Sharing Design Knowledge through the IMS Learning Design Specification

1. Sharing Design Knowledge through the IMS Learning Design Specification Dawn Howard-Rose Kevin Harrigan David Bean University of Waterloo McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning and Technology Conference - 2004 Series University of Ottawa

2. IMS and Learning Design • IMS – An international consortium for establishing e-learning standards and specifications • IMS has created many specifications, e.g., Content Packaging, Simple Sequencing, Question and Test, and Learning Design • Aim is toward interoperability and functionality for e-learning content and deployment, to promote re-use and re-purposing of resources • Future repositories can include learning designs as well as learning objects

3. IMS Learning Design Specification • Formally instantiates the pedagogical intervention and context of the learning interaction • Based on Educational Modeling Language [EML, Koper et al., 2001] • IMS LD describes a Unit of Learning, which is designed to meet specified learning objectives • LD could encompass a program of study, a workshop, a course, a module, a lesson, etc.

4. What IMS Learning Design Specification is NOT • … Instructional design, in the generic sense of this term; • … A new way of teaching; • … An instructional design tool; • … A delivery tool or learning management system [LMS].

5. What does a Learning Design include? • Critical activities • Learning objects [resources] and support services for use in specified learning activities • Roles [instructor, learner, staff] • Workflow

6. Levels A, B and C in IMS Learning Design • Level A: Describes core elements of most simple Units of Learning; • Level B: Introduces the ability to define conditional situations within a Unit of Learning [e.g., defining different learning activities according to learners’ background, preference, or test results]; • Level C: Introduces notification [e.g., the completion of event A triggers event B].

7. IMS LD Conceptual ModelLevel A • LD is a description of a method enabling learners to attain learning objectives by performing certain learning activities, in a certain order, in the context of an environment.

8. Learning Design Level A Conceptual Model

9. The Vision: How instructional designers will benefit from IMS LD • Multiple connected repositories, populated with many learning designs • All designs described using a common language, so can be read by any [LD] compliant interpreter • Designs are searchable according to pedagogical needs of designers and instructors • Repositories would include references to literature or evaluations to support the validity of the designs

10. Current Projects Aimed at Realizing the Vision • Repository to Reality [R2R] • Design environment [MOT+] • Run-time environment [e.g. Coppercore, Explora II] • IMS LD-Inspired design and run-time environment [LAMS] • Content packaging with LD [Reload]

11. The Process: How instructional designers will use IMS LD • Identify instructional situation and challenge, using controlled vocabulary; • Search repositories to find generic [content-free] and specific [content-bound] examples of designs; • Preview and assess value of results, using references provided [e.g., to lit., peer reviews, evaluations]; • Adopt and adapt design(s) as desired for current instructional needs; • Share adapted or new designs by submitting to repository [Note that review requirements of repositories will vary].

12. Steps toward Achieving the Vision: Vocabulary Development in R2R • Goals: • Identify and describe exemplars of learning designs that can be captured in terms of valid IMS LD scripts • Document the pedagogical principles and supporting evidence for these learning designs • Define teacher-friendly pedagogical search terms for the LD exemplars

13. Conceptual Model for this Task • Explanations • Define and describe key pedagogical features of generic designs [i.e., content-free learning activities aimed at particular learning outcomes] • Use IMS LD Specification language [activities, roles, environment, workflow, etc.]

14. Conceptual Model for this Task • Examples • Instantiations of the learning designs in the context of specific content domains and teaching/learning situations • Exemplars of each generic design should be provided within a number of content domains

15. Conceptual Model for this Task • Evidence • References to research studies, peer reviews and other evaluations supporting the learning designs • Studies may support the learning design as a whole or component parts, to address identified instructional challenges

16. A Generic Unit of Learning:Predict, Observe, Explain • Learning Objective: To articulate, justify and critically reflect on self and partner’s preconceptions and become aware of alternative conceptions. • Activities: • Learners work in pairs, using video-based demonstration of a concept; • Discuss and record Prediction for an outcome and an associated reason; • After committing to their Prediction, they Observe the outcome on the video demonstration; • Then they Explain differences between their Prediction and Observation.

17. Predict, Observe, Explain [cont’d] • Tasks drawn from relevant, real-world scenarios in a given domain; • Multiple-choice options for the prediction stage are informed by the alternative conceptions literature. Ref: www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au

18. Defining a Search Interface • Search terms that work for educators • Controlled Vocabulary to describe learning designs in consistent ways • Multiple access paths to learning designs • Terms could focus on disciplines, learning outcomes, instructional challenges, learner groupings, etc.

19. Searching by Learning Challenge:A Few Examples • APPLY: Apply theory in Practice • COLLABORATE: Collaborate to accomplish part of the learning task • MISCONCEPTIONS: Elicit, confront, and resolve misconceptions • PERSPECTIVES: Examine new knowledge from different perspectives • CRITIQUE: Think critically about new knowledge

20. Conclusion and Next Steps • IMS Learning Design Specification can facilitate sharing of design knowledge among educators • Current projects around the globe are aimed at implementing and testing the IMS LD Specification • R2R seeks to initiate and test a controlled vocabulary and search model for accessing and sharing learning designs