personalised learning
Scaling up Technologies for Informal Learning in SME Clusters
Learning Layers develops a set of modular and flexible technological layers for supporting workplace practices in SMEs that unlock peer production and scaffold learning in networks of SMEs, thereby bridging the gap between scaling and adaptation to personal needs.
By building on recent advances in contextualized learning, these layers provide a meaningful learning context when people interact with people, digital and physical artefacts for their informal learning, thus making learning faster and more effective.
Building on mobile learning research, we situate learning into physical work places and practices to support situated, faster and more meaningful learning.
Learning Layers provide a shared conceptual foundation independent of the tools people use and the context they are in.
Learning Layers are based on a common light-weight, distributed infrastructure that allows for fast and flexible deployment in highly distributed and dynamic settings.
We apply these technologies in sectors that have been particularly hesitant to take up learning technologies, i.e. health care and building and construction.
Involving two representative and large-scale regional SME clusters allows us to involve end users in co-design of the system and later scale up the approach to more than 1,000 learners within 4 years.
By inviting a larger set of stakeholders to adapt and build on our solutions and through research in sustainable business training models, the project will generate significant impact by boosting the ability of regional innovation systems to adapt to change and thereby remain competitive, on the individual, organisational and regional level.
We demonstrate the impact in the two chosen sectors, but widen the scope to other sectors and regions towards the end of the project.
Issue 31 of eLearning Papers on Learning and Work published!
eLearning Papers Nº31 explores a range of challenges that emerge when learning experiences coincide within the workplace. The articles presented here show how technology can support new learning approaches and new skills, competences and qualification systems to match users’ personal knowledge development plans.
It looks at how educational technologies transition between educational and professional contexts. In the In-Depth section, T. Coughlan's article looks at how OER can expand beyond higher education, sharing an analysis of the potential role of scholars in the voluntary sector. M. Bonacci's paper sheds light on how better networking to improve and validate TVET systems can improve the employability and mobility of workers.
Most people working in the knowledge economy want to create their own personal learning environments with tools that suit the way they work, gather information, and learn. Two From the Field reports look at how these tools affect learning and pedagogy.
Faced with an increasing demand for flexible and personalised tools, now more than ever solutions are needed that go beyond Learning Management Systems to address tacit knowledge management or performance support. This issue has several contributions that look at the problems posed by the need to develop intercultural competence, and the role of technology in this training.
eLearning Papers 31 that has been guest edited by Fabrizio Cardinali, CEO eXact learning solutions NA and Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG), and Tapio Koskinen, www.elearningpapers.eu, Director of the Editorial Board, includes the following articles:
In Depth articles
From the Field articles
Reflective Learning at Work – MIRROR Model, Apps and Serious Games
This report discusses the initial results of a 4-year FP7 research project that developed a theoretical model and worked on the creation and evaluation of a range of ‘Mirror’ apps based on our Mirror reflection model. The findings divulge how the apps and serious games can facilitate reflection at work, by empowering employees to learn by reflection on their work practice and on their personal learning experiences.
Experience Networking in the TVET System to Improve Occupational Competencies
This paper proposes a conceptual framework that might be used as a point of departure for theoretical and empirical analyses of the role of (T)VET systems in order to provide the opportunity to identify the factors which contribute to social, economic, political and cultural change
In this framework several practices are encouraged such as: sharing key concepts in order to implement common modelling; the support of core processes to guarantee mobility; the development of a quality assurance approach to implement high training standards; creating network-oriented structures that facilitate knowledge sharing and assessment and validation processes.
The flexibility of this framework aims at improving employability and mobility of workers through a system where occupational competences, required by the labour market – and described in terms of Learning outcomes – can be assessed and validated in different contexts (formal, non formal and informal) and developed following quality standards.
Reaching Out with OER: The New Role of Public-Facing Open Scholar
Open educational resources (OER) and, more recently, open educational practices (OEP) have been widely promoted as a means of increasing openness in higher education (HE). Thus far, such openness has been limited by OER provision typically being supplier-driven and contained within the boundaries of HE. Seeking to explore ways in which OEP might become more needs-led we conceptualised a new ‘public-facing open scholar’ role involving academics working with online communities to source and develop OER to meet their needs.
To explore the scope for this role we focused on the voluntary sector, which we felt might particularly benefit from such collaboration. We evaluated four representative communities for evidence of their being self-educating (thereby offering the potential for academics to contribute) and for any existing learning dimension, and we found that there was scope for a public-facing open scholar role. We therefore developed detailed guidelines for performing the role, which has the potential to greatly extend the beneficial impact of existing OER, prompting institutions to release new OER in response to the needs of people outside HE.
eLearning Papers: Extended Deadline for Submissions on Learning and Work
Guest editor: Fabrizio Cardinali, C.E.O. (eXact learning solutions S.p.A.), Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG)
Submissions are invited to explore and share experiences related to the integration of learning technologies into the professional sphere. Papers can be more specifically aimed at exploring the following themes:
- Competence-based learning and e-Learning
- Personalised and adaptive learning services
- Embedded learning and performance support
- Games and simulations supporting induction and learning at work
- Training in virtual worlds
- Collaboration systems and virtual meeting rooms in support of workplace learning
- Semantic Web convergence and interoperability
- Generating learning content from information sources and the Web
- Integrating Media and Learning Management for Mobile and Instant Learning
- Online Validation and Qualification (such as badges, e-portfolios, etc.)
- Computer and Internet Certificates
- Informal and Non-formal Learning
The provisional date of publication is November, 2012. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu
See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers
eLearning Papers: Call for articles on Learning and Work
This issue of eLearning Papers, dedicated to the topic of Learning and Work, seeks articles dealing with trends and best practices on learning experiences in the workplace that show how technology can support new learning approaches and new skills, competences and qualification systems to match users’ personal knowledge development plans. Article Submission deadline has been extended to October 18th, 2012
The provisional date of publication is November, 2012. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu
Guest editor: Fabrizio Cardinali, C.E.O. (eXact learning solutions S.p.A.), Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG)
Submissions are invited to explore and share experiences related to the integration of learning technologies into the professional sphere. Papers can be more specifically aimed at exploring the following themes:
- Competence-based learning and e-Learning
- Personalised and adaptive learning services
- Embedded learning and performance support
- Games and simulations supporting induction and learning at work
- Training in virtual worlds
- Collaboration systems and virtual meeting rooms in support of workplace learning
- Semantic Web convergence and interoperability
- Generating learning content from information sources and the Web
- Integrating Media and Learning Management for Mobile and Instant Learning
- Online Validation and Qualification (such as badges, e-portfolios, etc.)
- Computer and Internet Certificates
- Informal and Non-formal Learning
See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers
'Growing by Architecting on top of our Memories' - Call for papers (ICALT 2012)
The XII IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT2012) to take place in Rome (Italy), between 4 and 6 of July 2012 launched its call for papers.
The theme for ICALT 2012 is 'Growing by Architecting on top of our Memories', with design inspired learning, fostering creativity and fun, complex educational experiences and their monitoring, ubiquitous learning and flexible environments as featured topics.
TOIs include but are not limited to:
- Learning Systems, Environments and Architectures
- Adaptive, Personalized and Context-aware Technology-Enhanced Learning & Education
- Virtual Worlds for Academic, Organizational, and Life-Long Learning & Education
- Ambient Intelligence and Smart/Flexible Environments for Learning & Education
- School of the Future and Future Classrooms
- Wireless, Mobile, Ubiquitous and Pervasive Technologies for Learning & Education
- Computer Supported Collaborative Learning & Education
- Social Computing for Learning and Knowledge Sharing
- Affective Computing for Learning & Education
- Design for the Experience, Interaction Design and HCI in Technology-enhanced Learning & Education
- Rethinking Pedagogy and Processes in Technology-enhanced Learning & Education
- Design Inspired learning: Theories, Methodologies & Tools
- e- Assessment, e-Evaluation and e-Monitoring: Theories, Methodologies & Tools
- Digital Game and Intelligent Toy Enhanced Learning & Education
- Fostering creativity in Technology-enhanced Learning & Education
- Motivation and engagement in Technology-enhanced Learning & Education
- Knowledge and Competencies Management
- Data Mining and Web Mining in Education
- Semantic Web and Ontologies for Learning and Educational Systems
- International Alliance for Open Source, Open Standards, and federated repositories
- Human-Centered Web Science and its Applications to Technology-enhanced Learning & Education
- Technology-enhanced Science Education
- Technology-Enhanced Language Learning
- Advanced Technology-enhanced Learning & Education for all
- E-learning in the Workplace
- Trust and reputation in Technology-enhanced Learning & Education
- Sustainability of Technology-enhanced Learning & Education
- Technology-enhanced Learning & Education in developing countries and disadvantaged areas
ICALT2012 is organized by IEEE Computer Society, IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technology and IaD School of Tor Vergata University of Rome at the headquarters of the Italian National Council of Research (CNR).
The technical program will feature keynote addresses, workshops, tutorials, panels, two new tracks - Industrial track and European project track - in addition to presentations of standard full and short papers, posters and doctoral consortium's contributions.