JISC

Start date: 1 May 2006

End date: 31 October 2007

Funding programme: e-Learning Pedagogy programme

Project website: http://www.gre.ac.uk/elidacamel

JISC theme(s): e-Learning

The eLIDA CAMEL (e-learning Independent Design Activities for Collaborative Approaches to the Management of e-Learning) project is a JISC-funded Design for Learning (DfL) programme building directly on results gained in 2005-2006 from two prior e-learning projects:

1. JISC eLISA (e-Learning Independent Study Award) DeL (Distributed e-Learning) lifelong learning project 
2. HEFCE/LGM-funded JISC infoNet CAMEL (Collaborative Approaches to the Management of e-Learning) communities of practice project

The eLIDA CAMEL addresses theme C: Implementing and evaluating learning design tools in the JISC Design for Learning pedagogic e-learning programme. Total JISC funding for the pilot project is £60,000.

Aims and Objectives

The project aims to:

• contribute to theme C) Implementing and evaluating learning design projects of the JISC Design for Learning programme
• focus its activity primarily on strand (b) carrying out user evaluations on innovative tools with a learning design functionality
• collect case study information from 2-3 practitioners per post-16/HE institution participating, in the formation of DfL collaborative case studies
• train practitioners in using LAMS V1.1, and/or RELOAD, with examples given for possibilities of integration into institutional VLEs, and with an option for working with Moodle
• set up a project team internal forum in Moodle
• for LD-VLE integration, enable practitioners to understand which e-learning practices sit well within a learning design tool, and which are best integrated within a VLE
• train practitioners in principles of design for learning to develop their own sequences during Phase 1 of the project, in May-Oct, 2006. During this phase, the project will set up mentoring teams and a support mechanism for practitioners

Project objectives are to:

• collect a series of (1) individual and (2) collaborative case studies on the implementation and evaluation of tools and systems to support design for learning in a range of post-16/HE contexts;
• enable practitioners in partner post-16/HE institutions to trial design for learning activity sequences and processes with their learners;
• bring together practitioner design for learning work into the ‘CAMEL’ framework of a collaborative e-learning community organised with JISC infoNet supported by ALT;
• enable the eLIDA CAMEL team to reflect on, synthesise and disseminate the results of the project to contribute national and international developments in learning design within a growing community of practice developed originally in the CAMEL JISC infoNet project.

Project Methodology

The eLIDA CAMEL will trial design for learning sequences with practitioners in South East, Leeds and Loughborough post-16 institutions using LAMS V1.1, RELOAD (and, optionally, Moodle).

The project will aim to build a community of practice for critical evaluation of and feedback on practitioner use of design for learning software and pedagogical practice across the UK. eLIDA CAMEL will utilise the JISC infoNet CAMEL model developed in 2005-06 for collaboration for effective UK-wide practice in the management of e-learning. A collaborative inquiry methodology will underpin the evaluation framework selected for the project. The eLIDA CAMEL will be structured into the following components:

• Design for Learning evaluation work - the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of DfL activities by practitioners in post-16/HE institutions: South East, Leeds and Loughborough;
• Collaborative on-line e-learning community activities - the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of practitioners’ e-learning work in collaborative group activities across the UK using the CAMEL JISC infoNet model.

Deliverables

• A written report on the eLIDA CAMEL project, including recommendations for the development of design for learning and collaboration for communities of practice in this;
• Individual and collaborative studies including 10-20 practitioners in institutions in the South East, Leeds and Loughborough re. DfL activities, processes & outcomes with learners;
• A series of dissemination events and products linked to the eLIDA CAMEL, including full and short papers focusing on specific aspects of the project (e.g. the CAMEL model, definition of learning design, examples of learning design generic sequences, discussion of issues relating to re-usability);
• A final data collection which will be made available to the JISC and to other LD projects.

Stakeholders

Other information

• JISC eLISA project 
• JISC infoNet CAMEL project