This document discusses several cutting edge eLearning technologies and practices, including mobile devices and applications, tablet devices and applications, iTunes U, YouTube Edu, virtual worlds, serious gaming, and learning analytics. It provides examples of how universities are innovatively using these technologies, such as providing all first-year science students at the University of Adelaide iPads to replace textbooks, or Duke University distributing iPads to students for field research data collection. The document also discusses several open questions and need for evidence regarding the educational benefits of these new approaches.

1. At the Cutting Edge of eLearning
Dr. Iain Doherty
Associate Professor
Director eLearning Pedagogical Support Unit
Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and
Learning
26th April 2012

2. Introduction
• Cutting Edge eLearning and HKU
• Mobile Devices and Mobile Applications
• Tablet Devices and Tablet Applications
• iTunes U
• YouTube Edu
• Virtual Worlds
• Serious Gaming
• Learning Analytics
2

3. What is Cutting Edge?
• Cutting edge eLearning is eLearning that is at the
most advanced stage of development. Cutting edge
eLearning is innovative and pioneering.
– Innovative and pioneering from a pedagogical
perspective but not necessarily from a technological
perspective e.g. use of social media;
– Innovative and pioneering from both a pedagogical and
a technological perspective e.g. use of virtual worlds.
• Evidence, evidence, evidence.
3

4. What is Cutting Edge
• Making purposeful use of technologies in teaching
means employing technologies for educational
benefit:
– Educational benefit can be conceived of in terms of
improving student learning;
– Educational benefit can also be conceived of in terms
of enabling students to do things in the learning
environment that would not otherwise be possible.
• Not mutually exclusive.
4

5. HKU eLearning Strategy
• eLearning Pedagogical Support Unit (EPSU) has a
remit to systematically evaluate the efficacy of
technologies adopted world wide with respect to the
extent to which they enhance teaching and learning.
• Also responsible for making recommendations with
respect to use of cutting edge technologies at HKU
through reviewing what is going on worldwide.
5

6. HKU eLearning Strategy
• Cutting edge eLearning practices might be
incorporated into teaching and learning at level 2 or
level 3 of HKU’s eLearning strategy:
– At level 2 teaching and learning are enriched by the
use of technologies;
– At level 3 teaching and learning is brought to new
heights through the use of technologies.
6

7. Handheld Devices and Applications
• The handheld space contains products such as the
iPod Touch and smart phones, devices which fit into
the pockets of learners and are able to be taken
anywhere as they can stay with the learner. Due to
the small physical form factor and therefore small
screen size, it is primary used for 1 to 1 learning
(Wilson, 2012).
7

8. Handheld Devices and Applications
• “. . . college professors around the country are finding
unique ways to use smartphones, as well as highly
portable tablet computers like the iPad, that work well
in certain situations but do not represent a revolution
in educational practice. At least not yet” (Young,
2012).
8

9. University Wide Applications
9

10. University Wide Applications
• Princeton University’s mobile application -
http://mobile.princeton.edu/
• The University of Michigan mobile application -
http://mobileapps.its.umich.edu/michigan-app
• University of Virginia mobile application -
http://www.willowtreeapps.com/apps/education/university
• Indiana State University -
http://www.indstate.edu/oit1/userservices/ithelp/Mobileap
10

11. University Warwick
11

12. University Warwick
• 12 Videos on understanding and visualizing the
human body.
• Videos on reviewing clinical anatomy with 27 films on
chest and upper limb.
• Spot quizzes with reasoned answers of the type used
in examinations.
• Not pedagogically innovative and all available on a
website.
• Rationale is doctors on the go needing access.
12

13. University Warwick
13

14. University Warwick
• 200 recordings of 150 poets and authors.
• Browse archive by writer, period, genre or search
titles and descriptions.
• Add and maintain a list of favourite authors.
• Rate recordings and see ratings from other users.
• Not pedagogically innovative but ease of access to
content, search function and rating recordings.
14

15. Agile Devices and Applications
15

16. Agile Devices and Applications
• “I am using the term ‘agile’ here to signal a new
technology space in between handheld and portable.
Devices which fit this space are particularly useful for
teaching and learning purposes, as they offer the
flexibility needed for modern learning practices. It has
taken the iPad to really cement this space although
there will be countless others arriving in the market
fairly soon. Whether or not they will offer the right
blend of features successfully of course remains to
be seen” (Wilson, 2012).
16

17. Agile Devices and Applications
• There is a lot of hype and a lot of subjectivity in
claims made about the value of the iPad in
education.
• Only a limited number of the 200, 000 + applications
are specifically educational.
• Whether there is actual educational benefit still has
to be shown through scholarly research.

18. Agile Devices and Applications
• “Our study suggests that there is a paucity of applications
that truly extend capability, much of what these
application allow can be done with other devices, and this
leads us to conclude that the current trajectory will not
revolutionize teaching and learning. The lack of
collaboration capabilities underlie this point, as do the
overwhelming number of application that are simply drill
and practice or focused on delivering content for
consumption, not creation or re-use”.
Murray, O. T., & Olcese, N. R. (2011). Teaching and Learning with iPads,
Ready or Not? TechTrends, 55(6), 42-48. doi:10.1007/s11528-011-0540-6

19. Pocket Body by Pocket Anatomy
19

20. Pocket Body by Pocket Anatomy
20

21. Pocket Body by Pocket Anatomy
• University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
2010 medical students given an iPad.
• New iMedEd Initiative at UCIrvine to develop a fully
digital curriculum.
• Trying to blend technology into an innovative and
interactive learning environment to facilitate a move
away from traditional lecturing model.
21

22. Pocket Body by Pocket Anatomy
• Loading relevant software to facilitate the learning of
anatomy.
• Enabling students to share documents with
themselves, other students and faculty from inside
the lab.
• Internet enabled so that students can access external
resources and update installed apps.
22

23. Harrison’s Principles by Inkling
23

24. Inkling Medical Books
• Inkling is a textbook application that was built
exclusively for the iPad platform and features media
rich interactive textbooks.
• Once you download the free Inkling app, you are able
to view various textbooks they offer.
• Currently have 23 medical books with another dozen
listed as being on the way.
• An Inkling book e.g. Harrison’s Principles costs $199
US. Hard copy is $100 US.
24

25. Harrison’s Principles by Inkling
• Less Searching
– Search function and glossary.
• Formative Assessment
– Every chapter comes with quizzes and self-
assessment tools.
– Does this constitute basic drill and practice?
– If so not an advance and perhaps a step backwards.
25

26. Harrison’s Principles by Inkling
• Audio and Visual
– Inkling content includes high resolution images, audio,
and video so we have moved beyond digital page
turning.
• Social Learning Network
– Students can follow other students using their books,
see other students’ notes and highlights in real time,
create running discussions anywhere, and star the
most helpful notes.
– Now we are getting somewhere!
26

27. University of Adelaide
• The pilot initiative involves all first-year
undergraduate science students receiving a free
Apple iPad to use with online curriculum, eliminating
up to $1000 in annual textbook costs within three
years.
• The Faculty of Sciences' executive dean, Professor
Bob Hill, said the aim was to reinvigorate the learning
experience for students studying science at the
university and make it more appealing as a highly
sought-after and diverse career pathway.
27

28. University of Adelaide
• Student Comment:
• “I am curious if this move is backed up by any
research? E.g. any studies suggesting that students
learn better/faster by processing material off a screen
rather than traditional textbooks? What about health
implications (reading entire books off a screen can be
quite strenuous)? Or is this yet another 'stunt' to lure
new customers to their university? ” (Adelaide Now,
2012).
28

29. Drew University
• Drew University students registered for the spring
2012 Wall Street Semester program received an
Apple iPad loaded with apps.
• The claim is that the iPad will allow students to use
the device in ways not yet realized within higher
education.
• We will see!
29

30. Drew University
• “Pretty much every other school that we’ve
researched uses the iPad in a limited way: to read
ebooks and take notes,” said Marc Tomljanovich,
associate professor of economics and business
studies, and director of the Wall Street Semester
program. “While our students will certainly use their
iPads for both of these purposes, our central learning
goal with this technology is to have them access and
interpret financial information” (Drew Today, 2012).
30

31. Duke University
• Duke University in Durham, NC is experimenting with
the use of Apple iPads in student field research. The
Duke Global Health Institute distributes the tablet
devices in a master's course that introduces students
to methodological techniques used in global health
research (Schaffhauser, 2012).
31

32. Duke University
• "With an iPad a student may collect, organize and
display data while in the field, allowing them to
immediately engage in analyzing and interpreting that
data when and where it has greatest meaning.“
• This seems potentially useful and an advance over
hard copy or a laptop.
• Would need to articulate the advances more clearly
and test to see how learning is aided.
32

33. Business Schools
• Business Schools such as Harvard are converting all
their case studies to tablet format.
• Advantages:
– 500 pages on a tablet
– Searchable
– Editable to include up to date information using audio,
video and image files
33

34. iTunes U Application

35. iTunes U
35

36. iTunes U
36

37. iTunes U Application
• “The free iTunes U app gives students access to all
the materials for a course in a single place. Right in
the app, students can: play video or audio lectures,
read books and view presentations, see a list of all
the assignments for the course and check them off
as they’re completed. When teachers send a
message or create a new assignment, students
receive a push notification with the new information”.
• http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/
37

38. YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/harvardupress?ob=0&feature=results_main
38

39. YouTube Edu
http://www.youtube.com/education
39

40. YouTube Edu
• Create a YouTube Channel.
• Become a YouTube Channel partner.
• Self-identify in the partner application process as an
educational institution.
• Content is then automatically considered for inclusion
in YouTube Edu.
• Is this more than lecturing online?
• What are the drivers here – open source content /
marketing?
40

41. Virtual Worlds
http://secondlife.com/destinations/learning
41

42. Virtual Worlds
• NMC Virtual Worlds, a not-for-profit program of the
New Media Consortium, is a Second Life
development provider for educational institutions
worldwide. Their mission is to make it easier for
colleges, universities, schools, and other learning-
focused institutions to use virtual worlds.
• http://virtualworlds.nmc.org/portfolio/
42

43. Virtual Worlds
43

44. Virtual Worlds
• “The virtual Macbeth island was designed and
developed to aid in the teaching of Macbeth to
English Literature students both as a standalone
experience for individual visitors, and as part of a
teacher mediated experience for whole classes. It
has long been established that interactive media is
instantly engaging to students, and this project was
designed to stimulate and provoke interest in the
core subject matter and then deliver a rich and
memorable experience to aid their understanding of
it”.
44

45. Virtual Worlds
• How extensive is use of Virtual Worlds in education?
• How much reliable research evidence do we have for
the efficacy of Virtual Worlds in Education?
• If e.g. students participate in a virtual hospital
scenario is that experience transferable to the real
world?
• Do we need to ask the same questions that we ask of
simulation use in education?
45

46. Game-Based Learning
46

47. Game-Based Learning
• The MIT Education Arcade explores games that
promote learning through authentic and engaging
play.
• TEA's research and development projects focus both
on the learning that naturally occurs in popular
commercial games, and on the design of games that
more vigorously address the educational needs of
players.
• http://educationarcade.org/
47

48. Game-Based Learning
http://educationarcade.org/supercharged
48

49. Game-Based Learning
• “By representing the simulation through digital
gaming conventions, educators can potentially
increase engagement while also fostering deeper
learning, as learners engage in critical and recursive
game play, whereby they generate hypotheses about
the game system, develop plans and strategies,
observe their results and adjust their hypotheses
about the game system”.
• Sounds like there might be a hypothesis here!
49

50. Game-Based Learning
• “Experiences in game worlds become experiences
that students can draw upon in thinking about
scientific worlds, using their intuitive understandings
developed in simulated worlds to interpret physics
problems. By representing complex scientific content
through tangible, experienced nontextually-mediated
representations, simulated worlds may also engage
reluctant learners in the study of science”.
• Sounds like another hypothesis!
50

51. Game-Based Learning
• “The Federation of American Scientists’ involvement
in the creation of games for learning focuses on
research and empirical studies to better understand
what features of games can be used to improve
learning outcomes, as well as the creation of
guidelines based on that research which will enable
the community of developers to build effective
educational games”.
• http://www.fas.org/programs/ltp/research.html
51

52. Game-Based Learning
• These guidelines include:
– Understanding the challenges that are crucial for
motivation and learning
– Understanding how stories/scenarios contribute to
motivation and learning
– Understanding the impact of immersion and
engagement on learner motivation
– Linking gaming features to goal orientation
52

53. Game-Based Learning
• And:
– Understanding the features of game playing that
contribute to development of higher-level thinking skills
– Understanding how games can be integrated in
classrooms and formal learning environments to
support learning goals
• http://www.fas.org/programs/ltp/research.html
53

54. Learning Analytics
• Learning analytics is about analyzing the wealth of
information about students in a way that would allow
institutions to make informed adjustments to a
student’s learning experience.
• Learning analytics draws on new ways of observing
patterns in complex data.
• The future is now!
54

55. Learning Analytics
• Until recently, research on learning in higher
education centered primarily on identifying students
who might be at risk of failure in a course or program,
• The aim was to design interventions to address
short-term issues – lack of engagement due to e.g.
failure to manage workload – that might have been
impacting on students.
• Broader aim now is to be proactive + to pre-empt in
order to improve the student learning experience.
55

56. Learning Analytics
• This has implications not simply for individual student
performance, but in how educators perceive the
processes of teaching, learning, and assessment.
• For example, by offering information in real time,
learning analytics can support immediate
adjustments, suggesting a model of curriculum that is
more fluid and open to change.
56

57. Learning Analytics
• The Signals project at Purdue University gathers
information from SIS, course management systems,
and course grade books to generate a risk level for
students.
• Similarly, the University of Maryland, Baltimore
County supplements their Blackboard course
management system with a self-service feedback
tool for students and educators called “Check My
Activity.”
57

58. Learning Analytics
58

59. Learning Analytics
59

60. Learning Analytics
• SNAPP is a software tool that allows users to
visualize the network of interactions resulting from
discussion forum posts and replies.
• The network visualizations of forum interactions
provide an opportunity for teachers to rapidly identify
patterns of user behavior – at any stage of course
progression.
• This is useful because . . . ?
• Meaning needs to be given to the data = work!
60

61. Learning Analytics
• SNAPP analyses forum postings to provide
information on:
– The total number of posts (displayed at the top right of
the SNAPP report);
– The number of posts per user. Future forum statistics
planned include a measure of community, thread depth
(i.e. the amount of messages responding to an original
posting, or “thread”), the average number of posts and
social networking centrality measures.
– Need to interpret the data to find meaning!
61

62. Learning Analytics
• Other analytics includes:
– posting frequency table – lists the number of posts and
replies to posts made by each individual;
– who has been interacting with whom and who is
connecting various groups via an embedded network
diagram.
• http://research.uow.edu.au/learningnetworks/seeing/snap
62

63. Learning Analytics
• E2Coach is built on the Michigan Tailoring System
(MTS), an open-source software system built to
enable tailored communication.
63

64. Learning Analytics
• E2Coach draws data from many different sources.
Primarily, they survey the students at the beginning
of the course to find out important academic
information, goals for this course, and psycho-social
factors.
• Additionally, real-time data is fed into E2Coach as the
semester progresses. This includes exam scores,
Mastering Physics scores, iclicker scores, and
enrollment data.
• http://sitemaker.umich.edu/ecoach/home
• 64

65. Learning Analytics
• When they combine this knowledge with detailed
information about students, including their current
status in courses, MTS enables them to deliver
individually personalized content to every student –
to say to each what they would say if they could sit
down with them for a personal chat.
• http://sitemaker.umich.edu/ecoach/home
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66. Learning Analytics
• Content of the messages is based the collective
expertise of students, instructors, and behavior
change experts.
• They have extensively reviewed literature from the
Physics Education community, on Behavioral
Change theory, and the Tailoring community.
• http://sitemaker.umich.edu/ecoach/home
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67. Learning Analytics
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68. Learning Analytics
• Developed by the Mazur Group at Harvard
University, Learning Catalytics supports peer-to-peer
instruction, and provides real-time feedback during
class. Faculty can engage students with questions
about course material with numerical, algebraic,
textual, or graphical responses, and the platform
helps group students for follow-up discussions.
• https://learningcatalytics.com/
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