E-learning models

Marie Jasinski and I spent a whole day together yesterday. Our discussion covered a wide range of subjects. Just before lunch, we were on the subject on e-learning models.

Marie said her elearning model is like free-ranging chicken. A safe environment (free of fox e.g.) and food are provided. However, the chicken has to search for the food - as contrast to battery hens.

We were on our way to a Chinese restaurant, so I added that another elearning model is like "yum cha". We can provide the learners with a large range of dim sums and let the learners have a taste of a board range of choices. Diversity was the keyword in my mind.

Roni joined us after lunch. As we were recapturing our discussion, Roni improved on the yum cha model, pointing out that there should be a main course. Finally, all three of use was happy with the following model:

Warm-up using an email game such as wormhole. This will give the players a taste of what will come and acts as a learner supported design. This is also as a vision development. Then the main development stage is a full scale Fablusi role play. The game goals of players are to ensure that their wormhole world will be the dominant outcome. So there is a natural competition between the two teams and this will help in tactic development. After the debrief, de-role and so on, there will be a cool down game based on half-life for consolidation.

While I am very brief in describing the final model here, I see the powerful impact of this model on learning outcome. We argue that for our work to be accepted, we need to create courses that low cost but deliver returns that are measured by "order of magnitude" changes instead of percentage. This is a great requirment and I believe we can deliver this with the above model.

Another powerful demonstration that when like-mind people are jamming, good ideas get better.