iClass Technologies and Tools

1. iClass Technologies and Tools Dr. Owen Conlan, Trinity College Dublin

2. 2 Overview • iClass System Overview • A Personalisable Personalised System to support learning • Main Tools and Services • Handbook, Planning Tool, Exploration Tool, Personal Space, Self-Reflection Tool • Architecture, Standards and Technologies • User Interfaces • Graphical User Interface - Looks Matter!

3. 3 iClass - Adaptive or Adaptable? • Progression from Adaptive to Adaptable System … • Implicit versus Explicit Modeling • System versus User Responsibility • … and beyond • Explicit Tailoring of adapted artifact • More User Responsibility • iClass balances system and user responsibility • Scaffolds and supports the user

4. 4 iClass - Learner or Teacher Centric? • iClass can be controlled and influenced by both Learners and Teachers …. • … but, they are modeled on a continuum. • Empowers experienced ‘learners’ to act as tutors to their peers

5. 5 iClass - Learning to Learn • iClass is not a Learning Management System (LMS) • Aims to integrate with and complement an existing LMS • Adds tools and features to aid the learner to - • Gain life-long learning skills • i.e. towards becoming a self-regulated learner capable of personalising learning experiences for their own needs. • Personalise the learning offered to them • Be explorative in their learning • Reflect on their learning

6. 6 iClass - Personalisable Personalised eLearning • iClass is as much about ‘learning to learn’ as it is about learning • Manifest in the system as a transition from automatic adaptation to user-driven adaptability

7. Handbook Personalised and contextualised course/help on Self-Regulated Personalised eLearning Planning Tool Enables users to modify/create Personalised Learning Plans (PLP) Exploration Tool Supports users in discovering content and activities and including them in their PLPs Personal Space & Self-Reflection Tool Area for users to control their preferences and perform guided reflection on their learning 7 iClass Tools

8. 8 Handbook • Personalised iClass User Manual including guidance on SRPL • One manual for both Teachers and Learners • Adapts to context and role • Also includes - • iClass Best Practice • Tutorials • Glossary/Thesaurus • FAQ

9. 9 Planning Tool • Enables Teachers and Learners to Plan Learning Activities • Personalised and Personalisable • PLPS are IMS LD compliant • Scope of planning may be constrained by Teacher’s preferences • Varying degrees of freedom offered to the learners • Fully SRPL supported • Results added to Calendar

10. 10 Exploration Tool • Compliments Planning Tool • Enables the learner to ‘realise’ the Activities in the PLP • Search for resources OR build their own LOs • Scaffolded framework for assembling meaningful LOs from assets • Search both professional and user created resources • Search existing repositories (e.g. CALIBRATE)

11. 11 Personal Space & Self-Reflection Tool • Ownership is learning is important • Support the learner in taking control of their learning through reflection • Self-Reflection is contextually guided • Use of tracked information to promote reflection upon specific things the learner did • Learners can modify and set their preferences

12. 12 iClass Services • The iClass Tools are built using several Services • Tracker, Selector, LO Generator, Profiler, iClass Application, Model Loader, Content Repository Service, Content Distribution Service, … • Each Tool also has a Service-driven backend, but also has an attractive UI

13. 13 iClass Architecture • 3 Main Guiding Principles • Service Oriented Architecture • Web-service driven (Apache Axis, WSDL, SOAP, etc.) • Scalable, Ease of technical deployment • Standards Compliant • Homogeneous UI • Web-browser Flash Front-end (FLEX) • Consistent UI • Integrates with existing MLE (Microsoft’s Learning Gateway)

14. 14 Standards • Learner / Teacher Model • IMS LIP • Content (both Professional and User Created) • Format • XHTML, Flash, etc • If structured • SCORM • Sequencing • IMS LD Levels A and B • Learning Paths • IMS LD

15. Learner / Teacher 15 (1) Handbook (2) Planning Tool Content Repository Service (3) Exploration Tool Service Coordinator (4) Personal Space Managed Learning Environment Tracking / Pedagogical Support iClass Application Application (5) Self-Reflection Tool 1 2 3 4 5 P2P iClass UI

16. 16 Screenshots - Basic Screen

17. 17 Screenshots - Menu • Mirrors iClass tools available • Learner can - • Proceed with their current Task • Access Tools • Chat to Teacher and Friends

18. 18 Planning Tool - Wizard

19. 19 Planning Tool - Competencies

20. 20 Exploration Tool

21. 21 Personal Space - What did I do?

22. 22 Personal Space - With whom?

23. 23 Personal Space - What did I learn?

24. 24 Preference Setting

25. 25 Conclusion • iClass is a Personalisable Personalised eLearning System • Aimed at K12 • Tailors Tasks and Activities to each learner’s needs • Aids the Teacher • Supports self-regulated learning and acquisition of LLL skills • Service Oriented and Standards Compliant

26. Thank You! Owen.Conlan@cs.tcd.ie