LAMS Training

20 January 2007

Table of Contents
Table of Contents................................................................................................................................ 2 Welcome to LAMS Training! ............................................................................................................... 3 Aims of the course........................................................................................................................... 3 Learning outcomes.......................................................................................................................... 3 Course delivery and activities ......................................................................................................... 4 Training schedule ............................................................................................................................ 4 Participant prerequisites.................................................................................................................. 4 Certificate ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) .............................................................................................. 5 FAQs: Teaching and Learning..................................................................................................... 5 FAQS: Authoring and monitoring................................................................................................. 6 FAQs: Learners view .................................................................................................................. 8 Research Findings from the Macquarie Trials ................................................................................ 9 Examples of Sequences ............................................................................................................... 10 Example 1: Debate .................................................................................................................... 10 Example 2: Debrief, after simulation exercise ........................................................................... 11 Example 3: Extended role play.................................................................................................. 12 Example 4: LAMS for a molecular biology practical class......................................................... 13 Example 5: Introduction to the unit/course - What is Psychology? ........................................... 14 Tools Summary ............................................................................................................................. 15 Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 17

Welcome to LAMS Training!

I hope you enjoy the course and we look forward to working with you in LAMS and sharing ideas with you about good learning design either on- or off-line! My contact details are: Johnny Ly Email: Johnny@lamsinternational.com Phone: +61 2 9850 4716 Address: Level 1, 3 Innovation Road, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 Australia.

All the best with the course, Johnny

Aims of the course

This LAMS training course is designed to provide participants with basic skills for designing learning activities in LAMS. It will provide opportunities to evaluate LAMS as a tool for e-learning in and outside the classroom and provide support for teachers to prepare sequences for use in their own classrooms.

Learning outcomes
At the end of this one day training session participants will have:

Used LAMS as a learner in the classroom; Acquired basic skills in authoring and monitoring LAMS sequences using pre-existing LAMS files and/or lesson plans developed for other contexts; Shared sequences and learning designs; Evaluated LAMS as a tool for use in e-learning; Reflected on the issues arising in LAMS as a tool for use in e-learning.

Course delivery and activities

The training will be conducted using a blended classroom approach with a mixture of online and tutorial activities. This session will be hands on use of LAMS. Outline

Training schedule
Session 1:

10:45 am 12:15am - 1 hour and 30 mins

Welcome and lesson objectives Use LAMS as a learner: Intro to LAMS sequence Use Monitor to view from a teachers perspective Import sequence and LAMS reusability: [TV debate NZ sequence]

Lunch break (1 hour)

Session 2: Authoring in LAMS

1:15 pm 3:00 pm 1 hour and 45 mins

Discussion on tools: Chat & Scribe and Forums & Scribe Brief revision of authoring in LAMS Simple templates for designing learning sequences Authoring your chance to create a sequence for use with your students LAMS Community website Feedback on sequences created Evaluation of training

Participant prerequisites
To participate fully in the training, participants need:

Familiarity with using the Internet and basic computer skills;

Participants may like to bring along an activity (tutorial activity, role play, decision making exercise, reflective activity) or a learning object that could be used as a basis for creating a learning sequence in LAMS.

Certificate
Participants who attend the training will receive a certificate of attendance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQs: Teaching and Learning
1. I am not very technical, and have never taught 'online'. Will I be able to use LAMS? Yes. To create sequences in LAMS you only need to be familiar with using a browser interface Internet Explorer or Firefox. Modifying an existing template (a pre-existing sequence) makes the creation process relatively easy. You do not have to structure a website, but you do need to plan the activities so they integrate well with the rest of your teaching and learning program

2. Will I have to do much preparation for this new online learning? Just as you have to plan classes and resources for traditional teaching, you will need to prepare lesson plans for your online classes. Allow more time than usual for this as it will be a new experience for both you and your students. Rather than being too ambitious, you might begin with a small exercise using a couple of tools which you use during a few well structured lessons. See how these work and take a staged approach to introducing the technology. If things don't go quite as planned, or the pacing of the activities needs consideration, remember that LAMS enables you to easily change activities and communication strategies as you go, should you need to. It's always a good idea to author a small sequence with your colleagues first, monitor it and get some feedback.

3. What is the best context for using LAMS? Is it better for the classroom and as a group-based activity? Or as self-paced learning modules that students complete at home? LAMS can be used well in either context. It is especially effective as a tool for encouraging collaboration and engagement amongst students who, in the past, may have been hesitant about contributing to open classroom discussions. It is equally useful for supporting self-paced online learning activities that students complete at home - or anywhere they have connection to the Internet with the basic hardware/software user requirements.

FAQS: Authoring and monitoring

1. What are the minimum system requirements to run LAMS?

Windows 2000, XP or Mac OS X 10.2 or above MS Internet Explorer v6 or above, Firefox or Plugin: Flash v8 or above Fast network connection to a LAMS server

2. Can I edit a sequence once it has been created? Yes, editing is very simple in LAMS, and no knowledge of HTML is required. A simple formbased interface is used. It requires text only entry. From the author interface, the teacher double clicks on the tool to be edited, opens a form with a number of fields and from there can quickly change content, student instructions and files or URLS. Changing the order of activities is a matter of dragging and dropping the transition arrows. The content cannot be changed once a sequence has been assigned students. To edit a sequence with students, you can copy the sequence and edit the content in the copy to make a revised sequence, and then use it. 3. Can I see how my students are progressing through the sequence? Yes. By using the monitoring function you can see who has entered the sequence, how far they have progressed and the contributions they have made to online discussions, live chat sessions, or files contributed through the Share Resources tool. 4. My students can log in to LAMS, but cannot see their sequence This could be due to either or both of the following:

The students are in the LAMS database, but the author has not added students to the specific subgroup that runs the sequence The author has not started the sequence via the monitoring function

5. A colleague has sent me a learning design created in LAMS. How do I copy and open it? In the author view, choose File from the top menu bar.

Select Import. At the next dialogue box click on browse and find the file on your computer. Click Import and the sequence will be saved in the private folder of the user.

6. Is there a limit to the size of the files that can be attached to the Share Resources tool? Yes, files are limited to 10MB by the author and 1 MB by learners.

7. In Chat and Scribe, I cant see the box where I have to write the class report. Others in my group cant see my report either. Why is this? During authoring process no headings were added as a guide to student discussion, and the default setting was deleted, so no box was displayed for the learner.

8. What if I exit a sequence, how do I get back in? In learner view, if you exit a sequence and want to resume an activity, and cannot see the sequences in the left hand frame, click on the small icon to the right of Available Sequences below the LAMS logo. A list of new, started and finished sequences should appear.

9. What keyboard shortcuts can I use with LAMS? To find the URL of a page displayed by the Share Resources tool in learner view. In the learner view you can do either of the following:

PC: Right click your mouse on the web page, select Properties, copy the Address (URL) and paste into the LAMS share resources tool. Mac: Control key + click the mouse, select Open New Window, URL should display in location bar. Copy and paste the URL.

Add transition lines between activities in the author view. In the author view you can do either of the following:

PC: Hold down the Ctrl then click on an activity and drag it to the next activity. Mac: Hold down the (Apples command key) then click on an activity and drag it to the next activity.

FAQs: Learners view

1. Ive logged in, but I cant see any activities. You may not have the correct operating system, browser or Flash installed. Before running LAMS, check the system requirements.

2. Why cant I see the Progress Bar or Available Sequences? The Flash Player may not be installed. Quit LAMS and the browser, and install Flash, then restart LAMS. , 3. How do I get back into a sequence Ive exited? If you exit a sequence and want to resume your activity, click on Available Sequences below the LAMS logo. Go to Started Sequences and click on the sequence you want to run.

4. Ive downloaded a file from the Share Resources tool, but cant see it. What do I do? If you are on a Mac operating system, it may be that the file has downloaded but not displayed online. Look on your desktop for the file or in the folder where your downloaded files normally appear.

5. Im in the forum and I cant see the reply button. Why is that? The author has locked the forum so you cant return after you have checked the finish button.

6. I want to add the URL (web address) for a page I am viewing in LAMS, but cant see the web address. How do I find this? If you are in the learner view, and want to find out the URL for a website page which is in a frame without a location bar and displayed URL, you can do either of the following:

PC: Right click your mouse on the web page, select Properties, copy the Address (URL) and paste into the LAMS Share Resources tool Mac: Control key + click the mouse, select Open New Window, URL should display in location bar. Copy and paste the URL.

Research Findings from the Macquarie Trials

Critical thinking skills
LAMS provided a means of scaffolding for students helps focus LAMS seems to encourage teachers reflection on the pedagogy to a level of detail not usually thought through for tutorials or classroom-based teaching The collaboration, engagement and support LAMS offers for the writing and processes was recognised as contributing something new and significant.

Engagement
Noticeable collaboration in class Students were engaged [and] had fun LAMS works like an extended focus groups at some points good for collaboration - so helpful for survey design and case study work LAMS suits the way we learn together LAMS enabled individual students to gain 'a succinct and immediate vision of the group LAMS has a different presence. Classroom democracy - corroborates e.g. Sproull and Keisler (1991); Stacey (2000)

Most effective LAMS designs

Created by users with prior experience of LAMS or those who sort more help found potential of the tools and/or best contextual use Sequences broken down into smaller learning activities Designed to accommodate different amounts of student time on task varied learning styles/abilities of students authors took account of run time Combination of activities mix of collaborative and individual tasks

Gibbs, D. & Philip, R. (2005). Engaging with e-learning: Trialling a new Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) in Australia, Ed-Media Conference, World Conference on Educational Media, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, 27 June - 2 July 2005, Montreal, Canada. Voerman, A. & Philip, R. (2005) Walking together: LAMS, learning and experience for Indigenous students. Ed-Media Conference, World Conference on Educational Media, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, 27 June - 2 July 2005, Montreal, Canada.

Examples of Sequences
Example 1: Debate
Author: Robyn Philip, July 2004

Learning Design
1. Instructions and welcome (Noticeboard) 2. Resources presented shared and discussed on own or with group or in pairs (f2f) (Share resources tool) 3. Students grouped (Grouping tool) 4. Chat or forum used to discuss issues that arise from the resources (Chat, forum, Chat & Scribe) 5. Each student presents 3 -5 arguments for the affirmative case (Q & A) 6. Each student presents 3 -5 arguments for the negative case (Q & A) 7. Another forum to discuss outcomes (Forum) 8. Vote (Voting tool) Run time: about 60 minutes Delivery: tutorial room or lab, or combination of tutorial/lab + own time Group size: 30

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Example 2: Debrief, after simulation exercise

Author: Angela Voerman September 2004

Learning Design
1. Instructions and welcome follows f2f role play in class of a meeting (purpose to understand how organisations function in real life authentic task) (Noticeboard) 2. Role play in LAMS (Q & A) 3. Role play in LAMS and f2f - Reflecting on characters (Q & A) 4. Role play in LAMS and f2f - Reflecting on outcomes of meeting (Q & A) 5. Reflecting on meeting - online - analysing relationship with organisations and with course content (Forum) 6. Individual reflections and analysing and considering many viewpoints (Forum) 7. Evaluate activity -Theoretical end (Written assessment - follow up after LAMS) Run time: about 60 - 90 minutes Delivery: tutorial room or lab, or combination of tutorial/lab + own time Group size: 15

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Example 3: Extended role play

Author: Robyn Philip, September 2005

Learning Design
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Instructions and welcome (Noticeboard) Role play briefing in LAMS (Noticeboard) Students grouped (Grouping tool) Resources briefing documents + other background research provided (Share Resources tool using Optional transition) Discussion area facilitating ideas (grouped includes Chat, Forum, Chat & Scribe, Q & A with Optional transition) Group output (Share resources) Meeting submission (in role) or probing of outcomes (Q & A) whole class Further refining of outcomes whole class (Q & A) Voting on results (Voting tool)

Run time: about 3-5 weeks Delivery: combination tutorial room, lab, own time or all online Group size: large group about 30; small groups 3 5 students

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Example 4: LAMS for a molecular biology practical class

Author: Bronwen Dalziel, September 2005

Learning Design
1. 2. 3. The prac theory is introduced to the students. They are given an outline of what they will be doing. Tool: Noticeboard The students are asked to hypothesise as to what will happen in the prac. Tool: Q&A Students are given access to the precise lab methods (they may already have a hard copy of these in a prac manual. They can be encouraged to draw a flow chart of what they will be doing in the prac. Tool: Share Resources The demonstrator can release the sequence once the students have completed the prac. They can share their results with other students in their group. Students who have completed early can therefore have access to the group results from home. Tool: Q&A Based on the results of the whole class students can give an answer to the questions asked at the start of the prac. In this case, they can complete a survey, and state which sample contained which protein. Tool: Survey The students can be given some more information about the prac results for their report writing. Tool: Noticeboard Students can submit a report electronically. Tool: Submit report

4.

5.

6. 7.

Notes - Demonstrator has access to student answers before prac begins to check their understanding of prac material and purpose of prac - Lab methods do not have to be delivered electronically - Students can leave before the rest of the prac group, if they can access the LAMS sequence remotely. - Survey results will allow for discussion at a later date but may not suit current setup? - Report does not have to be delivered electronically

Run time: about 2 hours Delivery: lab, or combination of tutorial/lab + own time Group size: for example, 15 30

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Example 5: Introduction to the unit/course - What is Psychology?

Author: James Dalziel, September 2005

Learning Design
1. Initial definitions of the unit (Psychology) are presented to (Noticeboard tool). 2. Further textbook definitions given showing variety of ideas Psychology as a science, as behaviour, about the mind and mental activity etc (Noticeboard tool) 3. Ask students for their preconceptions about the field must respond before can see others comments (open ended Q & A tool). 4. Ask students why they are studying the subject (Q & A tool). 5. What do students hope to learn from the unit? Students respond. (Q & A tool). 6. Present further reflections on psychology and comparison with other fields (Noticeboard tool). 7. Misconceptions about aims of the course and lecturers assumptions ask student views further refine ideas (Q & A). 8. General discussion of ideas with peers about the issues (Forum)

Run time: over 1 week after first lecture Delivery: remotely, in own time out of class Group size: any number but needs to be grouped if more than 10 - 15 students

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Tools Summary

This tool runs a live chat session (synchronous discussion) for learners.

This tool combines a live chat with a scribe tool for collating the chat groups view on questions created by the teacher. When used in small group mode, the tool creates parallel chat and scribe areas for small groups, then shows the outcome of each group on a whole class range (viewable by all learners).

This tool provides an asynchronous discussion environment for learners, with discussion threads initially created by the teacher. Forums can be locked as an activity which is available only for the period of the specific activity, or they can be unlocked, in that learners can add to the Forum throughout the life of the whole sequence.

This tool combines an asynchronous discussion environment for learners, with discussion threads initially created by the teacher. When used in small group mode, the tool allows the scribe to summarise on topics discussed. All members of the group will need to agree in order to proceed to the next activity.

This tool allows teachers to create simple automated assessment questions, including multiple choice and true/false questions. These questions can be used for summative assessment with scores or formative assessment with feedback.

This tool provides a journal for learners to record their thoughts on aspects of a sequence. These thoughts are viewable by the teacher in the monitor area. Learners have their own private notebook area (scratchpad) which is available from the learner area (bottom left hand menu).

This tool provides a way of giving simple text to learners. This text can be content relevant to the sequence or instructions about how the sequence operates.

This tool allows teachers to pose a question to learners individually, and after they have entered their response, to see the responses of all their peers presented on a single answer screen.

This tool is a combination of the Share Resources and Forum tools on one page.

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This tool allows teachers to prepare content for learners during the authoring process such as URLs, zipped websites and/or individual files (PDF, PPT, etc). The tool can also be set to allow teachers and/or learners to add URLs or individual files at run-time (ie. During this activity within a sequence, rather than during authoring).

This tool allows learners to submit a file for assessment (up to 5 files) to the teacher, such as an essay, report, etc. The monitoring area provides assistance to the teacher with managing the marking process for submissions.

This tool allows teachers to prepare online surveys for students to complete. There are three types of questions possible; single answer response; multiple answer response and open text answers. A report of the findings in graphical format is available for the teacher in the monitor view.

The Voting tool allows teachers to provide learners with a list of options to "vote" on. It is similar to the Q & A tool in that Voting is presented over more than one screen, first a list of voting options, followed by a screen showing the individual learner's selection, then a screen showing "progressive" voting results (that is, a screen where learners can see the results coming in from other learners over time), and a final summary screen of group results.

This tool allows control the flow of activities. It allows the teacher to preset when students would be able to progress in the sequence. There are three choices for this and that is open the gate only when author permits it, preset countdown time and synchronise.

The addition of a group activity to a sequence allows other individual activities to run in small group mode (rather than whole class mode). This tool is different to others in that its role is to modify the behaviour of other tools rather than conduct an activity in its own right.

This tool allows the teacher to create a set of optional activities for the student to complete.

This tool is used to connect activities together allowing a sequence to be formed.

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Resources
LAMS@Macquarie Project http://www.melcoe.mq.edu.au/projects/lams@mq.htm LAMS Foundation http://www.lamsfoundation.org LAMS International http://www.lamsinternational.com LAMS Usage Guide http://www.lamsinternational.com/CD0506/html/documentation/usage.html LAMS resources http://www.lamsinternational.com/CD0506/html/resource/index.html Research on LAMS http://www.lamsinternational.com/CD0506/html/resource/index.html#ArticlesResearchLAMS Student perceptions of e-learning and LAMS Beyond E-Learning: Student and Government Perceptions of E-Learning University of Oxford http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/events/beyond2004/ Transcript of student comments http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/events/beyond2004/beyondstudent.pdf LAMS Conference 2006 http://lamsfoundation.org/lams2006 LAMS Conference Podcasts http://lamsfoundation.org/lams2006

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