! Ms. Anne-Marie Paajanen! anne-marie.paajanen@titu.jyu.fi! Telephone +358 14 260 2596!

1. A Methodology to Compare
and Adapt E-Learning in the
Global Context
Jan M. Pawlowski,Thomas Richter
Multi Conference Business Information Systems
Munich, 27.02.2008

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3. Where I work…Jyväskylä, Finland!
Source: [http://www.jyu.fi/, http://www.jyvaskyla.fi/]

4. Where I work…Jyväskylä, Finland!
Source: [http://commons.wikimedia.org/, http://www.jyvaskyla.fi/, http://www.laajavuori.com/]

5. My background!
E-Learning!
Ø Integration of KM and E-
Learning !
Ø Reference Models (Essen
Learning Model, ELM)!
Ø Quality Management and
Assurance for E-Learning!
Ø Mobile & Ambient Learning!
Ø Standardization!
Ø Learning Object and Learning
Design Repositories!
Knowledge Management!
Ø Integration Scenarios!
Ø Knowledge Management
Support!
E-Business!
Information Technology
Research Institute (ITRI) !
Ø COSMOS: Exchange of
Scientific Content!
Ø ASPECT: Open Content and
standards for schools!
Ø iCOPER: New standards for
educational technologies !
Ø OILI, IT-Mylly, Opinpolku,
Centraali: E-Learning and IT
competencies !
Ø Korean German Institute of
Knowledge and Educational
Excellence!
Ø Quality Initiative E-Learning in
Germany!
Ø Virtual Education in Business
Information Systems !

6. Contents !
Ø Motivation!
– Introductory Scenario!
Ø Context and Culture!
– Models and Approaches!
– Culture and Context Metadata!
– Test Methodology!
Ø Conclusion and Further Research!

9. A First Scenario!
Course: E-Learning Quality!
Ø Target Group:
Higher Education in Korea,
international use & distribution!
Ø Recent issue, rapid changes
and news!
Task!
Ø Develop a course for content
developers in Korea,
potentially to be used in other
markets /countries!
Ø Base:
Existing course in English for
further training in the university
context!

10. Models to represent culture!
Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture!
Ø Power distance index (PDI): Common position to
diversities within a country and the people’s position
towards authorities.!
Ø individualism-index (IVD): Degree, to which individuals
in a country wish to be free from dependencies to
other persons and the authorities !
Ø masculinity index (MAS): Degree to represent gender-
roles as part of common norm, school, family and
workplace as well as politics!
Ø Uncertainty avoidance index (UAI): How do individuals
feel threatened by uncommon or insecure situations!
Ø Long term orientation (LTO): Time-orientation of a
society (e.g., planning horizon)!

11. Models to represent culture (2)!
14 Dimensions of Henderson (in the field of education / learning)!
Ø Epistemology: Objectivism – Constructivism!
Ø Pedagogical Philosophy: Instructivist – Constructivist!
Ø Underlying Psychology: Behavioral – Cognitive!
Ø Goal Orientation: Sharply-focused – Unfocused!
Ø Experiential Value: Abstract – Concrete!
Ø Teacher Role: Didactic – Facilitative!
Ø Program Flexibility: Teacher-Proof – Easily Modifiable!
Ø Value of Errors: Errorless Learning – Learning!
Ø Motivation: Extrinsic – Intrinsic!
Ø Accommodation of Individual Differences: Non-Existent – Multi-Faceted!
Ø Learner Control: Non-Existent – Unrestricted!
Ø User Activity: Mathemagenic – Generative!
– Initiated by a certain instructional activity – or created by the learners!
Ø Cooperative Learning: Unsupported – Integral!
Ø Cultural Sensitivity: Non-Existent – Integral!

12. Context Metadata (Pawlowski, Richter,
2007)!
Culture
Companies
Rules,
standards and
agreements
Human actors
Financial
aspects Media richness
Internet
security
Demographical
development
Learner
satisfaction
Religion
Geography &
education
infrastructure
Technical
infrastructure
Rights
History
Politics
State of
development
Information &
Knowledge
Systems

13. Results!
Ø Many culture representation models cannot
be used for adaptation and design decisions !
Ø Level of abstraction / granularity !
Ø Metadata model is adequate and can be
included in (automatic) adaptation !
Ø BUT: How can we derive and validate
attributes and value spaces?!

14. Adaptation process!

15. Test methodology!
Ø Phases!
– Exploration!
– Qualitative tests in various setting!
– Validation!
– Quantitative analysis !
– Derive rules!
– Use as decision/adaptation support / Pre-test!
Ø Case study!
– E-Learning in Higher Education!
– Questionnaires in Germany, Finland and Korea!
– Experiments in university settings!

16. Test methodology!
Ø Test class 1: How far are students able to apply learned
methods to problems? - 4 test cases -!
Ø Test class 2: Do language styles influence the depth of
understanding? - 2 test cases -!
Ø Test class 3: Do the students in each group simply
memorize information or do they try to reflect it? How do
they deal with unused presentations of contents? - 1 test
case -!
Ø Test class 4: How do the students build groups and which
structure can be monitored within the groups? - 1 test case
-!
Ø Test class 5: How is collaborative group work practiced?
What is the output? - 1 test case - !
Ø Test class 6: What kind of feedback is preferred and how
do the students react on different kinds of feedback? - 1
test case -!

17. Test methodology (2)!
Ø Test class 7: Do the concepts of guilt and shame (west /
east) have influence on the willingness to accept plagiarism
as task-solution? - 3 test cases -!
Ø Test class 8: How is the relationship to authorities and do
students put the learned contents into question? - 2 test
cases -!
Ø Test class 9: What kind of working style do the students have
and how do they react on uncertainties? - 5 test cases -!
Ø Test class 10: Which teaching style is preferred by the
students and how do they react when it is not met? - 1 test
case -!
Ø Test class 11: How do Koran students react when they are
confronted with a German examination situation, which
includes a lot of conflicting parameters (stress test)? - 1 test
case -!

18. Sample test case!
Ø Test 1: Strictly use German way to transmit method-
knowledge: Do not relate concrete methods to concrete
problems !
Ø Task: Students have to decide themselves which solution
they choose and discuss the decision by evaluating other
methods attached to this situation. A single correct decision
will not be possible!
Ø Expected result: German will solve the task but maybe
argument wrong – no conflict; Conflict for Korean because
they have to decide which solution is better what maybe
means that the teacher taught ineffective methods!
Ø Evaluation method: Test - by analyzing the results (do they
fit the task, counting numbers of result classes: correct,
semi-optimal, wrong, other); questionnaire after-test
(experiences of the students – do the Korean students report
more difficulties concerning the choice? Result of related
questionnaire aspect is Boolean, if more difficulties: yes -
else, no)!

19. Conclusion!
ü Test methodology for (E-)Learning adaptation!
ü Providing concrete results to adapt E-Learning
systems!
ü Integration in existing courses!
ü Low set-up and validation cost!
ü Usable for adaptation process and as pre-test!
? Long term validation!
? Transferability !

20. Contact Information ITRI!
Prof. Dr. Jan M. Pawlowski!
jan.pawlowski@titu.jyu.fi!
Skype: jan_m_pawlowski!
!
Office:!
Room 523.5!
Telephone +358 14 260 2596 / +358 50 443 2389!
Fax +358 14 260 2544!
http://www.titu.jyu.fi!
!