To empower learners, we need to break down the walls between learning applications and institutions in / at which they learn and accumulate capabilities, credits, credentials, etc.
Greetings. My name is Jon Mott.
I’m the Chief Learning Officer at Learning Objects, a Division of Cengage Learning.
We’re all here because we are committed to empowering learners.
That’s why we’ve all been talking about an NGDLE.
IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.army.mil/e2/-images/2010/05/19/74030/army.mil-74030-2010-05-19-050515.jpg
How do we go about empowering the learners in our scope of influence?
By making them better “course takers”? That’s not primarily how they see themselves.
Should we then think of them as “degree seekers”? That’s better, but degrees--or certificates or credentials--are still instrumental goals.
Are they then building careers?
Millennials want to work for a purpose, not just a paycheck.
SOURCE: http://www.gallup.com/reports/189830/millennials-work-live.aspx
We need to think as learners as “life-goal pursuers.” And they each have different life goals. That they will pursue in different ways. But they need our help.
IMAGE SOURCE: “the cairn above the cloud” http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabi/1174452785/sizes/l/
For the past 18 months, many of us in the IMS community have been spending a lot of time with our
IMAGINARY FRIEND -- OLIVIA HAFEZ
A hypothetical student who we all adopted to help us think through and solve the challenges faced by our learners.
We’ve spent a LOT of time at Learning Objects exploring Olivia’s learning journey.
Apparently we spent so much time with our imaginary friend, one of our team members wanted to know if she was single???
From PLA, to starting a Program & Courses, to Completing a Program, and beyond to LIFELONG LEARNING.
But we still primarily delivery learning / education / programs within the WALLED GARDENS of our institutions and our technologies.
IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zawtowers/3758680364
Proprietary learning data (locked away in institutional infrastructures) disenfranchises learners (who are likely to engage with multiple institutions across multiple tools).
Course & semster-based learning technology creates data silos.
Lifelong learner status quo
Without INTEROPERABILITY and thoughtful, learner-centered design, we end up with infrastructures and student workflows that look like this …
IMAGE SOURCE: Unknown
We need new learning data standards to empower learners on their unique learning journeys.
We need more consistent ways to track and recognize capability, competency, and skill attainment at levels much more granular and meaningful than Credit Hours.
How do we move beyond this?
Learning achievement metadata standards and portable records.
If you’re passionate about transforming the experience of learners in higher education, I invite you to participate in the IMS Enabling Better Digital Credentialing working groups.
SOURCE: https://www.imsglobal.org/initiative/enabling-better-digital-credentialing
Technical Interoperability Pilot project
Identified MVP workflow
Uncovered gap in infrastructure → “System of Record”
Should we use the LMS (or SIS) for that?
I suppose we could …
We really need to get back to core principles of curriculum design and delivery.
That begins with backward design.
A new infrastructure paradigm.
Core: Mapping capabilities to activities to assessments.