8. Learning platforms
Dear Friend,
The final unit in this module will introduce you to learning platforms that include all of the tools that were presented separately in the preceding units. Thus, they provide a complex support for all those involved in distance on-line learning or a virtual mobility programme.
At the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Provide a definition of learning platforms;
- Make a list of the most significant learning platforms;
- Understand the pedagogical potential for learning platforms.
This unit will be about 40 minutes long.
1. What is a learning platform?
A learning platform is a framework of tools that work seamlessly together to deliver a student centric learning experience by unifying educational theory & practice, technology and content. (BECTA). Generally speaking, these platforms group together browsing, information, training and learning tools.
These platforms have the advantage of covering the three big domains of teaching-learning, namely pedagogical content, training management and communication.
Pedagogical content
On distance on-line learning platforms, there is the option of creating and sharing pedagogical content in a number of forms, which is ensured by a wide range of tools: tests, questionnaires, multimedia files, etc.
Training management
This function enables to set up and schedule a training plan, create and maintain different roles and profiles, like learner profile as well as monitoring learning related activities.
Communication
All of the applications for communication purposes belong to this function: messaging, chat, forum or blogs. On the top of that, there are specific tools to evaluate courses.
Activity 1. Learning platforms in your professional practice
Are learning platforms in use in your institution? If so, what professional benefits can you see?
If not, have you had a chance to experience them in your own further educational or leisure time learning experience? What memories do have?
2. The most significant learning platforms
Distance learning platforms appeared in the 1990s. Initially, only purchased software was accessible on the market, which was reserved for training within companies and higher education. WebCT and Blackboard were the two most well-known examples. As for the first, WebCT, which was used by more than 10 million students in 80 countries, and many enjoyed its advantages up until it was incorporated into Blackboard in 2006.
In the 2000s, new open source platforms appeared in the education sector. Among them, Ilias and Moodle are the most popular in Europe.
Ilias (www.ilias.de)
Launched in 1997 at the University of Cologne, it is today available in 21 languages. It offers a vast range of pedagogical tools to optimise the effectiveness of teaching-learning (digital works, glossaries, surveys, HTML content, etc.)
Moodle (www.moodle.org)
Created in 2002, it is currently available in 76 languages. It was designed in a modular and constructivist way. Several languages can be used simultaneously in several courses on the same platform.
It is characterised by a very large variety of applications: forums, resources glossaries, assignments, chat, surveys, glossaries, journals, labels, wikis, tests, databases and blogs.
Blackboard (www.blackboard.com)
BB is used in more than sixty countries, Blackboard is associated with all of the domains in the education sector (primary, secondary education and higher education, initial and continuous training) as well as the public sector.
It groups together 5 platforms:
- Blackboard Learn
- Blackboard Collaborate
- Blackboard Connect
- Blackboard Mobile
- Blackboard Analytics
Activity 2. Exploring learning platforms
To better understand the respective benefits of learning platforms, we suggest that you take a look on the Internet and search for articles that compare them.
Imagine that your institution has the opportunity to establish a distance learning platform. Which would you recommend? According to what criteria would you make your choice?
3. The pedagogical potential for learning platforms
The benefits of learning platforms on a pedagogical level are numerous.
During physical mobility:
- The learner can continue his/her training;
- Hosting and home institutions are in the position to collaborate in virtual space;
- On returning home institution, the learner can remain in contact with the host institution or even continue the training that they have enrolled on;
- In unforeseen situations (illness) the learner can keep in touch with the host institution.
During virtual mobility:
- The learner can take the entire training course in a remote institution without any physical constraint, from registration to certification.
During work placement:
- The trainee acquires the knowledge required for the work placement beforehand in the home institution;
- Once registered in the host institution, he/she may keep in touch with the home institution for academic reviews;
- The trainee can also do a purely virtual placement.
4. Application of specific pedagogical tools
Tools with pedagogical content can be used throughout mobility for a range of purposes:
- To document mobility;
- To arrange and share prepared documents;
- To compose portfolios;
- To carry out surveys;
- To fill out questionnaires;
- To author OER content
Activity 3. Content creation tools
Open Educational Resources are ideal to be linked in different learning platform, in case you can reuse content that other teachers already developed and shared. You may easily adapt the original context, to your own purpose. To demonstrate it, please look at this OER which was originally made for teachers who want to be more familiar with the digital tools that help developing Storytelling sequences. The OER content however is also good for you to think of an audio or video content production for other purposes than storytelling, for example for self introduction or a teaser within a learning environment for a virtual mobility project.
http://liedm.net/portfolio/digital-tools-for-digital-storytelling-en/
Management tools are to:
- Use the calendar to plan the stages of mobility from beginning to end, fix meetings and deadlines;
- Form and manage groups of learners;
- Create and maintain learner profiles;
- Monitor and control learner activities.
Communication tools are to:
- Maintain contact with the host institution before departure;
- Maintain contact with the home institution after arrival;
- Distribute information between participants and different groups from the same mobility institution;
- Create Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) or a hotline.
Activity 4. Learning platforms in your institution
We suggest that you look at the following questions:
- What role are learning platforms could play in your institution?
- Do you think that you colleagues would like to use them?
- In your opinion, what benefits can be drawn from a platform used commonly with other institutions?
Congratulations!
You have reached the end of the second module, but also the whole course. Thank you for taking this course and we hope that it met your expectations. Do not hesitate to share your experience on the communication channels of the course.
