Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
My e-Learning mission; the design and the model.
The e-learning design and model:
The way I understood this issue, through the reading of recommended materials for the MPhil HSE module, there are many modalities of e-Learning which go hand to hand with the theories of learning (Behaviourist, Cognitivist, Prescriptive models). For the attainment of my stated mission I will concentrate in the approach to e-learning using the “prescriptive principles” that have been identified to facilitate effective, efficient, and engaging instruction (prescriptive model).
The most general prescriptive principles of e-Learning (as described by Merill, 2002) are:
Task-centred: learning is promoted when learners undertake a progression of whole tasks.
Activation: learning is promoted by activation of relevant cognitive structures
Demonstration: learning is promoted when learners observe a demonstration
Application: learning is promoted when learners engage in the application of newly acquired knowledge
Integration: learning is promoted when learners integrate their new knowledge into their everyday life
Other principles have resulted from meta-analytical deductions by many authors and include: use of media in examples and practice, use of critical tasks for problem-solving, insertion of examples and tasks in the realistic context, promoting students’ progress by reflective learning.
I found the following reference quite useful for the description of these principles: Spector, Merrill, Merrienboer et al, 2008. Handbook of research on educational communications and technology Chapter 14. 3rd Ed. Taylor & Francis Group. NY.
The Instructional Design (ID) model:
The e-Learning module I plan to develop will be planned according to the specific outcomes that rule the selected instructional program of PGD Chem Path. Thus, the process I will follow is the Instructional Design (ID).
Also from the reading we can identify and compare different models to approach the process of Instructional Design and most likely we will all agree that the most frequently recommended is the ADDIE model.
ADDIE stands for the sequence: Analyze-Design-Develop-Implement-Evaluate
The ADDIE model is quite commonly considered to be a generic one because the principles are not defining the details of how to get there but it appears to fit for the general purpose of any instructional program. I would agree on its generic character as it somehow overlaps with the sequence we follow in the conventional instructional curriculum design. (Hopefully we agree that e-Learning is a revolutionary rather than a conventional approach to learning).
There are many other models for instructional design of e-Learning that could be seen in our recommended reading material but at this time I prefer to summarize my idea as follows:
for the general principles and sequence the ADDIE model is the most generic but depending on the specific characteristics of the instructional program to be developed and the learning outcomes to be attained it can be blended with components from other models.
The way I understood this issue, through the reading of recommended materials for the MPhil HSE module, there are many modalities of e-Learning which go hand to hand with the theories of learning (Behaviourist, Cognitivist, Prescriptive models). For the attainment of my stated mission I will concentrate in the approach to e-learning using the “prescriptive principles” that have been identified to facilitate effective, efficient, and engaging instruction (prescriptive model).
The most general prescriptive principles of e-Learning (as described by Merill, 2002) are:
Task-centred: learning is promoted when learners undertake a progression of whole tasks.
Activation: learning is promoted by activation of relevant cognitive structures
Demonstration: learning is promoted when learners observe a demonstration
Application: learning is promoted when learners engage in the application of newly acquired knowledge
Integration: learning is promoted when learners integrate their new knowledge into their everyday life
Other principles have resulted from meta-analytical deductions by many authors and include: use of media in examples and practice, use of critical tasks for problem-solving, insertion of examples and tasks in the realistic context, promoting students’ progress by reflective learning.
I found the following reference quite useful for the description of these principles: Spector, Merrill, Merrienboer et al, 2008. Handbook of research on educational communications and technology Chapter 14. 3rd Ed. Taylor & Francis Group. NY.
The Instructional Design (ID) model:
The e-Learning module I plan to develop will be planned according to the specific outcomes that rule the selected instructional program of PGD Chem Path. Thus, the process I will follow is the Instructional Design (ID).
Also from the reading we can identify and compare different models to approach the process of Instructional Design and most likely we will all agree that the most frequently recommended is the ADDIE model.
ADDIE stands for the sequence: Analyze-Design-Develop-Implement-Evaluate
The ADDIE model is quite commonly considered to be a generic one because the principles are not defining the details of how to get there but it appears to fit for the general purpose of any instructional program. I would agree on its generic character as it somehow overlaps with the sequence we follow in the conventional instructional curriculum design. (Hopefully we agree that e-Learning is a revolutionary rather than a conventional approach to learning).
There are many other models for instructional design of e-Learning that could be seen in our recommended reading material but at this time I prefer to summarize my idea as follows:
for the general principles and sequence the ADDIE model is the most generic but depending on the specific characteristics of the instructional program to be developed and the learning outcomes to be attained it can be blended with components from other models.
The selection of my practical implementation for the e-Learning module:
For this purpose, as I did with the other modules, I looked for something that I actually need to develop and implement in the academic programs I am involved in. Let’s describe the setting: I am currently mostly involved in the teaching of undergraduate MBChB III as Chemical Pathology integrated to other branches of pathology and in the postgraduate training of Diploma and MSc in Chemical Pathology. The MBChB course runs mostly in tutorials, it would benefit from some e-learning support but I find more critical the area of the postgraduate training. The postgrad diploma runs in 6 modules which are organized according to the major biochemical diagnostic systems applied to Health Sciences. With this systemic approach I had to include in each module the relevant technical components of the lab methods, for this purpose I had to ensure that all methodologies required as programme outcomes are somehow included along the program. One of the aspects common to all the modules is the Quality Control (QC) technicalities and their variants.
The way it is curriculated currently, the laboratory QC needs to be done bit by bit along the program and then concretized as an integrated map at the end of the program. This kind of association is advantageous for the development of higher level learning (let’s say synthetic and creative level of Bloom’s taxonomy) but it keeps on taking the students back to add the pre-existing information and does not favour the parallel comparison of different QC techniques.
Each and every laboratory technique has a specific way of assessing the QC performance. Evaluation of QC results has different approaches, sometimes we need to look at individual results and sometimes all the individual results have to be analyzed as a sequence of events for a broader appreciation of the overall quality. The real lab QC performance runs as intra and inter-laboratory programs and even though the program includes service training the students’ exposure to the wide variety of possible results would be random. Evaluation of QC performance is an area which requires a lot of practice, analysis and a lot of visual aid; it is, in fact, routinely followed by graphs.
Thus, I think that both the program curriculum and the students’ learning would benefit from an e-Learning course that they can take some time after the introductory module to load them with the basics on QC early in the program. I think that all the generic advantages of the e-Learning (as discussed in the previous post) will then add value to this vision.
In summary:
My e-Learning mission is to develop an e-Learning module for the “Basic Laboratory QC Evaluation” to be embedded into the first semester of academic program of the Postgraduate Diploma in Chemical Pathology (PGD CP), at Walter Sisulu University.
The way it is curriculated currently, the laboratory QC needs to be done bit by bit along the program and then concretized as an integrated map at the end of the program. This kind of association is advantageous for the development of higher level learning (let’s say synthetic and creative level of Bloom’s taxonomy) but it keeps on taking the students back to add the pre-existing information and does not favour the parallel comparison of different QC techniques.
Each and every laboratory technique has a specific way of assessing the QC performance. Evaluation of QC results has different approaches, sometimes we need to look at individual results and sometimes all the individual results have to be analyzed as a sequence of events for a broader appreciation of the overall quality. The real lab QC performance runs as intra and inter-laboratory programs and even though the program includes service training the students’ exposure to the wide variety of possible results would be random. Evaluation of QC performance is an area which requires a lot of practice, analysis and a lot of visual aid; it is, in fact, routinely followed by graphs.
Thus, I think that both the program curriculum and the students’ learning would benefit from an e-Learning course that they can take some time after the introductory module to load them with the basics on QC early in the program. I think that all the generic advantages of the e-Learning (as discussed in the previous post) will then add value to this vision.
In summary:
My e-Learning mission is to develop an e-Learning module for the “Basic Laboratory QC Evaluation” to be embedded into the first semester of academic program of the Postgraduate Diploma in Chemical Pathology (PGD CP), at Walter Sisulu University.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Positioning reflection
Hi there
I have been doing some reflection on the purpose of my blog... and I want to share some aspects with you guys.
The last time I signed into my own blog and I saw that sort of lifeless page I felt really bad and I am not referring to background and colours, I am referring to the purpose of it. The way I saw it I could not think myself of a reason why someone would be interested in following my blog...so, I decided to move one step backwards and re-start. Why the blog? I need to have the interaction with a community that shares similar interests with me, in this specific case: e-Learning. If I am not able myself to acknowledge the advantages of learning cooperative networking what would be the point of "e-Learning"?
The background: We have come quite far with a blended version of distant & e-learning with this MPhil HSE programme and I am sure you will agree with me when I say: "IT WORKS!". We have used ourselves quite a wide range of e-learning modalities so far and it's about time that we make a reflection on all the advantages of travelling through the MPhil HSE using the e-settings. We have been far from each other, yet we have regular interactions, we have been able to use whichever our restricted available time we could save from our lives for the learning... The way I see things now is more integrated, all was there but bits by bits. Starting from the "contextualizing HSE module" we are aware that among the current trends in education, higher education and health sciences education, the e-Learning comes to play an important role: I mean, how do we face shortage of staff?, how do we face shortage of resources (human and materials)?, how do we face globalization and integration into larger communities? how do we help students to selective do the learning they need in their own environment and conditions? How do we ensure broad free access to info and learning? and so on... so many questions which can be simply answered with: e-Learning.
If we follow our path through the MPhil you will probably notice that each and every module has an impact on the e-Learning, actually those impacts are not unidirectional, for example "how the human brain learns": the theory bumps into e-learning and the e-learning applies it and bumps back into the learning theories, they provide facts which constitute supportive evidence for each other.
Why e-Learning? I am sure by now you can add to the following reasons, you can take it as a formal invitation...
- it's happening in real time at anytime
- it's collective, collaborative and interactive, networking
- it facilitates learning in many ways and helps in learning association, integration
- it facilitates administration (registration, evaluation, learning progress including the record keeping)
- it maximizes the use of the best available resources
Let's keep it simple, I will stop here, in the next post I want to share with you the "how and why" of my selection for the final assignment of the e-Learning module.
Be back soon!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
my e-learning project
Hi there
I am planning to make a sort of e-learning module for "Basic Laboratory Quality Control".
I hope it will help me alleviate the load of face to face teaching for the students doing the postgraduate diploma in Chemical Pathology, it's like short course for them to have basic information together with practical examples.
Hopefully, the students will be able to do some interactive learning that can be accomodated to their time and resources availabilities.
Ernst
I am planning to make a sort of e-learning module for "Basic Laboratory Quality Control".
I hope it will help me alleviate the load of face to face teaching for the students doing the postgraduate diploma in Chemical Pathology, it's like short course for them to have basic information together with practical examples.
Hopefully, the students will be able to do some interactive learning that can be accomodated to their time and resources availabilities.
Ernst
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