puff 284 Learning in the Metaverse

A really interesting article.

Praxis
Learning Sense
Published by Hank Horkoff February 5th, 2007 in General.
With the rapid evolution of mobile devices and expanding bandwidth we are in the midst of the development of a sensory addendum to the traditional five of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Soon we will all have access to the collective knowledge of past and present (and virtual?) mankind, organized and sorted by a Google-like entity, available to be used as a tool to help us navigate through our daily lives. I call this a ‘network sense’.

This ’sense’ will force all industries to adapt, but at ChinesePod we have been using this vision to help us re-conceive what a learning product could look like. Some of our current thinking:

A ‘Learning Sense’
As we design the next iteration of the ChinesePod product model, we are starting to see 3 key pillars: a web 2.0-style learning management system, utilization of social web tools and optimization for mobile learning devices. The combination of the three will form the nascent core of a network sense for learning.



1. Learning Management System
Radio-Style Audio Lessons
Our audio lessons focus on teaching relevant, practical language and are presented in an engaging, conversational style. Through the course of this narrative, cultural insights and a sense of local authenticity are transferred. Hosts need to be interesting personalitities to enable host-host and host-listener dynamics to emerge. Leveraging the distribution powers of the Internet, podcasting allows star teachers to tear down the walls of their classrooms and reach a global class body. All MP3 lessons are licensed under a Creative Commons 2.5 license to make it as easy as possible for students and teachers to use the product.

Distinct Learning Units
The fundamental building block of any learning service is the lesson. In contrast to most learning systems, ChinesePod presents lessons as distinct learning units (within 6 bands of difficulty) that can be remixed into a customized curriculum of the student’s (or their teacher’s) design. This flexibility ensures that students learn the language most relevant to their individual needs.

Lesson Scheduling & Distribution
Time-based RSS distribution allows for effective pacing of study. The next version of the ChinesePod website utilizes a calendar-based system for students to help organize their studies. Students will be able to personalize custom RSS feeds with selected archive content, lessons at their specific level, or with theme-based or cultural shows. RSS-based podcast distribution allows the learner to be able to access the audio lessons on any MP3-playing device, including iPods, mobile phones or laptop computers.

Lesson Review
To reinforce the audio lesson, ChinesePod provides dialogue transcripts, a breakdown of key vocabulary, a series of expansion words, and a number of comprehension exercises.

Archived Learning Data
By supporting all student activity from a central database-platform, students maintain a fluid study experience irregardless of channel of access. Storing study data allows students to track lesson progress over time and to take advantage of vocabulary review tools that can be accessed anywhere via mobile devices.

2. Social Web
User Feedback
ChinesePod believes that both lesson creation and service development is a collaborative effort with our users. An active effort is made to engage and encourage users to contribute in lesson comments, blog discussion and in a forum. In many ways, we are just stewards of the ChinesePod project.

Social Filtering
With a daily publication schedule, ChinesePod has already produced one of the largest archives of Chinese lesson content on the Internet. Implicit (user additions to their calendar) and explicit (rankings by users) behaviour help to make sense of this mass by bringing both the best lesson content and influential peer contributers to the fore front.

Informal Learning & Collaboration
While teacher-driven lessons spark the learning process, studies routinely show the majority of learning occurs in informal contexts. ChinesePod will facilitate this by providing basic social networking functions in its upcoming ‘Connect’ section.

Peer Motivation
Language learning is a difficult, and often frustrating, endeavour. Allowing students to share their experiences with each other, not only provides successful case examples, but provides a crutch when setbacks occur.

3. Mobile Learning Devices
Mobile Access
Traditional classroom training is too inconvenient. Mobile devices, such as the iPod, allow for lesson input to be consumed irregardless of location. ChinesePod users regularly report listening to the lessons in non-productive or ‘dead’ time, such as in transit, at the gym, etc. Technology will only make this form of consumption more prevelent. Mobile Devices with Wi-Fi (e.g. Nokia N90 series phones, iPhone, etc.) will allow direct lesson downloads disintermediating the computer. Devices with GPRS/3G will allow users to access all the lesson review materials away from their computer while keeping them up-to-date with the latest posts in their conversations with other users.

Contextual Awareness
In the future, the use of mobile devices will also increasing integrate contextual variables into customization. For example, GPS location could be used to deliver relevant language for that location (e.g. how to buy a ticket at a train station) or to help you connect with other users in a similar geographic proximity.

4. Future: Metaverse Learning
Practice through Simulation
While some competitors have decided to create their own virtual worlds to facilitate practice, ChinesePod believes that metaverses will emerge as standards, upon which services could be built. In the future, we will experiment with providing additional services in these environments, such as Second Life (and Google Earth?).