SELF-MANAGED LEARNING IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL CONTEXTS

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2.1 Influences Relationships

In this first stage of Phase 2, the data sets analysed in Phase 1 were further examined. Where previously (Phase 1) analysis was used to identify and categorise available resources and potential filters relating to those resources. In this phase and step, the aim is to identify the kinds of relations that exist between the learner and her available resources. In particular, the aim is to identify positive and/or negative influences on the learner's ability to access and/or use the resources available to her.

It is important to emphasise that limitations or constraints relating to resources are not necessarily negative. Similarly, an abundance of resources is not necessarily positive. The nature of the resource attributes is dependent on a wide range and variety of contextual factors - and it is the relationship between these elements: learner, context and resources that the EoR Model and Design Framework seek to address. There is a mutuality of influence in these relationships but there is not necessarily a similar degree of mutuality of impact. Strong and weak relations may be identified and described.

It is these relationships between learner, context and resources that is key to the design (and learning) process.

In Phase 1, step 4, I identified one learner's particular interest. This learner was the instigator of the trip to the Planetarium which was the example used to illustrate Phase 1 of the EoR Model and Design Framework. Here, I now build on this initial analysis of learner motivation and learning needs. I take as my starting point the Focus of Attention identified in Phase 1. In light of subsequent analyses in Phase 1 relating to this particular's interest in astronomy, I reduced down the focus of attention further. I did so in order to make the analysis of resources, influences and relations in the learner's EoR manageable. So, the starting point for identification of influence relationships was the following focus of attention:

How to support learners and their mentors to make effective and appropriate selection and use of technologies to support learning

(1) about astronomy (2) at the Royal Observatory?

Thus, if we consider this initial representation of the EoR model in the SDLC example, we might see a categorisation of resources in the EoR which looks like this.

Influences Table - Researcher Notes

In this example, the filter element and its component parts are formed by the learner’s identified desire to learn more about “the Galaxy and the Milky Way.” Resources and their mutuality of influence are illustrated in the Influences Table above. Notes about the generation of this table are available via the hyperlinked 'Researcher Notes'.

Having outlined these basic level descriptors, we can generate a model of the learner's EoR depicting these influences relationships.

EoR Model: Influences Relationships - Researcher Notes

This example EoR model illustrates a learner’s trip to the London Planetarium incorporating resources from the Influences Table generated earlier. The model also incorporates arrows which highlight the influence relationships between resources, the learner and her context.

1. The outer ring depicts double-headed arrow relationship for each set of connections as the relations between ALL of the resource category elements are important for the learner’s context and ALL are mutually influential in their capacity.
2. The inner ring is more complex and it can be difficult to ascertain levels of mutual influence between ALL of the filter elements, so care needs to be taken to give a deeper consideration to the kinds of relationships being expressed. For example, in the EoR model above, the learner’s learning goal (Galaxies) could influence the learner’s selection of people and vice versa the Planetarium rules could impact on the learner’s learning goal in terms of what kind of information is made available, and how and when it is made available. In the meantime, a double-headed arrow between the learner’s learning goal and the Planetarium rules suggests that there is a possibility of adaptation on either side (although this isn’t necessarily a strong relation).
3. The arrow is depicted as one-way between knowledge and learner’s learning goal but two-way between learning goal and learner as the learner has the power to choose/select/adapt their learning goal (by contrast to the formal curriculum in the traditional school setting, for example). Between learner and people/tools – as with Homework there is also a two-way arrow as the relations here are mutually influential. Between learner and Planetarium rules, however, the arrow is one-way (as opposed to that in Homework relating to ‘household rules’ which was two-way) as the learner can’t reasonably influence the rules of the Planetarium (at least not without engaging in aberrant behaviour). Similarly, between Planetarium rules and people/tools the arrow is also one-way on the basis that people/tools are influenced by the Planetarium rules but unlikely to have an opportunity to influence those rules. In the case of relations between Planetarium and the application of Planetarium rules, the arrow is two-way as these two elements are clearly closely related and mutually influential. Finally, in terms of the relations between people/tools as resources and ways in which these are filtered in relation to the learner, as with Homework, two-way arrows are used on the basis that the relations and interactions between resource and filter are generally mutually influential, although in some instances this could be restricted to a one-way arrow (e.g. non museum staff and Planetarium rules).

The EoR model above is still quite wide in terms of context but it can be used and reused to consider multiple scenarios and options. So, for example, in the following depiction of the EoR model, an example of a potential selection of resources by a learner has been made to illustrate how the learner might interact with the context.

In this example the EoR model has been used to illustrate the learner’s interactions with available resources and the nature of these interactions (red – appropriate for use, green – permitted use and yellow – considered but rejected use). The identified elements represent a selection from available resources designed to support the learner in her desire to learn more about the Milky Way. Mapping a learner’s interactions with her context in this way provides a preliminary model for considering ways of developing effective scaffolds and adjustments in both the learning process and the design process. This is effected in Phase 3 of the EoR Design Framework.

The Influences Relationships are those which are most foregrounded in the EoR Model. Within these, however, are other specific types of relationships which, when applied to the learner's context can be used to generate a more fine-grained level of detail in relation to different resource types and filters. Links to these are provided below:

                                                  [Component Relationships]                              [Typology Relationships]                             [Social Relationships]