Navigational support in lifelong

learning: enhancing effectiveness

through indirect social navigation

José Janssen, Colin Tattersall, Bert van den Berg, Rob

Koper; presented by Eric Kluijfhout

Educational Technology Expertise Center

Learning Networks

Self-organized, distributed eLearning systems, designed to facilitate lifelong competence development in particular domains.

‘Network’ refers to the connection of: actors in various roles learning artefacts in various forms and

aggregations the physical ICT network and facilities

Navigation in Learning Networks

Navigation implies:

Position: where you are

Target: where you want to be

To do list: learning activities left to complete to reach target

Navigational support

Traditional approaches:

Pre-detremined study route

Institutional study advice

Approach related to principles of self-organisation

Social navigation through social filtering, but Requires large amount of ratings Is time consuming

Stigmergy: indirect social navigation

Indirect social navigation requires:

1. Decision on what to feed back, how and when

2. Learner record data store

3. Filtering and processing of information

ROMA experiment:

• Feedback on learning activities other learners completed next

• Prototype of the feedback tool

• Large scale experiment to determine: Impact on effectiveness Impact on efficiency

Feedback on next completed learning

activities  A B C D E

{} 1 3 2 4 5

A   4 2 5 1

B 2   2 1 3

C 3 4   1 2

D 4 2 4   5

E 1 2 5 3  

E = {ABBCCCCCDDD}E = {ABBCCCCCDDD}

Hypotheses on experimental and

control group:

1. Increased effectiveness in experimental group: Average number of learning activities

completed Goal atttainment (number of learners having

completed all learning activities)

2. Increased efficiency in experimental group

- Time to complete all learning activities – # of days between start and completion date

Minicourse Internet+

Two Moodle sites Internetcursus.ou.nl (control group) Minicursus.ou.nl (experimental group)

Each group 1 helpdesk 11 learning activities on internet for beginners

Prerequisites: basic computer skills (e-mail) passive knowledge of English

An estimated 2 hour study load per learning activity Multiple choice test (5 questions) – 60% = completion

March 17th – June 17th 2005 1012 learners enrolled

Learning paths:

Results: effectiveness – average

completion of learning activities

course completion

RMA: last three weeks

Results: effectiveness - goal attainment

Completion rates (percentages) in control group and experimental group prior to intervention2 = 4.04, df = 2, p < 0.05

Completion of 11 Ans Group  

  Controla Experimentalb

No 66.6 59.8

Yes 33.4 40.2

a n=398 b n=410

Results: efficiency

Avarage time needed to complete all 11 modules

Control group: 38,9 days Experimental group: 36,5 days

T-test: not significant

Conclusions

Impact of feedback tool on:

1. Effectiveness:

- # of completed learning activities: significant- goal attainment: significant

2. Efficiency: not significant

Thank you