Technology e Learning

7/29/2019 Technology e Learning

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Technology for building a

learning organization : AScenario Scan

PP Sengupta


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What is a learning organization ?

In his article published in August 1993

in Harvard Business Review, David

Garvin defines a learning organizationas "an organization skilled at creating,

acquiring, and transferring

knowledge, and at modifying itsbehavior to reflect new knowledge and

insights."


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Peter Senge , on the other hand , in his book,The Fifth Discipline, described a learningorganization as "a place where people

continually expand their capacity to createresults they truly desire, where new andexpansive patterns of thinking are nurtured,where collective aspiration is set free andwhere people are continually learning howto learn." This definition is quite abstract. Itsfocus is on the philosophical approachtowards learning.


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The Society for Organizational Learning

(MIT) defines a "Learning Organization"

as one in which people at all levels,individually and collectively, are

continually increasing their capacity to

produce results they really care about.


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To summarize

Firstly ,a Learning Organization ismore of a collective ideal, a vision. The

distinguishing feature about a learningorganization is that it promotes aculture of learning, a community oflearners, and it ensures that

individual learning enriches andenhances the organization as awhole.


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To summarize

Secondly ,a Learning Organization is

one that treats learning as a strategic

business process tying learning tobusiness results. A key characteristic

of a learning organization is one in

which learning is woven into thefabric of the organization.


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Ability to learn faster than your

competitors Ability to learn faster than the

competitors may be the only sustainable

competitive advantage in todays world.Knowledge Transfer', therefore, will

hold the key. Speed and effectiveness

of knowledge transfer will become thedrivers for organizational learning.


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Role of technology

The question will be how can an organizationimpart the same knowledge differentemployees with different learning abilities,

scattered over different locations ? Most importantly, how can it ensure that

training takes place in tandem with dailyoperations and pressures of workplace

emergencies, without compromising on thequality?

How can a organization personalize thetraining inputs given to its staff?


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" Vulcan mind meld "

These challenges might remind us of the film StarTrek. By placing his fingertips on another person'scranium, Mr. Spock, the hero of the film, couldinstantly transfer images, knowledge, data, andmemories from his brain to theirs, or vice versa.

The transfer was quick, cheap, tailored (Spock couldextract only the information which he wanted), andpermanent.

If you look at organizational learning and knowledgetransfer, at its simplest, as being the transfer ofknowledge or skills from one person to another,Spock's machine " Vulcan mind meld " couldbecome the paradigm for education and training in2025.


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Technology Of Knowledge

Transfer Classrooms in the world today are quite different

from what it used to be ten years back and will bedramatically different ten years from now.

Interactive classrooms : Mimioboards or interactivewhite boards allows the teacher to manipulatecomputer functions on the white board in the front ofthe room

Sensors are in place in the board that allow theteacher to use a special pen that acts like a mouseby which teachers maneuver through websites,graphs and other lessons and students can evenparticipate by using the board for presentations.


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Technology Of Knowledge

Transfer The Ipad, Ipod touch and the smart

phones are making waves in learning

with thousands of applications (APPS)to download and use. Now a wiki has

been created to help foster this

interesting new development.


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Computer based training (CBTs)

Computer based training (CBTs) is another popularmethod for increasing efficiency of learning, whichcame into practice in India during early 1990s.

CBT is generally delivered in a compact disc (CD)which contains images, video, sound and text. It isdriven by a software and provides a user-friendlyinterface to access the educational contents. Themost predominant characteristic of CBT is that it is

interactive and not passive. It is also easy todistribute, evaluate and update.


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Commuter Aided learning (CAL)

CAL technology can create environments inwhich learners can learn by doing, receivefeedback, and continually refine their

understanding and build new knowledge Thenew learning technologies can help peoplevisualize difficult-to-understand concepts byaccessing different versions of a lesson manytimes over. Students can work with

visualization and modeling software that issimilar to the tools used in non-institutionalenvironments


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e-Learning : The Cutting Edge Of

Learning Technology

e-Learning typically means using technology inparticular, internet or intranet to deliver learningmaterials. Simply speaking, e-Learning is trainingthat takes place through a network, usually over theInternet or a company intranet. It has its roots incomputer-based training (CBT) mentioned earlierwhich used CD-ROMs to teach mostly technicalskills to technical people. While CBT was basically apre-programmed content- combining text, image and

audio, captured and distributed in a CD, CAL ismuch wider, deeper and more flexible technology.


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e-Learning

Using e-Learning solutions , companies cantrain a large number of salespeople to use anew product, even if they are scattered indifferent geographical locations. On theacademic front, e-Learning allows people totake online classes in a variety of subjectsfrom remote universities. Even famed

universities like Stanford and Harvard nowoffer courses over the Web, popularly knownas virtual campus.


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Asynchronous and Synchronous

e-learning Synchronous e-Learning is similar to a

classroom, which means classes take place

in real-time and connect instructors andstudents via streaming audio or video or

through a chat room.

Asynchronous. It means that learners need

not flock to a fixed venue at a fixed time toavail of the learning opportunity. They can

learn at their own chosen time and location.


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LMS , VLE and LCMS

Various software solution platforms are today

emerging to enable the e-learning initiatives

for organizations across the globe. Basically they may be categorized into three

broad headings , namely

(1) Learning management system (LMS)

(2) Learning content management systems(LCMS)

(3) Virtual learning environment (VLE) .


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LMS

LMS is a software application for thedocumentation, tracking, reporting and

delivery courses or training programs ,who not only manages and automatesadministration of the courses , but alsodelivers learning content rapidly,

support portability and standards andcustomize content and enableknowledge reuse .


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LCMS

LCMS by contrast creates a multi-userplatform where many developers

authors, instructional designers, andsubject matter experts can join andcreate, store, reuse, manage, anddeliver digital learning content from a

central object repository, thuseliminating duplicated developmentefforts.


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VLE

A VLE on the other hand are primarily used

by universities and institutes , which allow

teachers to manage their courses andinteract on an on-going basis with students

for long duration courses.

In the corporate setting a course may be

much shorter in length, completed in a singleinstructor-led event or online session.


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Current global technology trends

in e-learning Mobile technologies One of the major trend

in current technology is integration of e

learning into as mobile phones, PDAs, digitalpen and paper, and in the long term, mobile

devices that are not yet on the market.

E-learning solutions and services are also

more and more integrated globally intoelectronic appliances, machines and

information interfaces


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Learning Analytics

The second trend in the current technology is growthof learning analytics, which will enable easyaccess to data on the desktop or tablet forinstructors, administrators and even students abouthow well students are learning and identification offactors which have impact on learning.

The rapid expansion of learning analytics in 2012 isprobably going to be the biggest productivity toolused by the e-learning service providers and users.

The analytics will help to identify at-risk learners ,sometimes almost within the first week of a courseby analyzing as amount of activity in an online class,response to e-mails, etc.


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Digital game based learning

The third technology trend is the digitalgamebased learning.

In 2003, James Gee described the impact of game

play on cognitive development. Since then, research,and scholastic interests in the area has nearlyexploded, as has the diversity of games developedby the industry .

Serious interactive games have emerged almost asa genre. Proliferation of gaming platforms and theevolution of games on mobile devices have nearlyrevolutionized the learning game scenario.


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Social networks in e-learning

The fourth trend is use ofsocial networks in e-learning. Presently trainers, instructors, and learnersare using social networking platforms like facebook

in many innovative ways as e-learning tools , farbeyond its initial stages of replicating, the existingclassroom-based models.

Learners can collaborate on-line with other learnersand the instructors with all kinds of resources like

videos, podcasts, blogs, etc, whenever they needthem and create their own resources and store themfor easy retrieval .


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Open source e-learning tools

The last one in the list is the evolution ofOpensource e-learning tools. It is estimated that thereare already more than 300 providers of commercial

e- Learning Management Systems. Out of themabout 40 offer open source LMS offerings (some ofthe most well known are Moodle, ILIAS, eduplone,Claroline and SAKAI), many of them with extensivedeveloper communities. Authors are increasingly

more motivated by pride and peer recognitionpreferring robustness before adding features.


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The Shape Of Things To Come

The fantastic advancement in technology will verysoon make the present technological scenario in e-Learning or computer assisted learning look like

stone-age. The advancement, for example, will take place in

broadband multimedia technology , browsertechnology, platform-independent transmissionprotocols, and media-capable features such as

Java-enabled client-server interactivity. It mayextends to readily accessible "new media" such asonline multimedia and hypermedia.


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Intelligent agents

Another technology of the future that will revolutionize e-Learning is intelligent agents.

They are nothing but software tools driven by ArtificialIntelligence Technology. They are Intelligent, autonomous,

mobile, rational, persistent and moreover proactive . Experts are saying that Intelligent agents would represent thenext tidal wave of innovation and development in the Informationage. These agents would perform specific tasks on the behalfof students, instructors, and other members of the educationalcommunity including parents and alumni. The agent-basedtechnology is expected to have an effect as profound and lastingas the Internet . It is growing to be a continuously evolving andexpanding area.


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Predictions for future

E-Learning software will have Cognitiveaudit trails which will automaticallyrecord user actions for recognizing

patterns of sub-optimal performance bythe learner. In other words , the software willkeep a track of performance of an individuallearner during all other earlier sessions and

will not only remember the responsepattern of the user but also providecustomized content to him .


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High quality voice synthesis technology

will enable auditory natural language

output. Hence e-Learning system willbe capable of listening to voice

commands and give back answers in

natural speech mode.


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Advancement in display hologramtechnology will enable visually striking 3-dimensional images to be broadcast over

networks. The images will have completed depth-of-

field and parallax when viewed directly withthe unaided eye and will actually float inspace. A user sitting at Kolkata in front of hiscomputer can view 3-D image of a facultydelivering a lecture in Ahmedabad, in realtime mode.


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Advanced manipulative input devices (

similar to joy sticks in a video game)

like gesture gloves with tactilefeedback will enable mimetic learning

which builds on real world experience.


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Advanced manipulative input devices (

similar to joy sticks in a video game)

like gesture gloves with tactilefeedback will enable mimetic learning

which builds on real world experience.


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Artificial Realities i.e immersive, multi-

sensory virtual worlds will be made

possible . For example, it will be possible tocreate a cock-pit of a battle tank with near

reality sound, smell, heat, wind speed and

jolts and bumps resulting from a rough

terrain. Learning to operate a tank will be anintensely motivating simulation providing

virtual experience to the trainee.


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Consciousness sensors will become a

reality. Such sensors will take inputs

from the users bio-system and sendvital signs of the state of mind of the

user to the computer. This will enable

monitoring the mood of the user anddelivering learning inputs customized for

that point of time.


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Artifacts with embedded semi-intelligence

and wireless interconnections will be

available. This will make portable smartdevices in real world settings, operable in

an e-Learning environment .Such devices

driven by powerful analytical software will

continuously predict what is required to belearnt now and then deliver it to the users

device in real time.


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Summing Up: What Technology

Can Do

Technology increases both productivity and qualityof learning. Classroom training requires a trainer, a

room, materials and enough learners to make thetraining worth the investment. With appropriatetechnology, each learner can access training exactlywhen it's needed at a time and location convenientfor that particular learner. This means no more

absence from workplace during training and no morecancelled or postponed training sessions due toproduction emergencies.


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Summing Up: What Technology

Can not Do In the final analysis learning is a people-centric activity.

Technology however great it may be, can noteliminate or undermine the people process.Technology can only increase the speed, qualityand efficiency of learning.

At the end of the day, the learning has to be applied towork places. Learning has to be treated as astrategic business process linking learning withbusiness results. This requires vision and an enterprise-

wise learning agility to be built inside the organization. Ifthat is achieved, then only we can make the dream ofbuilding a learning organization a reality.

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