In this work-in-progress paper, we introduce the PerspectivesX tool which aims to scaffold collaborative learning activities within MOOCs. The PerspectivesX tool has been designed to promote learner knowledge construction and curation for a range of multi-perspective elaboration techniques (e.g., SWOT analysis and Six Thinking Hats). The PerspectivesX tool is designed to store learner submissions in a searchable knowledge base which is able to be persisted across course re-runs and promotes the use of natural language processing techniques to allow course moderators to provide scalable feedback. In this paper we outline the design principles that structured collaborative learning tools need to adhere to, design a prototype tool (PerspectivesX) and evaluate whether MOOC platform extension frameworks are able to support the implementation of the tool.
The tool predominantly used in MOOCs to foster collaborative learning is the
discussion forum. Research has shown that learners that actively contribute to the
course forum, are more likely to complete the course and achieve higher grades [
Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) and the ideas behind providing
scripted learning activities has a long and rich research history. Unfortunately, the
theoretical underpinnings and practical manifestations of CSCL have all but been
forgotten in the era of the MOOC. In this paper, the PerspectivesX tool is introduced.
The PerspectivesX tool implements concepts from CSCL scripting; and the Knowledge
Community and Inquiry model (KCI) [
The PerspectivesX tool is able to scaffold a range of multi-perspective elaboration
activities. The tool is designed to promote active participation from learners that are
either not participating in a discussion forum or that are passive forum participants (i.e.,
only reading forum posts). PerspectivesX encourages learners to make a contribution
and also makes it easy for learners to explore, review and curate other learners
submissions. In a PerspectivesX activity, learners must think about a problem from an
assigned or selected perspective and actively contribute their ideas to a knowledge base
that is available to all course participants. Instructors can enable an optional curation
layer that requires learners to collate ideas from fellow learners in order to complete the
remaining perspectives of the activity. Curation is an important feature of the tool.
Curation is a 21st century digital literacy that is able to facilitate the development of
learner search and evaluation strategies as well as promote critical thinking, problem
solving, and participation in networked conversations [
Example activities that the PerspectivesX tool is able to scaffold includes learner
submissions for design projects (i.e., knowledge construction), reflective journal entries
(i.e., critical thinking) and multi-perspective elaboration activities (i.e., idea
generation). The suggested approach will be able to support a range of idea generation
and multi-perspective activities such Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats
(SWOT) analysis, Six Thinking Hats [
The design principles that underpin the PerspectivesX tool are outlined below:
- Support the design of structured knowledge construction, critical thinking
and multi-perspective elaboration activities. Instructors should be able to design
activities that are able to collate structured responses/submissions from learners.
The types of responses required by learners should be exible and allow learners to
submit multiple free text responses, media artifacts (e.g., images, infographics,
slides, videos, etc) and links to external resources (e.g., website links). Within
multi-perspective activities the instructor should be able to design activities that
allow the learner to select a perspective or be randomly assigned to perspective.
- Support opt-in and anonymous learner knowledge sharing. Learners should not
be forced to share their submissions with other course participants. Between 5-10%
of learners are active discussion forum participants in a MOOC while a larger
percentage of learners read forum posts (i.e. passive participation). Many learners
may not feel confident making their submissions available to other learners in a
non-anonymous environment. Submission should be mandatory in order to receive
a participation grade but the learner should be able to opt-out of sharing or choose
to be anonymous.
- Support instructor moderation. Course moderators need the ability to review and
curate useful learner contributions. Curated content will help learners to focus their
attention on relevant and important submissions [
Support temporal independence. Both paced and self-paced MOOCs should be able to include scaffolded collaborative learning activities. Learners should be able to contribute to the activity at any time as well as review and curate the submissions of other learners in a time independent manner. This is particularly important for self-paced MOOCs where learners are able to commence a course at any time and as a result would engage in collaborative learning activities at different times. Discussion forums within self-paced MOOCs are also less active, giving learners limited opportunities to either actively or passively participate in collaborative learning activities.
should collectively form a knowledge base which becomes available across course re-runs o ered in a variety of delivery modes (i.e., paced and self-paced). Initial course runs often have a higher number of enrolled learners and more discussion forum activity as a result. Each MOOC re-run, begins with a refreshed discussion forum which results in community knowledge between courses being lost. Retaining student contributions will facilitate knowledge growth but also poses information retrieval problems. The interface used to display learner contributions will need to therefore include intuitive navigation, free text and tag based (i.e., folksonomy) search functionality.
Language Processing (NLP) and Deep Learning algorithms exist, the ability to
accurately grade and provide feedback for free text student submissions within
MOOCs has not been realised. There are however, techniques that can be used
scale feedback provided by instructors, moderators and tutors. These techniques
rely on the similarity between learner submissions and are able to cluster similar
learner responses together. Topic modeling using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation
(LDA) [
In this section, screen mockups for a prototype that adheres to all of design principles
listed in the previous section are presented. Most tools that support pedagogical
scripting of CSCL employ a visual flowchart metaphor [
The activity creation interface (see Figure 1), allows instructors to choose a template and specify the activity configuration settings. The instructor can specify how learners contribute to the perspectives in an activity (i.e., the learner contributions section). Options are provided for the instructor to allow learners to choose a perspective, contribute to all perspectives, or be randomly assigned a perspective. The instructor is able to enable a curation stage and configure the knowledge base.
Central to the design of the PerspectivesX tool, is a structured template that
instructors are able to create. It is envisaged that the tool will include standard
templates for common activities such as Six Thinking Hats [
An example learner submission user interface is displayed in Figure 2b. The fields that a learner is required to complete is dependent upon the settings the instructor has selected. In Figure 3, the learner has to select a perspective, enter their contribution and decide whether their contribution will be shared with other students. A knowledge base is displayed after a learner submits their perspective. The learner is able to see their contribution as well as view other student contributions that have similar or opposing views. Content curated by a moderator will be included. 5
The PerspectivesX tool can either be implemented using the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) specification or as an XBlock for the Open edX platform. LTI tools can be built in any programming language, have their own user interface and are able to run on their own server. LTI tools are also able to integrate with a range of Learning Management Systems that implement the LTI specification. XBlocks are extensions for the Open edX platform, must be built in the Python programming language and adhere to the Open edX user interface standard. Both the LTI and XBlock implementation options are comparable in terms of creating a user interface for the instructor and learner. As LTI’s have the flexibility of being installed on a separate server, key features for the knowledge base will be easier to implement and scale. These features include the persistence of knowledge base data across course-runs and content indexing for search. Implementing PerspectivesX as an LTI would provide more flexibility to readily integrate with advance NLP and Deep Learning algorithms. 6
The PerspectivesX tool will be developed as an open source LTI tool from the design mockups proposed in this paper. Future research will focus on the evaluation of the PerspectivesX tool and extending the design principles to support synchronous collaborative activities.