that it has been tailored appropriately, there is no false discussion and it is research-based, which makes it much more likely that I will learn something valuable, as long as I complete my assignments. In the end it comes down to what a student wants to get out of a class, but my experience has shown that taking an online class automatically puts a handicap on just how much one can learn in the big picture.

Embrace the Jargon but kill the buzz

2007-09-10T14:53:30Z

Rick Nigol from breakthroughelearning.com wrote an interesting piece titled “Let's Junk the Jargon”. It is my belief, however, that jargon plays a very important role for your audience. Instead of breaking every little detail down and covering the jargon of your industry you can relax and cover your content. For the most part everyone within an industry that uses jargon is already in the know. The golden rule when applying jargon should be, know thy audience and kill the buzzwords. There is a major difference between jargon and buzz. Here’s a link to what Wikipedia says about the differences.

Appropriate Second Life Use

2007-07-01T16:06:58Z

I am consistently beating the drum of appropriate use of virtual worlds for educational experiences. I am vigilant about not using virtual worlds, specifically Second Life, to simply recreate the lecture hall and in so negate all the progress in pedagogy made over the last ten years of technologically-mediated learning. This ant simulation is a wonderful demonstration of a brief and effective learning experience using Second Life and machinima: