Lifelong Learning Companion: – A Grand Challenge Problem for Advanced Learning Technologies

1. Lifelong Learning Companion:– A Grand Challenge Problem for Advanced Learning Technologies Tak-Wai Chan National Central University Taiwan

2. A trace of thoughts & works

3. Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) (Carbonell, 1970)

4. interface Classical ITS model (Self, 1974) domain knowledge what student model tutoring strategy who how

5. Learning Companions~ idea in my PhD thesis (ITS 1988) • ROLE: tutor vs. companion • NUMBER: single character vs. multiple characters • PEDAGOGICAL MODEL: learning by being tutored vs. collaborative learning / competitive learning / learning by teaching ITS Model Learning Companion System Model

6. tutor’s tutor Dyad synchronous network learning with virtual learning companions (Chan, et. al., 1992, 1995) collaborator opponent tutee tutor opponent collaborator tutor tutee (Chan, et. al. 1997, Lee, et. al, 1998, Chou, et. al. 2002, Yu, et. al., 2002, 2003, 2004)

7. Universities High Schools Elementary Schools Africa America Asia-Pacific Europe From Learning Companions to Social Learning~ AIED 1995 Networked learning inside classrooms with learning companions • Five educational goals: • cognition, motivation, • sociability, attitude, • and ethics • Global social learning club • Learning in larger context

8. Infrastructure for Future Network Learning~ ITS 2000 Now, from Top down to Bottom upEnough? 1:1 digital classroom network learning society EduCities (1.5 million people) EduTowns (2,500 schools) EduVillages (20,000 classes)

9. Question • What will be the roles and the future of learning companions • in EduCities, in 1:1 digital classrooms, or for general advanced learning technologies • in 10 years, or in 100 years?

10. Why 100 years?It’ll take at least a century to settle the changes caused by technology to education 2005 1995 2095

11. Learning Companion Related Research Over the Years • Multiple learning companions (Finland) • Pedagogical agents (USC) • Trouble makers (Montreal U) • Teachable agents (Venderbilt, Stanford) • Affective learning companions (MIT) • Animal companions (Taiwan) • etc.

12. Will there be a better general name than learning companion? • Yes, ‘virtual character’ • But ‘companion’ could imply a long term companionship taking on various roles

13. baby: learning companion as a cradle small kid: learning companion as a toy pupil: learning companion as a pet teenager: learning companion as a peer adult: learning companion as a mentor elder: learning companion as a pet Lifelong learning companion(Chan, 2000; Chan, et. al., 2001; Chou & Chan, 2003)

14. Also, what will be appearances of learning companions in digital era?

15. invisible & ubiquitouscomputing NATURAL PLATFORM context-aware physical environment indoor: smart wall smart desk outdoor: natural as classroom CYBER PLATFORM mobile & wireless devices; wearable computing Internet face-to-face human interaction distance human interaction human computer interaction standalone computers digital manipulative digital toy digital tangibles

16. Digital Tangibledigital manipulatives (Cheng, et. al., 2005) Embedded Computer

17. Digital Tangibletangible companion (Shu, 2005)

18. Taxonomy of learning companions

19. Taxonomy of learning companions

20. Is lifelong learning companion feasible? Can we record experience of one’s life?

21. Let us ask a basic question: Why we bother having “technology” enhanced learning?

22. Toward backward-forward theory of learning supported by digital technology! Reflection Engagement advanced learning technologies deepen both Reflection Engagement

23. Why bother reflection? • “One has to reflect three times a day!” • said by one of Confucius’s students • from immediate feedbacks while one is learning to retrospection on one’s personal life history • short time span to long time span • information for success or failure in seeking for improvement • believable information for achievement • understanding better self-limitations and opportunities • freedom of learning

24. Only then, you learn the right thing and learn it rightly, and with enjoyment! learn about yourself >> learn about other things will learn >> can learn learn better >> learn more

25. How do we build learning companion to support reflection? Learning companion can play important roles on reflection & engagement!

26. interface experience content domain knowledge student model tutoring strategy learner profile pedagogical model # of people: individual to large community time span: last second to past personal life to generations

27. learning companion multi-media roles and persona student assessment domain expert knowledge other learners’ profiles current problem current subject lifelong profile How do we build learning companion using learner profile? individual learner profile

28. What does it imply by using learner profile to simulate animal companions? • acting an “active” mirror to support self-reflection • being your second self

29. interface Classical ITS model ICALT WMTE domain knowledge what learner profile pedagogical model who how ITS / AIED CSCL

30. How does learning companion support ‘engagement’?

31. Real life is tough!– most esteemed positions are occupied self-actualization needs self-esteem needs love & belonging needs safety needs physiological needs

32. Communications in digital era • with a group of human beings, or • with a group of learning companions, or • with human beings and learning companions

33. Worlds & Rules • Create worlds • with narratives (stories) • Create Rules • rules  roles  identity  expectation  values  goal

34. My animal companions -- “Disneyficating” the learner (ICCE, 1999)

35. Projection

36. The goal of the learning companion becomes the goal of the learner! Work hard, take the challenge, no complaint because you take the goal of the learning companion as your goal and you take the values of the learning companion as your values! You shall succeed in these worlds and you shall transfer your confidence to the real world!

37. Can we reach a possible ultimate goal on education with technology? Now, if we can deepen both reflection and engagement … Reflection Engagement

38. Confidence-based learning hierarchy inner freedom entrepreneurship creativity passion leadership perseverance critical thinking interest caring effort (emotional) (social) (attitudinal) (cognitive) reflection confidence

39. Design with dynamics or balances between reflection and engagement

40. Animal companions in 1:1 digital classrooms

41. Grand Challenge Problems A grand challenge defines a commitment by a scientific community to work together towards a common goal, considered to be valuable and achievable within a predicted timescale.

42. Grand Challenge ProblemCriteria(Jim Gray, 1998) Understandable – Goal is simple to state. Helps recruit colleagues, support. Challenging – Should not be obvious how to achieve the goal - which has often been around for a long time. Some may believe goal is impossible. Useful – If the goal is achieved, the results should be clearly useful to many people at large. Testable – Solutions should have a simple test so that one can measure progress - one can tell when the goal is achieved. Incremental – Very desirable that the goal has intermediate milestones so that progress can be measured along the way. Keeps most researchers going.

43. Grand Challenge ProblemCriteria (Roy Pea, 2003) 1) Understandable, with Significance. – Clearly stated compelling case for contributing to long term benefits for science, industry and society. 2) Challenging, and Timely. – Hard problems within conceivable reach in 15-20 years with concerted coordinated efforts. 3) Clearly useful, in terms of Impact and Scale. – If problem is solved, contributes to long term benefits for many people at large, and with international scope. 4) Metrics: Testable and Incremental. – Can measure progress, incremental milestones.

44. Strategy 1 Cardinal subjects K-12 math, basic language learning, calculus, general physics

45. Calculus as example integration by parts Is it possible to evolve the ‘globally best’ pedagogical model for learning ‘subtraction’? 300 concept nodes * + -

46. However, globally best pedagogical model for learning subtractionit is best for an individual with respect to his/her personal learning history!

47. Strategy 2 International assessment (e.g. PISA) bench marking learning performance ISO9500 (Roschelle et. al, 2005)

48. Strategy 3 Standardization – standardizing learner profile format and privacy security – can the movement be similar to SCORM?

49. Strategy 4 International collaborative research G1:1 framework

50. Universities High Schools Elementary Schools Africa America Asia-Pacific Europe G1:1 a global network of collaborative research The real “global social learning club”