JISC

The recent L4All project (funded by the JISC Distributed e-Learning programme) has developed a system to support lifelong learners in exploring learning opportunities in the London region and in planning and reflecting on their lifelong learning activities. The L4All pilot system provides a web portal that allows learners to access information and resources registered with the portal by their providers, to plan their own learning pathways, and to maintain a record of their learning. Tutors are able to publish recommended pathways through courses and modules. Learners can share their learning pathways with other learners (if they wish) in order to encourage collaborative formulation of future learning goals and aspirations. However, evaluation of the L4All pilot has identified two key areas where further work is required: personalisation of the learning planning and recommendation functionalities, and improved support for users of the system, particularly for new users.

Aims and objectives

The project aims to address the two key findings arising from the L4All pilot evaluation study, namely personalisation of learning planning and recommendation, and improved support for users of the system, particularly new users. The project objectives are to:

• develop and evaluate user models that reflect the needs of the diverse population of lifelong learners We will identify learner attributes that need to be modelled and tasks/activities undertaken by lifelong learners, e.g. making career and educational choices, maintaining learning pathways throughout life, sharing information with peers and tutors. This user-related information will be used to design an ontology for user modelling in a lifelong learning context
• develop, deploy and evaluate personalised functionalities for the creation, searching and recommendation of learning pathways This will enhance individual learners' engagement with the lifelong learning process by offering personalised levels of learner control over their learning pathways, personalised support in the reflection of where their learning activities may take them, and management of their personal record of progress and attainment. It will also support building communities of learners with similar interests, and information sharing with other members of the community, other users of the MyPlan system, and organisations
• evaluate current game-based applications for supporting lifelong learners with view to developing and integrating a game-based application into MyPlan This will allow learners to role-play different learning and career progressions in order to give them better understanding of the possible implications and consequences of different career decisions and educational choices

Project methodology

The MyPlan project will deliver freely available open-source software, including two successive versions of the personalised functionalities for lifelong learners and the game application. The software developed will be in the form of components and services that extend the current L4All system architecture.  These tools will be incrementally adopted by the L4N during the lifetime of the MyPlan project, making these facilities directly available to the L4N community of learners.  The MyPlan project will also be providing access to these tools via the UCAS web portal, and this work will be steered by Jill Johnson (UCAS).

The methodology we adopted in developing the L4All pilot enabled a significant input into the development and evaluation of the system from major stakeholders throughout the lifetime of the project (learners, instructors, institutions, JISC and others). Hosting the L4All project at the London Knowledge Lab has allowed this approach to be readily employed, due to the broad base of multi-disciplinary in-house expertise and the lab’s extensive links (either directly or via its parent Birkbeck and Institute of Education institutions) with schools, FE colleges, and other FE/HE stakeholders.  We are adopting a similar approach in the MyPlan project. Additional significant input is being provided now by the 25+ partners of the L4N via its ICT Development Coordinator, Dr Sara de Freitas, who is a core member of the MyPlan project team, and via the Chair of its Steering Committee, Professor John Annette, who is one of the advisors to the project.

Anticipated impact

MyPlan will contribute to the JISC e-Learning programme by developing and evaluating new techniques and tools that allow personalised planning of lifelong learning. A personal space for lifelong learners such as this contrasts with many of the learning environments currently in use, which provide learners with resources and learning management tools that relate to their study at a single institution.The project will bring together stakeholders from a very broad range of institutions all of whom are committed to providing lifelong learning opportunities which enhance career development and widen participation. These stakeholders will have input into the formulation of user and technical requirements and the evaluation of the tools developed by the project. The participation of Dr Sara de Freitas and Prof. John Annette from the L4N in the project will assure that the needs of the L4N institutions and learners are reflected within the tools being developed and, conversely, will allow MyPlan to serve as a catalyst for the formulation of policies for engaging the interest of lifelong learners, developing their trust in carrying out e-learning and web-based activities, and encouraging them to take responsibility for planning and managing their own lifelong learning and continued professional development.