1. National
Teaching
Fellow 2012 EDEN fellow 2013 Ascilite fellow 2012
Disruptive learning – towards PLE+?
Gráinne Conole, University of Leicester
27th August 2014
5th International PLE conference, Kuala Lumpur
UNITAR International University

3. Outline
• Disruptive innovation
• Emergent technologies
• Disruptive learning
innovations
– The flipped classroom
– Mobile learning
– Open learning
• Facilitating learning
– From VLEs to PLEs to PLE+
– Characteristics of a PLE+
• The 7Cs of Learning Design

5. Disruptive innovation
Change
Something
new
Unexpected
Christensen
Changing
mindsets

6. Emergent technologies
• MOOCs
• Badges to accredit learning
• Learning analytics
• Seamless learning
• Crowd learning
• Digital scholarship
• Geo-learning
• Learning from gaming
• Maker Culture
• Citizen inquiry
http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/innovating/

7. A day made of glass
Via Alice Godwin-Davey

8. The future of ICT in education

9. The Internet of things
• Objects, animals or
people given a unique
identifier
• Data transferred over the
Internet
• Examples:
– Sensor which tells you
when your tyres are flat
– Remotely alter a
thermostat

10. Most connected man
• Uses ca. 700 tracking
and life logging systems
• Lights and music can be
altered to change or
reflect his mood
• Can monitor habits to
improve the quality of
his life
http://mashable.com/2014/08/21/most-connected-man/

11. Discussion point
• What (if
anything) is
innovative
and/or
disruptive about
these?
• How might they
be used in a
learning
context?

12. Discussion
Innovative or disruptive Use in a learning context

13. http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2819918

14. Disruptive learning innovations
• The flipped classroom
• Mobile learning
• Opening up education
– OER
– MOOCs

15. The flipped classroom
• Inverting the traditional
approach: from lecture-centric
to activity-centric
• Watch videos in advance
• Use classroom to discuss
and do activities
• More collaborative and
problem-based
• Increasing importance of
mobile learning
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf
www.asee.org/file_server/papers/attachment/file/0003/3259/6219.pdf

16. Mobile learning
Study calendars
E-books
Learning resources
Online modules
Annotation tools
Mind mapping tools
Communication mechanisms

17. From E-Learning to M-Learning
• More than just mobile e-learning
– Anytime, anywhere for the learner (efficiency)
– Enables learning in special location (i.e. fieldwork)
• New affordances of mobile
– Small and compact
– Personal
– Capturing sound, video, image
– New tech i.e. augmented reality
– Wearable tech Peacekeeper student using
supplied iPad and course app –
Security, Conflict & International
Development Masters Distance

18. Other Leicester examples
One iPad per medical
undergraduate:
•Paperlessness,
Personalised
•Anywhere
•Medical references
and apps for clinical
settings
Masters of International Education:
•Personalised learning environment
•Accessibility
•iBooks Author to create iBook

19. Flexibility and mobility
Small, compact size
Continue reading, Bookmark
Portability Capacity
Readability
Easy on the eyes
Access from a single
device without internet
Long battery life
Photo by Kzeng on Flickr
Photo by Yummy Pancake on Flickr Terese Bird

20. Open learning
• Over ten years of the Open Educational Resource
(OER) movement
• Hundreds of OER repositories worldwide
• Presence on iTunesU
• 2012 Times year of the MOOC

21. The OPAL metromap
Evaluation shows lack of uptake
by teachers and learners
Shift from development to
community building and
articulation of OER practice
http://www.oer-quality.org/

22. POERUP outputs
• An inventory of more than 300 OER initiatives
http://poerup.referata.com/wiki/Countries_with_OER_initiatives
• 11 country reports and 13 mini-reports
http://poerup.referata.com/wiki/Countries
• 7 in-depth case studies
• 3 EU-wide policy papers

23. The emergence of MOOCs
• CCK08
– Connectivist MOOC (cMOOC)
– Siemens, Downes and Cormier
– Evaluation (Fini, 2009)http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/643/1402
• Emergence of large-scale xMOOCs
• Recent developments
– UK-based FutureLearn
– Launch of Massey on Open2Study
• List of MOOCs
– http://www.mooc-list.com/
• EFQUEL series of blogs
– http://mooc.efquel.org/
• ICDE list of MOOC reports
– http://tinyurl.com/gconole-MOOC
• MOOC research reports
– http://www.moocresearch.com/reports
• MOOCs for development
– http://www.moocs4d.org/media.html

24. • Critiques the hype
• History of MOOCs
• More an interactive
textbook than a course
• Issue re feedback and
assessment
• Support models
• Issue of support large-scale
learning
• Degrees of openness
http://www.parlorpress.com/invasion_of_the_moocs

26. Free
Distributed global community
Social inclusion
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
High dropout rates
Learning income not learning outcome
Marketing exercise
http://alternative-educate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/audio-ascilite-2012-great-debate-moocs.html
JOLT, Vol. 9, No. 2, http://jolt.merlot.org

27. Beyond cMOOCs or xMOOCs
cMOOCs
• Weekly centred
• Participant reflective spaces
• Social and networked
participation
• Hashtag: #etmooc
• Use of a range of social
media
xMOOCs
• Linear learning pathway
• Mainly text and video
• Formative feedback through
MCQs
• Individually focused

28. A taxonomy of MOOCs
Dimension Characteristics
Context
Open Degree to which the MOOC is open
Massive How large the MOOC is
Diversity The diversity of the learners
Learning
Use of multimedia Extent of use of rich multimedia
Degree of communication Amount of communication incorporated
Degree of collaboration Amount of collaboration incorporated
Amount of reflection Ways in which reflection is encouraged
Learning pathway Degree to which the learning pathway is supported
Quality assurance Degree of quality assurance
Certification Mechanisms for accreditation
Formal learning Feed into formal learning offerings
Autonomy Degree of learner autonomy
http://e4innovation.com/?p=727

29. A new MOOC classification
Dimension Connectivist Siemens MOOC
Context
Open 3
Massive 2
Diversity 3
Learning
Use of multimedia 2
Degree of communication 3
Degree of collaboration 2
Amount of reflection 3
Learning pathway 1
Quality assurance 1
Certification 1
Formal learning 1
Autonomy 3
For each
dimension, give
the MOOC a
score:
Low=1,
Medium=2
High=3

30. A new MOOC classification
Dimension Connectivist Siemens MOOC
Context
Open 3
Massive 2
Diversity 3
Learning
Use of multimedia 2
Degree of communication 3
Degree of collaboration 2
Amount of reflection 3
Learning pathway 1
Quality assurance 1
Certification 1
Formal learning 1
Autonomy 3
How to rate Open?
It’s free = 1
At least some CC
materials = 2
All materials CC,
and non-registered
students can view
materials=3
How to rate
Massive?
Under 500=1
500-10,000=2
Over 10,000=3
http://tinyurl.com/OEWBirdConole

31. Associative
Associating a stimulus with a response – operant conditioning.
Create a new stimulus response.
Intermediate Chinese from Open University of China on iTunes U
http://tinyurl.com/chineselang

32. Cognitive
Learning by experiencing a stimuli. The way in which
a person is encouraged to contemplate.
Coursera Songwriting
https://www.coursera.org/course/songwriting

33. Constructivist
Adding meaning to, and building on what I
already know
Open University Course Design MOOC ‘OLDS’
http://www.olds.ac.uk

34. Situative
Learning that occurs in the same context in
which it will be used.
Coursera Introduction to Clinical Neurology
https://www.coursera.org/course/clinicalneurology

35. Connectivist
About who or what learning resources we have
access to. People as resources.
George Siemens original Connectivist MOOC
http://cck11.mooc.ca/

36. MOOCs by pedagogical approach
Dimension Associative
Chinese
Cognitive
Songwriting
Constructivist
OLDS
Situative
Neuro
Connectivist
Siemens
Context
Open 1 1 3 1 3
Massive 1 2 1 2 2
Diversity 1 2 2 2 3
Learning
Use of multimedia 3 2 2 2 2
Degree of communication 1 1 2 2 3
Degree of collaboration 1 1 2 2 2
Amt of reflection 1 1 2 1 3
Learning pathway 1 1 2 2 2
Quality assurance 2 2 2 2 1
Certification 1 2 2 2 1
Formal learning 1 1 2 1 1
Autonomy 3 3 3 2 3

37. Related projects
http://wp.europeanmoocs.eu/
http://wikieducator.org/Emundus
http://vmpass.eu/

38. Situating open learning
Formal
Individual Social
Informal
Blended courses
DL+ social media
Trad. campus courses
DL courses
OER
xMOOCs
OER + Social media
cMOOCs
APEL
ePortforlios
OERu
Badges

39. Facilitating learning
• Guidance and support
• Content and activities
• Communication and
collaboration
• Reflection and
demonstration
Learner
centred

40. https://tinyurl.com/hotelproject

41. From VLEs to PLEs to PLE+
VLEs PLEs PLE+
Institutionally owned Mix of institutional and
cloud-based
Mix of institutional and
cloud-based
Teacher controlled Learner controlled Learner controlled
Clear set of components Nebulous set of
components
Nebulous set of
components
Digitally based Digitally based Digitally and physically
based

42. Characteristics of a PLE+
• Relates to concepts of
distributed cognition and
PersonPlus
• We leave learning trails
• Our learning environment
is culturally constructed
• We co-evolve with our
environment
• Technologies have
affordances
• Blurring of physical and
digital
Gibson, Pea. Perkins, Salomon, Wertsch

43. Learning Design
• To provide guidance and
support to enable
practitioners make
design decisions that are
pedagogically informed
and make appropriate
use of technologies
• Can also by learners to
create their PLE+

44. The 7Cs of Learning Design
Vision
Conceptualise
Activities
Create Communicate Collaborate Consider
Synthesis
Combine
Implementation
Consolidate
http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/oer/oers/beyond-distance-research-alliance/7Cs-toolkit

45. Course features
http://cloudworks.ac.uk/cloud/view/5950
• Pedagogical approaches
• Principles
• Guidance and support
• Content and activities
• Reflection and demonstration
• Communication and collaboration

46. Technology-Enhanced Learning Spaces
Aesthetics – pleasure (recognition of
symmetry, harmony, simplicity and
fitness for purpose)
Affordances – the characteristics of the
environment
Blending – a mix of f-t-f and technologies
Comfort - a space that creates a physical
and mental sense of ease
Equity – considering the needs of cultural
and physical differences
Flow – the state of mind of the leaner
when totally engaged with the learning
process
Repurposing – the potential for multiple
use of the space
http://www.skgproject.com/

47. Activity profile
• Types of learner activities
– Assimilative
– Information Handling
– Communication
– Production
– Experiential
– Adaptive
– Assessment

48. Learning
Outcomes
LO1
LO2
LO3
LO4
Week 1
Topic 1
Week 2
Topic 2
Week 3
Topic 3
Week 4
Topic 4
Start End
Assessment LO1
LO2 LO3 LO4

49. METIS ILDE
• Integrated Learning
Design Environment
• Create designs:
– Conceptualise
– Author
– Implement
• Share and adapt designs
http://ilde.upf.edu/pg/lds/

50. Disruptive innovation
• Disruptive technologies are
challenging traditional
institutions
• New business models emerging
• New approaches needed for
designing and delivering MOOCs
• Blurring of boundaries:
– formal/informal, real/virtual,
teacher/learner, cross cultural
• Need for new pedagogies
• Disaggregation of education
– High quality resources
– Learning pathways
– Support
– Accreditation

51. http://www.le.ac.uk/ili
http://www.slideshare.net/GrainneConole
grainne.conole@le.ac.uk
http://e4innovation.com
@gconole