Principles for effective Learning Analytics in Augmented Reality learning applications for professional education Erasmus Project

Project Title

Principles for effective Learning Analytics in Augmented Reality learning applications for professional education

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Augmented Reality (AR) has the potential to support effective learning in informal and non-formal learning environments, in school or higher education and in professional education. Especially in the building/construction industry or in the Event Industry, trainings for safety and security are needed to protect workers at their workplace. One central issue hereby is, that particular elements must be taken in consideration (e.g., teaching and learning elements, design elements, etc.) when developing effective learning applications. Such applications should support responsible persons at the workplace so that they can ensure that each employee has been trained in safety & security, has understood the key elements of the training and has the ability to behave according the instructions.
Therefore, Learning Analytics (LA) provides various tools and concepts to support learning, especially for people who are involved in learning processes (trainer, trainee, evaluator). Within the project, a framework was developed based on LA insights, to implement elements of AR learning and to support teaching and learning processes towards a higher efficiency and efficacy. E.g., dashboards integrate aspects derived from LA to provide feedback about handling and ease of use from the apps, as well as measures for learning performance.

The consortium of leading European scientist from the areas LA and AR established a strategical partnership with VET partners, in which the conceptualisation of the topics LA and AR are used to apply in the field of professional education, especially in informal learning environments and directly at workplaces. With their work, the partners contributed to the research community and developed new opportunities at workplaces and also for LA and AR to provide an added value and to give answer to current questions from professional education. Partners of the consortium are: i-smART (coordination in LI), IT University Copenhagen (DK), Oxford Brookes University (GB), STEPP vzw (BE), and VPLT (DE).

In a first step, a generic, conceptual framework was developed, based on current research results (IO1: paper “literature review”) and to answer leading questions (IO1: paper “blueprint”), also to apply the framework in the development stages for AR software applications.
In a second step with various iterations, a series of functional prototypes of AR learning applications were developed (IO2: iPhone/iPad and Microsoft Hololens) for analysis and evaluation purposes, which then were applied in various iterations (design science approach) within field experiments (IO3) at workplaces for the Event Industry (e.g., training elements from the Hilversum test as developed by the ERASMUS+ project “ETTE” for traditional training). The source codes are made accessible for the public (e.g., on github and project website “www.competenceanalytics.eu”). From the results and insights, key questions are answered like: How can AR and LA be used in professional training applications to create more effective learning experiences for learners on their individual path and pace. Additionally, the provided insights from a “big-data analysis” of the captured training data demonstrate how to process likewise in a small work environment. The provided methods lead to knowledge about their application for established, large learning environments.
Exemplarily, a full session training and assessment (e.g. from the Hilversum test, project ETTE: How to connect trusses) was conducted on the basis of AR learning applications and the use of LA tools and measures (IO3: paper “collaboration” and thesis paper).
Finally, recommendations were given towards how the transparency of learning services in the understanding of learning outcomes can be depicted with the aid of LA and AR in order to dismiss the responsibility for employers and not only to offer the possibility to participate in safety briefings (consumption) but also to ensure that employees have understood and will behave adequately (see IO1 result “white paper”).

With the Multiplier Event (carried out at the biggest industry fair in Frankfurt) and other dissemination activities of all partners, the project addressed a wide range of organizations that are related with the industry, and scientific audience (e.g., in multiple conference presentations worldwide). More than 500 experts and participants were included into the test and experiment sessions and interviewed within the field experiments and in multiple stakeholder discussions.

The LAAR project demonstrates a futuristic idea of education and training with user-friendly training and sustainable learning success. The results are already reused in other E+ projects (e.g., TeBeVAT), scientific research (e.g., design framework) and in practice (e.g., ETTE safety training). In future, the consortium aims to continue with the development of AR learning applications for various devices and additional training scenarios.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 296980 Eur

Project Coordinator

i-smARt Trust reg. & Country: LI

Project Partners

• OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY
• IT-UNIVERSITETET I KOBENHAVN
• VPLT – Der Verband für Medien- und Veranstaltungstechnik e.V.
• STEUNPUNT VOOR PRODUCEREN ONTWERPENE EN TECHNISCHE KRACHTEN VAN DE BREDE CULTURELE SECTOR