Re: [Fle3-users] Why is it good to use FLE?

[Teemu Leinonen]

Dear César,

Thank you for your interesting insights and questions. I'll try to 
answer them behalf of the Fle3 research and design team.

César Hernández Rosete wrote:
> We reach the conclusion that one doesn't need FLE to work in collaborative
> learning, rather FLE would be useful for on-line learning, for the following
> reasons:
>
> 1.We don't have PC's in the classroom.

Fle3 can be used just with a single PC. Each user may login to the 
system with their own user name and password and work with the Fle3, 
rotating the use of the computer. Student can also first write down 
their thoughts in to paper notebook and then write them from there to 
Fle3 when it is their turn to use the computer.

Of course you can use Fle3 for on-line learning, as well. Actually we 
think that strict separation of off line and on line learning is pretty 
artificial. Some things are better to do off-line and some on-line. Also 
same tools can be used both in class room and in on-line learning. We 
think Fle3 is a such tool.

> 2. of having PC's it is quicker to speak that to write.

The reason to use computers (and Fle3) in collaborative learning is 
related to the idea that cognitive load may be divided between a human 
beings and external thinking tools (paper, book,  computers etc.). So 
within Fle3 (or other computer tools) also notebook (paper) and pen or 
white board and pen can be used as a thinking tools.

The point is that we write down things. By writing down our questions, 
thoughts, opinion and ideas we make them visible, explicit and 
manageable. Written thoughts are such that we can get back to them, 
evaluate them and develop them further.

So, in collaborative learning we can of course use just paper and pen to 
write down our problems, own explanations, scientific explanations, etc. 
In a class room we can even share them all by sticking them to the wall 
or white board. After working this way, let's say two months and writing 
 more than 300 notes, we most likely will face information management 
problems. Who wrote what note and when? On what topic was this note 
related to? etc.?

On the one hand, when we just speak out our thoughts we often do not get 
any record what was said, when and by whom. For this reason in a well 
organized meeting (whatever business or collaborative learning meeting) 
someone is always taking the minutes of the meeting. In an collaborative 
learning a lot of work is done not only in a meetings, but in a library 
and in a small groups. The findings of this working is easy to share for 
others with Fle3.

Also we know that in a class room there is always only one speaking on 
time whereas when writing we can all write same time. In several studies 
we have noticed that the use of Fle3 in a class room have made the 
participation of the pupils more equal. When speaking is often dominated 
by some pupils in the class room, Fle3 offers equal oportunity for 
everybody to participate to the collaborative learning.

Fle3 also guides students to the inquiry learning that starts from 
problem setting, continues by presenting own explanations, searching for 
scientific explanations and making summaries. In a way the knowledge 
type sets reminds students what kind of notes they should produce to 
advance the knowledge building process.

> Why  do you  defend the fact so much that FLE is not a LMS?.

We have not designed and developed Fle3 for "managing" learning. We have 
designed Fle3 to support learning. Most of the LMS are really focusing 
more on "management" than on "learning". Whereas we have our focus 
strictly on "learning".

In most of the LMS the learning is the subject and the management is the 
object. This often leads to very simplistic conception of learning, 
where learning is equal to memorizing. In this case learning takes place 
simply by reading, listing and taking quizzes. This is not what Fle3 is 
made for.

Best regards,

        - Teemu

____________________________
Teemu Leinonen
http://www.uiah.fi/~tleinone/
Office: + 358 9 756 30 296
GSM: +358 50 351 6796
Media Lab, UIAH Helsinki
http://www.mlab.uiah.fi
Future Learning Environment 3
http://fle3.uiah.fi