Creating a UW Online Environment for Learning

1. Creating a UW Online Environment for Learning Andrea Chappell <chappell@uwaterloo.ca> LT3 and IST, University of Waterloo Presentation for MBET Group 14 June 2002

2. What is a UW online Environment? A place for … • Course content • Basic, supplemental, remedial, etc. • Communications between instructor/student, student/student, student/expert, etc. • Online activities to support the course • Supporting the instructor and student online MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

3. Learning Management Systems? • A LMS provides a lot of those features • There are lots to choose from … even a couple we could afford! • UW has chosen Blackboard as a LMS, but … • we’re using it differently than most • we don’t want to stay committed to one MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

4. When is an LMS the answer? When you want … • … an easy way for faculty to control their own course environment. • … to present a common course look & feel. • … to improve course administration processes. • … to standardize on a toolset to economize on cost and support. MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

5. I say again, when is an LMS the answer? (Rephrased) When you want … • … a way to dump course notes on the Web for no pedagogical gain? • … to present a VendorX look & feel while paying them to advertise their Product? • … to add to course administration processes? • … to pay a lot of money for a mediocre toolset which the vendor might not progress? MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

6. Our Goals for UWonE • Provide support for rethinking teaching while moving online • Content isn’t “king”, our professors are! • Create "buffer zone" between courses and tools • So we can change tool sets! • Unify UW look and feel (a UW "branding”) • Build a framework for new online courses with equal support across campus MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

7. UW online Environment (“UWonE”) Three infrastructure components: • Pedagogical model (T5) is foremost! • Tools for online course activity (discussions, self assessment, group work, assignment feedback) • “Gateway” (pulling it all together) MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

8. T5 Model: a “T’s”-er • Tasks (drives student through Topics) • Tutoring (feedback: generic, peer, instructor, …) • Tools (online activity: discussion, quiz, simulations, …) • Topics (the content: course notes, online resources, animations, ...) • Teams (groups working together) MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

9. 1) Pedagogical model for going online: T5 Founded in: Tasks which drive students through the course content Tutoring that provides feedback to students 2)Tools UWonE: Pedagogical model – T5 3) Gateway MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

10. 2) Tools Used to support course: Online activities Online course “task holder” creation (not content) – T5 editor Delivery Course admin. 1)T5 UWonE: Tools 3) Gateway MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

11. 3) Gateway Integration Central authentication Population from classlists, synch’ing drops and adds Supports online users Tips and how-to’s for students and faculty Status information 1)T5 UWonE: Gateway 2) Tools MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

12. In a picture … MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

13. T5 Model: Supporting the Process “The New Classroom” Workshop • 3 half days over 3 weeks • Up to 20 faculty at a time • Focus on designing task and tutoring • Support for move online via the T5 Editor MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

14. T5 Model: T5 Editor • Homegrown template++ editor • Supports model by: • Providing layout structure (template) for task creation • Automatically integrate tools to task area (coming this summer) • Exportable to standalone HTML MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

15. T5 Model: Big Finish • Key is to tie pedagogy to the technology • Some “faculty development” programs teach why and tech., but don’t pull them together • T5 model provides framework for online activity • T5 editor provides mechanics for instructor: independence and support for their model adoption • Tech to back burner, puts learning model first MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

16. Tools: Current • Blackboard • WebBoard – online discussions • DE developed tools: • Group assignment upload, management, feedback • One minute summary (frequent course review) • Automated group assignments • Audio feedback from professors • Etc. MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

17. Tools: Blackboard • One of the top two LMS (other WebCT) • “OK” for self-assess quizzes, online discussions, marks, assignment upload • Very restrictive model (linear, disjoint) • Very $$ to hook into enterprise systems (e.g. SISP) • Can’t modify it at all! MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

18. Tools: Blackboard (cont’d) • Not going through front door! • Use direct URLs into specific tool for specific course (turn LMS upside down) • Not for content storage! …T5 db contains task content + resource uploads • Solid trustworthy system that we will someday want to replace • How to change if too many “hooked”? MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

19. Tools: What’s next? • Maybe QuestionMark Perception quiz/test • Angel from CyberLearning Labs (LMS!) • Have access to code and API so, …Modifiable! • Want to reach in to more tools • Make changes to tools • Has some “gateway” features MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

20. Supporting UWonE • LT3 supports UWonE through: • departments/Faculties with local support, • individuals already working with LT3 • New DCE person to support tool sets • IST contribution: • Software system support • some tech-only tool use • recent retreat voiced agreement of more LT support MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

21. Recapping (finally) • Want our own online model (T5) for engaging students online • LMS don’t offer enough pedagogical flexibility • Waiting for a “drop in your model” LMS! Meanwhile, T5 editor and workshop and tools • Want to be able to maneuver in tool space • Avoid being tied to VendorX LMS • Want to experiment, but live through it! MBET Overview (14 June 2002)

22. Questions? UWonE: http://ist.uwaterloo.ca/~chappell/LT3/UWonE LT3: http://lt3.uwaterloo.ca Angel: http://www.cyberlearninglabs.com MBET Overview (14 June 2002)