Is perfection possible?

So, the perfect use of yesterday's model. Today we moved on to the Goals model, where we attempted to apply goals, then actors who would achieve these goals, to yesterday's concept model. We are also using the concept of eBig3, an RTU concept that follows on from some work in Ambient Learning and has some similarities with Glamorgan University's Work-based Access to Learning through E-Services. We've covered two of the Big3 but still have the web-based component to look at. This is where most of the issues with the model lie. Web-based e-learning has promised the earth but in many cases has failed to really deliver a significant return on investment or expectation. It is all to often the Creepy Salesman from Dr Ebenezer, who tells you that "e-learning can transform the learning experience, save you so much time you can do twice as much research, improve you students grades and it will even improve your sex life." Also, as Atis has often quoted Peter Chatterton as saying, "all e-learning projects are successful - once!" How come they never seem to last?

How many presentations of wonderful e-learning projects have you been to and then never heard of again? How much money has been spent on shiny new toys and expensive software, all shown off with impressive presentations to nodding administrators? Even though some projects show some seemingly impressive outcomes, most don't even come near to giving a real return on the huge investment put in. There seems to be a real disconnect between what would really benefit learners and what actually gets developed. Part of it is down to greedy software companies pushing the latest product but I don't think that is the main issue. Often those that make the decisions about where the money is spent and on what it is spent on don't really understand the consequences of the decisions they are making. A bit like the hospital administrator who wants to see the machine that goes 'bing'. I think the video pretty much sums up most major e-learning projects, with the doctors as the learning technologists and the poor patient as the learner or maybe an academic, depending on your point of view.



So before looking at the goals and actors for the web-based component, in a change to my beloved Appreciative Inquiry approach (it's always good to have your own assumptions challenged - so I'm told), we looked at the barriers to sustainability in traditional e-Learning (or TEL if you are reading this in Wales).

Tomorrow we'll see if our model can address the barriers and stop wasting money on the machine that goes 'bing'.

A new career in modelling?

One of the areas the Riga Technical University are exploring at the moment is the use of Knowledge Transfer models and their application to the using technology to support and enhance learning. The task we have set ourselves for the next two weeks is to see if we can produce a new model for sustainable lifelong learning. We are using the Enterprise Knowledge Develpment (EKD) method as tool for building the model as this is something the team here have used many times in project planning.

EKD was developed by the Sorbone, UMIST (now Manchester) and SYSLAB/DSV in Stockholm. They argue that -

• EKD is an integrated collection of methods, techniques, and tools that will support your process of analysing, planning, designing, and changing your business.
• EKD supports your thinking, reasoning, and learning about the business.
• EKD leads to more complete and consistent business designs.
  

And that EKD is not -

• a “magic method” that relieves you from thinking and acting
  
• a “software tool”
  
• an approach that necessarily leads to a software system
  

There are various sub models within the overall model and we started with the concepts model. The Concepts Model is used to strictly define the "things" and "phenomena" that are being talked about in the other models. They are presented as enterprise concepts, attributes, and relationships. Concepts are used to define more strictly expressions in the Goals Model as well as the content of information sets in the Business Processes Model. The Concepts Model usually clarifies questions, such as: what concepts are recognised in the enterprise (including their relationships to goals, activities and processes, and actors), how are they defined, what business rules and constraints monitor these objects and concepts.

The planning process begins as a sort of organized 'thought shower', outlining the key concept preconditions that will underpin the model, which are written on pieces of coloured papaer. These are then stuck on a wall that has been covered in plastic so that connections can be drawn between the various concepts, as you can see from the photograph. Once complete, Visio is the used to keep a permenant record. I found the process a really useful and productive one - really quite engrossing. So much so that it wasn't untill 8pm that we decided to call it a day! The plan for tomorrow is to see if we can create a 'perfect' implemetation of the model.

Down to work......

My first full day in the office. We started with a meeting to discuss type of projects we could proceed with over the next two weeks with ideas about peer supported lifelong learning – will have planning meeting tomorrow.

I was asked to take part in the weekly e-learning seminar. Atis then said would I mind presenting. Then could it be 45 mins to an hour. The seminar was at 5pm and included Liepaja University by video conference. I began by presenting a Swansea University shield and bottle of Scotch Whisky. Not knocking the shield but the whisky appeared to be the more popular! I talked about our experiences of e-learning/TEL at Swansea and there was a lot of discussion, which finally finished at 7pm.

I strolled into Old Town to get something to eat and hardly anyone there. I was the only person in the restaurant. At least the British larger idiots have gone.

It's the weekend!

My first weekend in Riga and a chance to explore the Old Town. In the morning I met my new flat mates – 3 Spanish Erasmus students. Seemed very nice.

On Saturday I had a general stroll around the Old Town and visited the Occupation Museum and the War Museum and saw the Old Soviets celebration of end of war at riflemen memorial. They celebrate a day early for some reason.

Some time after I returned my new flat mates went out at for the evening at 1am They returned at 7.30! Spanish people are nocturnal?

On Sunday morning I went to what I thought was a Lutheran Church. However, there seemed to be rather a lot of crossing and sung responses – not very Lutheran at all. It turned out, of course, that I'd gone into one of the few Catholic churches in Riga. Very welcoming though, although they thought I was German :-)