CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY cambridge-serendipity/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk

Critical Serendipity Learning Objects and Learning Skills Thomas Rochford thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting. Jesus College, Cambridge – January 10th 2007

Overview CETL-RLO Workshops Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) - http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/ Learning Objects and Learning Design Overview JISC RELOAD Tools1 Some Issues Serendipity and Learning Skills Serendipity – The Camel Story Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ “Elementary my dear Watson” Non-textual Problem Solving Implementation Issues Consider the issues arising from attempting a practical implementation of a Learning Object to facilitate ‘Serendipity’ CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

CETL-RLO1 Workshops Sharing the LOAD UCEL workshops2 – resources for Healthcare Provides generic checklist for content, design and pedagogy UCEL Checklist • Learner’s Role(s) • Receive Information • Gather Information • Participate in Activity • Contribute Information • Assess their learning • Problem solve • Other? • Media Considerations • Written Text • Audio/Narration • Images • Animations • Video • Interactive Tasks • Other? Learning Goal • Assessment • Computer based (MCQ, etc.) • *Tutor feedback • *Peer Assessment (Discussion) • *Self-Assessment (Reflective) • *Portfolio • *Level-based • *Other? Learner’s Role • Media • Text, Images &/or Audio • Images with audio only • Multiple Images mixed with Text & or audio • Text with free text boxes • Other? Navigation Linear Branching Free Media Considerations Assessment Activities Notes: 1 (CETL-RLO) Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning in Reusable Learning Objects http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/ 2 (UCEL) Universities Collaboration in eLearning. http://www.ucel.ac.uk/load/workshop_packs.html Media Navigation Download CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

Learning Objects & Learning Design Learning Objects - Definitions Learning Objects are defined here as any entity, digital or non-digital, which can be used, re-used or referenced during technology supported learning. (LTSC 2000) The main idea of 'learning objects' is to break educational content down into small chunks that can be reused in various learning environments, in the spirit of object-oriented programming (David Wiley 2003)1 Learning Objects are pieces of digital learning material that have clear learning objectives and context independence (Bill Tait – November 2006)2 an interactiveweb-based resource based on a single learning objective and comprising a stand-alone collection of 4 components: presentation, activity, assessment & links (UCEL – November 2006)3 Notes: 1.http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/AOP/LO_what.html 2.http://www.billtait.com/Presentations/ISSoTL/ 3.http://www.ucel.ac.uk/about/rlos.html 4.http://www.lamsinternational.com/ Learning Design Based on pedagogic model (UCEL – checklist) Re-Usable Learning Workflow CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 Portable via XML-based definitions Several implementations – SCORM, IMS, LAMS4

RELOAD1Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

RELOAD1Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor Learning Design Editor Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

RELOAD1Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor <metadata> <schema>IMS Content</schema> <schemaversion>1.2.2</schemaversion> <lom> <general> <identifier>http://www.isfahan.org.uk/papers/manuni</identifier> <title> <langstring xml:lang="en">The Alchemy of the Mosque</langstring> </title> <catalogentry> <catalog>Sufism</catalog> <entry> <langstring xml:lang="en">Architecture</langstring> </entry> </catalogentry> <language>en</language> <description> <langstring xml:lang="en">Analysis of sufic influences in Iranian Architecture</langstring> </description> <keyword> <langstring xml:lang="en">Sufism, Islam, Iran, Shiism, Isfahan, Architecture</langstring> </keyword> <coverage> Learning Design Editor XML Output Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

RELOAD1Tools Metadata & Content Packaging Editor <catalogentry> <catalog>Sufism</catalog> <entry> <langstring xml:lang="en">Architecture</langstring> </entry> </catalogentry> <description> <langstring xml:lang="en">Analysis of sufic influences in Iranian Architecture</langstring> </description> <keyword> <langstring xml:lang="en">Sufism, Islam, Iran, Shiism, Isfahan, Architecture</langstring> </keyword> Learning Design Editor XML Output Notes: 1 Reusable e:learning Object Authoring and Delivery – http://www.reload.ac.uk/ Learning Objects – Features (Issues) Self-Contained (External Links, Assessment too?) Re-Usable (Personalisation, Boring?) Can be aggregated into Learning Design (XML Scripting?) CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 Tagged with Metadata (Standards?)

Serendipity & Learning Skills The Three Princes of Serendip “They were always making discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.” (Horace Walpole) Misfortune befalls the princes when a camel driver stops them on the road and asks them if they have seen one of his camels. Although they have not, they have noticed signs that suggest a camel has passed along the road. Ever ready to dazzle with their wit and sagacity, the princes mystify the camel driver by asking him if the lost camel is blind in one eye, missing a tooth and lame. The camel driver, impressed by the accuracy of the description, immediately hurries off in pursuit of the animal. After a fruitless search, and feeling deceived, he returns to the princes, who reassure him by supplying further information. The camel, they say, carried a load of butter on one side and honey on the other, and was ridden by a pregnant woman. Concluding that the princes have stolen the camel, the driver has them imprisoned. It is only after the driver’s neighbour finds the camel that they are released. The princes are brought before Emperor Beramo, who asks them how they could give such an accurate description of a camel they had never seen. It is clear from the princes’ reply that they had brilliantly interpreted the scant evidence observed along the road. As the grass had been eaten on one side of the road where it was less verdant, the princes deduced that the camel was blind to the other side. Because there were lumps of chewed grass on the road the size of a camel’s tooth, presumably they had fallen through the gap left by a missing tooth. The tracks showed the prints of only three feet, the fourth being dragged, indicating that the animal was lame. That butter was carried on one side of the camel and honey on the other was clear because ants had been attracted to melted butter on one side of the road and flies to spilled honey on the other. The deduction regarding the pregnant rider is more complicated than the rest and is somewhat lewd, so I shall let the princes tell it themselves: “I guessed that the camel must have carried a woman,” said the second brother, “because I had noticed that near the tracks where the animal had knelt down the imprint of a foot was visible. Because some urine was near by, I wet my fingers (in it) and as a reaction to its odour I felt a sort of carnal concupiscence, which convinced me that the imprint was of a woman’s foot.” “I guessed that the same woman must have been pregnant,” said the third, “because I had noticed nearby handprints which were indicative that the woman, being pregnant, had helped herself up with her hands while urinating.”1 Notes: 1 Retold by Richard Boyle at http://http://livingheritage.org/three_princes.htm CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

“Elementary my dear Watson!” Abductive reasoning Concept invented by Charles Peirce in 1890 He later used the term to mean creating new rules to explain new observations, emphasizing that abduction is the only logical process that actually creates anything new. Abduction allows the derivation a as an explanation of b; abduction works in reverse to deduction, by allowing the precondition a of “a entails b” to be derived from the consequence b; in other words, abduction is the process of explaining what is known.1 “I knew you came from Afghanistan. From long habit the train of thought ran so swiftly through my mind that I arrived at the conclusion without being conscious of intermediate steps. There were such steps, however. The train of reasoning ran: Here is a gentleman of a medical type, but with the air of a military man. Clearly an army doctor, then. He has just come from the tropics, for his face is dark, and that is not the natural tint of his skin, for his wrists are fair. He has undergone hardship and sickness, as his haggard face says clearly. His left arm has been injured. He holds it in a stiff and unnatural manner. Where in the tropics could an English army doctor have seen such hardship and got his arm wounded? Clearly in Afghanistan. The whole train of thought did not occupy a second ...” (A Study in Scarlet)2 Notes: 1 the three sections above are dervied from the definitiion in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abductive_reasoning2.http://ksl.stanford.edu/people/sam/abduction.ps CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 “How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?”

Non-textual problem solving What is written on the black stone? How will we search for it? Notes: 1 Retold by Richard Boyle at http://http://livingheritage.org/three_princes.htm CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 What do we know? What can we do?

LA FONTAINE·DEFORTVNEOVIL·NIAQVEL Non-textual problem solving Enlarge the image, enhance the brightness contrast and sharpness? What can we see? LA FONTAINE DE FOR-TUNE OU IL N’Y A QUEL Google? ‘La fontaine de fortune’ mainly yields results about ‘Jean de la Fontaine’. What can we add to this? CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 ‘Rene’?

Non-textual problem solving Google : "la fontaine de fortune rene" Notes: 1.http://www2.unil.ch/fra/HistLitt/Cours/Periode%20medievale/RnAnjou.htm CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 Serendipity derives its advantage from the addition of ‘accidental’ knowledge:

Implementation – A Learning Journey A Learning Journey An emulation of the journey of the three princes in search of serendipitous knowledge – hopefully without misfortune, and within five minutes! Our journey starts in my back garden in Cambridge …. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

A Learning Journey – Handel (London 1738) Ombra mai fu… Frondi tenere e belleDel mio Platano amato,Per voi risplenda il Fato.Tuoni, Lampi, e ProcelleNon vi oltraggino mai la cara pace,Ne giunga a profanarvi Austro rapace. Tender and beautiful frondsOf my beloved plane tree,Let Fate smile upon you.May thunder, lightning, and stormsNever bother your dear peace, Nor may you be profaned by blowing winds. Notes: 1 ‘Ombra mai fu’: Enrico Caruso 1920. http://www.archive.org/details/CarusoHandel CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

A Learning Journey – Sardis (Herodotus - 431-425 BCE) ὡς δὲ ἐκ τῆς Φρυγίης ἐσέβαλε ἐς τὴν Λυδίην, σχιζομένης τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τῆς μὲν ἐς ἀριστερὴν ἐπὶ Καρίης φερούσης τῆς δὲ ἐς δεξιὴν ἐς Σάρδις, τῇ καὶ πορευομένῳ διαβῆναι τὸν Μαίανδρον ποταμὸν πᾶσα ἀνάγκη γίνεται καὶ ἰέναι παρὰ Καλλάτηβον πόλιν, ἐν τῇ ἄνδρες δημιοεργοὶ μέλι ἐκ μυρίκης τε καὶ πυροῦ ποιεῦσι, ταύτην ἰὼν ὁ Ξέρξης τὴν ὁδὸν εὗρε πλατάνιστον, τὴν κάλλεος εἵνεκα δωρησάμενος κόσμῳ χρυσέῳ καὶ μελεδωνῷ ἀθανάτῳ ἀνδρὶ ἐπιτρέψας. From Phrygia [Xerxes] entered Lydia; and here the road parts into two, and that which goes to the left leads towards Caria, while that which goes to the right leads to Sardis; and travelling by this latter road one must needs cross the river Meander and pass by the city of Kallatebos, where men live whose trade it is to make honey of the tamarisk-tree and of wheat-flour. By this road went Xerxes and found a plane-tree, to which for its beauty he gave an adornment of gold, and appointed that one of his ‘Immortals’ should have charge of it.2 Notes: 1 Bust of Herodotus and the ‘Agora’ at Sardis. 2.Herodotus, Histories, 7:31 http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/hh/hh7030.htm CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

A Learning Journey - Xerxes (Persepolis 485-465 BCE) Ombra mai fu ... Ombra mai fuDi Vegetabile,Care ed amabileSoave piu.Never was madea plant more dear and loving or gentle Notes: 1 Carvings of Xerxes from Persepolis CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

A Learning Journey - Sir John Evelyn 1663 …the incomparable and shady Platanus, that so beautiful and precious Tree which we reade the Romans brought out of the Levant, and cultivated with so much industry and cost, for its stately and proud head only; that they would irrigate them with Wine in stead of Water. Pliny tells us there is no Tree whatsoever which so well defends us from the heat of the Sun in Summer; nor that admits it more kindly in Winter.1 Notes: 1 Sylva, Sir John Evelyn, 1663, Ch.222.Adam Olearius 1656 quoted at. http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/3. Palace of Chehel Sotoon (40 Columns) - the wooden pillars are made from the ‘Chenar’ - Platanus orientalis The Persians like specially a kind of wood , unknown in Europe, called Chenar.It is brown and has a wavy grain, and they use it for doors and windows, which, when rubbed with oil, become incomparably finer than those made here of walnut.2 Ombra mai fu, di vegetabile, care ed amabile, soave piu. CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 Never was made a plant more dear and loving or gentle

A Learning Journey - Sir John Chardin (Isfahan 1724) The Persians hold, that the Plantane hath a natural Virtue in it against the Plague, and all other Infections of the Air; and they affirm, that they had no more Contagion at Ispahan, their Metropolis, after they had planted them every where round about, as they did in the Streets and Gardens.1 Notes: 1 A New and Accurate Description of Persia, Sir John Chardin 1724, Vol II Ch. 4 2. ‘Chahar Bagh’, Isfahan CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 Never was madea plant more dear and loving or gentle Ombra mai fu, di vegetabile, care ed amabile, soave piu.

A Learning Journey – Back Home (Cambridge 2006) • Platanus orientalis. Linnaeus 1753 • Up to 30m. Leaves 5-7 lobed, central lobe much longer than its width at base. All lobes coarsely dentate, rarely entire. Capitula (2-)3-6(-7) on a long pendulous axis. • Balkan peninsula southwards from c. 420 N.1 Notes: 1 Flora Europaea Vol. I, CUP 1964 CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

1. Present scenario/’Object’2. Gather initial ideas 3. Present alternative contexts 4. Update initial ideas5. Review, reflect & gain feedback     Critical Serendipity – Pedagogy (1) Learning Goal: To enhance understanding of the subject through the critical application of related , prior material. What will learners to do and how will this be achieved? Receive Information:  Gather Information:  Participate in activity: Contribute Information: Assess their learning:  Problem Solve: Other: What will learners do and how will this be achieved? Text: Animations: 1. Listen to music2. Form filling for self/tutor assessment Audio: Video: CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 Images: Tasks: Other:

Critical Serendipity – Pedagogy (2) Support for constructivist learning: Adjustment of initial mental model & pre-conceptions to accommodate new experiences & information Method of assessment: Record initial ideas, enhancements and then assess progress – possibly via feedback from tutor. (cf. above.) Other relevant design factors: Design template: Navigation: Why? Standard: Mixed Linear: Images & audio: Text/Free Text Simulates ‘accident’ but preserves some supporting structure Branching: Other: CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007 Why? Simple, easily modified. Free:

Music Objective Botany Planning Ombra mai fu …HandelOperaSources DistributionCareVarietal forms By looking at something in a different way you will increase your under-standing of it Use of Plane trees to remove carbon monoxide‘London Plane’ Sound device Prior Knowledge N/A Activity – based? History/Politics Activity History/Culture XerxesEast/West conflictPersepolis What do you already/now know about it? Herodotus‘Persian fire’SardisCultural traditions N/A Ideas Greek character set Assessment Architecture How has your understanding increased?How will you apply this? ColumnsShade Feedback N/A Critical Serendipity - Storyboard CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY http://www.cambridge-serendipity.com/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk RSC ACL Advisors’ Meeting, Jesus College, Cambridge January 10th 2007

CAMBRIDGE SERENDIPITY cambridge-serendipity/ thomas.rochford@tcrochford.co.uk