eXe-Learning – a tool developed for learning platforms – will be used in the TIBL Project

The open issues were the translation of the MOOC content as well as the pre-decision for a technical tool to create the content of the MOOC.

The product finally selected was eXe-Learning. eXe-Learning is a free software tool under GPL-2 that can be used to create educational interactive web contents in XHTML or HTML5 format. It allows to create easily navigable web pages including text, images, interactive activities (created for example in H5P), image galleries or multimedia clips. All the educational materials generated with eXe-Learning can be exported in different digital formats, to be used independently or to integrate them into a LMS (Learning Management System) like Moodle.

eXe-Learning will be used to provide the content in each chapter.

The chapter structure is developed using the same pattern with an introduction, the pre-information, the content, and a self-evaluation unit. This pattern follows he TIBL-training concept as developed in the project.

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Technical background

eXe-Learning id developed in Python, a web-based programming language. The development tool runs in any modern web browser and offers a rich toolbox of activities.

Thursday 8 November 2018 the theme is on Quality considerations in e-learning provisions

Presenters:

• Esther Huertas Hidalgo, AQU Catalunya, Spain, The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA)
• Ebba Ossiannilsnon, EDEN Executive Committee Member, EDEN Fellow Council Member, Chair of the EDEN SIG on TEL & QE

Register and read more here 

Within a context of globalization and the knowledge economy, the quality of higher education is increasingly regarded as strategically important for national economic development and competitiveness. High quality and relevant higher education equip students with the knowledge, skills and core transferable competencies they need to succeed after graduation, within a high-quality learning environment which recognizes and supports good learning and teaching. The recommendations in the occasional paper on Considerations for quality assurance of e-learning provision by ENQA are applicable to all forms of e-learning, i.e. learning which is facilitated through the use of ICT. Besides examining the applicability and relevance of the standards defined in the ESG 2015, this document is meant to initiate discussion and the thinking processes of stakeholders involved, e.g. HEIs, QA agencies, etc. Read more https://enqa.eu/indirme/papers-and-reports/occasional-papers/Considerations%20for%20QA%20of%20e-learning%20provision.pdf

Moreover, the TeSLA project will be discussed. The TeSLA system is a project funded by the European Commission. It will follow the interoperability standards for integration into a different learning environment and it will be developed to reduce the current restrictions of time and physical space in teaching and learning, which opens up new opportunities for learners with physical or mental disabilities as well as respecting social and cultural differences.https://tesla-project.eu

In addition, the EDEN SIG on TEL and quality enhancement will be presented, which aim is to advocate and work for renewing the quality agenda in education. Read more on EDEN SIG TE QE

For NDLW events, see the USDLA web page:  https://www.usdla.org/2018-ndlw-2018/

Each webinar will take place in the same webinar room:

https://eden-online.adobeconnect.com/EuropeanDLW

Meeting in Lund: Discussion of various items dealing with the course creation and the toolbox.

The intermediate meeting of the project took place in Lund (Sweden). Here we found the best working conditions for the project team.

The goals in this meeting were to clear all open issues in the tools for developing the pilot courses. There were activities like:

• Discussion and clearing of open issues for the pilot course implementation and performing
• Evaluation of monitoring activities with amendment steps, intermediate evaluation report (project plan EGC, quality and progress, partnership and cooperation), progress report
• Evaluation of the teaching activity
• Organisational items (preparation of an intermediate report)
• Coordination of dissemination activities
• Preparation of special dissemination activities (conference participation)

Besides this, various internal and content related issues could be fixed and agreed.

The interest and the feedback of the audience showed the importance of the project and the need of appropriate and ready-to-use support of trainers.

Achieved results

The project focuses on continuous vocational education and training (C-VET). In the project special courses using multiple devices will be developed. For these courses a specific training framework (covering the pedagogical aspects) has been developed.

Other used frameworks are the DigiComp 2.0 Framework for Citizens (developed by the JRE of the European Commission) and the e-Xellence framwork (for course developing, created by the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities EADTU).

Currently, the course with the umbrella organisation of the Sakralenergetiker (in Austria, with assistence of the Austrian partner EFQBL) is developed and the first implementation of content are done.

Future aspects

The next step in the project is the development of a MOOC which assista trainers in the course creating. Additional, a toolbox for the trainers containing a specific list of tools is in development.

About the EDEN Conference

The Conference programme includes plenaries, parallel sessions with paper presentations, workshops, trainings, moderated poster and demo sessions and the synergy strand, ensuring digital interactivity and cooperation on the social web.

The event started on Sunday afternoon on 17 June, with registration, followed by the Welcome Reception and ended with a Farewell Coffee on 20 June.

The CSEDU is the International Conference on Computer Supported Education (1) and is a meeting place for presenting and discussing new educational environments, best practices and case studies on innovative technology-based learning strategies, institutional policies on computer supported education.

2018, the conference took place in Funchal, Madeira and had the 10^th year’s anniversary. A special session was foreseen to the topic “Blended Learning and Quality Enhancement – BLQE 2018” (2), chaired by Ebba Ossiannilsson (The Swedish Association for Distance Education, SADE).

The consortium submitted a paper, that was accepted and presented by Peter Mazohl (European Foundation for Quality in Blended Learning, EFQBL) in the frame of this session.

The presentation focused on the Blended Learning situation as described in this project, with the special focus on SMEs. In the project, several dependencies and obstacles to perform blended learning courses in C-VET (especially in SMEs) were identified and presented at the conference.

The audience agreed strongly to the mentioned problems and the need of the execution of this project. During the discussion, interesting feedback was given by some listeners of the presentation, and this made clear, that the mentioned problems are not isolated in Europe but exist as well in other parts of the world, for example in South America (for example in Brazil).

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(1) http://www.csedu.org/?y=2018
(2) http://www.csedu.org/SpecialSessions.aspx?y=2018

Distance Learning is changing due to the various devices which are currently used.

Blended Learning has been widely accepted in the various fields of education. It supports intensive face-to-face contacts in the onsite teaching and training. In the Distance Learning a broad range of various pedagogical practices are possible, like self-regulated, self-paced and heutagogical learning, and flipped training situations as well. Distance Learning has simple preconditions due to the use of the Internet and the existence of affordable learning platforms.

Especial in VET education it is necessary that trainees acquire both competences and capabilities, Competency in this context means knowledge, skills, and attitudes while capability overlaps the attitudes and enhances it by the trainee’s confidence in the competency.

Considering the outlined approach above Blended Learning can be an excellent way in Vocational Education and Training as well as in Continuous VET.

While the pedagogical way to implement Blended Learning courses seems to be clear, a new challenge is showing up – the used technical devices. Currently, there exists a wide body of electronically devices. The Distance Learning in C-VET Education often is done at the workplace, during a break, using the available devices like Tablets, notebooks, or even smartphones. All these different devices must be supplied by the method of delivering the content (from the learning platform) to the trainees. This means the flexibility of the process of displaying something on differently sized displays (web pages here use a flexible or responding design). Using multimedia based content or interactive processes also can lead to problems and conflicts because not all devices support all media types (due to different operating systems or restrictions done by the manufacturer of the device).

All these facts mentioned above make it necessary to investigate the options and new possibilities of the use of multiple devices in Blended C-VET Training as well as to be aware of the obstacles and problems which might arise with these common devices.

The TIBL-Project will analyse the current situation and develop a special set of tools to assist trainers in creating C-VET courses.

Multiple devices are electronical tools to process and display data, information and multimedia content. Currently we can distinguish several types of devices, most of them are portable today.

Multiple devices

Computers or desktop devices

They are the classical root of all mentioned devices. Computers usually accept data (from a network or using an external keyboard), process them using specific programs and produce some results like data, images, texts, multimedia content or similar output. Computers also can be used as an input device for web-based applications. Computers usually are big, heavy, use a big screen and are not mobile.

Laptops and notebooks

Learning with a typical laptop

Laptops and notebooks are similar devices, but the laptop usually emulates the desktop device (bigger, heavier, not so compact, in most cases better equipped). Notebooks were designed as more compact devices and handier. The basic functionality is like laptops, but specific devices (like a DVD drive) are often missing. Currently, notebooks are optimized to connectivity (to the cloud).

Both types of devices use a mechanical keyboard.

Tablets

Learning with a tablet

Tablets are more or less reduced notebooks. A smaller screen, not so powerful processor, minimized operating system, no hard disk and other minimizations characterize a tablet. Most tablets use either the Apple IOS or Google’s Android. From the screen (or display), these tablets offer a typical size a little bit bigger than smartphones but smaller than tiny notebooks – they bridge this typical gap in display size. As a standard, a mechanical keyboard is not available and replaced by a special area at the touch screen. Many tablets currently can be enhanced by some kind of mechanical keyboard. There exist tablets including the feature of a phone (and therefore can be seen as big smartphones).

Smartphones

Smartphones are “all in one” microcomputers which have the ability to be used as a phone. The screen size is limited (due to the fact of transporting them in the pocket of your trouser. As a standard, a mechanical keyboard is not available and replaced by a special area at the touch screen. The enhancement with an external keyboard is not foreseen.

Convertibles

New on the market – convertibles

A convertible is a kind of notebook, where the keyboard can be turned to the rear of the display to enable the device to work like a tablet. It is a kind og hybrid of tablet and notebook and always needs a touchscreen.

Multiple devices in learning

The TIBL Project is going to develop the methodology to use all multiple devises in Blended Learning. This needs an elementary analyses of the potential of all the mentioned devices and to develop a well-fitting concept to deliver the learning content in a suitable way to supply all the used devices.

About the Author

Peter Mazohl is member of the Institute of Analyses and Scientific Computing at the University of Technology in Vienna, Austria. He was involved in the AKMAT project of the institute. This project is one of the biggest Blended Learning projects at universities in Europe.
Peter Mazohl is the head of the „European Foundation for Qualify in Blended Learning“ which is the Austrian Partner of the TIBL Project.

Distance Learning in a Blended Learning course offers self paced learning in a convenious environment (for example at home)

First, there is the teaching organization. They offer a kind of product or service called course or teaching. The quality of this product depends on the teaching organization itself. That means the quality of organization, the planning and executing of the course, the quality of the materials as well as the quality of the teachers.

A second possibility is to focus on the learner, and here on the needs of the learner. Quality describes how the needs of the learner are satisfied, to which level the learner is supported in his/hers learning and also the learning success.

Another position is the aim of learning, for example to get e certain degree or qualification. Here the learner must proof a certain level of quality in learning, in his motivation and in the maturity to manage the course.

All these consideration makes it difficult to simply define quality in teaching or learning. It’s always necessary to explain in which context quality is meant. Well defined quality frameworks in Blended Learning take these different items in account and offer an encompassing system covering all issues mentioned above.

Blended Learning as a teaching method

Blended Learning is a teaching method and no pedagogical or didactical concept. Blended Learning describes the technique used for teaching. The consortium sees this kind of teaching highly connected with the use of ICT. ICTs offer new opportunities but also new challenges for both instructors and students (Redmond 2011).

Teachers and trainers change their working place and reduce the time used in the traditional brick-and-mortar environment. Students get the independency to decide, what, where, when and how they learn during the distance learning.

Pedagogical access to Blended Learning

Teaching needs some pedagogical access. There are several different options for teachers. It makes sense to promote a learner-centered access to Blended Learning because it fosters active learning, student engagement and involves the students more intensively in the learning process. Weimer (2012) mentions in her blog the advantages of learner-centered teaching (engagement of students, explicit skill instructions, reflection of students,  motivation for students for self-control, encouragement for students to collaboration). The consortium recommends a student-centered access to Blended Learning for optimized results in teaching.

Another important issue is the description of the learning outcomes: The learning goals should be defined competence oriented. Therefore, it is possible to split the learning outcomes to the face-to-face teaching and the distance learning. This access is practically realized in the Blended Learning Project “AKMAT” which is currently running at the University of Technology Vienna (Breitenecker, 2014).

Source: Blended Learning Quality – Concepts Optimized for Adult Education (book available from Amazon