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order to make the students feel that they belong to the group which has come together to try and learn, to f<strong>in</strong>d a<br />

deeper understand<strong>in</strong>g to the matter they are learn<strong>in</strong>g about.<br />

Learn<strong>in</strong>g through own experience and reflection emphasizes the student’s own activity to a great extent. The<br />

guid<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>in</strong>ciple of our OLE is that the studies proceed as a project from the student's po<strong>in</strong>t of view. This<br />

means that the student's first task is to get oriented towards the field of topics to be learned, and to determ<strong>in</strong>e a<br />

goal for his studies which is sensible and challeng<strong>in</strong>g from his own viewpo<strong>in</strong>t. The goal is reached gradually<br />

through project work supported by different learn<strong>in</strong>g materials and jo<strong>in</strong>t discussions. In this practicotheoretical<br />

project work, students can put together all the knowledge that they have experienced mean<strong>in</strong>gful <strong>in</strong><br />

the learn<strong>in</strong>g materials and discussions.<br />

Because the project work will be f<strong>in</strong>ished slowly as students proceed <strong>in</strong> their studies, it has been useful to<br />

develop so-called "portfolio study" for organization and jo<strong>in</strong>t evaluation of knowledge. Students have to gather<br />

any thoughts directly provoked by each section of learn<strong>in</strong>g materials to the relevant portfolios. On this basis it<br />

is possible to enter <strong>in</strong>to discussion with the other students and with the tutor. Through this reflective and social<br />

activity on the web, the students are able to f<strong>in</strong>ish their project papers try<strong>in</strong>g to improve their design and<br />

expertise.<br />

Project Tools for Learn<strong>in</strong>g (Proto)<br />

The backbone for the OLE and it’s tools is provided by a study server (http://edtech.oulu.fi) on which<br />

<strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion systems have been constructed to support these studies, especially project study. This <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion<br />

server is based on World Wide Web technology and also provides E-mail and capabilities. The learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

materials and learn<strong>in</strong>g tools are implemented <strong>in</strong> HTML <strong>format</strong> and Allaire’s Cold Fusion. This will offer quite<br />

a robust system, because all database <strong>in</strong>teractions are encapsulated <strong>in</strong> a s<strong>in</strong>gle database process<strong>in</strong>g eng<strong>in</strong>e.<br />

One tool for project learn<strong>in</strong>g consists of a remote editor for portfolios and project pages and special discussion<br />

areas for reflective discussions. The remote editor system enables the students to produce their project pages<br />

easily on the web, even without knowledge on how to use the HTML language. At the moment it will be<br />

sufficient to mark only l<strong>in</strong>ks and images with HTML tags. In addition, students can send HTML page scripts<br />

made by another editor to our server. On the Proto pages there is also a possibility to add l<strong>in</strong>ks to multimedia<br />

applications created by us<strong>in</strong>g Toolbook. To achieve system security, students have access to edit only their own<br />

pages, but they can read all the pages of other students. The tutors and adm<strong>in</strong>istrators have access to edit all<br />

the pages. That way they can assist the students <strong>in</strong> their work, for example.<br />

In addition to traditional <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion presentation, it is possible for the students to take part <strong>in</strong> discussions<br />

based on their project papers and other learn<strong>in</strong>g experiences. The discussion tools have been developed to<br />

support argumentation and reflective discussion. The progress of discussion is shown as a thread and students<br />

can use filters while brows<strong>in</strong>g the messages. Discussion tools are also a field where the students will get<br />

assistance from the tutor, both <strong>in</strong> technical as well as <strong>in</strong> content problems.<br />

References<br />

Boud, D, Keogh, R and Walker, D. (ed).(1987)Reflection: turn<strong>in</strong>g experience <strong>in</strong>to learn<strong>in</strong>g. London: Kogan<br />

Page.<br />

Jonassen, D.H. (1994). Th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g Technology. Toward a Constructivist Design Model. Educational Technology<br />

April/1994, 34-37.<br />

Järvilehto, T. (1994) Learn<strong>in</strong>g and the new educational technology. In Proc. Int. Workshop on CLCE, ed. by<br />

Levonen, J.J. and Tukia<strong>in</strong>en, M.T., 58-60.<br />

Pulkk<strong>in</strong>en, J. (1996). Technology Chang<strong>in</strong>g the Pedagogical Culture. The Thirteenth International Conference<br />

on Technology and Education, ICTE, March, 17-20, 1996. New Orleans, USA<br />

Pulkk<strong>in</strong>en, J. & Niemi, E. (1996). Kohti sisällön ja muodon <strong>in</strong>tegraatiota - koulutusteknologia 15 ov.<br />

Koulutusteknologia-lehti 1/96, 14-15.<br />

Pulkk<strong>in</strong>en, J. (ed.). (1996).Introduction to Telematics <strong>in</strong> Teacher Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g: First flexible learn<strong>in</strong>g material<br />

package of T3.

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