Networked PBL

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Distance Course for Training Trainers in the Use
of Flexible Learning and PBL Rolf Carlsson Roza
Dumbraveanu Ulla Högberg Göran Karlsson Bengt
Olsen

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Content

• Course aims
• Pedagogical models Mechanics course
• Course objectives Mechanics distance course
• Course structure
• Course operation
• Participant activities
• Metaphors to use
• Crucials
• Pros and cons
• International project cooperation

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• Rolf Carlsson
• Rolf Carlsson Datakonsult AB, Sweden
• e-mail Rolf.Carlsson_at_centrinity.se
• Roza Dumbraveanu
• State University of Moldova, CHISINAU, Moldova
• e-mail roza_at_usm.md
• Ulla Högberg
• University of Karlstad
• e-mail ulla.hogberg_at_kau.se
• Göran Karlsson
• Department of Mechanics, KTH
• e-mail karlsson_at_mech.kth.se
  http//www.mech.kth.se/karlsson
• Bengt Olsen
• Centrinity AB, Kristallen, SE-752 38 UPPSALA,
  Sweden
• e-mail Bengt.Olsen_at_centrinity.se
  http//www.centrinity.se

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Instructivism Constructivism

• Constructivism
• Knowledge must be constructed by the
• learner it cannot be supplied by the teacher

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Main course objective 1(5)
Have such knowledge of the use of ICT
and flexible education that they independently
can plan and carry out education using ICT
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Main course objective 2(5)
Have got such experiences that they can foresee
and forestall problems that usually occurs in
education implemented with ICT
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Main course objective 3(5)
In a pedagogically creative way use the
possibilities that ICT offers
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Main course objective 4(5)

• Comprehend that the important components in
• a successful flexible education are
• Technology
• Organisation
• Pedagogy
• Economy

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Main course objective 5(5)
Comprehend which the critical factors for
success are and the new role of the teacher
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Course structure 1(6)

• 20-40 partipants per course
• On-line preparatory course
• Solving start-up technical problems
• Learning FirstClass
• Planning the homework assignment

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Course structure 2(6)

• One day introductory conference
• Get together
• Course presentation
• Lectures on Distance learning, Group
  communication and special features
• Small group planning
• Questions about FirstClass
• Evaluation

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Course structure 3(6)

• Distance education (4 weeks)
• Conferences
• Seminars
• Homework assignments
• Problem of the week

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Course structure 4(6)

• Mid-course meeting
• Video-conferencing about PBL
• Course problems discussed
• Systems/platforms information
• Group work

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Course structure 5(6)
Distance education continued (4 weeks)
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Course structure 6(6)

• Breaking-up day
• Experiences
• How to avoid the problems we have had?
• Deeper studies in special areas
• Moderators role and activities
• Evaluation and how can we make this course
  better
• Collegial network?

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Conference structure

• Café
• Staff-room
• Bulletin board
• Student room
• Directory
• Seminars
• Assignments (7)
• Group rooms
• Library
• System questions
• Pedagogical room
• Evaluation
• Competition

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Assignments
Dead-lines with one - two weeks intervals

• Grouping on basis of interest
• Seven assignments for all groups
• 1. Arguments pro and con
• 2. Planning your own project
• 3. Pedagogics and learning styles
• 4. Problem based learning
• 5. Your own assignments
• 6. Your own Conference structure
• 7. Your own Study guide

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Seminars
Society and organisations Reproduction-Constructio
n Technology

• Other groups
• Every group is three weeks responsible for
• Formulating seminar problems
• Monitoring that the other groups participate
• Summarize the discussions
• Applying ideas from PBL

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Seminar content

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Participant activity 1(5)
Relative activity per weekday

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Participant activity 2(5)
Total number of messages per week

DLU11 Participants and intructors activities
distributed on weeks
Number of entries
Week
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Participant activity 3(5)
Total number of messages per hour

DLU11 Participants activities distributed on
hours
20
Number of entries
40
20
0
0000-0001
0002-0003
0003-0004
0004-0005
0005-0006
0006-0007
0007-0008
0008-0009
0009-1000
1000-1100
1700-1800
1800-1900
1900-2000
2000-2100
2100-2200
2200-2300
2300-2400
1200-1300
1300-1400
1100-1200
1600-1700
1500-1600
1400-150
Hour
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Participant activity 4(5)

Different conferences activity

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Participant activity 5(5)

Number of messages per participant (all messages)
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Course administration

• Manager
• Course leader
• Course assistant
• Subject expert

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Agora Huddinge

• Computer Science Basic and Continuation course
• Windows, Word, Excel, computers and their effect
  on individuals, groups and society
• 60 hours of study during 16 weeks
• 36 students (21 male and 15 female)
• Technical requirements
• IBM compatible computer with Internet connection
• Windows 3.x or Windows 95
• MS Word 6.0 or better
• MS Excel 5.0 or better

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Agora Huddinge - Entrance

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Agora Huddinge - Ground floor

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Agora Huddinge - The lift

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Agora Huddinge - Third floor

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ICTI Virtual Consultancy

Mind maps with MindManager
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Some experience points to remember 1(6)

• Check that everybody has got functioning access
  and has been able to log in.
• Clear admission requirements (in subject,
  computer experiences and the English language
  since many entered links refer to sites using
  English).
• Be sure that everybody has understood the course
  aim, its goal and its objectives.
• Inform about the necessity to devote daily time
  to course.         

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Some experience points to remember 2(6)

• Optional course/s in general computer training,
  word processing etc.
• Check (and if necessary train) general computer
  literacy.
• Not too many participants (max. 40).
• Not too large groups (3-5 participants per
  group).
• Introduce group members to each other at first
  course meeting.  

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Some experience points to remember 3(6)

• Appoint a responsibility leader for each group.
• Let the group members sign a contract about their
  responsibilities to the group and peers.
• Continuously stress participant accountability.a
• Assist so that client-server connectivity
  functions.
• Inform about activity need and consequences (for
  the inactive and others) if that is not followed.
  
•        

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Some experience points to remember 4(6)

• Do not encourage participants to send you
  personal e-mails, but rather use group
  communication with the fellow learners. In this
  way distance learning does not require more
  instructor effort than conventional teaching.
• Support individual searching but collaborative
  learning.
• Request absent messages (in e.g. a specific
  conference).      

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Some experience points to remember 5(6)

• Give technical support, particularly in the
  beginning.
• Check participant presence and contact if
  necessary.
• Not too many conferences in the beginning, better
  to split or start new ones later.

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Some experience points to remember 6(6)

• Not too large homework assignments.
• Assist participants to reduce their too high
  personal self-demands on form quality.
• Check quality of work and react if necessary.

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Participants opinions 1(3)
Pros

• Distance studies can be combined with other
  activities.
• Lower cost for companies ordinary job can partly
  continue.
• Access to a large pool of available course via
  the network.
• Individual curriculum can be designed.
• Social contacts through meetings, network group
  work and discussion conferences

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Participants opinions 2(3)
Cons

• Instructors not trained for this form.
• Still teaching colleges continue to train for
  traditional teaching.
• Distance studies require more participant
  discipline.
• Increased dropout risk.
• Companies do not understand what it is.

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Participants opinions 3(3)
Cons

• Companies believe it is very expensive.
• Companies believe in intensive courses at
  isolated places.
• Lack of human social contacts

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Conclusions

• Participant accountability contracts, moderator
• Project oriented learning
• Peer communication
• Face-to-face gatherings
• Activate
• Instructor in background but reacts

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• It is over now