CompendiumLD learning design software

CompendiumLD’s Activity node is based on  Compendium’s Map node. Double-clicking a map node opens it to reveal the map’s contents. The contents can be any combination/layout of any  of CompendiumLD’s nodes and links, unless the Activity is a newly created node in which case it will be empty until other nodes and links are added. Learning design specific functions provided by Activity node’s include a specific menu available via a mouse right-click  and a display of timing information.  

The Learner Output node is intended to represent material that a learner creates during a learning activity.

When the user creates a Learner Output node they are prompted to choose the way it will be assessed  from: ‘formative’, ‘summative’, or ‘other’. The icon displayed depends on the choice made:

summative ,  formative, or ‘other’: .

The Learning Outcome node is intended to represent a learning outcome, and be linked to a leaner’s task or activity.

The Resource node can be used to represent a document, video or any other object  that the learner utilises during a learning activity. It is intended to represent resources which do not yet exist, but which the designer plans to implement. If a resource does already exist in some form at the time the activity is being designed (e.g. a draft Word file or Image) it may be dragged and dropped onto the  Activity instead of using this Resource node. These existing resources will be represented on the Activity map by a standard icon e.g.  for Word files or for PDF files.

The Role node is used to represent actors (e.g. students and tutors) who play specific roles in the Activity being designed.

When the users create a Role node they are prompted to choose from: ‘Student’, ‘Tutor’ or ‘Other’.  The ‘Other’ role may be used to model practice based support roles for example.

The Stop node is used to represent the point the activity finishes for a particular role player. For students, all the learning outcomes linked to the activity should have been addressed by the time the student reaches this node.

The Task node is used to represent an action performed by an actor (usually either a student or a tutor).

The Tool node is used to represent a tool in a learning activity. Tools are utilities  which actors use to create outputs or to interact. When the user creates a Tool node the are prompted to choose one of  ‘Blog’, ‘E-portfolio’, ‘Forum’, ‘Instant messaging’, ‘Podcast’, ‘Simulation’, ‘Virtual World’, ‘Wiki’ or ‘Other’. Typically a tool node will be used to link a Task performed by one actor (e.g. a student) with another Task  performed by a different actor (another student or a tutor), and/or with an Output node.

There is also a help option on the menu presented to enable the user to a select the tool type. Selecting this opens a web search of selected sites known to contain information about tools and learning design, see e.g. this example search for ‘wiki’.

This is an activity map with the nodes below already laid out to get you started quickly.

This is used to indicate a particular time and/or date during a learning activity e.g. ‘week 3’ or ‘2^nd hour’’.

A design should look to capture or express what the designer is aiming to achieve pedagogically when creating a design and what they consider to be the important challenges to learning presented by objects or associations between objects elsewhere in the design (for example, the common challenges experienced around teaching magnetism, or the common problems of wikis). During design, populating this column should help the designer better understand the key pedagogic design problems; after design it may help them determine the closeness of fit between their initial intent and actual solution.

The output may be anything from a written assignment to a subtle observation of behaviour. The outputs of learning, may  be for student’s future use, for summative or formative assessment, for research, for evaluation (can better use be made of outputs by students or teachers), for workload planning, or for quality/teaching assurance purposes. It is only from the outputs of learning activity that a teacher will know if learning outcomes (an aspect of what is to be learnt) have been met.

A design should clearly show what the designer is anticipating the student will learn. There is widespread consensus that learning outcomes, or objectives, are central to any design. Although there are varying ways of classifying learning outcomes, they will commonly include knowledge and understanding, skills and attitudes and may be expressed as specific objectives appropriate to individual activities and/or broader outcomes of the unit of learning.

A description of what the student is asked to do during the learning activity, or of what is thought that they actually will do.

The tools and media used to deliver resources to the students. See ‘Student resources’ below.

A description of the semantics and meaning of material to be delivered to students. It is to be delivered via the media and tools . Examples include  a description of a theory, which could be delivered in a printed document, in a web page, via a simulation, or in a combination of these three media and tools.

Support will likely include the teacher  but can also include others involved in the learning such as work based mentors, student support services or, indeed, other learners. 

The Condition node is used to express a condition that affects a student’s path through a learning activity. It can be used to show conditions that must be true or false, typically expressed as a question e.g. “Student passes formative test?” or “Student prompted to redraft essay?”
Compendium’s Question or Issue  node () has not been used to express a condition because a CompendiumLD condition needs a precise answer, either true or false, whereas a Compendium Question can have many alternative answers.  The design of the Condition node has been made similar to that of the Question node to reflect that a Condition may be regarded as a special case of a Question.

The true node is used to show the path that is followed if the condition is true.

The false node is used to show the path that is followed if the condition is true.

?

Ask a question or raise an issue.

a

Provide a possible answer to a question.

m

(a) Create a “picture” of the relationships between ideas (b) Group questions and ideas together in meaningful clusters (c) Create associative links between nodes.

l

(a) Create a sortable list of nodes (b) Hold the results of a search (e.g. create a

catalogue of items) (c) Create a collection of nodes that don’t need to be linked with each other (via associative links).

+

Support an idea.

-

Argue against an idea.

r

Bring in a link to an external file (such as a spreadsheet, picture or document) or drag and drop the file directly onto the map.

n

Provide extra information about another node or the current view

d

Resolve a question ± link it to an idea, or right-click on idea to change directly to a decision node.

u

Present a general argument, usually in response to an answer or position.