The killer app in LAMS V 2 1

The killer app in LAMS V 2. 1: Branching James Dalziel Professor of Learning Technology, and Director, Macquarie E-Learning Centre Of Excellence (MELCOE) Macquarie University james@melcoe. mq. edu. au www. melcoe. mq. edu. au Presentation for 9 th Sakai Conference, Paris, France, July 1 st, 2008

Overview • Background to LAMS • LAMS integrated into Sakai • LAMS 2. 1 Branching Case Study – Interactive Whiteboard adoption Role Play • Other LAMS 2. 1 Features • Upcoming: Activity Planner • Discussion

Background to LAMS • LAMS is the world’s leading software for Learning Design – 1000 s of educators across 80+ countries – Translated into 25 languages • Visual “drag and drop” approach to designing activities – Helps educators to visualise teaching and learning processes • LAMS Sequences can be shared, re-used and adapted – LAMS Community (www. lamscommunity. org) – Approximately 3300 members, 86 countries, 290 shared sequences downloaded 7500 times, 3700 discussion postings • Freely available as open source software – (Fee-based hosting and tech support from LAMS International)

Background to LAMS • LAMS can be used stand-alone, or integrated with Virtual Learning Environments (Single-Sign-On) – Learners: URL to LAMS sequence from course page – Educators: Author, select, launch and monitor sequences • Current integrations include: – – – Sakai Moodle Blackboard (Blackboard & Web. CT versions). LRN Microsoft Sharepoint

LAMS Integrated with Sakai

LAMS + Sakai: Learner Sequence launched from Sakai Course page (SSO)

LAMS + Sakai: Instructor Monitoring of Learner Progress through Sequence

Instructor Authoring of New Sequence (inc Branching) to launch for students in Sakai

To test LAMS + Sakai, sign up at http: //sakai. lamscommunity. org/

Interactive whiteboard adoption role play • Available in LAMS Community - developed as an adaptation of an earlier role play (on LAMS adoption) • Considers the adoption of interactive whiteboards in a typical secondary school from the perspective of 4 roles – – “Pro” teachers – who are very keen on IBs “Con” teachers – those concerned about wider adoption of IBs School management – see both benefits and issues Students – like IBs when well used, dislike tech for tech sake • Three main stages: Pre-role play role preparation, role play proper, then post-role play reflection

Interactive whiteboard adoption role play • Introducing LAMS V 2. 1 – Branching • Teacher allocated • Group-based • Tool-output based (MCQ, Forum, Vote, Task List) – Sequences in optional • Student choice of one or more sequences • “Branching” is always teacher or system driven (ie, automatic from the student’s perspective); optional sequences allows for student choice “branching”

Key concept before we start: Properties bar in Authoring (click on it to open)

LAMS 2. 1: Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Role tasks with Branching

LAMS 2. 1: Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Inside branching for role tasks

LAMS 2. 1: Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Naming of branches

LAMS 2. 1: Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Setting up role groups

LAMS 2. 1: Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Naming role groups

LAMS 2. 1: Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Branching type = groups

LAMS 2. 1: Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Mapping groups to branches

So… after launching the Role Play sequence in Monitor, a Learner can now access it…

Interactive Whiteboards – Role play: Student view of Forum (private for Pro Teacher role)

LAMS 2. 1: Alternative branching approach: Teacher choice instead of group-based

LAMS 2. 1: Alternative branching approach: Launch in monitor, then allocate to branches

LAMS 2. 1: Teacher allocating students to branches by hand in Monitor

LAMS 2. 1: Alternative branching approach: Student view of Branch 2 (“con” teacher)

LAMS 2. 1: Alternative branching: Tool-output based branching based on Vote (using MCQ)

Imagine using Vote to create new “yes” and “no” subgroups for extra resources & forum

LAMS 2. 1: Tool-output branching: Creating conditions from tool outputs

LAMS 2. 1: Tool-output branching: … then mapping conditions to Branches

Branching summary • Three types of branching – Group-based – Teacher choice – Tool output (& conditions) • Can have multiple groups, multiple branching activities, multiple sub-groups applied to one branch, “skip” option for branching (no task for some learners) – Tool outputs can be Boolean (either/or) or Scores – Current tools are MCQ, Forum, Vote, Task List • Task List is first example of “Conditions” approach

LAMS 2. 1: New Optional *Sequences* feature (under optional; properties for settings)

LAMS 2. 1: New Optional Sequences - allows students to choose 1 or more sequences

Pedagogical uses of new features • Can assign different students to different topics – Each group investigates a different aspect of a phenomenon, then reports findings back to the whole class • Can use Branching with Tool Output (and Skip) to provide remediation tasks for only some students (eg, quiz score < X, then do branch remediation activities; otherwise skip branch) • Can allow students to choose from different optional sequences (according to topic, skill, thoroughness, etc) • Can seek student opinion (eg, Role Play Vote), then create group tasks that respond to different opinions

Other LAMS/RAMS 2. 1 Features • • Live Edit of running sequences New Tool: Task List Flash Audio/Video player can be used in all tools Merge/Insert sequences in Author Optional Non-Flash Learner Interface (mobile LAMS) Sequence completion status Re-arrange lesson order on main page For full feature list, see – http: //wiki. lamsfoundation. org/display/lams/LAMS+2. 1+Feature+List

Application to Research Activities • The concept of re-usable sequences of learning activities can also be applied to research activities – Research team management – Research workflows – Modeling of research processes ahead of time (eg, biosecurity) • RAMS (Research Activity Management System) – Shares a common workflow core with LAMS – Many new LAMS features (Branching, Live Edit, Conditions, etc) have arisen from RAMS requirements

New Feature (from RAMS): Live Edit (starting with running sequence in Monitor)

New Feature: Open live sequence in special author mode (some locked)

New Feature: Can change sequence structure/tools for those not locked

New Feature: Live sequence is immediately updated for current users

New LAMS 2. 1 Task List Tool: Author View

Student View of Task List Tool

New “Conditions” Feature: Creating Conditions for Branching using tool data

Flash Movie/Audio Player can be used in all tools

Example of Non-Flash Learner Interface: Useful for mobile devices (eg, i. Phone)

Upcoming: Activity Planner (aka Pedagogic Planner) • A new layer over the top of LAMS that provides good practice templates, advice on choosing and editing, and simplified authoring (NB: under development) Good practice templates + Limited authoring “Full” Authoring Flexible Learning Design Platform: Capable of many pedagogic approaches

LAMS Activity Planner: Selecting a template

LAMS Activity Planner: Filling out the key content for a selected template

Further LAMS Information • Introduction to LAMS – walkthroughs, videos, case studies http: //cd. lamsfoundation. org/ • General demonstration accounts for LAMS http: //demo. lamscommunity. org/ • General information about LAMS http: //www. lamsfoundation. org/ • LAMS Community http: //www. lamscommunity. org/ • Live Edit new features 2. 1 http: //saturn. melcoe. mq. edu. au/lams 2/docs/winks/new. Live. Edit. htm • Adoption of Interactive Whiteboards in schools Role Play – download V 1 version of sequence from http: //lamscommunity. org/lamscentral/sequence? seq_id=376440 • Animated “mock-ups” for Pedagogic Planner concept http: //saturn. melcoe. mq. edu. au/jly/Ped_planner. htm http: //saturn. melcoe. mq. edu. au/jly/Ped_plannerv 2. htm

Discussion