Virtual Learning

Hi people,

we had an interesting seminar on micro and mobile learning yesterday. In these forms of learning the content gets divided into very small learning units (usually 2 or 3 minutes). The form of these units could be short questions, text writing exercises, listening comprehensions, word quizzes, either online or via mobile phone. The learner gets the learning units step by step offered in small chunks. The advantage is that it does not take much time. Learning is easily integrated into the learner’s day. Learning happens continuously. Micro and mobile learning is used for changes in behaviour, communication training, sales training, management training or time and self management.

My idea was to use it especially for in-firm training for people who work with a computer. It might be a supplement to a training session. One example could be healthy living at the work place. There an individual training plan could be integrated into daily work. The employee gets suggestions to do easy exercises to prevent visual defects, a decrease in concentration or back or neck pain depending on the person’s health and goals.

Additionally, micro learning could be used for language learning. Short vocabulary learning units and quizzes would be offered bit by bit. Wouldn’t it be amazing to learn 3 new words a day in with hardly any extra work?

In my opinion, micro learning is a good supplement to many forms of learning. But it usually should not stand alone. The exercises need to be explained in advance, the person’s motivation has to be checked and the goals have to be settled. Plus, it does not help you to know new words if you never use them in a situation. Some longer learning units might also be necessary after a few micro units.

I still doubt that teachers at state schools will send text messages to there students soon. I also doubt that micro learning is useful for in class teaching because it might be very distracting. To integrate micro learning to a class’s private computer use also seems complicated to me. You need to know a lot about your class’s computer usage and the behaviour of the participants needs to be very similar. This seems to be far-off reality.

But I really, really like the idea of micro learning and would definitly recommend it where it is useful.

Juliane

Hello everybody,

as I promised lately I want to write some comments on LMS and LCMS first.

Well, I never heard of these terms before but after a little research I found out that I already used some of these. LMS and LCMS seem to be the terms for a learning platform where learning content can be stored, managed and saved. But it even seems to be more than that. Also the learning itself can be managed.. The complete learning environment… grades, feedback, material, interactions with students and teachers and so on.

All right, from my own experiences I worked with “Edu Commsy”. This was mostly used for managing learning material and informing students about news. But people could interact via email as well. I think I only did it once. I used some more platforms but I forgot their names. The platform that was used at my US college was “Blackboard”. They describe it as: Hamline’s online learning software which includes course work and online courses. But I never had to use it. I also heard of “Moodle” in another seminar.

But what about Systems like Stine or Piperline (the one I also know from the US)? Are these maybe LMS and the others are LCMS???? Because they don’t offer content. Stine includes things such as register classes and grades. Piperline includes e.g. access course schedules, register, check class rosters, account balances, feedback and more.

That’s it about my experiences with LMS and LCMS so far.

One last comment on the group work. We met in person and not online. One group member was missing… Where are you???

In the last session unfortunatelly none of my group members appeared. I realized that I understood the presentation a little wrong. We are supposed to PRODUCE a LEARNING UNIT about the topic. I gotta inform my group about this and I guess we have to change plans a bit.

That’s it for now…

I’m pleased about comments…. Juliane

Hello out there,

I am back! It´s been a while but I was NOT lazy..just I didn´t mention it here…

Since two weeks we are working on a group project. We are intending to make a presentation on LMS (Learning Management System) ans LCMS (Learning Content Management System).

To get this topic I selected the attached lovely picture…

To watch the group work progress you might want to check out our Wiki:

http://wiki.loveitorchangeit.com/tiki-index.php?page=Nature-group

It is my first Wiki and I think I could like it. We collect our ideas there and try to note the progress of our group work.

That´s all for now. I´ll be back later to write something more about the group work and my experiences with LMS and LCMS and the group work.

Juliane