Rose Luckin Ride 2015
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A keynote talk in which I present the Ecology of Resources model (Luckin, 2010), which conceptualizes a learner’s context. It is grounded on a socio-cultural view of learning and a learner centric definition of context. The Ecology of Resources model has been used as the underpinning for the development of a design framework that can be used to analyse existing situations, to design fresh learning activities, to design the way in which technology might best be used to support learning activities, or to design the technology itself. To date the framework has been used for a variety of purposes, including studying how teenagers might use simple technologies to support learning on a trip to a science exhibition and studying how the resources available to adults trying to learn a second language might be effectively co-ordinated and integrated through technology. I discuss an example of the way in which the framework can be used to explore how an on-line community can support teachers.
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Rose Luckin Ride 2015
- 1. Design for learning: taking context into account Rose Luckin, London Knowledge Lab r.luckin@ioe.ac.uk @Knowldgillusion
- 2. What the papers say • Educational technology is big business and a far cry from the cottage industry of the early days. This brings mass attention and a desire for the notorious silver bullet… • Remember the Interactive Whiteboard – – "Whiteboard technology is really motivating pupils to learn”… – Help "meet the personal needs of every learner” Charles Clark
- 3. What the papers say • More recently: • “The iPad in the classroom brings education to life.” BBC – “Meet your child’s new teacher: the iPad” … – “it could one day replace lessons and teachers themselves.” The Telegraph
- 4. What the papers say • Moocs "will revolutionise conventional models of formal education” David Willetts • nothing "has more potential to lift people out of poverty". Thomas Friedman • "The revolution that has higher education gasping" New York Times
- 5. What the papers say • … and it is not just technology that is going to bring this revolution… • Flipping the classroom: “Hopes that the internet can improve teaching may at last be bearing fruit” The Economist • "It has surprised the teachers that the kids can excel on their own, with minimal teaching intervention.” Mohammed Telbany, Sudbury Primary (BBC)
- 6. What the research says • One reason that these technologies and initiatives don’t meet these expectations is that their design and use fails to take the learners and teachers personal context into account; • We know that a person’s context impacts upon the way they interact/ learn/ teach; • BUT context is a messy concept that is hard to pin down: ‘How can we confront the blooming, buzzing confusion that is “context” and still produce generalizable research results?’ Nardi (1996)
- 7. Psychology Education Cognitive & Computer Science Geography, Architecture Planning Anthropology Context matters to learning; it is complex and local to a learner. A learner is not exposed to multiple contexts, but rather has a single context that is their lived experience of the world that reflects their interactions with multiple resources: people, artefacts and environments. The partial descriptions of the world that are offered to a learner through these resources act as the hooks for interactions in which action and meaning are built through internalization. What is Context?
- 10. learner Tools and People Knowledge and Skills Environment Key = context category element = filter element Filter Filter Filter
- 11. Grounded in an interpretation of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Two additional concepts: The Zone of Available Assistance (ZAA); and The Zone of Proximal Adjustment (ZPA). Theory
- 12. Tools and People Knowledge and Skills Environment learner Zone of Available Assistance (ZAA)
- 13. Tools and People Knowledge and Skills Environment Tools and People Knowledge and Skills Environment learnerlearner Filter Filter Filter Zone of Proximal Adjustment (ZPA) More Able Partner (MAP)
- 15. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 16. • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorm Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specify the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorize Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners.
- 17. Key = context category element = filter element Tools and People Knowledge and Skills Environment learner Filter Filter Filter
- 18. Blog entry 27 April… “As I sat in front of the TV doing my homework ready for class I was amused to note that I find the gentle flow of French conversation in the background useful. …This was helped with a good start from William, who was on good form this morning and aided by my understanding of a little more of the one o-clock news. I was very amused to see the tractors in Paris as farmers protested about falling prices and stricter regulation: they would prefer to return to the EU rules. The farmers had taken their tractors to Paris and had travelled from Place de Nation to Place de la Bastille and from Place de la Bastille to Place du Republique …”
- 19. Key = context category element = filter element Tools and People TV, Homework, William, News, Tractors, Farmers, Protest, Paris Knowledge and Skills French Conversation Environment Home Filter TV editorial policy Filter TV programming School Homework Policy Filter Behavioural Norms learner
- 20. • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner.
- 21. Tools and People Key = context category element = filter element learner Filter Filter Filter Knowledge and Skills Environment
- 22. watching breakfast TV between 7-8 am, then as she walked. completing the homework mentioned in the Blog post and to some resources viewed on the website ‘about.com’ that deal with prepositions; to listening to an audio language course; to working on making some verb conjugation sheets (which were subsequently uploaded to the blog). to record vocabulary and verb conjugations she wanted to learn. These diary entries were timed to appear with a reminder alarm at the time that the learner was walking to or from her French lessons so that she could try and learn them as she walked. Contextual Scaffolding
- 23. Knowledge and Skills French Conversation Verb conjugations Environment Home Language School Filter TV editorial policy Filter TV programming School Homework Policy Filter Behavioural Norms learner Walking to school learning verb conjugations that are timed to appear on Relationship between school and home Tools and People TV, Homework, William, News, Tractors, Farmers, Protest, Paris, verb conjugations list, audio language course, about.com, blog
- 24. • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 25. Filter Filter Filter learner Key = context category element = filter element Tools and People Knowledge and Skills Environment
- 26. Scaffolding scenario - As she walks to the language school her mobile phone beeps to indicate a diary entry that reminds her to try to learn some vocabulary as she walks. The words appear on the screen of her mobile phone and these are linked to their pronunciations from forvo.com. Some of the words are picked from the TV report about the farmer’s protest that she saw on TV yesterday and there is an audio recording of the broadcast for her to listen to that has been taken from the TV station’s website
- 27. Knowledge and Skills French Conversation Verb conjugations Environment Home Language School Filter TV editorial policy Filter TV programming School Homework Policy Filter Behavioural Norms learner ‘Scaffolding’ the Walk by linking verb selections to News report and providing audio. Relationship between school and home Tools and People TV, Homework, William, News, Tractors, Farmers, Protest, Paris, verb conjugations list, audio language course, about.com, blog, forvo.com ‘Scaffolding’ verb list with forvo.com
- 28. Case study • Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Network (PiLN) (http://partnersinlearningnetwork.com) • A community of teachers around the world designed to support their innovative use of technology in teaching and learning • How can the EoR help us understand the community and design improved support? • Work completed with Kristen Weatherby
- 29. • Set up in 2004 as the innovative teachers network • to connect teachers around the world with resources, • continuing professional development (CPD) and a community of like-minded teachers to support the innovative use of technology in teaching and learning • Localised versions of the online community in over 75 countries around the world, comprising more than 4 million members • PiLN for the UK
- 30. the home page links learners to the newest and most popular content for teachers
- 37. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 38. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 39. Phase 1, Step 1 • Lesson plans, teacher’s school, teacher’s home, user interface, community members, documents, events, email, students, colleagues, school learning platform, school technology, home workspace, living space, furniture, classrooms, staff room, lesson plans, software downloads
- 40. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 41. Phase 1, Step 2 • In this instance we choose to focus our attention upon the resources that are available online to teacher participants to connect them with classroom activities that they can use with their students. • The aim of the activity is to explore how best to support teachers using this on-line resource.
- 42. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 43. Knowledge and Skills Tools and People Environment Professional development of classroom technology practice and its integration into teaching and learning. Lesson plans, user interface, community members, documents, events, email, students, colleagues, school learning platform, school technology, lesson plans, software downloads Teacher’s school, teacher’s home, home workspace, living space, furniture, classrooms, staff room
- 44. Phase 1, Step 3 Professional development of classroom technology practice and its integration into teaching and learning. Lesson plans, user interface, community members, documents, events, email, students, colleagues, school learning platform, school technology, lesson plans, software downloads Knowledge and Skills Tools and People Environment Teacher’s school, teacher’s home, home workspace, living space, furniture, classrooms, staff room Resources
- 45. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 46. Filter Filter Filter Organisation of PiLN content e.g. content rating School CPD/ICT policy Search: People – public/private communities and profiles Digital – pre-selected content and content rating Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. Home: bandwidth, Time
- 47. Phase 1, Step 3 Professional development of classroom technology practice and its integration into teaching and learning. People: community members, students, colleagues, Digital: school learning platform, school technology, lesson plans, software downloads, Lesson plans, user interface, documents, events, email Knowledge and Skills Tools and People Environment Teacher’s school, furniture, classrooms, staff room Teacher’s home, home workspace, living space Resources Filters Organisation of PiLN content e.g. content rating School CPD/ICT policy Search: People – public/private communities and profiles Digital – pre-selected content and content rating Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. Home: bandwidth, Time
- 48. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 49. Phase 1, Step 3 Technology practice and integration into teaching lesson plans posted and rated by other educators, community members, students, colleagues Knowledge and Skills Tools and People Environment Teacher’s school, furniture, classrooms, staff room Resource Learner Resource School policy CPD/ICT Search: Digital – pre-selection of content and content rating - Member profiles Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. Fluency with use and application of technology for teaching and learning Knowledge of policy Knowledge of Class needs Confidence with technology Relationships with colleagues Planning and time management skills Time Filter
- 50. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 51. Phase 1, Step 3 Technology practice and integration into teaching lesson plans posted and rated by other educators, community members, students, colleagues Knowledge and Skills Tools and People Environment Teacher’s school Resource Learner Resource School policy CPD/ICT Search: Digital – pre-selection of content and content rating - Member profiles Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. Filter Fluency with use and application of technology for teaching and learning Knowledge of policy Knowledge of Class needs Confidence with technology Relationships with colleagues Planning and time management skills Time
- 52. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 53. Phase 1, Step 3 Technology practice and integration into teaching lesson plans posted and rated by other educators, community members, students, colleagues Knowledge and Skills Tools and People Environment Teacher’s school Resource Learner Resource School policy CPD/ICT Search: Digital – pre-selection of content and content rating Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. Filter Fluency with use and application of technology for teaching and learning Knowledge of policy Knowledge of Class needs Confidence with technology Relationships with colleagues Planning and time management skills Time
- 54. Knowledge and Skills Technology practice and integration into teaching Environment Teacher’s school Filter School policy CPD/ICT Filter Search: Digital – pre-selection of content and content rating Filter Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. learner Tools and People lesson plans posted and rated by other educators, community members, students, colleagues
- 56. Who are they and what are their schools like?
- 64. Knowledge and Skills Technology practice and integration into teaching Environment Teacher’s school Filter School policy CPD/ICT Filter Search: Digital – pre-selection of content and content rating Filter Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. learner Tools and People lesson plans posted and rated by other educators, community members, students, colleagues
- 65. The Ecology of Resources • A Design framework and a set of associated tools and methods • Phase 1: Create an Ecology of Resources Model to identify and organize the potential forms of assistance that can act as resources for learning. – Step 1 – Brainstorming Potential Resources to identify learners’ ZAA – Step 2 – Specifying the Focus of Attention – Step 3 – Categorizing Resource Elements – Step 4 – Identify potential Resource Filters – Step 5 – Identify the Learner’s Resources – Step 6 – Identify potential More Able Partners. • Phase 2: Identify the relationships within and between the resources produced in Phase 1. Identify the extent to which these relationships meet a learner’s needs and how they might be optimized with respect to that learner. • Phase 3: Develop the Scaffolds and Adjustments to support the learning relationships identified in Phase 2 and enable the negotiation of a ZPA for a learner.
- 66. Knowledge and Skills Technology practice and integration into teaching Environment Teacher’s school Filter School policy CPD/ICT Filter Search: Digital – pre-selection of content and content rating Filter Access: School: bandwidth, firewall, timetable. learner Encourage filtering community members through school profiles Tools and People lesson plans posted and rated by other educators, community members, students, colleagues Encourage search via community member Encourage teachers to ignore these filters
- 67. Advice about Design • Incentivize profile completion • Make relevance searches transparent • Enable identification of members who ‘like’ an activity • Alter initial pre-selection of content so that it uses relevance based on completed profiles first and popularity second
- 68. C O N T E X T Definition Model Design Framework Drawn from multiple disciplines. The Learner’s context is their lived experience of the world instantiated through their interactions with the resources available to them The Learner Centric Ecology of Resources Based on the Ecology of Resources model – this 3 phase framework can be used to develop effective ways of using existing technology and for developing new technology.
Editor's Notes
- Problems with the one size fits all approach to educational technology that is prevalent in the rhetoric in the press and from the technology companies. Whether it’s interactive whiteboards, the flipped classroom or MOOCs we know as educators that these are not silver bullets. One of the reasons why this is the case is that each learner and each teacher has a different context and that context impacts upon the teaching and learning process. But context is a messy concept, so how do we get a handle on it so that we can take it into account as we design the ways in which technology should be designed and used to support teachers and learners. NB in my case study the learners are themselves teachers.
- Problems with the one size fits all approach to educational technology that is prevalent in the rhetoric in the press and from the technology companies. Whether it’s interactive whiteboards, the flipped classroom or MOOCs we know as educators that these are not silver bullets. One of the reasons why this is the case is that each learner and each teacher has a different context and that context impacts upon the teaching and learning process. But context is a messy concept, so how do we get a handle on it so that we can take it into account as we design the ways in which technology should be designed and used to support teachers and learners. NB in my case study the learners are themselves teachers.
- Problems with the one size fits all approach to educational technology that is prevalent in the rhetoric in the press and from the technology companies. Whether it’s interactive whiteboards, the flipped classroom or MOOCs we know as educators that these are not silver bullets. One of the reasons why this is the case is that each learner and each teacher has a different context and that context impacts upon the teaching and learning process. But context is a messy concept, so how do we get a handle on it so that we can take it into account as we design the ways in which technology should be designed and used to support teachers and learners. NB in my case study the learners are themselves teachers.
- Problems with the one size fits all approach to educational technology that is prevalent in the rhetoric in the press and from the technology companies. Whether it’s interactive whiteboards, the flipped classroom or MOOCs we know as educators that these are not silver bullets. One of the reasons why this is the case is that each learner and each teacher has a different context and that context impacts upon the teaching and learning process. But context is a messy concept, so how do we get a handle on it so that we can take it into account as we design the ways in which technology should be designed and used to support teachers and learners. NB in my case study the learners are themselves teachers.
- The Ecology of Resources model maps out the different types of element that might offer interactive possibilities for a particular learner and it considers the interactions that can exist between these element types. The model has the learner at its centre. One of the categories of element that the learner needs to interact with is the concepts that make up the knowledge and skills that are the subject of the learning. This is represented by the ‘Knowledge’ label, but it is important to stress that this label encompasses skills, as well as knowledge of scientific concepts,. A second category is that represented by the ‘Resources’ label. These are all the various resources that might help the learner to learn and include books, pens and paper, technology and other people, some of whom know more about the Knowledge or skill to be learnt than the learner. The last category of context element is that represented by the ‘Environment’ label. This is the location and surrounding environment with which the learner interacts. This might be a school classroom, a park or a place of work. In many instances a relationship already exists between these three types of contextual element: Knowledge (and skills), Resources (human and artefact) and Environment. Hence the categories of element surrounding the learner and with which they interact are joined together. In order to support learning the relationships between the different type of element with which the learner interacts need to be understood and can be used to build coherence into the interactions experienced by the learner. However, a learner’s interactions with the elements of that make up her context are often filtered by the actions of others rather than experienced directly by the learner. For example, the Knowledge or skills that are to be learnt are usually filtered through some kind of organisation or Curriculum, for example, that has been the subject of a process of validation by other members of the learner’s society. This filter is stronger for subjects such as maths and other formal educational disciplines than for more grounded skills such as motor mechanics. However, even with skills based subjects there is still, to some extent at least, formalisation of what is recognised as the accepted view about the nature and components of the skill that need to be mastered. The Resources that may be available to the learner are also administered in some way. This resource administration forms a filter in terms of a learners’ access to at least some of the resources that might be available to help her learn. Finally, a learner’s access to the Environment is mediated by that Environment’s organisation. As in the case of Knowledge, this organisation filter is more obvious in formal settings such as schools where timetables and regulations have a strong influence on the ways in which learners interact with their environment. In the same way that there may already exist relationships between the different context elements, there may also exist a relationship between these filter elements. For example, the organization of the numeracy curriculum in the Homework project example influenced the teacher’s choice of resource for her lesson plan and the nature of the technology that was to be used by learners: the interactive whiteboard or the tablet PC. The layout of the classroom was also influenced by the nature of the resources being used, a floor space near the interactive whiteboard large enough to seat the whole class. These relationships are illustrated through the connections between the Filters. Once again, the coherence of the learner’s experience can be enhanced through careful consideration of the existing relationships between the Filters and between the individual Context Elements and their associated Filters. Relationships in the Ecology of Resources The Ecology of Resources model represents the learner holistically with respect to the interactions that make up their context. The model draws attention to different categories of element and identifies the existence of filter elements to highlight where there may be perturbations, which can be both negative or positive, in the learner’s interactions. However, it is the relationships and interactions between elements and between learner and elements that are of real interest. It is therefore to these that we pay particular attention here. These relationships are complex. Each category of element and therefore each element in that category is related to each of the other elements as well as to the learner. As indicated in the early discussions of the Ecolab software context illustrated earlier the nature of the relationship represented by the arrows in the Ecology of Resources model is one of influence. One element influences a second and that second element is influenced by the first. There are also relationships and interactions between the elements that are part of the same category of element. These relationships are of four types: influences relationships as already discussed component relationships in which one element is part of another typology relationships in which one element is a type of another social relationships such as that between family members, friends or communities.
- The Ecology of Resources model maps out the different types of element that might offer interactive possibilities for a particular learner and it considers the interactions that can exist between these element types. The model has the learner at its centre. One of the categories of element that the learner needs to interact with is the concepts that make up the knowledge and skills that are the subject of the learning. This is represented by the ‘Knowledge’ label, but it is important to stress that this label encompasses skills, as well as knowledge of scientific concepts,. A second category is that represented by the ‘Resources’ label. These are all the various resources that might help the learner to learn and include books, pens and paper, technology and other people, some of whom know more about the Knowledge or skill to be learnt than the learner. The last category of context element is that represented by the ‘Environment’ label. This is the location and surrounding environment with which the learner interacts. This might be a school classroom, a park or a place of work. In many instances a relationship already exists between these three types of contextual element: Knowledge (and skills), Resources (human and artefact) and Environment. Hence the categories of element surrounding the learner and with which they interact are joined together. In order to support learning the relationships between the different type of element with which the learner interacts need to be understood and can be used to build coherence into the interactions experienced by the learner. However, a learner’s interactions with the elements of that make up her context are often filtered by the actions of others rather than experienced directly by the learner. For example, the Knowledge or skills that are to be learnt are usually filtered through some kind of organisation or Curriculum, for example, that has been the subject of a process of validation by other members of the learner’s society. This filter is stronger for subjects such as maths and other formal educational disciplines than for more grounded skills such as motor mechanics. However, even with skills based subjects there is still, to some extent at least, formalisation of what is recognised as the accepted view about the nature and components of the skill that need to be mastered. The Resources that may be available to the learner are also administered in some way. This resource administration forms a filter in terms of a learners’ access to at least some of the resources that might be available to help her learn. Finally, a learner’s access to the Environment is mediated by that Environment’s organisation. As in the case of Knowledge, this organisation filter is more obvious in formal settings such as schools where timetables and regulations have a strong influence on the ways in which learners interact with their environment. In the same way that there may already exist relationships between the different context elements, there may also exist a relationship between these filter elements. For example, the organization of the numeracy curriculum in the Homework project example influenced the teacher’s choice of resource for her lesson plan and the nature of the technology that was to be used by learners: the interactive whiteboard or the tablet PC. The layout of the classroom was also influenced by the nature of the resources being used, a floor space near the interactive whiteboard large enough to seat the whole class. These relationships are illustrated through the connections between the Filters. Once again, the coherence of the learner’s experience can be enhanced through careful consideration of the existing relationships between the Filters and between the individual Context Elements and their associated Filters. Relationships in the Ecology of Resources The Ecology of Resources model represents the learner holistically with respect to the interactions that make up their context. The model draws attention to different categories of element and identifies the existence of filter elements to highlight where there may be perturbations, which can be both negative or positive, in the learner’s interactions. However, it is the relationships and interactions between elements and between learner and elements that are of real interest. It is therefore to these that we pay particular attention here. These relationships are complex. Each category of element and therefore each element in that category is related to each of the other elements as well as to the learner. As indicated in the early discussions of the Ecolab software context illustrated earlier the nature of the relationship represented by the arrows in the Ecology of Resources model is one of influence. One element influences a second and that second element is influenced by the first. There are also relationships and interactions between the elements that are part of the same category of element. These relationships are of four types: influences relationships as already discussed component relationships in which one element is part of another typology relationships in which one element is a type of another social relationships such as that between family members, friends or communities.
- The Ecology of Resources model maps out the different types of element that might offer interactive possibilities for a particular learner and it considers the interactions that can exist between these element types. The model has the learner at its centre. One of the categories of element that the learner needs to interact with is the concepts that make up the knowledge and skills that are the subject of the learning. This is represented by the ‘Knowledge’ label, but it is important to stress that this label encompasses skills, as well as knowledge of scientific concepts,. A second category is that represented by the ‘Resources’ label. These are all the various resources that might help the learner to learn and include books, pens and paper, technology and other people, some of whom know more about the Knowledge or skill to be learnt than the learner. The last category of context element is that represented by the ‘Environment’ label. This is the location and surrounding environment with which the learner interacts. This might be a school classroom, a park or a place of work. In many instances a relationship already exists between these three types of contextual element: Knowledge (and skills), Resources (human and artefact) and Environment. Hence the categories of element surrounding the learner and with which they interact are joined together. In order to support learning the relationships between the different type of element with which the learner interacts need to be understood and can be used to build coherence into the interactions experienced by the learner. However, a learner’s interactions with the elements of that make up her context are often filtered by the actions of others rather than experienced directly by the learner. For example, the Knowledge or skills that are to be learnt are usually filtered through some kind of organisation or Curriculum, for example, that has been the subject of a process of validation by other members of the learner’s society. This filter is stronger for subjects such as maths and other formal educational disciplines than for more grounded skills such as motor mechanics. However, even with skills based subjects there is still, to some extent at least, formalisation of what is recognised as the accepted view about the nature and components of the skill that need to be mastered. The Resources that may be available to the learner are also administered in some way. This resource administration forms a filter in terms of a learners’ access to at least some of the resources that might be available to help her learn. Finally, a learner’s access to the Environment is mediated by that Environment’s organisation. As in the case of Knowledge, this organisation filter is more obvious in formal settings such as schools where timetables and regulations have a strong influence on the ways in which learners interact with their environment. In the same way that there may already exist relationships between the different context elements, there may also exist a relationship between these filter elements. For example, the organization of the numeracy curriculum in the Homework project example influenced the teacher’s choice of resource for her lesson plan and the nature of the technology that was to be used by learners: the interactive whiteboard or the tablet PC. The layout of the classroom was also influenced by the nature of the resources being used, a floor space near the interactive whiteboard large enough to seat the whole class. These relationships are illustrated through the connections between the Filters. Once again, the coherence of the learner’s experience can be enhanced through careful consideration of the existing relationships between the Filters and between the individual Context Elements and their associated Filters. Relationships in the Ecology of Resources The Ecology of Resources model represents the learner holistically with respect to the interactions that make up their context. The model draws attention to different categories of element and identifies the existence of filter elements to highlight where there may be perturbations, which can be both negative or positive, in the learner’s interactions. However, it is the relationships and interactions between elements and between learner and elements that are of real interest. It is therefore to these that we pay particular attention here. These relationships are complex. Each category of element and therefore each element in that category is related to each of the other elements as well as to the learner. As indicated in the early discussions of the Ecolab software context illustrated earlier the nature of the relationship represented by the arrows in the Ecology of Resources model is one of influence. One element influences a second and that second element is influenced by the first. There are also relationships and interactions between the elements that are part of the same category of element. These relationships are of four types: influences relationships as already discussed component relationships in which one element is part of another typology relationships in which one element is a type of another social relationships such as that between family members, friends or communities.
- The ZAA describes the variety of resources within a learner’s world that could provide different qualities and quantities of assistance and that may be available to the learner at a particular point in time. The ZPA represents a sub-set of the resources from the ZAA that are appropriate for a learner’s needs. Within the resources of the ZAA, one very special resource is one or more More Able Partners (MAPs) who will help the learner. Between the learner and MAP/s the aim should be to select the optimal resources to formulate the learner’s ZPA. This conceptualization represents an interpretation of the ZPD.
- The Ecology of Resources model maps out the different types of element that might offer interactive possibilities for a particular learner and it considers the interactions that can exist between these element types. The model has the learner at its centre. One of the categories of element that the learner needs to interact with is the concepts that make up the knowledge and skills that are the subject of the learning. This is represented by the ‘Knowledge’ label, but it is important to stress that this label encompasses skills, as well as knowledge of scientific concepts,. A second category is that represented by the ‘Resources’ label. These are all the various resources that might help the learner to learn and include books, pens and paper, technology and other people, some of whom know more about the Knowledge or skill to be learnt than the learner. The last category of context element is that represented by the ‘Environment’ label. This is the location and surrounding environment with which the learner interacts. This might be a school classroom, a park or a place of work. In many instances a relationship already exists between these three types of contextual element: Knowledge (and skills), Resources (human and artefact) and Environment. Hence the categories of element surrounding the learner and with which they interact are joined together. In order to support learning the relationships between the different type of element with which the learner interacts need to be understood and can be used to build coherence into the interactions experienced by the learner. However, a learner’s interactions with the elements of that make up her context are often filtered by the actions of others rather than experienced directly by the learner. For example, the Knowledge or skills that are to be learnt are usually filtered through some kind of organisation or Curriculum, for example, that has been the subject of a process of validation by other members of the learner’s society. This filter is stronger for subjects such as maths and other formal educational disciplines than for more grounded skills such as motor mechanics. However, even with skills based subjects there is still, to some extent at least, formalisation of what is recognised as the accepted view about the nature and components of the skill that need to be mastered. The Resources that may be available to the learner are also administered in some way. This resource administration forms a filter in terms of a learners’ access to at least some of the resources that might be available to help her learn. Finally, a learner’s access to the Environment is mediated by that Environment’s organisation. As in the case of Knowledge, this organisation filter is more obvious in formal settings such as schools where timetables and regulations have a strong influence on the ways in which learners interact with their environment. In the same way that there may already exist relationships between the different context elements, there may also exist a relationship between these filter elements. For example, the organization of the numeracy curriculum in the Homework project example influenced the teacher’s choice of resource for her lesson plan and the nature of the technology that was to be used by learners: the interactive whiteboard or the tablet PC. The layout of the classroom was also influenced by the nature of the resources being used, a floor space near the interactive whiteboard large enough to seat the whole class. These relationships are illustrated through the connections between the Filters. Once again, the coherence of the learner’s experience can be enhanced through careful consideration of the existing relationships between the Filters and between the individual Context Elements and their associated Filters. Relationships in the Ecology of Resources The Ecology of Resources model represents the learner holistically with respect to the interactions that make up their context. The model draws attention to different categories of element and identifies the existence of filter elements to highlight where there may be perturbations, which can be both negative or positive, in the learner’s interactions. However, it is the relationships and interactions between elements and between learner and elements that are of real interest. It is therefore to these that we pay particular attention here. These relationships are complex. Each category of element and therefore each element in that category is related to each of the other elements as well as to the learner. As indicated in the early discussions of the Ecolab software context illustrated earlier the nature of the relationship represented by the arrows in the Ecology of Resources model is one of influence. One element influences a second and that second element is influenced by the first. There are also relationships and interactions between the elements that are part of the same category of element. These relationships are of four types: influences relationships as already discussed component relationships in which one element is part of another typology relationships in which one element is a type of another social relationships such as that between family members, friends or communities.
- The Ecology of Resources model maps out the different types of element that might offer interactive possibilities for a particular learner and it considers the interactions that can exist between these element types. The model has the learner at its centre. One of the categories of element that the learner needs to interact with is the concepts that make up the knowledge and skills that are the subject of the learning. This is represented by the ‘Knowledge’ label, but it is important to stress that this label encompasses skills, as well as knowledge of scientific concepts,. A second category is that represented by the ‘Resources’ label. These are all the various resources that might help the learner to learn and include books, pens and paper, technology and other people, some of whom know more about the Knowledge or skill to be learnt than the learner. The last category of context element is that represented by the ‘Environment’ label. This is the location and surrounding environment with which the learner interacts. This might be a school classroom, a park or a place of work. In many instances a relationship already exists between these three types of contextual element: Knowledge (and skills), Resources (human and artefact) and Environment. Hence the categories of element surrounding the learner and with which they interact are joined together. In order to support learning the relationships between the different type of element with which the learner interacts need to be understood and can be used to build coherence into the interactions experienced by the learner. However, a learner’s interactions with the elements of that make up her context are often filtered by the actions of others rather than experienced directly by the learner. For example, the Knowledge or skills that are to be learnt are usually filtered through some kind of organisation or Curriculum, for example, that has been the subject of a process of validation by other members of the learner’s society. This filter is stronger for subjects such as maths and other formal educational disciplines than for more grounded skills such as motor mechanics. However, even with skills based subjects there is still, to some extent at least, formalisation of what is recognised as the accepted view about the nature and components of the skill that need to be mastered. The Resources that may be available to the learner are also administered in some way. This resource administration forms a filter in terms of a learners’ access to at least some of the resources that might be available to help her learn. Finally, a learner’s access to the Environment is mediated by that Environment’s organisation. As in the case of Knowledge, this organisation filter is more obvious in formal settings such as schools where timetables and regulations have a strong influence on the ways in which learners interact with their environment. In the same way that there may already exist relationships between the different context elements, there may also exist a relationship between these filter elements. For example, the organization of the numeracy curriculum in the Homework project example influenced the teacher’s choice of resource for her lesson plan and the nature of the technology that was to be used by learners: the interactive whiteboard or the tablet PC. The layout of the classroom was also influenced by the nature of the resources being used, a floor space near the interactive whiteboard large enough to seat the whole class. These relationships are illustrated through the connections between the Filters. Once again, the coherence of the learner’s experience can be enhanced through careful consideration of the existing relationships between the Filters and between the individual Context Elements and their associated Filters. Relationships in the Ecology of Resources The Ecology of Resources model represents the learner holistically with respect to the interactions that make up their context. The model draws attention to different categories of element and identifies the existence of filter elements to highlight where there may be perturbations, which can be both negative or positive, in the learner’s interactions. However, it is the relationships and interactions between elements and between learner and elements that are of real interest. It is therefore to these that we pay particular attention here. These relationships are complex. Each category of element and therefore each element in that category is related to each of the other elements as well as to the learner. As indicated in the early discussions of the Ecolab software context illustrated earlier the nature of the relationship represented by the arrows in the Ecology of Resources model is one of influence. One element influences a second and that second element is influenced by the first. There are also relationships and interactions between the elements that are part of the same category of element. These relationships are of four types: influences relationships as already discussed component relationships in which one element is part of another typology relationships in which one element is a type of another social relationships such as that between family members, friends or communities.
- NB WIKI
- NB WIKI
- Data taken from an auto-ethnographic study, that explored and modeled an adult learner and her context for learning the French language whilst in France and then on her return to the UK. The learner had access to a range of technologies that she used for a variety of activities including: to communicate; to record in multiple media formats; to search and explore; and for entertainment and leisure. The main source of data collection and generation was a blog created by the learner to record her experiences of learning the French language as they happened. This blog developed into an aggregation of some of the language learning resources that were used, it can be found at http://rosequotidienne.wordpress.com/. Other data sources include: the identity and date of visit for websites visited by the learner and other on-line resources; the learner’s web browser bookmarks; the learner’s ical diary of activities; exercises and activities completed by the learner as part of her language classes (these are almost exclusively paper based); learner’s phone activity history; sundry paper based jottings by the learner (examples of all these data sources can be found at http://eorframework.pbworks.com/).
- NB WIKI
- Diary entry for 27 April, records watching breakfast TV between 7-8 am, there is also a reference to completing the homework mentioned in the Blog post and to some resources viewed on the website ‘about.com’ that deal with prepositions; to listening to an audio language course; to working on making some verb conjugation sheets (which were subsequently uploaded to the blog); and to watching the TV news later in the day at 8pm. The learner also used the diary to record vocabulary and verb conjugations she wanted to learn. These diary entries were timed to appear with a reminder alarm at the time that the learner was walking to or from her French lessons so that she could try and learn then as she walked.
- NB WIKI
- The Ecology of Resources model maps out the different types of element that might offer interactive possibilities for a particular learner and it considers the interactions that can exist between these element types. The model has the learner at its centre. One of the categories of element that the learner needs to interact with is the concepts that make up the knowledge and skills that are the subject of the learning. This is represented by the ‘Knowledge’ label, but it is important to stress that this label encompasses skills, as well as knowledge of scientific concepts,. A second category is that represented by the ‘Resources’ label. These are all the various resources that might help the learner to learn and include books, pens and paper, technology and other people, some of whom know more about the Knowledge or skill to be learnt than the learner. The last category of context element is that represented by the ‘Environment’ label. This is the location and surrounding environment with which the learner interacts. This might be a school classroom, a park or a place of work. In many instances a relationship already exists between these three types of contextual element: Knowledge (and skills), Resources (human and artefact) and Environment. Hence the categories of element surrounding the learner and with which they interact are joined together. In order to support learning the relationships between the different type of element with which the learner interacts need to be understood and can be used to build coherence into the interactions experienced by the learner. However, a learner’s interactions with the elements of that make up her context are often filtered by the actions of others rather than experienced directly by the learner. For example, the Knowledge or skills that are to be learnt are usually filtered through some kind of organisation or Curriculum, for example, that has been the subject of a process of validation by other members of the learner’s society. This filter is stronger for subjects such as maths and other formal educational disciplines than for more grounded skills such as motor mechanics. However, even with skills based subjects there is still, to some extent at least, formalisation of what is recognised as the accepted view about the nature and components of the skill that need to be mastered. The Resources that may be available to the learner are also administered in some way. This resource administration forms a filter in terms of a learners’ access to at least some of the resources that might be available to help her learn. Finally, a learner’s access to the Environment is mediated by that Environment’s organisation. As in the case of Knowledge, this organisation filter is more obvious in formal settings such as schools where timetables and regulations have a strong influence on the ways in which learners interact with their environment. In the same way that there may already exist relationships between the different context elements, there may also exist a relationship between these filter elements. For example, the organization of the numeracy curriculum in the Homework project example influenced the teacher’s choice of resource for her lesson plan and the nature of the technology that was to be used by learners: the interactive whiteboard or the tablet PC. The layout of the classroom was also influenced by the nature of the resources being used, a floor space near the interactive whiteboard large enough to seat the whole class. These relationships are illustrated through the connections between the Filters. Once again, the coherence of the learner’s experience can be enhanced through careful consideration of the existing relationships between the Filters and between the individual Context Elements and their associated Filters. Relationships in the Ecology of Resources The Ecology of Resources model represents the learner holistically with respect to the interactions that make up their context. The model draws attention to different categories of element and identifies the existence of filter elements to highlight where there may be perturbations, which can be both negative or positive, in the learner’s interactions. However, it is the relationships and interactions between elements and between learner and elements that are of real interest. It is therefore to these that we pay particular attention here. These relationships are complex. Each category of element and therefore each element in that category is related to each of the other elements as well as to the learner. As indicated in the early discussions of the Ecolab software context illustrated earlier the nature of the relationship represented by the arrows in the Ecology of Resources model is one of influence. One element influences a second and that second element is influenced by the first. There are also relationships and interactions between the elements that are part of the same category of element. These relationships are of four types: influences relationships as already discussed component relationships in which one element is part of another typology relationships in which one element is a type of another social relationships such as that between family members, friends or communities.
- This scenario builds upon the relationships between the TV, the webpages and the learner’s diary that she can access on her phone
- we explore how an increased understanding of participants’ context might enable us to develop better means and resources to support online communities. I particular, we study use of the Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Network (PiLN) (http://partnersinlearningnetwork.com) as an example online community: a community of teachers around the world designed to support their innovative use of technology in teaching and learning. the learners we focus upon are classroom teachers who are learning about using ICT in the classroom. Our aim is to explore the ways in which an online learning community might be studied using the ecology of resources approach (the model plus the associated design framework), and as a result to ascertain how our understanding of that community might be increased and the tools developed to improve support for that community improved.
- Microsoft’s PiLN (http://partnersinlearningnetwork.com), from here on referred to as the PiLN, was originally set up in 2004 as the innovative teachers network, an online community for teachers worldwide based on Microsoft’s SharePoint technology. The site has undergone several iterations over the years since its inception, but the overarching objective remains the same: to connect teachers around the world with resources, continuing professional development (CPD) and a community of like-minded teachers to support the innovative use of technology in teaching and learning. Partners in learning is Microsoft’s corporate social responsibility initiative for global education, and as such the PiLN is free of charge for educators. There are localised versions of the online community in over 75 countries around the world, comprising more than 2.9 million members. Each local site may have slightly different branding and content based on local partners and the needs of the teacher community. For the purposes of this article, we will try to describe the PiLN in general terms and when referring to a specific country’s community we will look at the PiLN for the UK.
- We will describe the features of the site first and then explore the resources it offers to learners. Then we will look at the site through the lense of the ecology of resources framework, identifying potential resources and filters, which might frame the learner’s ZAA and the MAPs that exist on the site. There are a variety of resources available to the learner on the PiLN, including communities, people, lesson plans and ready-to-use classroom plans, professional development materials and software. To access most country PiLN sites, users must register and log on using a free Windows Live ID. When users are logged into the site, they are brought to a home page, the content of which varies by country. On the UK PiLN site, the home page links learners to the newest and most popular content for teachers (see Figure 2). This includes links to free software downloads, top-rated teacher-created resources on the site, information about upcoming professional development events for teachers, and links to the latest UK teachers blog posts, written by Microsoft. When a learner moves past the first page of the site, she chooses from the tabs at the top of the page to go to any of four other sections: My Notebook, Connect, Community and Resources. In the My Notebook section, teachers are able to personalise their PiLN experience by completing a personal profile that allows other users to find them based on school, educational background, interest or the subject and age they teach. They also see one picture of their actions on the site, including a list of the communities they belong to, the resources they have uploaded, and the public and private documents they have posted to the site. In the connect section, a learner can find another teacher on the site who has similar interests, experience or subject expertise. The teacher can contact that other teacher with questions or ‘connect’ to them to become contacts. This feature is reliant on how well other users have completed their individual user profiles. A teacher could use the site without ever completing a user profile, and another teacher might never find them. The community section of the UK PiLN is one of the most used sections of the site. In this section, learners can create private or public communities dedicated to a specific content area or interest (teaching science or using a specific piece of software, for example), a professional development offering or to collaborate on a project or piece of work. The communities look like typical SharePoint document-sharing spaces, with places to post documents, have discussions, make announcements and view the community members. If a learner has a particular interest or learning need, he can search for a particular community or look at the list of all communities on the site and can join the community (if it is public), or send a request to the community member to join (if it is private). Last, the resources section contains professional development, free software, lesson plans and other learning resources for the teachers to download and explore. The common resource on the PiLN is called a virtual classroom tour (VCT). A VCT is unique to the PiLN and is essentially a Microsoft PowerPoint template with embedded documents that together contain all of the resources another teacher needs to replicate a lesson in her classroom.
- When a learner moves past the first page of the site, she chooses from the tabs at the top of the page to go to any of four other sections: My Notebook, Connect, Community and Resources. In the My Notebook section, teachers are able to personalise their PiLN experience by completing a personal profile that allows other users to find them based on school, educational background, interest or the subject and age they teach. They also see one picture of their actions on the site, including a list of the communities they belong to, the resources they have uploaded, and the public and private documents they have posted to the site.
- In the connect section, a learner can find another teacher on the site who has similar interests, experience or subject expertise. The teacher can contact that other teacher with questions or ‘connect’ to them to become contacts. This feature is reliant on how well other users have completed their individual user profiles. A teacher could use the site without ever completing a user profile, and another teacher might never find them. The community section of the UK PiLN is one of the most used sections of the site. In this section, learners can create private or public communities dedicated to a specific content area or interest (teaching science or using a specific piece of software, for example), a professional development offering or to collaborate on a project or piece of work. The communities look like typical SharePoint document-sharing spaces, with places to post documents, have discussions, make announcements and view the community members. If a learner has a particular interest or learning need, he can search for a particular community or look at the list of all communities on the site and can join the community (if it is public), or send a request to the community member to join (if it is private). Last, the resources section contains professional development, free software, lesson plans and other learning resources for the teachers to download and explore. The common resource on the PiLN is called a virtual classroom tour (VCT). A VCT is unique to the PiLN and is essentially a Microsoft PowerPoint template with embedded documents that together contain all of the resources another teacher needs to replicate a lesson in her classroom.
- In the connect section, a learner can find another teacher on the site who has similar interests, experience or subject expertise. The teacher can contact that other teacher with questions or ‘connect’ to them to become contacts. This feature is reliant on how well other users have completed their individual user profiles. A teacher could use the site without ever completing a user profile, and another teacher might never find them. The community section of the UK PiLN is one of the most used sections of the site. In this section, learners can create private or public communities dedicated to a specific content area or interest (teaching science or using a specific piece of software, for example), a professional development offering or to collaborate on a project or piece of work. The communities look like typical SharePoint document-sharing spaces, with places to post documents, have discussions, make announcements and view the community members. If a learner has a particular interest or learning need, he can search for a particular community or look at the list of all communities on the site and can join the community (if it is public), or send a request to the community member to join (if it is private). Last, the resources section contains professional development, free software, lesson plans and other learning resources for the teachers to download and explore. The common resource on the PiLN is called a virtual classroom tour (VCT). A VCT is unique to the PiLN and is essentially a Microsoft PowerPoint template with embedded documents that together contain all of the resources another teacher needs to replicate a lesson in her classroom.
- The community section of the UK PiLN is one of the most used sections of the site. In this section, learners can create private or public communities dedicated to a specific content area or interest (teaching science or using a specific piece of software, for example), a professional development offering or to collaborate on a project or piece of work. The communities look like typical SharePoint document-sharing spaces, with places to post documents, have discussions, make announcements and view the community members. If a learner has a particular interest or learning need, he can search for a particular community or look at the list of all communities on the site and can join the community (if it is public), or send a request to the community member to join (if it is private)
- . Last, the resources section contains professional development, free software, lesson plans and other learning resources for the teachers to download and explore. The common resource on the PiLN is called a virtual classroom tour (VCT). A VCT is unique to the PiLN and is essentially a Microsoft PowerPoint template with embedded documents that together contain all of the resources another teacher needs to replicate a lesson in her classroom.
- . Last, the resources section contains professional development, free software, lesson plans and other learning resources for the teachers to download and explore. The common resource on the PiLN is called a virtual classroom tour (VCT). A VCT is unique to the PiLN and is essentially a Microsoft PowerPoint template with embedded documents that together contain all of the resources another teacher needs to replicate a lesson in her classroom.
- NB WIKI
- NB WIKI
- The third step in Phase 1 is to categorise the resources that have been identified so far, remembering that the process is intended to be iterative and that therefore each step in each Phase will be conducted more than one time. Table 1 identifies some of the resources that could be identified after an iteration as far as step 3 of Phase 1.
- NB WIKI
- The first two steps in Phase 1 of the design process are to brainstorm and identify potential learner resources and to specify a focus of attention for the design process. In this case study the learners at the centre of the ecology of resources are the teachers who are members of the PiLN. The resources available to these teachers include those mentioned in our description of the PiLN above and also those available at the teachers’ school, at home and throughout the rest of their life. In order to make the construction of the ecology of resources model tractable one must adopt a focus on the specific aspect of the learners’ context that relates to the purpose for modelling. In this instance we choose to focus our attention upon the resources that are available online to teacher participants to connect them with other teachers around the world, and the resources available outside the online learning community that can help them to connect with their colleagues. The purpose of the PiLN is the professional development of its members with respect to their use of technology to support learning. The data that is used to identify and brainstorm the resources are drawn from the PiLN sessions of the Microsoft professional.
- NB WIKI
- The third step in Phase 1 is to categorise the resources that have been identified so far, remembering that the process is intended to be iterative and that therefore each step in each Phase will be conducted more than one time. Table 1 identifies some of the resources that could be identified after an iteration as far as step 3 of Phase 1.
- NB WIKI
- Step 4 requires that one asks: how, what, or who, might constrain a learner’s access to the resources identified so far and therefore act as a filter element in the ecology of resources?
- NB WIKI
- Step 5 involves the identification of the sorts of learner resource that the participants in the PiLN bring to their community participation and therefore their learning. The range of potential learner resources is vast, and could, for example, include existing subject knowledge, confidence, and comfort with the tools.
- NB WIKI
- The penultimate and sixth step involves the identification of people who can offer the learner support and act as MAPs for the learner. One of the positives of the PiLN community is the connection that it enables between its members. The final step in Phase 1 requires that each of the Steps 1 to 6 are re-visited to see if they need revision in order to reach a sufficient specification to enable the process to Online learning communities in context 11 move onto a first iteration of Phase 2; which requires that resource elements are described in terms that will permit the extent to which they may or may not act as forms of assistance for learners to be assessed.
- NB WIKI
- The penultimate and sixth step involves the identification of people who can offer the learner support and act as MAPs for the learner. One of the positives of the PiLN community is the connection that it enables between its members. The final step in Phase 1 requires that each of the Steps 1 to 6 are re-visited to see if they need revision in order to reach a sufficient specification to enable the process to Online learning communities in context 11 move onto a first iteration of Phase 2; which requires that resource elements are described in terms that will permit the extent to which they may or may not act as forms of assistance for learners to be assessed.
- NB WIKI