Scaling Informal Learning and Meaning Making at the Workplace
1. http://Learning-Layers-euhttp://Learning-Layers-eu
Learning Layers
Scaling up Technologies for Informal Learning in SME Clusters
Scaling Informal Learning at the
Workplace
Tobias Ley, Institute of Informatics,Tallinn University
Keynote give at the International Conference on Web-based Learning (ICWL 2014)
16 August 2014, Tallinn, Estonia
3. http://Learning-Layers-eu
The Dilemma of Informal
Learning at the Workplace
How do people learn at the workplace?
⢠Ask colleagues, search for help, try
things out, learn from experience
⢠Learning is informal, connected to
work practices, multi-episodic, just-
in time [Hart 2011, Kooken 2009]
How do learning technologies look like?
⢠follow traditional training models
⢠based on direct classroom instruction
and courses transfered to the screen
[Kraiger 2008]
highly effective
individualized
contextualized
motivating
does not scale
not persistent
few benefit
expensive
4. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Mechanisms for Scaling Informal
Learning
⢠Looking at Learning in Work
Practices
â [Eraut and Hirsch 2007, Maier
2009, Attwell 2003, Kooken et al.
2009, Collin 2006]
⢠Unlock Peer Production
â [Schmidt et al. 2009, Maier &
Schmidt 2007]
⢠Scaffolding for Meaningful Learning
â [Ley et al. 2010, Lindstaedt et al.
2010, Siadaty et al. 2010, Pata,
2006]
⢠Scale through Regional Clusters
â [Deitmer and Attwell 2000]
5. http://Learning-Layers-eu
SCENARIOS AND DESIGN-
BASED RESEARCH
Learning in Work Practices
5
Ley, T., Cook, J., Dennerlein, S., Kravcik, M., Kunzmann, C., Pata, K., Purma, J., Sandars, J., Santos, P.,
Schmidt, A., Al-Smadi, M., Trattner, C. (2014). Scaling informal learning at the workplace: a model and
four designs from a large-scale design-based research effort. British Journal of Educational Technology,
in press.
7. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Straw Building
How To
X3-PVQX3-PJC
X3-POZ PLC Equipment
One possible
Construction Scenario
Explaining the use of a new
construction technique and
materials on site
Making video material available
on site through QR tagsUse of video recording and
annotation
Further questions on the use of
the technique connected to site
Material, questions and best
practices collected and
discussed
Collection transformed into
instructional material to
enhance traditional training
9. http://Learning-Layers-eu
One possible
Healthcare Scenario
Two practice staff visit a
NHS training on a new
guideline for dementia
Staff collect materials from training and
further research for their revalidation
Other staff
ask questions
about the guideline
Material and questions evolve
into a local implementation
plan for the practice
Other regional practices and the
CSU join the effort to learn
about implementation
problems and practices
Implementation Plan
Guideline
X3-PVQX3-PJC
X3-POZ Dementia
13. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Deployment & Sustainability
Scaling in Regional Clusters
Architecture & Integration Layer
Integration through Common Infrastructure
Workplace Learning Layer
Integration through Workplace Learning Practices
Scaling Informal Learning:
Project Architecture
13
Interaction Layers: An Ecosystem of Tools
Social Semantic Layer
Integration through Shared Meaning
Interacting with
Physical Objects
Interacting
with People
Interacting with
Digital Materials
Straw Building How To
X3-PVQX3-PJC
X3-POZ PLC Equipment
14. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Deployment & Sustainability
Scaling in Regional Clusters
Architecture & Integration Layer
Integration through Common Infrastructure
Workplace Learning Layer
Integration through Workplace Learning Practices
Scaling Informal Learning:
Project Architecture
14
Interaction Layers: An Ecosystem of Tools
Social Semantic Layer
Integration through Shared Meaning
Interacting with
Physical Objects
Interacting
with People
Interacting with
Digital Materials
Straw Building How To
X3-PVQX3-PJC
X3-POZ PLC Equipment
15. http://Learning-Layers-eu
AN ECOSYSTEM OF TOOLS TO
SUPPORT INFORMAL LEARNING
Scaling Informal Learning Interactions
15
Ley, T., Cook, J., Dennerlein, S., Kravcik, M., Kunzmann, C., Pata, K., Purma, J., Sandars, J., Santos, P.,
Schmidt, A., Al-Smadi, M., Trattner, C. (2014). Scaling informal learning at the workplace: a model and
four designs from a large-scale design-based research effort. British Journal of Educational Technology,
in press.
Tomberg, V., Smadi, M., Treasure-Jones, T., & Ley, T. (2013). A Sensemaking Interface for Supporting
Doctorâs Learning at the Workplace â A Paper Prototype Study. In M. Divitini, T. Ley, S. Lindstaedt, V.
Pammer, & M. Prilla (Eds.), Proceedings of ECTEL meets ECSCW 2013, the Workshop on Collaborative
Technologies for Working and Learning, Sept. 21, 2013, Cyprus (pp. 54â58). Aachen: CEUR Workahop
Proceedings. Retrieved from http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1047/paper12.pdf
18. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Bits and Pieces - Sensemaking
about Learning Experiences
18
Software: http://developer.learning-layers.eu/tools/bits-and-pieces/
Running Demo
19. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Deployment & Sustainability
Scaling in Regional Clusters
Architecture & Integration Layer
Integration through Common Infrastructure
Workplace Learning Layer
Integration through Workplace Learning Practices
Scaling Informal Learning:
Project Architecture
19
Interaction Layers: An Ecosystem of Tools
Social Semantic Layer
Integration through Shared Meaning
Interacting with
Physical Objects
Interacting
with People
Interacting with
Digital Materials
Straw Building How To
X3-PVQX3-PJC
X3-POZ PLC Equipment
20. http://Learning-Layers-eu
SHARED MEANING IN ARTEFACT-
MEDIATED COLLABORATION
Scaling Meaning Making
20
Seitlinger, P., & Ley, T. (2014). Verbatim and semantic imitation in indexing resources on the Web: A
fuzzy-trace account of social tagging. Applied Cognitive Psychology, in press.
Seitlinger, P., & Ley, T. (2012). Implicit Imitation in Social Tagging: Familiarity and Semantic
Reconstruction. In Proceedings of ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
(CHI 2012) (pp. 1631â1640). New York: ACM Press.
Seitlinger, P., Kowald, D., Trattner, C., & Ley, T. (2013). Recommending Tags with a Model of Human
Categorization. In Conference on Information and Knowledge Management, CIKMâ13, Oct. 27âNov. 1,
2013, San Francisco, CA, USA. (pp. 2381â2386). New York: ACM Press. doi:10.1145/2505515.2505625
Kump, B., Moskaliuk, J., Dennerlein, S., & Ley, T. (2013). Tracing knowledge co-evolution in a realistic
course setting: A wiki-based field experiment. Computers & Education, 69, 60â70.
21. http://Learning-Layers-eu
How shared meaning emerges in
Artefact-Mediated collaboration
⢠Networks of Meaning
crystalize around a
concrete thing (Verbeek, 2005)
resulting in a Cognitive
Ecosystem (Hutchins, 2010)
⢠Shared Meaning is a
result of social practices
and negotiation (Wenger, 1998)
⢠Semantic Stabilization
happens over time as
people describe things
(Wagner et al., 2014)
21
ToiletHow To
Lightning SolutionX3-PJC
X3-POZ
PLC Equipment
22. http://Learning-Layers-eu
A Study using a collaborative
bookmarking system
⢠Students made use of a
bookmarking system to
â Collect and share
bookmarks
â Categorize and tag the
bookmarks
â Create a shared
taxonomy of tags
⢠Dynamic coupling leads toâŚ
â Alignment of
interpretations
â Alignment of tags
(Fu et al., 2008, 2010, 2012)
22
23. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Research Questions
1. Can we observe semantic stabilization in a
small-scale collaborative setting?
2. Can we influence semantic stabilization?
3. Does semantic stabilization influence
student learning?
23
26. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Design:
Dependent Variables
⢠Semantic stabilization:
Entropy of tag distribution
at each new tag assignment t
⢠Tag usage frequency
â general, medium and specific tags
⢠Strength of memory representations of tags
â Free association test using tags as open probes
26
Ht = H * (1 - e-bt)
27. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Topic duration influences
semantic stabilization ...
... but in an unexpected way!
Ht is lower under the sd than ld condition
(W = 8340.5, p < .001)
Groups studying a shorter duration
benfited from starting over from scratch
after the topic switch
28. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Semantic stabilization leads to
the use of more specific tags
Long duration Short duration
Basic Level Shift: Increased use of medium and specific tags in both groups (X2(18) = 18.15, p < .05)
Basic level shift is more pronounced under the sd than ld condition (X2(14) = 40.46, p < .001)
basic
level
shift
basic
level
shift
29. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Semantic stabilization leads to
stronger learning of specific tags
Basic Level Shift in Both groups
(F(2,21) = 28.4, p < .001)
Basic level shift is more pronounced
under the sd than ld condition
(F(2,21) = 3.6, p < .05)
30. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Discussion
⢠Internal memory (association test) and external
representations (use of tags) co-vary
⢠Semantic Stabilization can be observed in small group
settings
⢠The quality of the shared representation (tag
taxonomy) is more important than mere topic
exposure
⢠Social processes on the group level (semantic
stabilization mediated by artefacts) have an influence
on individual categorization and learning
30
31. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Deployment & Sustainability
Scaling in Regional Clusters
Architecture & Integration Layer
Integration through Common Infrastructure
Workplace Learning Layer
Integration through Workplace Learning Practices
Scaling Informal Learning:
Project Architecture
31
Interaction Layers: An Ecosystem of Tools
Social Semantic Layer
Integration through Shared Meaning
Interacting with
Physical Objects
Interacting
with People
Interacting with
Digital Materials
Straw Building How To
X3-PVQX3-PJC
X3-POZ PLC Equipment
32. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Who When Where What ... ... ... ... ... ...
An Artefact
Actor Network
User
Profile
Resource
Profile
Topic
Modeling
Recommended
Resource
Each interaction
increases the network ...
... and is tracked in the history
Trust and Social
Network
Traces of the Network History
Knowledge is built by people
interacting with other people and artefacts
New Information displayed to
Support User Interactions
Intelligent Services
derive new information
1
2
3
4
5
Who When Where What ... ... ... ... ... ...
Who When Where What ... ... ... ... ... ...
Who When Where What ... ... ... ... ... ...
Whom to ask? What to read and watch? Who are the experts? What do people talk about?Whatâs the quality?
33. http://Learning-Layers-eu
A recommender that mimics
human thinking
⢠How do you describe
this resource?
⢠A mechanisms that
guesses the words that
you will use
⢠Two step process:
â First generate meaning
â Then produce words
33
Dementia
Guideline
NHS
Seitlinger, P., Kowald, D., Trattner, C., & Ley, T. (2013). Recommending Tags
with a Model of Human Categorization. In Conference on Information and
Knowledge Management, CIKMâ13, Oct. 27âNov. 1, 2013, San Francisco, CA,
USA. (pp. 2381â2386). New York: ACM Press. doi:10.1145/2505515.2505625
34. http://Learning-Layers-eu
Designing Technology to enhance the
Cognitive Ecosystem
⢠Designing technology that blends into work
practices and supports informal learning is a
major challenge
⢠Emergence of meaning is heavily dependent
on shared artefacts and practices
⢠An ecosystem of tools can be integrated by
technologies that learn about meaning in a
social context
34