Submitted to IFIP World Computer Congress Montreal 2002

Stream 3: TelE LearningTrack: Lifelong learningTopic: Scenario for redesign & Learning in a real-life setting

Type of content: exemplary project or activity

Biography of authors:

Marijke Hezemans, having gained a teaching diploma in Mathematics and Chemistry as well as adegree in Education, now works as an educational developer. As a project leader she contributes toeducational innovation in Dutch Higher Education. She supervises both the content of innovationprocesses: the development of competence-based curriculum elements as well as their organisation:the implementation of competence-based programmes. At the moment she is attached to the ExpertCentre for Educational Innovation and Training of the Hogeschool van Utrecht, University forProfessional Development and Applied Science.

Magda Ritzen is an educational psychologist and has been working for a number of years oneducational innovation and the role played in this by ICT. At the moment she is attached to the ExpertCentre for Educational Innovation and Training of the Hogeschool van Utrecht, University forProfessional Development and Applied Science. Here she works as educational advisor and projectleader on redesigning the curriculum. She is involved in projects in the areas of learning in a real-lifesetting and portfolio as well as virtual projects and businesses.

Learning environments and responsibility

Marijke Hezemansm.hezemans@cetis.hvu.nl

Magda Ritzenm.ritzen@cetis.hvu.nl

Cetis: Expert Centre for Educational Innovation and TrainingHogeschool van Utrecht, University for Professional Development and Applied SciencePO Box 85029, 3508 AA Utrecht, The Netherlands

Abstract: Universities of Higher Professional Education (HBO) are working together intensively with institutions inthe field to develop and provide educational programmes which prepare students as well as possible for thereality and dynamics of professional practice. This article describes the way in which various interestedparties (students, tutors and the professional field) can participate in the creation of learning environmentswhich facilitate and promote the development of professional expertise and the competence of all involved.This participation, expressed in terms of responsibility, is presented in a model of 'Learning environmentsand responsibility'. In this model three types of learning environments are distinguished: task-based,problem-based and situation-based.The model can be used to give form to the curriculum and learning environments; to select professionaltasks, to situate learning environments in relation to each other and to develop ideas for assignments andlearning environments. The article will also present an example of a situation-based learning environment.The IFIP presentation focuses on the model and different examples.

Keywords: Learning environment, Higher education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Redesign,Real-life learning, Assessment, Competencies.

1. Educational Innovation in Higher Professional Education

Primary and secondary education in the Netherlands has been in a state of change for many years andrecently there has been a call for re-orientation in higher education as well. A particular need has beenexpressed for innovation in higher education, and experiments have taken place with new educationalconcepts and methodologies in many institutions.

From subjects to learning environmentsThe impetus for innovation has been the growing demand from the labour market and in society forgraduates who can deal effectively with varied and new situations; who possess, as well as a thoroughknowledge of their subject, the ability to work together, solve problems and so on (Schlusmanse.a.1999). The labour market needs people who are already aware of what is happening in theprofessional field and who are thus able to work effectively right from the start: starting professionalsas opposed to subject specialists. This means that programmes can no longer be built up of separate (theoretical) subjects or disciplines,in which the main focus and final assessment rests on the testing of subject knowledge (theories andconcepts). A programme like this provides no room for applying subject-knowledge (theories andconcepts) in situations specific to the profession or to concrete products relevant to the profession.Graduates are specialists in their subject but when they start on their professional career they still haveto learn the profession itself before they can be productive for a company or organisation. There is agrowing demand for programmes consisting of learning environments created around situationsspecific to the profession and its associated competencies (underlying ability/capacity ), making itpossible to assess both professional expertise (knowledge, attitude and skills in relation to a certainprofession) as well as competence. The focus in the final assessment then lies on the student'sprofessional ability. Graduates are starting professionals, who know the profession and can beinvolved directly.

From transfer of knowledge to competence-based learning In a programme where the main focus lies on students' development of professional expertise andcompetence, the transfer of knowledge (theories and concepts) is not sufficient. Students must becapable of applying knowledge in professional situations, so that their progress in competence can beseen and assessed through concrete professional products and results. This is characteristic of aneducational concept which is often termed ‘competence-based education’ (see also Kosters and Ritzen2001, and Hezemans 2000). Characteristics of this educational concept are:

� In the programme students work at realistic tasks: study tasks and assignments have a demonstrable(tangible) relationship with the professional field and related competencies.

� The focus lies on developing students' competence. This means that education is demand-driven, theprogramme 'facilitates'.

� Students take responsibility for their learning process. During the course of their studies students'responsibility increases; they become the managers of their own learning process.

� Student assessment is based on competencies (as opposed to the testing of professional knowledgeand skills): students prove that they can function at a certain level.

� Students are approached during their training as aspiring professional practitioners. In this wayprofessional practice gains a systematic place in the programme and plays a role in assessment ofresults and developing students’ competence.

� Learning organisations. Departments and professionals in the field are continually developing as aresult of the ever-changing and increasingly complex business of the profession: professionals areexpected to have an innovative attitude.

The planning and organisation of competence-based education aims to enable a continuous process ofdevelopment which includes both students and staff (tutors) as well as the department as a whole and,as an extension of this, the professional in the field. Students develop expertise in relation to theprofession, staff develop expertise in relation to professional aspects of the programme and their ownpractice as tutors, the field gains new ideas, concepts and methods of work through the programmeand the students. All those involved develop competencies which enable them to make the best use of their expertise.This means that it is not only students who learn (to learn), but also the staff in educationaldepartments and the field.

In this article we present a model1 which can be used for developing and implementing learningenvironments which give students the opportunity to develop into starting professionals: students workat their development in the area of professional expertise and competencies in learning environmentswhich vary in complexity. The model also makes clear that the co-operation between the professionalfield, tutors and students in a learning environment results in competence development not only instudents, but also in the programme (tutors) and the field (professionals).

2. Participants in learning environments

Three parties are involved in the development and realisation of learning environments: the student,the tutor and the field. Each of these parties has different qualities, and based on these differencesmakes its own specific contribution to the learning environment, which in turn influences the learningand the achievements of each participant in the learning environment.

a. The studentA student choosing to follow a full-time higher professional education (HBO) programme in theNetherlands has completed a secondary school education, is above the age of compulsory educationand is at least 17. Students who choose to follow an HBO programme make this decision based on ageneral impression they have of a profession or their preference for the subject which they associatewith the profession. Most full-time students have a job on the side as well. Some students choose a jobwhich is related to their course, for example a student of Logistics & Economics may choose to workfor a courier business. It is also possible to follow higher professional education on a part-time basis or on a ‘dual’ basis, i.e.in combination with work in the field. Part-time students are usually older than full-time students andhave a full-time job as well as studying. Students choosing to follow a ‘dual’ programme have thesame characteristics in general as the full-time students but usually have a clearer picture of theprofession for which they are being educated. Students on a ‘dual’ programme work part-time in thefield as part of their course. All students are expected to be responsible for their own learning process,

1 The model presented in this article is one of the results of a two-year project aimed at designing and developing

co-operative ICT-supported learning. This project (‘Ontwikkelen van taakgericht teamleren ondersteund met ICT’) wascarried out by the Hogeschool van Utrecht and Universiteit van Utrecht with financial support from SURF Educatie<f>.

to determine for themselves what they want to achieve in the programme and what they will need toachieve this.

b. The tutorTutors are responsible for guiding and facilitating the student’s learning process: they support studentsin developing their professional expertise and competence. Professional universities educate studentsto carry out starting functions at management and strategic levels. As staff members, tutors contributeto the development and implementation of a higher professional programme, so that the aimsdescribed above can be realised.

In the development and implementation of an educational programme (creating learningenvironments) the tutor proceeds as far as possible from the way in which a professional is approachedin the field: things are not thought out for the student in a school-like fashion; instead the student isapproached as an aspiring practitioner in the field. Tutors are expected to develop their expertise not only in relation to the development andimplementation of the programme but also in relation to the professional field at which the programmeis directed.

c. The professional fieldThe professional field formulates a professional profile, which consists of a description of tasks, jobfunctions, competencies and future prospects relating to the profession. On the basis of thisprofessional profile an educational profile is developed together with professional universities, inwhich educational qualifications are established in terms of competencies and professional expertise.The competencies and professional expertise are identified by people in related fields or functions(professionals) and by those involved in the programme (tutors, educationalists) (see also Boon ea.2001). Professional practice thus plays an important role in defining the content of a programme (orlearning environment) by formulating and/or validating the professional and educational profile.Professionals in the field are expected to keep developing their professional expertise and competenceand thus contribute actively to the creation of learning environments, in order to guarantee that thesecontinue to reflect the current state of the profession.

In the model of ‘Learning environments and responsibility’ we have expressed the participation of thethree parties involved in terms of responsibility. The student, the tutor and the professional field areeach responsible for their own specific contribution to a learning environment.

3. Three types of learning environment

Programmes which contain learning environments created around situations specific to the professionand its related competencies and which thus have a (more or less) direct link to professional practiceoffer students the opportunity to develop the necessary professional expertise and competencies. Thisenables students (and later graduates) to function adequately in a fast-changing and complex society.This means that the programme offers students the opportunity to work at assignments in learningenvironments which vary in complexity and in the degree to which they allow for individualresponsibility in relation to the quality of the work process and the product realised within therespective learning environments.

To enable students to develop professionally we distinguish three types of learning environments,which are related to the working methods and results to be found in the related profession:

1. task-based; 2. problem-based; 3. situation-based.

These learning environments differ from each other in complexity and in what is learnt, i.e. the result(of learning). These differences are laid down in the definition of the following four characteristics oflearning environments:

� the starting point: is it a task, a problem or a situation?;

� the aim: what is done and why?;� the approach: is it at an operational, tactical or strategic level?;� justification of results: What must the result achieve and who decides the criteria for this?

These differences are shown as follows in the model of ‘Learning environments and responsibility'

Model: Definition of the three types of learning environments

Task-based Problem-based Situation-basedstarting

point:

aim:

approach:

justifica-tion of

results:

a task ;

realisation of organisational policythrough carrying out related tasks;

operational: the result to beobtained is realised in relation tothe context and is suitable and canbe used to achieve its purpose;

working model (method) meetsestablished meta-criteria and resultbased on the model also meetscriteria.

a problem;

managing on the basis oforganisational policy throughsolving a problem and thusimproving procedures;

tactical: the solution is reached onthe basis of the current situation;

problem, working model (method)and result (solution/improvedprocedures) meet established meta-criteria.

a situation specific to theprofession;

improving the totality of thecurrent circumstances in aspecific area through developingorganisational policy;

strategic: the innovation is basedon or shows evidence of well-thought out policy;

innovation definition, workingmodel (method) and result (policyplan) meet established meta-criteria.

The definition of the learning environments according to their starting-point, aim, approach and thejustification of results determines the formulation of the assignments within the respective learningenvironments.

Example In a problem-based learning environment an assignment formulated for students describes a problemor obstacle in an organisation and asks for a solution. For example: “A manager finds himself almostor completely unable to realise the company aims within his department and finds it difficult tomanage his department. The manager indicates that he is not kept (fully) informed about relevantresults which the department or organisation achieves in a period. This means he is unable to find outwhat is going wrong and what the cause can be. Solve this problem for the manager. (This assignmentis accompanied by meta-criteria in relation to the problem, the working model and the result.)

The different types of learning environments can be used to build progress into the curriculum. First-year students will more often be involved in task-based rather than situation-based learningenvironments. However first years can still be involved in a situation-based learning environment, forexample while working together on an assignment with students in higher years who will be workingon different competencies: students thus work together on an assignment with different professionalroles, for example as ‘expert’, ‘advisor’ or ‘junior’. The selection of a role depends on thecompetencies and professional expertise which the students aim to develop in a particular learningenvironment.

4. The model of 'Learning environments and responsibility'

The learning environments and responsibility model is based on the three (groups of) participants andthree types of learning environments described above. The development and actual implementation ofassignments within a learning environment involves three groups of participants, each with their ownactivities, as individuals (student, tutor and professional) and also as members of a team (student team,tutor team, professional team). This means that they can achieve results together which are aimed attheir own development as professionals and the development of others within the learningenvironment. In other words the focus lies not only on students' competence and professionalexpertise, that of tutors and professionals is equally relevant!

Model of 'Learning Environments and Responsibility' (abbreviated version)

Learningenvironment:

Task-based Problem-based Situation-based

Aimed at own development Development of Professional expertise:Make Plan of Approach (PoA)

Carry out tasks in PoA

Analyse problem Make Plan of Approach (PoA)

Solve problem

Analyse development Define innovation Make Plan of Approach (PoA)

Develop policy Formulate advice onimplementation

Development of Competence:

ResponsibilityStudent

Self assessmentMake Personal DevelopmentPlan (PDP) Reflection

Self assessmentMake PDP ReflectionIntervisionPeer assessment

Self assessmentMake PDP ReflectionIntervisionPeer assessment

Development of Professional Expertise:Formulate task Validate in professionDevelop learning environment

Identify and define problems Validate in professionDevelop learning environment

Identify and definedevelopment Validate in professionDevelop learning environment

Development of Competence

ResponsibilityTutor

Self assessmentMake Personal DevelopmentPlan (PDP) ReflectionIntervision

Self assessmentMake PDP ReflectionIntervision Peer assessment

Self assessmentMake PDP ReflectionIntervision Peer assessment

Development of Professional Expertise:Sharing knowledge Managing knowledge BenchmarkingDevelopment of Competence

ResponsibilityProfession

Self assessmentMake Personal DevelopmentPlan (PDP) ReflectionCollegial consultation

Self assessmentMake PDP ReflectionCollegial consultation 360o feedback

Self assessmentMake PDP ReflectionCollegial consultation 360o feedback

Aimed at others' development Development of Professional Expertise::Sharing knowledge Managing knowledge Managing knowledgeDevelopment of Competence

ResponsibilityStudent

- Intervision Peer assessment

Intervision Peer assessment

Development of Professional Expertise:Provides resources Assessesmethod of work and(professional) product(s)

Provides resources Assessesmethod of work and(professional) product(s)

Provides resources Assessesmethod of work and(professional) product(s)

Development of Competence:

ResponsibilityTutor

IntervisionEvaluation throughassessments

IntervisionEvaluation throughassessments

IntervisionEvaluation throughassessments

Development of Professional Expertise:Sharing knowledge Managing knowledge

Validation of professional andeducational profile

Benchmarking of placements ResponsibilityProfession

Development of Competence:

Learningenvironment:

Task-based Problem-based Situation-based

Making competencies explicitCollegial consultationEvaluation throughassessments

Making competence profileexplicitCollegial consultationEvaluation throughassessments

Making competence profileexplicitCollegial consultationEvaluation throughassessments

It can be seen in this model that the tutor is responsible for developing the learning environment. Bythis we mean that in every type of learning environment the tutor formulates the assignment for thestudents. To create the optimal learning environment the three participants share responsibilitytogether.

This model aims to build on current thinking in relation to competence-based learning (see forexample van Weert 2001). In working at realistic assignments within the respective learningenvironments the following two dimensions can be distinguished:1. content: in the programme students work at assignments which have a demonstrable relation with

the profession or functions for which their education prepares them. This means the adoption of afunctional approach to education and educational development; and

2. methodology: placing assignments at the heart of learning and studying lays the main emphasis onthe students' activity, productivity and creativity, leaving plenty of room for an independent attitudeto work and study. Most of the time this is directly linked to working together with other students.This didactic approach has evolved from constructivist and social-constructivist insights intoeffective and efficient learning. This approach assumes among other things that students will bemore motivated when they can work at meaningful assignments, which are linked to the profession:‘participatory learning is more effective than passive learning’ (de Boer 2001).

The second dimension is seen as crucial when working on assignments: not only the content or theresult to be realised (the product) is authentic, but also the way in which the assignment is approached.When this approach bears no similarities to the way in which professionals approach this sort ofassignment in the field there will be a significant reduction in motivation and learning for all involved.Programmes which offer competence-based education intend junior professionals to have a goodunderstanding of their strengths and weaknesses and to be able to deliver a professional product whosequality they can justify.

5. An example: the development and realisation of a situation-based learningenvironment

At the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) of the Hogeschool van Utrecht (HvU) we haveexperience in using this model for designing the programme and making decisions about the degree towhich individual students take responsibility for aspects of the learning process.

The example presented here aims to clarify the following:� How professional practice is the starting-point for designing the programme (both in regard to

methodology and result)2;� That students take increasing responsibility for formulating the criteria which the method and result

must meet and justifying the choices they make in regard to method and result;� The way in which each of the participants works at developing expertise and competence both for

themselves and colleagues.

2 By taking the professional field as an important starting-point, based on a specific educational concept and

vision on learning , the way in which ICT can play a role becomes increasingly clear: during the working andlearning process use is made of standard tools (e.g. Word), communication tools (e.g. the digital project environment)and professional ICT tools (e.g. CadCam, legal database).

Project settingA project of educational innovation commissioned by the directors was carried out at the Faculty ofEconomics and Management (FEM). This innovation involved producing competence-basedprogramme components (modules), which would be suitable for part-time students on all part-timeprogrammes3 offered at the FEM. The project produced three modules each intended to provide 280hours of study. We present here one of the three modules: the e-commerce module.

Participants in the e-commerce modulestudents: third-year part-time students (± 100);tutors: tutor-developers (5) and tutor-implementers (7);profession: Service Line Manager Business Consulting, Oracle Nederland BV and project

commissioners.

Defining the learning environmentPrinciples were formulated based on a view of part-time education, which reflects the profile of part-time students, the description of the educational concept of competence-based learning in part-timeprogrammes, and the advantage to be gained from using ICT by part-time students. The mostimportant principles were:1. Professional practice provides the model for designing the learning environment: a practical

situation forms the basis for learning assignments or study tasks; and 2. Use of ICT makes e-learning possible: the application of ICT promotes interaction among students

and between students, tutors and the field.On the basis of the formulated principles it was decided in discussions between tutor-developers andprofessionals in the field to develop a situation-based learning environment. The learning environmentwas defined as follows by the tutor-developers (in the model: Identifying and defining development,validating in the profession, developing learning environment ):

Situation-based learning environment: e-commerceStarting point:E-commerce is defined by the Ministry of Economic Affairs as the sum of business dealings (by businesses,consumers and government) which is carried out electronically to improve the efficiency and effectiveness ofmarket and business processes. It includes both internal business processes as well as those which support interaction with a third party. Thismeans not only pure transactions (buying and selling), but also the business processes which precede this (forexample providing information, communication and market research) and the follow-up (such as payment,distribution and after-sales service).On the basis of a business plan, in which attention is paid to the aspects mentioned above, a business ororganisation can decide whether the use of e-commerce is efficient, effective and feasible. Project assignment:Write a business plan for an e-business or e-commerce activity to be used either within the business/departmentor externally.Find a party who will commission this project and discuss a plan of approach for implementing the projectassignment.Participants (parties involved):� Project team: The project team consists of four or five third-year part-time students. The students come from

different programmes;� Project supervisor: There are seven project supervisors involved in this module. Each project supervisor

leads a number of project teams;� Commissioning party: as a project team you decide which business, (where one of you is employed) is most

suitable and prepared to commission the project.

Aim:improving the efficiency and effectiveness of an organisation or company's market and business processes;

Approach:strategic: the innovation depends on or is evidence of well-thought out policy;

Justification of results: 3 The departments concerned were: Business Economics, Business Informatics, Commercial Economics,

Management Economics & Law, and Logistics & Economics.

Innovation definition (selection and definition of e-commerce strategy), working model (method) and result(business plan) meet established meta-criteria.

Development of professional expertiseTogether with the Service Line Manager Business Consulting of Oracle Nederland BV meta-criteriawere developed for the justification of the result. For example, the meta-criteria in regard to the choiceof e-commerce strategy were formulated as follows: � Various ideas are supported in regard to suitability, feasibility (internal and external (competition

and client needs)) and acceptability (within own organisation and for other (external) stakeholders)expressed by means of the following points:

1. Number of critical success factors and their quality and measurability;2. Costs versus gains (relative to the existing situation);3. Organisational feasibility;4. Technical feasibility.

� The final choice is justified on the basis of the vision and analysis given.

Development of Competence The develop of students' competence in this learning environment is linked to the work experiencewhich forms part of every part-time programme. As part of the process of work experience studentsare asked to make a Personal Development Plan (PDP). In this learning environment the followingrelevant competencies were identified by professionals in the field:� Business creativity;� Co-operation;� Sensitivity to the market and the context; � Problem analysis and forming a judgement; � Oral and written communication.While working on the project assignment, assessments are carried out within the learning environmentby the project supervisor (tutor), the commissioning party (field) and/or team-mates (students) inregard to the competencies mentioned above.

Use of ICT A digital learning environment was created with all the material developed. This digital environmentis accessible to students (employees), tutors (project supervisors) and the professional field(employers) and can be reached from a distance (via Internet). In this environment three parties, eachwith their own role and responsibilities, work together to make a business plan.

Final assessment of studentsFinally students' development of professional expertise is tested on the basis of the business plan andthe criteria which have been established for it. Students' development of competence is assessed on thebasis of the evidence provided by the business plan. These assessments do not necessarily have to takeplace at the same time.

6. Conclusion

The Model of 'Learning Environments and Responsibility' aims to give an overview of the mostimportant principles and choices for creating learning environments: the model makes clear in whichway students, tutors and professionals are involved in the design of the learning environment and inwhich aspects of the learning/working process the student gradually receives and takes moreresponsibility from both the tutor as well as the professional field (responsibility as a juniorprofessional). The model is intended as an aid to: � introducing progress into the curriculum, lines to be followed; � designing learning environments; � selection of professional tasks; � situating learning environments in relation to each other, starting from specific professional

situations; � thinking through the consequences of choices which are made;

� developing ideas for assignments and designing learning environments. A complete model4 of 'Learning Environments and Responsibility' can be found at: www.cetis.hvu.nl/learningenvironment The Model of 'Learning Environments and Responsibility' is used in different faculties of theHogeschool van Utrecht to develop programmes which are competence-based and which are of benefitto all those involved. The model shows the nature of the learning environments and indicates in whatways and in which aspects the students' responsibility for developing as a young professional can berealised. The example makes clear that the model is workable and not intended to be a straightjacket:the model helps to provide direction and make choices. We hope that it may also prove to be useful inother institutions for giving form to the programme and creating links with the professional field.

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4 The Model of 'Learning Environments and Responsibility' is based on experience with part-time students, i.e. students who

are already working in the professional field for which they are being educated. We think that the model could also beuseful for designing programmes for students in 'dual' courses and that it may even prove beneficial for designingprogrammes for full-time students. This assumption will be tested in the coming year.