Teaching and Learning with the WWW: Learning from the past

Chair

Martin Westhead EPCC, University of Edinburgh, UK.

Committee

Dr. Daniel Schneider, TECFA, FPSE, University of Geneva

Patrick Jermann, TECFA, FPSE, University of Geneva

Dave Whittington, Clyde Virtual University University of Strathclyde

Workshop Focus

The focus of the workshop will be to address a number of specific issues in the use of the Web for teaching and learning within the context of the past 30 years of work into computer aided learning. The workshop will be structured into three small discussion groups focused on specific topics. The concluding session will involve presentations from each specialist group. (This format has been used very successfully at other Web conference workshops). Topics to be address will include:

Communication and collaboration

Instructional planning. What kind of support do existing WWW-based systems offer and where should they go ? What can be expected from educational WWW-based group ware and student management software ?
Collaborative learning. Are existing CMC tools enough or do we need specific CSCL (computer supported collaborative learning) systems ? What is the status of collaborative hypertext and of shared applications ? How can the use of streamed audio and video be applied to teaching and learning?
Virtual campuses (e.g. VRML-based, 2d formats, MUD/MOO based). What new problems and solutions do those environments provide to education. What can we learn from various proprietary virtual classroom systems and do we want/need integrated "learning and teaching cyberdesktops" ? What about standards: is there sufficient future in VRML 2, 3, 4, .. ??
Classes on the Net: Are there any good experiences/examples to be mentioned ? What must be done by teachers to insure that something (beyond HTML) is learned ?

Multimedia

Educational interactive multi-media and simulation based learning. Towards educational content ? Are there any authoring environments that content providers can use efficiently ? What's the advantage of a WWW-based solution (besides easier updating and delivery) ? Do people realize how much time it takes to produce educational software and what should we learn from past experience over the last 25 years ? Does anybody remember any literature from the seventies, e.g. the Plato reports ?

Traditional Teaching

Internet/WWW to support traditional teaching The use of the Web to support traditional teaching in schools and Universities. This includes provision of online material, submission of course work, online tests and examinations etc.

Distance learning

Integration of on-line contents into learning and teaching. The WWW is evolving into a huge library. What's out there now and how can it be meaningfully integrated in serious curricula ?
Distance teaching, "just-in time" and on the spot learning over the Internet. Experiences and trends. How will the school come to us and why will the Web change things that have not been changed with all previous educational technology ?

Future trends

Intelligent agents on the Net. What can be learnt from the now over 20 year old work in AI&Education? E.g. aren't ideas like student modeling, expert systems, intelligent tutors and coaches just too hard and shouldn't we focus instead on human collaboration ?
Net-based teaching and learning in 20 years. What is needed and what can be predicted ?

In particular, we'd like to address these topics within the context of issues raised in the last 30 years within various communities like "Computed-based learning", computer-assisted instruction, AI & education, educational hypermedia, etc. and discuss in the light of this previous research how things might be done over the Internet. The expected outcome is a list of recommendations for both the WWW community and various communities dealing with computers, education and learning.

Structure

Prospective participants are invited to present a position paper related to AT LEAST THREE of workshop issues. In addition they can add issues they find interesting of their own. It also expected that they insert pointers to their current work.

In order to optimally prepare the workshop, we will set up discussion lists for each issues, (e.g. with the help of a hypernews system. Participants are expected to become active before the workshop and they will receive a printed copy of the pre-workshop discussion at the workshop.

The number of participants will be limited. Only position papers meeting the above requirements will be considered for selection. There will be no talks or special events during this workshop, but structured discussion. Here is a tentative schedule that shows the spirit:

09:00 Introductions
09:30 Plenary discussion: Teaching & learning on the Web
10:30               -- Break & informal discussion --
11:00 Parallel discussion of 3 issues  (around different tables)
12:00                       ---- LUNCH ----
13:30 Parallel discussion of next 3 issues  (around different tables)
14:30 Parallel discussion of next 3 issues  (around different tables)
15:30                         -- Break --
16:00 Presentation of topics discussed (5 minutes each)
17:00 Closing Discussion: Recommendations and post-workshop activities
18:30                         ---- END ----

Submitted papers for this workshop may be found at http://www.epcc.ed.ac.uk/WWW6workshop/submissions/index.html

For more information contact: M.Westhead@epcc.ed.ac.uk

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