iClass a new generation learning system?

iClass is a new type of online learning system that is a major break from Learner Management Systems LMS like Blackboard and Moodle. It is a under development in Europe by a consortium of educational organisations, universities and IT industry companies. It is a sort of amalgamation of a journal, social networking and an LMS. It has a planning component (to plan your learning) a learning area and a reflection area. There is a good overview of iClass here.

The quite different elements are in planning and reflection. The student is prodded to justify and reflect on their thinking. iClass does some magical things like Google in monitoring what the user is typing, and suggest links to the contributions of others - but not advertising like Google.

The goal of iClass is to manage or rather, support "self regulated personalized learning". It is based on some strong theory led by the very interesting Roni Aviram who is an educational philosopher. I have been very impressed by him for some years following an article he jointly wrote a while ago which claimed that there are three main groups of people leading ICT development and that they act in ignorance of each other. Technocrats who think technology is great and just dandy, Reformists who think technilogy will improve the world by forcing constructivist methods of learning, and a far smaller group of 'Holists' who are a more skeptical bunch. Some are anti technology, and others see a positive side, but are skeptical of the two larger groups.

Aviram and the people behind iClass believe that things are not going well with ICT integration in learning, and that we are going to have to work hard to develop new methodologies to create the wonderful world of student centred learning.

iClass web site

sictac

Tags: online learni digital literacy sictas
Posted at 04:33PM Jul 29, 2008 by John Travers  |  Comments[1]