Establishing Learning-Centred Education through Open Distributed Technology Enhanced Learning (ODTEL) Framework

1. Establishing Learning-Centred Education through Open Distributed Technology Enhanced Learning (ODTEL) Framework K.R. Srivathsan, IGNOU srivathsan@ignou.ac.in National Seminar on Recent Renaissance in Teacher Education                Sri Krishna Engineering College May 17, 2009

2. How to apply ICT and manage Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) in ways that enhance quality of education has been a major challenge. • There is plenty of content on the Internet, Web Resources, TV Channels, EDUSAT, Mobile and SMS, Call Centres, …. Cheaper PCs, broadband access, etc. • Yet our universities, colleges are far from using the facilities. • Major needs not adequately addressed: Web-based learner support for courses, peer-2-peer students interaction through forums and web-mentoring. • No live Students Database and progress tracking.  We need to understand what quality education and education systems are about in the context ICT. Convergence and Quality Education

3. E-Learning – From talks to action Aug. 2008 at IIT Guwahati, Dr. Manmohan Singh said • “We are one of the youngest nations and, according to observers, India has the potential to create over 500 million trained people by 2022 which is over a fourth of the global workforce. The big opportunity for India would come from an education revolution that we must undertake as our most important national endeavor.” • The World of Education is undergoing a rapid and quiet transformation: How do we in India take advantage of this and synthesize a new framework of providing  Challenge: How do we deploy and use e-Learning, open up quality education to vast numbers of students?

4. SAD STATE OF OUR EDUCATION • Education (higher/tertiary) reduced to teaching classes against Board/university exams. • No agility in syllabus and students are ‘programmed’ like Artificial Intelligence Systems to ‘answer’ questions! • University education no longer LEARNING CENTRIC. Students tutored for ‘contrived’ university examinations. Aim at securing high pass percentages, not promoting learning and scholarship. • Good teachers have little say. ‘Teaching’ to prepare studnts for exams removes teacher from engaging students in Learning Activities • Education not connected with developments – be they in the scientific or socioeconomic sense.  India’s Int’l Math Olympiad rank fell from 25th in 2007 to 31st in 2008. China is 1st, South Korea 2nd Why?

5. IGNOU’s Vision for Education • “QUALITY EDUCATION TO ALL, INDEPENDENT OF GEOGRAPHY.” “ENABLE, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER EVERY CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY THROUGH KNOWLEDGE.” • Most importantly connect education to community empowerment and developments – socioeconomic, promoting values and scholarship. • How do we ensure our system delivers QUALITY EDUCATION? • How do we use all available modes of reaching and engaging learners in the course to provide a holistic education in every subject offered by IGNOU. • Build on IGNOU’s core strengths and the responsibilities given to it under the Parliament Act. • IGNOU working with NPTEL, institutions and organizations and in national programsof different kinds.

6. Education To Exploit Wide Varieties Of Technologies • For over 10(20?) years we talk of e-learning. • Plenty of Technology: Laptops and Netbooks, High cap thumb drives, IP-TV, iPods, iPhones, GPRS, 3G, Broadband, Satellite, Virtualization, Green IT, etc. • Whole world of new Internet services/applications: Google & ever improving search engines, Open Source systems, LMS, SCIENTIFIC DATABASES, Open Content, Open Access Publishing, e-Books, … • Google’s Slogan: “My other computer is a Datacentre”. • Increasing reach and Affordability.  How we go ahead from CONNECTIVITY &CONTENT to formal systems of Tech Assisted Learning, Teaching And Evaluation (TELTE)?  Quality Assured Instruction.

7. Course Exercises Knowledge Management Course Map & Library TV & Webinars QMS & LMS Web Mentoring Web Self Study / Discovery Content Discussion IOCG Forums Personal Dash Board E-Mail & Alerts SMS Alerts Web M-Learn Resources Group Interactions/ P2P Learning Convergence and IGNOU Open Course Guide (IOCG)

8. Foundations, Concepts, Contextual Skills Quality Instruction By Teachers Quality Ambience & Processes Self-development Responsibility, Accountability Professional Competence, Maturity IOCG Quality Resources Quality Efforts by Students Laying the Basis For Quality Education • To make our graduates EMPLOYABLE; to be PRODUCTIVE ON THE JOB and in LIFE. • To observe REAL WORLD PROBLEMS, abstract the issues and apply what they have learnt and their innate sense to solve them.  IOCG: Proposed IGNOU Open Course Guide System

9. Education Grid over Regional Broadband/ ERNET or Internet Education Grid: IITK  IIITM-K  IGNOU Education Grid is a suite of systems and collaborative processes over a network of institutions Resource Centre 3 Scientific Portals College 2 College 1 College 3 Communication Gateway & Resource Centre National Education Grid over Broadband ERNET/Internet (& EDUSAT?) Network Resource Centre 2 Computational Servers VISTA Programs Coordination Centre College n College 4 Resource Centre 1 E-Learning

10. Recall Kerala Education Grid Networkof Education Servers across colleges Resource Centresin premier institutions. Develop and maintainpedagogically sound refereed coursewarein identified subjects. Deploy courseware oversubject specific Course Knowledge and Collaboration Spacein each subject over the network of Servers. Introduce anIT facilitation layer in the University/ Higher Education System.  Governed by quality management of Content Development and Teacher Training Processes.

11. E R N E T STPI IGNOU Education Grid (IEG) IGNOU/Universities/Institutions Open Study Guide & Web Collaboration Services Education Grid Gateway Systems Study Centres University College Experts, Mentors * * Tier–5: Instruction/Evaluation Management Space (Colleges, Study Centers) Tier-4: Content Alignment & Capacity Building (AU) R A I L T E L Academic Management Tier–3: Content/Web Resources (IGNOU, NPTEL, …) Tier-2: Systems, Applications (Over Clouds and LAN) Managed Services Tier-1: ICT Infrastructure (RailTel, TelCos, STPI, NKN)

12. Leverage on Core Strengths of IGNOU • IGNOU practices a robust system of generating printed Self Learning Materials (SLMs) for the learners. • SLMs are pedagogically structured, authored by experts. • IGNOU’s SLMs in various courses are globally respected and also used in several open distance education programs run by the state open universities and others. • Regional Centres of IGNOU provide critical logistics support for Study Centres and supporting them for conducting the contact classes and examinations.  IGNOU now faces the challenge of upgrading the above system and its best practices in the Internet era.

13. Set Instructional objectivesEvaluate against Instructional Objectives 2. IGNOU Open Course Guide: Learning Activities, Exercises 5. Exams & Evaluation + _ 3. Self Test 1.Instruction Delivery J + 6. Assessment Teacher – Learner Involvement in all stages 4. Feedback to learners IGNOU’s ODTEL: A UNIFIED E-L FRAMEWORK Final Marks, Grade • Each component system is backed by appropriate ICT systems & back office services. • IGNOU setting up an ‘Educational Technology & Info. Services (ETIS)’ to support and service ODTEL.

14. Instruction Delivery & Course Management • Instruction Delivery may use different modes: (i) Teacher taking the class uses rich content; (ii) Tutored Video Instruction using Recorded Video Lectures (RVL) (ii) IGNOU’s Self Learning Materials (SLM) and supplementary content. (iv) Web-accessed/DVD based content and interactive study. Examples: NPTEL RVLs – full suites of ~ 40 lectures per course  Visit: www.youtube.com/iit • Web Content: Like NPTEL or Open Courseware, Wikiversity, Curriki.org, etc.: http://nptel.iitm.ac.in 2. Course Management: Engaging learners in disciplined ways of self study, group sessions, exercises and practice  Introducing the IGNOU Open Course Guide (IOCG) system.

15. 2. IGNOU Course Management Group (CMG) Tier-4: Setting the stage for Quality ODTEL: IGNOU Open Course Guide System Instruction Management Cycles 4. Colleges & Study Centres Instruction Design Cycle Students & Teachers 24 X7 access 1.SLMs,RVLs, MM Content, Open Web 3. CMG to develop & Deploy IGNOU Open Course Guide (IOCG)

16. Tier-4: IGNOU Open Course Guide Course Home Page About the Course, Prerequisites, Syllabus Instructions to SCs, Tutors Course Objectives Course Evaluation approach Course Support and Counseling details. Sequence of Learning Modules  Calendar & Alert Systems Course Concept Map linking Learning Modules Recommended Text Books, References, Web References Course Calendar Instruction Team and Contact details IOCG is implemented in IGNOU using Mediawiki

17. E X P L I C I T T A C I T Challenge of Immersing Learners in Quality Learning Environment • At the end of a learning effort, a Learner should be able to say ‘I understand’  Add to his/her Tacit capabilities. Codified Knowledge and Processes accessible over the net, paper… Global networked Information and computational base People’s Competencies, Communications, Feelings, Intuitions, Social interactions, Judgment, Guestimation, People’s Real World

18. Tacit Explicit Socialize Externalize Tacit Combinational Thinking Explicit Internalize Tier-3&4: IOCG Categories of Learning Activities Based Upon Tacit – Explicit Interplay • Adapt Nonaka’s four types of Learning Activities:  Quality Learning with Learning Ambience nurtures above SECI  Innovations Driven Learning Environment (IDLE). • CMG to build the IOCG rich with pointers to case studies, learning activities, multimedia illustrations, real world situations, term papers, projects and field work. • Use LMS for course events management, interactions, discussion forums, assessment activities & for feedback to students.

19. Tier-4: SAMPLE IOCG MODULE Module Topic Motivational/anecdotal content Instructional Objectives Learning Activities Sequencing: RVL to be played, SLM Unit, textbook sections, recommended problem set, practice, experiments, etc.  LMS used for asynchronous Interactions and directives to students.  Use of TV Sessions, IP-TV, Webinar driven by Calendar Guidance for Tutorial Monitored Self test and counseling classes for learners. Module test (part of continuous evaluation). • Mid-term and end term tests conducted. • Computer Assisted Evaluation methods may be used.

20. IOCG Over Open Wiki IOCG Technology: A Canonical Course Management System Course and Instruction Management Team Learners Distributed Over Geography SLM, LMS (Moodle), VoD, Books Web Content, Discussion Forums, QMS, etc.  IOCG guides course related learning activities management

21. IOCG as Formal TEL Academic System • CMG formally appointed for each course by the School. • CMG Prepares the IGNOU OPEN COURSE GUIDE (IOCG) • Relevant RVLs and content preloaded in Study Centre server and distributed to registered students in a course. • IOCG has built-in Course Calendar and schedule of learning and assessment activities for the course duration. • An LMS (MOODLE) used for Tests, assessment, individual feedback to learners. • Self Tests, Evaluation, Feedback counseling, Students interaction among themselves & with counselors and CMG through Discussion Forums and other means. • Support for M-Learning, SMS & mail Alerts for course ents. • Query Management System addresses personal queries.

22. IOCG – a Canonical Course Management System? • ‘Canonical’ refers to concepts that have a kind of uniqueness or naturalness, and are "independent of coordinates." • An example: A Browser is canonical as an interface between user and his/her interactions with the diverse information and services in the Internet. • The IOCG System is canonical in the sense its structure is quite simple – at its core it is a Wiki – and it allows diverse pedagogies to be built over it. • Any pedagogic option may be built as statements and declarations of links to activities in the IOCG. • IOCG guides and coordinates the instruction team, learners and those who manage the course related resources and information.

23. Tier-5: Tutored Video Instruction • Tutored Video Instruction (TVI) was introduced by Prof. J. Gibbons, Stanford University in 1970s. • TVI involves recording video lectures of class and given to students (in ‘distance’ mode) to play and listen. They need not attend the routine lectures. • Weekly contact, or Interaction Classes held for tutorials, small tests, answering common doubts (as expressed in a discussion forum), conducting continuous evaluation exercises, motivational topics, case studies and problem solving, etc. • Interaction classes may be more extended than tutorials. • TVI changes ‘Distance Learning’ and classroom learning to COLLABORATIVE LEARNING. • Studies show performance of students as a whole increases by ~ 0.6σ shift in the mean of the class.

24. Tier –5: Counsellors/Teachers Guided by IOCG and Augmented by CMG Support 2. IGNOU Course Management Group (CMG) Instruction Management Cycles 4. Study Centres & Colleges Content Management Cycles Students & teachers 24X7 access 1.SLMs,RVLs, MM Content, Open Web 3. IGNOU Open Course Guide (IOCG)

25. IOCG (Back) IOCG (Front) Towards ‘Smart’ IOCG from ACIIL Regional Services Support for Study Centres SMS Alerts & M-Learn support for Students, CMG, & Instruction Team eGyankosh & Multimedia Content on Demand Discussion Forums, LMS & Collaboration Education & IT Services (EITS) Web Resources Support

26. IGNOU Educational Technology and Information Services (EITS) as ‘Back Office’ Course Management Group Teachers & Students in the subject IOCG anchored Course Community Capacity Building & Linkages to R&D, Communities & Industry Subject related Library, e-Journals and open access publications ETIS • ETIS is operated under ACIIL at IGNOU – Delhi by integrating IGNOU’s existing core services.

27. IGNOU Online Study Guide (IOSG) Discussion Forums, Online Calendar and Alert Systems TV & Webinar Sessions Community Radio Sessions TV & Webinar Sessions Community Radio Sessions TV & Webinar Sessions Community Radio Sessions File/Assignments U/D Query Management System Counsellors Support & Web Mentoring System Online Library and Multimedia Publishing System Regional/Study Centres Support System Education Technology and Information Services (ETIS)

28. On the Team and ETIS • Rejith R., Sukant Kole and Divya Raj provide core support for ETIS. • ETIS is et up under the ACIIL with K. Subramanian as its Director. • Supervised by: Sanjay Mishra and K.R. Srivathsan • Supported by Computer Division, IUC and STRIDE. • Madhu Prahar, Vijay Srivastava, Ramanujam associated with the support systems, learning support and services. • Ms. G. Mythili assisting in developing the training program. • An IGNOU Education Grid development facility is being set up in Room 20, Block 7 and existing IUC facilities.  Likely to start the ‘Developmental Informatics and Web Resources Lab’ under ACIIL in a suitable location to develop and support several advanced ICT systems and services for the IEG and convergence.

29. ((( Phone IOCG supports Integrated Multi-modal Engagement of Learners in ODTEL 2 4 Learners Anywhere 3 1 6 5 IGNOU Kiosk/CSC access Schools & Centres Internet Accessed Services TV B A C Agriculture, Health, … IOSG Internet & ETIS 7 D Access State’s Colleges Institutions F E Call Centre 8 9

30. NPTEL and IOCG Based Education Delivery • Under NPTEL, the IITs/IISc are developing and posting openly content in the form of Recorded Video Lectures (RVLs) and web-accessed in ~ 250 courses posted. More courses to be developed under NPTEL Phase-II. • IOCG has just been started to provide a way to integrate the NPTEL and IGNOU’s content with quality education delivery. • IGNOU and NPTEL will announce programs for Proficiency Certificate, Diploma and Certified Instructor for teachers and interested professionals. • In Long term provide open support for colleges to conduct better education for thei students. • Make engineering and other education Learning and Learner Centric.

31. “ The only irreplaceable capital an organization possesses is the knowledge and the ability of its people. The productivity of that capital depends on how effectively people share their competence with those who can use it.” - Andrew Carnegie 19th Century  ‘The End of Education is Character.’ – Sai Baba

32. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First to IIITM-K for the years spent experimenting with diverse systems of eLearning, the Education Grid, KISSAN-Kerala and others. Second to all those colleagues at IIITM-K, specifically Dr. Venkatesh, Shri Radhakrishnan, Shri Ajith Kumar, Shri Pradeep Kumar, Dr. Dinesh, Shri Arvind Mohan, Shri David Mathews, and several others. Third to Vice Chancellor and Board of IGNOU and now Shri Sukant Kole, Ms. Divya Raj, Shri Rejith. R, Dr. Sanjay Mishra, Dr. VSP Srivastava and others for supporting the ongoing initiatives.

33. TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE Thank You