On this page, you will find a general overview of an Open Learning Environment (OLE), some examples of OLEs and a poll activity. The drop down pages provide additional information and interactivities that we will ask you to participate in. This section begins with a slideshare presentation on Open Learning Environments . (For a one page overview see the attached file below).
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Open Learning Environment = Discovery Environment
Open Learning Environments (OLEs) have been the subject of much discussion and research. A common misconception is that the ‘open’ refers to open source. While open source may be a feature of the environment, the ‘open’ in the term Open Learning Environment refers to the type of learning environment, not to whether it is free or ‘open’ to the public, and it needs not be online. In fact, these environments are also referred to as exploratory or discovery environments because “they place less emphasis on explicit instruction and more on providing the learner with tools that support learning through unconstrained exploration of the target instructional domain” (Bunt et al, 2012). However, the resources and tools on the World Wide Web lend themselves to designing excellent OLEs. Many government, school districts and schools now include online learning as a part of their strategies as indicated in the Sloan Consortium report . Examples of this practice in B.C. are Learn Now BC and Surrey Connect.
Primary Learning Theory Behind OLEs
OLEs typically adhere to the principles of constructivism in that they facilitate the engagement of learners "sense-making" or reasoning about extensive resource sets. Learning environments typically include four components: an enabling context, resources, a set of tools, and scaffolds (Hannafin, Land, & Oliver, 1999). OLEs aim to provide learners with opportunities to learn by solving both well and ill-defined problems, by interacting with resources, tools and peers, and by collaborating with others. It has also been posited that OLEs have traversed beyond the 'simple' concept of constuctivism to connectivism or social constructivism facilitated by the networked affordances of Web 2.0.
Other Concepts Closely Linked to OLEs are:
Major Categories of OLEs
Some of the major categories of OLEs include Learning Management Systems such as Moodle and Blackboard, collaborative authoring systems such as wikis, and virtual reality programs such as virtual worlds. For more on virtual worlds and education, click the drop down on this page and select "1B: Virtual World as an OLE" or click here.
Primary Learning Theory Behind OLEs
OLEs typically adhere to the principles of constructivism in that they facilitate the engagement of learners "sense-making" or reasoning about extensive resource sets. Learning environments typically include four components: an enabling context, resources, a set of tools, and scaffolds (Hannafin, Land, & Oliver, 1999). OLEs aim to provide learners with opportunities to learn by solving both well and ill-defined problems, by interacting with resources, tools and peers, and by collaborating with others. It has also been posited that OLEs have traversed beyond the 'simple' concept of constuctivism to connectivism or social constructivism facilitated by the networked affordances of Web 2.0.
Other Concepts Closely Linked to OLEs are:
- ROLE - Responsive Open Learning Environment
- PLE - Personal Learning Environment
- Virtual Learning Environment
Major Categories of OLEs
Some of the major categories of OLEs include Learning Management Systems such as Moodle and Blackboard, collaborative authoring systems such as wikis, and virtual reality programs such as virtual worlds. For more on virtual worlds and education, click the drop down on this page and select "1B: Virtual World as an OLE" or click here.
Watch the the following videos and then complete the poll.
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Relevant Websites and OLEs
Virginia Tech.(nd). Learning environments with OLE. Retrieved from www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/models/environs.html
ROLE Project Partners.(nd). Role Showcase Platform. Retrieved from http://role-showcase.eu
Open Learn Labspace. (nd). Responsive Open Learning Environments. Retrieved from http://labspace.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=7433
Etoile.(2012). Enhanced Technology for Intelligent Learning Environments. Retrieved from www.etoilecascadesideas.eu/about
Sakai Foundation.(nd). Sakai Open Academic Environment. Retrieved from www.sakaiproject.org/node/2239
Pearson Education.(2012). Open Class. Retrieved from www.pearsonlearningsolutions.com/openclass/
COFA Online.(2010). Learning Management System or the Open Web. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PjtX8EEx1Q
Ted Talks. (June 2012). Shimon Schocken: The self-organizing open computer course. Retrieved from www.ted.com/talks/shimon_schocken_the_self_organizing_computer_course.html
Lasic, T. (nd). 2 Minute Moodles. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/channels/44004/9088660
(Also available at http://tomazlasic.net/moodle/moodle-tutorials-2-minute-moodles/ )
Lasic, T. (2008) Moodle explained with Lego. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-p2KqU7QD4&feature=endscreen
(Also available at http://tomazlasic.net/2008/09/moodle-explained-with-lego/ )
Virginia Tech.(nd). Learning environments with OLE. Retrieved from www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/id/models/environs.html
ROLE Project Partners.(nd). Role Showcase Platform. Retrieved from http://role-showcase.eu
Open Learn Labspace. (nd). Responsive Open Learning Environments. Retrieved from http://labspace.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=7433
Etoile.(2012). Enhanced Technology for Intelligent Learning Environments. Retrieved from www.etoilecascadesideas.eu/about
Sakai Foundation.(nd). Sakai Open Academic Environment. Retrieved from www.sakaiproject.org/node/2239
Pearson Education.(2012). Open Class. Retrieved from www.pearsonlearningsolutions.com/openclass/
COFA Online.(2010). Learning Management System or the Open Web. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PjtX8EEx1Q
Ted Talks. (June 2012). Shimon Schocken: The self-organizing open computer course. Retrieved from www.ted.com/talks/shimon_schocken_the_self_organizing_computer_course.html
Lasic, T. (nd). 2 Minute Moodles. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/channels/44004/9088660
(Also available at http://tomazlasic.net/moodle/moodle-tutorials-2-minute-moodles/ )
Lasic, T. (2008) Moodle explained with Lego. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-p2KqU7QD4&feature=endscreen
(Also available at http://tomazlasic.net/2008/09/moodle-explained-with-lego/ )
references
Bunt, A., Conati, C., Huggett, M., & Muldner, K. (2012, November 7). On Improving the Effectiveness of Open Learning Environments Through Tailored Support for Exploration. Department of Computer Science, UBC. Retrieved from http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~conati/my-papers/aied2001.pdf.
Hannafin, M., Land, S., & Oliver, K. (1999). Open learning environments: Foundations, methods, and models. In C. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models (pp. 115-140). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Jonassen, D. (1999). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models (pp. 215-239). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Wilson, B. G. (1995). Metaphors for instruction: Why we talk about learning environments. Educational Technology, 35(5), 25-30.
Hannafin, M., Land, S., & Oliver, K. (1999). Open learning environments: Foundations, methods, and models. In C. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models (pp. 115-140). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Jonassen, D. (1999). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models (pp. 215-239). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Wilson, B. G. (1995). Metaphors for instruction: Why we talk about learning environments. Educational Technology, 35(5), 25-30.