Implementing a PLE in a secondary school context by using free Web2.

0 tools

Technology, Police, and Management Faculty TU Delft April 2012

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PLE approaches to learning

Ebrahim Rahimi, Jan Van Den Berg, Wim Veen, PLE 2011, Southampton

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Key Challenge for formal education

How should a PLE-based learning environment be designed and integrated into educational settings to meet the heterogeneous Learning demands of students?

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About our Research

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Research Context:
Participants: 29 students (12-13 years old)
Course name: People and Geography Technological infrastructure: All students have their own laptop during school

time and they have (almost) full access to Internet during project period

Teacher: an adopter of web technologies Project title: Research, design and develop a digital travelling guide for Egypt Project duration: 6 Weeks Educational objectives: For students:

To To To To

being familiar with travelling guide concept, Know important geographical and societal aspects of Egypt learn how use web tools to manage information and group working practice skills like mind mapping, story telling, and brain storming
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Introduced tools and learning techniques Tools

Tool iGoogle MindMeister Google Docs Google Sites WordPress and Blogger Twitter Prezi Purpose Personal Start Page Mind mapping Document creating and sharing Project wiki, students websites Blogging Micro blogging Presentation

Learning techniques
Group brain storming Mind Mapping

Group Story telling

Free website building and hosting tools Create final traveling guide YouTube Video Content

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Research Methodology:
Research methodology: Design-based research Data collection : direct observation, Field note, Interview with teacher and

students, Archived information , Final artifacts created by students, Survey

Main Research questions: Q1: What activities have been accomplished by the students by using
their PLEs?

Q2: How the PLE-based learning is perceived by the involved teachers and
students?

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Research Design

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Main elements of educational setting, being involved in PLE-based learning

Student Student

Teacher

Teacher

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A model to integrate PLE constructing into teaching/learning process

Activity(es)
Selecting learning topic Defining Learning Objectives

Partner(s)
Teacher Teacher & students

Phases of learning cycle

Defining Pedagogical/technical tasks, guidelines and assignments based on the learning topic and objectives Selecting Organizational form and web tools for assigning to the tasks Accomplishing tasks, developing PLE

Teacher

Teacher & students Students Teacher /other students/ social contacts Teacher/ Students

Evaluation

Elaboration

Supporting Learner pedagogically/technically

Assessment& Evaluation

Reflection on process, learning experiences, learning outcomes, and learning values of tools

Teacher/ Students

Next Phase in learning cycle

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Results

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Question 1:
How do students integrate PLE tools into their learning activities?

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Emerged themes of students activities during the PLE project

Employing technology to support learning activities Collaborative learning

Practicing Higher order thinking skills Self directed learning (taking control and responsibility over their own learning)

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Employing technology to support learning activities

No. of students
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Adding text and image to blog Create account in Mindmeister, wordpress, or blogger Customizing iGoogle page Search web for Information, image, video Cutting and pasting information Identify new web tools, web sites, or gadgets Bookmarking websites in iGoogle Use iGoogle gadgets or Google Docs to support school tasks Organizing content into final websites Translating information Struggeling with technical problems (Creating account, Browsers, working with tools, disappointing, distracting) Try to make blog funny and pretty Reading , following or commenting on other students blogs 7 14 17 26 25 23 23 22 22 22 21

29 29 2 2
Yes

4 6 5 6 7 5 10 13 21

No

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Collaborative learning
No. of students

10

15

20

25

30

Participate in group story telling, brain storming, web site creating and file sharing Help other students/ ask for help to solve technical problems Introduce, describe or share new web sites, tools or gadgets with other students Struggeling with group working challenges(Disagreements, task sharing, not in working mode, help other students)

24

20

Yes No

12

15

17

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Practicing Higher order thinking skills

10

15

20

25

30

Synthesizing and Creating Digital content and media

27

Yes No

Answering to teacher's questions through blog

27

Discussing with other students and decision making about structure of traveling guide

25

Analyzing travelling guide structure

23

Receiving feedback from teacher through Students' blog

21

Challenging each others ideas

19

10

Experiencing disagreement between group members about content and structure of traveling guide

17

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Self directed learning (taking control and responsibility over their own
No. of students
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Accomplishing assignments and following guidelines Use iGoogle gadgets for non school tasks ( i.e. fun, gaming) Getting information or advice from family members about project 16 13 13 8 6 5 5 2 16 25

29 4 11 15
Yes

Feeling ownership of learning by showing personal page or blog to family or friends or make blog funny and pretty
Getting information or advice from Other students in other classes Struggeling with group working challenges(Disagreements, task sharing, not in working mode, help other students) Asking questions from other people outside of school about traveling guide Using Blog for non-school tasks Getting information or advice from Other teachers in school Continuing blogging after project

14 17 22 24

No

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Question 2:
What are the students and teachers perceptions about the PLE project?

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Students' perceptions about the PLE-based learning

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Students like PLE-based learning because they have full access to Internet during project
During PLE project students feel that they have more responsibility and control over their learning

10

10

PLE tools provide Practical benefits for supporting school activities

PLE-based learning improves students' Web skills

10

Strongly Agree Agree

11

Neutral Disagree

PLE-based learning improves students' attitudes toward creating and sharing of content
PLE-based learning promotes Group working

11

1
Strongly Disagree

11

PLE-based learning can improve students' understanding of course content.

PLE-based learning can lead to students' distraction by technology or peers

14

11

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Opinion of teachers about the (learning) benefits of PLE project and working with introduced tools for students
Gijs: Great collaboration, deep brain storming, and complex mind map.

Oscar: They already are learning how to do research and they are

following a scientific process.

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Conclusions:
1- Lack of reflection on the learning process and enough time can lead to taking a procedural surface learning strategy by the students. (i.e. in this project, the students were being more busy with visual aspects of final websites than quality of content) 2- students need teachers support and facilitation to realize learning benefits of not-ready-for-learning web2.0 tools and to integrate them, efficiently, into their learning activities. 3- To improve students control over learning ,PLE tools should be positioned within learning process comprised of active teaching and learning methods. 4-Shifting from a teacher-centered to a student-centered learning environment commonly conflicts with students and teachers past educational experiences and requires a shift in their conceptions of what learning involves and what constitutes appropriate roles of students and teachers. Getting involved students in designing learning activities might facilitate this shift.

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Posed questions:

-How can students be involved in designing of learning activities?

-What factors can encourage students to create and use PLE to support their learning activities?

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Thank You: By: Ebrahim Rahimi E.rahimi@tudelft.nl Blog: Ebrahimrahimi.wordpress.com Project website: https://sites.google.com/site/amaduespleproject/

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