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Some ideas for reducing eLearning costsDaniel K. Schneider,
associate professorTECFA – FPSE - Université de
Genè[email protected]://tecfa.unige.ch/DKS
Talk given at ATU university, Teheran,October 17, 2016
mailto:[email protected]://tecfa.unige.ch/DKShttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
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What do we mean by “e-learning”?(a little recall)
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1.
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Dominant e-learning practices include:
• In distance education• Organisation & tutoring,• Online
materials (texts, videos)
• In presence education• Digitizing of existing practice•
Classroom technologies
• In blended education• Guidance & communication
• In workplace learning and training• Simple facts and procedure
learning using online • Online materials (texts, CBT, screencasts,
videos)• Simulations of procedures and practice
• Informal mass education• Open educational resources, MOOCs
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Two big variants of e-learning
Standardizedcontents
Without standardizedcontents
Individuallearning
Learning ina community
Type A: Self-learningStandardized contents
Type B: Complex contextsLearning practices
Schulmeister, 2005
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Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of
facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using,
and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.
(Association for Educational Communications and Technology)
(2) improving
(3) using technology
(1) facilitating
Definition of e-learning
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Objective: Present and discuss some ideas for reducing cost
without reducing quality
Menu: The eLearning challengeTechnological change and long term
thinkinEducational principles and
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The e-learning challenge and a first look at cost.
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2.
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The e-learning challenge – make it better – more with less
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low high
Richness & quality
N participants
xMOOCs
Online textBooks
Dist. elearningwith activites& tutoring
DistanceE-learningwith quizzes
Teacher-ledE-learning with activities
Blendedlearning
10000
10
1000
100
100’000 Videos
?
?
?
?
?Classroomlearning ?
Find good strategiesand tactics to improve quality whilekeeping
costs stable
?
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The e-learning large student numbers challenge –make it better
that it usually is …
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low high
N participants
Qua
lity
low
high
medium target
Small classes
Typical large scale DT eLearning MOOCs
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The e-learning challenge – be cheaper than presence teaching
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1 7
year
Cost
low
high
presence teaching
Distance teaching
3
DT can get cheaper than presence around years 3,4,5
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UCB master program business plan, case discussed in Bates &
Sangra (2011:144)• Development is replaced by maintenance• Delivery
(mostly tutoring & assessment) remains stable at 36%• Target N
students in year 7 = 40• Cost / class = $1100 USD
Most cost remain stable over time
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N c
lass
es
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Typical e-learning benefits and costs
Notice: General lack of understanding of digital technology,
elearning and distance learning costs (Bates and Sangrà. 2011).
Benefits:• Flexibility (“distance” is distance, time of day,
time available,..)• Sharing of costs culture improved (major effect
of MOOCs)• Diminishing costs with augmenting student numbers
Costs:• Delivery• Maintenance• Development• Program
administration• Planning
I have some ideas on howto reduce these
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A first look at cost
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General rule #1:E-learning of equal quality is about as
expensive as non-digital learning (more tutoring, development,
etc.)
General rule #3:Planning, delivery (and sometimes) development
cost are underestimated and contribute to rebellion and failure
General rule #4:Cost reduction can be achieved through long-term
thinking, synergy (e.g. open resources), design thinking and
development of e-learning competency
Subjects of this talk
General rule #2:Cost structure is different for different uses
of technology
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Technological change(need for long term thinking)
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3.
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E-learning = A history of “hype cycles”
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hype_cycle
Technology, not pedagogy, triggers new cycles (according to
Gartner)
The Hype Cycle is a branded graphical tool by Gartner Consulting
for representing the maturity, adoption and social application of
specific technologies.
2 - 25 years
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gartner
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The technology hype curve in education (for the year 2016)
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Interactive tool: https://hypecycle.umn.edu/
https://hypecycle.umn.edu/
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Where Gartner is wrong ….
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Every 10-20 years there is a “restart”Every 15 years a new
dominant hype in an area of education
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1960
1970
1980
1990
1996
History of educational technologies (examples)
2000
2010
D.Peraya 2010, modified par DKS
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1960
E-learningplatforms
CBT/CAI
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
CBL, micro-worldssimulations
TV Intelligenttutors
VirtualEnv.
Virt. Env.
Analytics
MOOCs
OER
Educ.games
Prof.tools
CSCL
2015
E-learning – “Big inventions” about every 10-20 years
• New administrative structures are created, little
communication• New people enter the game, no understanding of basic
principles• Cycles (the «return of …»)
Podcasts
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Guess whose MOOCS are (generally) better ? Those made by expert
teams at elite universities or low cost ones ?
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Example:Sometimes change appears to be fast, but there is always
a past !The xMOOCs «tsunami» bundles other «innovations»…
cMOOCs(Downes & Siemens)
xMOOCs
Podcasts (iTunes)
Khan academy(cool videos for kids)
Rapid e-learning(short videos for grown.ups)
Educational TVTeleteaching
Computer quizzing(automate assessment)
Peer-to-peer assessment
Online communities
Collaborative learning
2008
Educational broadcast(Edison 1922)http://paleofuture.com/
Open educational resources (OER)
1920 2012
http://paleofuture.com/
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Avoidable cost factor #1 – absence of historical thinking
1. Repetition without taking into account prior experience (e.g.
podcasts, peer tutoring, quizzing in case of MOOCs)
2. Lack of knowledge transmission between generations (see
above)
3. Lack of sound engineering principles(no clear identification
of targets, no clear language, no reproducible designs, lack of
documentation, etc.)
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Cost reduction strategy #1 – design thinking
1. Look at past experience2. Document technical and pedagogical
designs and
experiences3. Do long term planning (15+ years for a single
institution),
learn from failure, imply all stakeholders4. Do not just adopt a
techno-pedagogy, because it is in the
media (find very good rationales and align)
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Educational & participation principles(avoiding
disaster)
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4.
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The bottom line from many meta studies:
Learners need guidance and feedback
Most learners need (formal) challenge
Quality is more important than type of design
Education is designfor learning
Task and activity-centered strategies give better results, but
require “scripting”
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First principles: what is good education ?
1. The demonstration principle• Learning is promoted when
learners observe a demonstration
2. The application principle• Learning is promoted when learners
apply the new knowledge
3. The activation principle• Learning is promoted when learners
activate prior knowledge or
experience4. The integration principle:
• Learning is promoted when learners integrate their new
knowledge into their everyday world
5. The task-centered principle• Learning is promoted when
learners engage in tasks that lead to
somethinghttp://mdavidmerrill.com/Papers/firstprinciplesbymerrill.pdf
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active and focused on tasks
http://mdavidmerrill.com/Papers/firstprinciplesbymerrill.pdf
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Distance teaching (DT) requires a tutoring structure and that
participants have a sentiment of presence
If they are coached, tutored and feel being part of a «place»
they engage more and more deeply.
Drop out rates• MOOCs: 95% (signed up people)• DT with little
tutoring and présence elements: 60-70 %• DT with good tutoring and
presence building: 10-40%• Normal university teaching: 10-40 %
Tutoring and «presence»
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Cost factor #2a – quality (not reducable)
1. Ignorance of basic pedagogical principles2. Illusion that
cheap and quality mass education is possible
(there are documented failures of would-be distance
universitities, e.g.
cost factor #2b – disasters (avoidable)
1. Tutoring and coaching is required and cannot be compressed
much
2. Learning activities must be well designed(a pure
contents-based approach leads to failure)
3. (Development for mass education): materials must be well
prepared
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Cost reduction strategy #2 –involve more people, invite all
stakeholders
1. Evaluate cheaper ways of tutoring (e.g. peer tutoring, older
students/experienced workers tutoring novices (give them credits,
etc.)
2. Share creating materials, reuse other’s materials3. Use “de
facto” or real standards and online collaboration for
material production.4. Avoid failure by respecting basic
educational principles5. (Small classes, workplace) Have learners
contribute in various
ways. Educate participating, reflective and active learners.6.
In organizations and enterprises, replace training courses by a
general open learning and knowledge culture
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Instructional design
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Align:• Learning goals• Pedagogy (strategy & tactics)•
Technology
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Learning types Ex. strategies Ex. technologies I: know that
I-a Facts : recall, description, identification, etc.
Direct instruction, programmed instruction, mastery learning
Presentation of contents (texts, pictures, diagrams, multimedia
animations) on various technical supports.
I-b Concepts: discrimination, categorization, discussion,
etc.
Discovery learning, exploratory learning
The computer as a library, Writing/drawing software
II: know how
II-a Reasoning and procedures: inferences, deductions, etc. +
procedure application
Simulation, virtual laboratory, problems to solve
Various kinds of interaction that include quizzing software,
CBT, Simulations, microworlds etc.
II-b Problem solving and production strategies: sub goaling +
application of heuristics/methods
Case-based, inquiry-based, problem based learning
Various computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools such as
email, forums, audio/video conferences, virtual environments,
etc.
III: knowing in action
III Situated action: strategies in complex and authentic
situations
project-based learning Social software, portalware, Word
processors, CAD systems, simulation software, laboratory software,
etc.
IV: Other
IV Other: e.g. motivation, emotion, reflection
ARCS, learning portfolios
Tools that favor presence and reflection.
Stra
tegi
esan
d te
chno
logy
mus
t fit
lear
ning
type
s an
d go
als
Learning types
Ex. strategies
Ex. technologies
I: know that
I-a Facts : recall, description, identification, etc.
Direct instruction,
programmed instruction,
mastery learning
Presentation of contents (texts, pictures, diagrams, multimedia
animations)on various technical supports.
I-b Concepts: discrimination, categorization, discussion,
etc.
Discovery learning,
exploratory learning
The computer as a library,
Writing/drawing software
II: know how
II-a Reasoning and procedures: inferences, deductions, etc. +
procedure application
Simulation,
virtual laboratory,
problems to solve
Various kinds of interaction that include quizzing software,
CBT, Simulations, microworlds etc.
II-b Problem solving and production strategies: sub goaling +
application of heuristics/methods
Case-based, inquiry-based, problem based learning
Various computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools such as
email, forums, audio/video conferences, virtual environments,
etc.
III: knowing in action
III Situated action: strategies in complex and authentic
situations
project-based learning
Social software, portalware, Word processors, CAD systems,
simulation software, laboratory software, etc.
IV: Other
IV Other: e.g. motivation, emotion, reflection
ARCS,
learning portfolios
Tools that favor presence and reflection.
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Educational scenarios (learning designs)
• Who does what and when, using tools and resources ?
Strategies & tactics made operational
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Back to tools ….
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Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Activity ..
Activity 1
Activity 3
Activity 2
Activity 4
Tool 1
Tool 2
Tool 3
+ Coordination / management tools
Project & intermediary
ProductsProduct 1
Product 2
Product 3
(News engine, blog, wiki, file upload, links manager, albums,
glossary tool, calendar, forum, IM, project mgmt, databases,
professional software, …)
Activities are supported by tools and should lead to
“products”Your learning management platform may be deficient: use
external tools
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Pedagogies and choice of technologies
Dominant pedagogicstrategy
Transfer(learning I)
Tutoring(learning II)
Coaching(learning III)
Technology
Learning Management System (LMS)
Multimedia presentations and quizzing
CBT
Screencasts
MOOCs
….
LMS (Instructions, files and forums)
Guides simulations/serious games
Groupware
Real-time conferencing
…..
Social platforms
Co-production platforms (e.g. wikis, github)
E-portfolios
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Cost factor #3 – design quality (can be done more
efficiently)
Good e-learning:
• Aligns goals with appropriatepedagogical strategy and
tactics
• Includes active learning
Good e-learning technology:
• supports educational tactics withappropriate tools
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Cost reduction strategy #3 –Use/create a small set of successful
instructional designs that is approved by all major stakeholders
and chose appropriate tech
Strategy examples:
1. In mass education: Gagne’s 9 events of instruction2. In free
open education: Short videos, OER, peer tutoring3. In engineering:
project-based learning4. In medical education: problem-based
learning5. In management: case-based learning6. In biology: inquiry
learning7. In vocational training: Simulations (serious games)8. In
companies: Think community-based open learning as complement
to screencasting and role playing games
Use:• Good agile design languages• Activity-based scenarios•
Other than e-learning tools (often more stable and useful)• Some
project-oriented or apprenticeship designs require less
development
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E-learning competency
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5.
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The TPACK framework
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Dimensions of teacher skills …
TPACK => be able to create technology enhanced teaching
designs(Koehler & Mishra)
Teachers should be trained in using techology for education
Train teachers, create a mentoringprogram(long term gain)
Hidden teacher development costs are vastly underestimated and
contribute to disasters
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6 stages development model
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Inspired by Media literacies (Lin et al., 2013)
Cost reduction strategy #4:Active and reflective learners needs
less support and less structured materials.They even will help with
development, tutoring and coaching.
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E-learning and pedagogic change ?
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5.
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Change method and time needed (Innovation in schools)Burkhardt
and Schoenfeld, Educational Researcher (2003)
• Model 1: Teachers read research and implement it in their
classrooms: teachers neither have time nor skills
• Model 2: Summary guides: not explicit, not enough• Model 3:
General professional development: Long-term
professional development for teachers can be effective. (Briars,
2001; Briars & Resnick, 2000).
• Model 4: The policy route: diagnosis of causes is speculative,
uses not effective time scales, etc. (Dillon, 2003).
• Model 5: The long route: takes 25 years or more: productive
dialectic between educational research and practice.
• Model 6: Design experiments: Work, but can’t be scaled
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Time needed for school wide change = 25 years or moreBest unit
for change is school … a system may need >100 years
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A last slide …
Use standards
Automatize what can be automatized
Plan and design using light & serious tools
Peer-tutoring / commenting
Focus development on difficult matters
Repurpose domain tools, e.g. engineering software, online word
processors, ….
Have learners contribute (materials, tutoring)
Some ideas seen in this talk
Others !
…..
Reuse other resources
Train teachers (and other personnel) and give them time
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Merci
Questions ?Comments ?
http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/
Slide Number 1What do we mean by “e-learning”?�(a little
recall)�Slide Number 3Slide Number 4Slide Number 5Slide Number
6Slide Number 7The e-learning challenge – make it better – more
with lessThe e-learning large student numbers challenge – �make it
better that it usually is …The e-learning challenge – be cheaper
than presence teachingSlide Number 11Slide Number 12A first look at
costTechnological change�(need for long term thinking)E-learning =
A history of “hype cycles”The technology hype curve in education
(for the year 2016)Where Gartner is wrong ….History of educational
technologies (examples)Slide Number 19Slide Number 20Slide Number
21Slide Number 22Educational & participation
principles�(avoiding disaster)Slide Number 24First principles: what
is good education ?Slide Number 26Slide Number 27Slide Number
28Instructional designSlide Number 30Slide Number 31Educational
scenarios (learning designs)Back to tools ….Pedagogies and choice
of technologiesSlide Number 35Slide Number 36E-learning
competencyThe TPACK framework6 stages development modelE-learning
and pedagogic change ?Change method and time needed (Innovation in
schools)�Burkhardt and Schoenfeld, Educational Researcher (2003)A
last slide …Slide Number 43
