Improving the learning experiences of external students
through the use of multimedia, the Web and tactile learning
materials.
Jeremy Pagram and Peter Cavanagh,
Department of Multimedia and Learning Technologies,
Edith Cowan University,
2 Bradford Street, Mt Lawley, Western Australia, 6050.
Phone: +61-9-370-6331 Fax: +61-9-370-2190 Email: j.pagram@cowan.edu.au
Multimedia
Learning Technologies Home Page
Keywords: WorldWideWeb, Distance
Education, Multimedia
Introduction
Most of the existing Edith
Cowan University external units are paper based.
External students typically receive a unit guide, study plan with course
notes and a reader containing copies of the required readings for the unit.
This method of external courseware delivery, means that internal and
external students have completely different learning experiences in
completing the same unit. This is exacerbated in some units where the
internal students are involved in a lot of hands on "tactile" experiences.
This poster follows the development of an external unit which uses a
combination of Logo and LEGO(TM) robotics to teach problem solving concepts
to pre and post service student teachers. The courseware utilises the WEB
and CD ROM based materials that incorporate multimedia and external tactile
learning resources.
Background
"Problem solving with Logo" is as its name suggests a
unit which uses
the logic involved in learning the Logo programming environment combined
with the
tactile experience of developing Logo controlled LEGO(TM) robots and machines,
to teach problem solving skills . Student teachers are provided with the
opportunity to learn and apply a variety of problem solving strategies in a
"technology enriched" environment through the combination of LEGO(TM) and
Logo.
Students use Netscape(TM) as a presentation tool to display the unit guide,
multimedia, assignments and to access the readings. Upon completing the
assignment work, the students submit their work using the mail features of
Netscape(TM) or forms that are part of the Web pages. Feedback for the
students is provided via the Web and email.
The Web based materials
The materials that will be stored on the Web represent those materials
which change and date regularly. such as the unit readings. and notes from the
unit tutor etc. Example Materials, research and project challenges.
Students use the Web to submit assignment materials and receive feedback, using
a combination of Web based forms and using Netscape's(TM) mail facility to
send assignment materials as an attachment.
The CD-ROM
Will act as a repository for video sound and other multimedia resources which
would be impractical for students to down load in remote poor data transfer
situations ie via modem
Copies of Web browser for both Windows(TM) and Macintosh(TM) as well as
materials
which do not date, will also be stored on the CD-ROM.
The Tactile Materials.
Each student will be provided with a small LEGO(TM) kit which is used as a
tactile learning tool for reinforcing exercises and problem solving
activities.
Conclusion
This new version of the unit has yet to be implemented
and is being
developed as an experiment to test practicalities.
By using a multitude of different delivery techniques, the students gain the
advantages of working with the technology, without being constrained by its
current limitations.
Copyright
J. Pagram & P. Cavanagh © 1996. The authors assign
to Southern Cross University
and other educational and non-profit
institutions a non-exclusive licence to use
this document for personal use
and in courses of instruction provided that the
article
is used in full
and this copyright statement is reproduced. The authors also
grant a
non-exclusive licence to Southern Cross University to publish this document
in full on the World Wide Web and on CD-ROM, and for the document to be
published on
mirrors on the World Wide Web.
Any other usage is prohibited
without the express permission of the author.
AusWeb96 The Second Australian WorldWideWeb Conference
ausweb96@scu.edu.au