Structured Open-ended Learning Activities Using Client-side Interactive Objects

Engaging students in meaningful learning activities that complement and enhance face to face and other traditional modes of teaching presents a major challenge to universities. Course delivery systems may incorporate generic mechanisms for assessment and basic feedback, but are limited in terms of richness of expression. The use of more open-ended exercises requiring teaching staff to correct and comment upon submitted work is under pressure with changing economic circumstances and student/ staff ratios. Attempts to create more sophisticated feedback interaction systems generally increase complexity in software and pedagogical design. This paper describes an approach that goes some way to enhance the student-tutor dialogue in on-line activities, while avoiding elaborate technical constructions and costly involvement of teaching staff. It uses the ‘Learning Engine’ model for on-line activities implemented by way of interactive objects embedded in a browser Web page. A scripted sequence of questions, assessment criteria and feedback is provided through a tutorial ‘Itemset’ object that can be extended by small ‘interface’ objects customised to meet different subject requirements. While the learning interface is important, more can be done to craft activity sequences that will promote learning. We incorporate self-assessment and reflective activities as useful learning strategies that also provide valuable information to the lecturer, for example by registering student degree of confidence in a submitted answer. Assessment of an answer may involve the consideration of multiple factors, with no single, correct interpretation. We can also turn part of the responsibility for learning back to the student by asking them to reflect on their initial effort in the light of ‘expert’ answers presented later and ranking themselves according to criteria devised by the lecturer. This approach to dealing with more complex content material has evolved from the real teaching needs in a variety of disciplines including Economics and Physiology. The paper will illustrate a number of pilot studies and suggest a conceptual framework for exploring the development of meaningful on-line learning activities. A pool of ‘templates’ for particular activity styles emerging from these projects will provide a means of scaling such techniques into more widespread use.