Unit 3

Learning Activities and Tasks

U N I T - 3 - N A V I G A T I O N

Designing a Syllabus
Creating Learning Outcomes
What is an eLecture?
Developing Learning Activities & Tasks
Planning Learning Assessments
Building a KEWL Course
Basic Q & A for Using KEWL

S I T E - N A V I G A T I O N

Unit One
Unit Two
Unit Three
Unit Four
Unit Five
Index

Learning Outcomes

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Critique the learning tasks and activities provided in the module on eLearning
  • Recommend additional learning tasks and activities for one of the modules in the ICT applications course
  • Articulate the link between learning outcomes and learning tasks and activities

eLecture: Learning Tasks 

Education research suggest that learning appears to improve when the learning task engages the learner or when the learner is engaged in learning. Indicators of engaged learning developed by Jones, Valdez, Nowakowski, and Rasmussen (1994) are summarized below:

  1. Vision of engaged learning: Successful, engaged learners take responsibility for their own learning; they define their own learning goals and assess their own achievement; they engage in problem-solving; they value working with others. 
  2. Tasks for engaged learning: Instructors must create tasks that are challenging (complex and sustained over a period of time), authentic (correspond to home and work tasks), and mutidisciplinary. 
  3. Assessment of engaged learning: Tasks provided above are assessed through examining presentations, projects and other outcomes arising out of the tasks. Often called performance-based assessment this type of assessment is ongoing or continuous and has explicit and equitable standards that apply to all learners. 
  4. Instructional models and strategies for engaged learning: Without a doubt interactive learning that is problem-, project- and outcome-based is the most powerful instructional model. Strategies for interactive engaged learning include individual and group summarizing, exploring multiple perspectives, brainstorming, problem-solving, building upon prior knowledge, and team teaching. 
  5. Learning context of engaged learning: The eLearning environment must be conceived of as a knowledge-building learning community where diversity and multiple perspectives are valued. 
  6. Grouping for engaged learning: Small, heteregeneous (different sexes, cultures, abilities, ages, socio-economic backgrounds) groups or teams which can be reconfigured according to learning outcomes. 
  7. Teacher roles for engaged learning: Teacher roles shift away from primary information giver to that of facilitator (provide rich learning tasks), guide (mediate, model and coach) and co-learner with the student. 
  8. Student roles for engaged learning: Student roles shift from passive receiver of information to that of explorer (discover, apply, and reflect) and co-teacher, adding to the knowledge base. 
Given the above indicators of learning, what then is a good learning task?  Michigan Gateway suggests that a good learning task 
engages all the senses and: 
  • allows students to construct and explore ideas. 
  • has multiple paths to a valid outcome. 
  • is not "over engineered." 
  • is not rushed. 
Shar and Schluep (2002) suggest that appropriate learning tasks must:
  • encourage learners to actively process the information. 
  • support understanding of meaning rather than structural aspects. 
  • support learners to focus on meaning rather than appearance. 
  • support learners to construct and integrate the information to their own experience. 
As early as 1995 San Diego State University developed WebQuest as an inquiry-based activity to focus learners on using information. The WebQuest Taskonomy requires a description of what the end result of the learners' activities will be. The task could be a:
  • problem or mystery to be solved; 
  • position to be formulated and defended; 
  • product to be designed; 
  • complexity to be analyzed; 
  • personal insight to be articulated; 
  • summary to be created; 
  • persuasive message or journalistic account to be crafted; 
  • a creative work, or 
  • anything that requires the learners to process and transform the information they've gathered. 

"eLearning is the effective teaching and learning process created by combining e-digital content with local community and tutor support along with global community engagement."

Learning Tasks 

Read

  1. Glenn Hammond's Web Page http://xnet.rrc.mb.ca/glenh/learning_steps_&_tasks.htm
  2. The Learning Brain http://www.cast.org/udl/TheLearningBrain10.cfm

Search

  1. Using your favorite search engine, search for examples of learning tasks.

Discuss 

  1. Meet face to face with other learners from your Home Institution who are enrolled in this course for an hour. 
  2. Based on the readings and examples of learning tasks that you have found on the Internet, discuss the relationship between learning outcomes and learning tasks from the perspective of a practitioner and/or learner in the ICT Policy and Regulation diploma program. 
  3. Report back on the outcomes of your face to face discussion by posting it on the discussion forum. 
  4. Comment on 1-2 of the postings from the other learners from other sites.

Create 

Add more slides to your powerpoint presentation (which you have started after completing Lesson 1) to articulate the concept of learning tasks; assess the relationship between the learning tasks to the learning outcomes on the module on eLearning; and, assess the relevance of learning tasks to your own professsional development. 

Learning Assessment

1) Assess yourself by sharing your views with a peer on the following:

  • Critique the learning tasks and activities provided in the module on eLearning
  • Articulate the link between learning outcomes and learning tasks and activities

2) Points towards final grade

  • Participation in the discussion forum = 1 point
  • Quality of participation in the discussion forum = 2 points
  • Powerpoint slides = 1 point