Learning and Enquiry via Collections in Real and Virtual Worlds

The ‘Values & Worth’ project is an Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) approach to encountering and constructing collections in both the real and virtual world. It involves the digital capture of objects as a way to introduce students to the reflective learning essential at University level. I am working on an update to the original Values & Worth GLO designed in GLO maker v1. The aim is to identify and extract what works at the component level to ensure reuse in other GLOs (for instance zoom functionality). Another potential component which could be created when students are asked to ‘meta reflect’ on their value choices is a ‘structured dialogue component’. This component would scaffold and organise reasoned discourse. This idea already exists in another LTRI project called INTERLOC (http://www.interloc.org/about.htm) but has yet to be redeveloped as a component suitable for the GLO tool v2.

I think it is important to bring together as many projects (or aspects of projects) as possible that may have relevance for the GLO tool. With competition from good commercial products like RAPTVITY (http://www.raptivity.com/ and http://www.indezine.com/products/other/raptivity.html) where pre-built libraries of 200+ learning interactions can be used (all be it at a price) it is important to make our GLO tool unique. I think its underlying basis of pedagogical patterns is key but another aspect which may be worth thinking about is that offered by Mei Qi who is currently undertaking her PhD research in culturally sensitive learning object design.

Her research involves gathering views about any culturally sensitive factors in the design of learning objects. After working with her and finding out more I thought it would be very useful to have a ‘culturally sensitive content placeholder component’ where any culturally sensitive content could be highlighted and replaced. According to Mei cultural difference occurs at 4 levels of RLO/GLO design - content creation, accessibility, technology and pedagogical design. For an example she examined the Stakeholders RLO (http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk:8080/open_virtual_file_path/i2529n1391t/stakeholders.html) and highlighted a number of instances where the institutions used involved created a cultural bias.

Finally I think the idea raised at the last meeting of offering a specialist ‘3D Service’ could work very well and would allow tutors to create the core content whilst developers work in parallel on the 3D content. In relation to the ‘Values and Worth’ project I would like to see the potential to import Quicktime files into the GLO environment. See some of the existing content here : ( http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/developers/smith/enc_ultimate/2.mov ) If you dont have Quicktime grab it from here: http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/developers/smith/QuickTimeInstaller.exe

The next developers group meeting takes place on the 18th November (morning) where all the latest developements will be reviewed and reported back here.