“iClass is not just yet another learning platform,” explained the developers at a recent conference in Munich where the project was presented to a pool of experts. “It plugs in to other virtual learning environment such as Moodle or Blackboard as it is built on common international standards. It is an add-on which helps pupils reflect on the way they learn, an adaptive intelligent system designed to help learners sustain motivation.”

The underlining theory behind iClass is called Self Regulated Personalised Learning (SRPL); behind the rather unfriendly acronym is what teachers have always been trying to achieve in class: empower learners to make meaningful choices when they learn and reflect on them.

So is iClass going to confirm Apple’s bold claim that the personal computer provides ‘wheels for the brain’?

The way the system works is quite simple: a teacher creates a learning plan based on a goal to be achieved by the student and suggests some sub-goals and activities. As we are in a system which promotes personalization of learning and autonomy of the students, some activities can be left ‘open’ for the student to shape.

One of the innovations resides in a system called ‘tips and alerts’: based on personal choices of the learner as described in his or her personal profile; on the activities he or she chooses, whether or not he or she likes to work alone or in team and on entries posted in a personal journal: iClass does what every teacher would do in this situation and asks ‘why? ‘Can you explain your choice?’. The system works a little bit like Gmail and wikispaces which automatically scan user content to add context-sensitive ads. As with Gmail, without human interaction with the system, iClass uses semantic analysis of the pupils’ entries based on keywords. The difference with iClass is that iClass does not display ads but questions.

iClass User Interface 

Discrepancies between preferences and actions
The system will look at discrepancies between the learner’s action (e.g.: working alone on an assignment) and a description in his personal profile where he claims to ‘like to work in groups’. In a non-judgmental approach iClass will suggest to comment in a personal journal on his choice: “would you like to explain why you made this choice”.

Other discrepancy alerts include if the learner was in the past listening to music while learning and now is listening to blank noise - an option that can be set in the personal profile - iClass will pay attention to these changes in the learner’s attitude and act upon them.

Another example is while completing an assessment, if the user has not checked the iClass handbook for some time, the system will invite them to check the handbook to find ways to solve a problem.

Plan, Learn, Reflect
The user interface is surprisingly simple in the current release. It contains three sections corresponding to the various phases of SRPL: plan, learn, reflect.

The ‘Plan’ button allows you to build a lesson plan, choose from the various learning path which are available to attain the goals set by the teacher (and often based on a curriculum); following this a ‘Learn’ button is used to launch the activities while in the background the intelligent system keeps track of the user’s learning style and sends feedback.

Finally the ‘Reflect’ button aggregates all the information about how the learner has reached his or her goal, with whom and using which methods or exercise. The iClass system regularly advises the learner to take a look at this overview as a mirror of his or her own learning path.

Personal space 

Severe cognitive load
Designing such an intelligent system, in an area such as education, is a big challenge. There are still limits to programming and intelligent, self learning systems. Also such systems need to be very careful in terms of feedback given to the learners. iClass is not trying to replace the teacher in the classroom. Is it even desirable? Asimov’s positronic brain is not quite here yet.

It is possible, however, to support the learner, like an extension of his or her brain, to ask the right questions and trigger what is always hard when faced with a learning situation: reflect on his own learning method and wonder: am I taking the right route.

“A system based on a self regulated personalized pedagogy and this self regulation comes with a severe cognitive load” said Ali Turker, project manager for the Turkey-based Sebit who is responsible for the technical implementation of iClass. “What we try to do is to ease that load and also motivate the user to do more about their planning, engage in learning activities and share them. This is very demanding in terms of technical implementation.”

Privacy
Another key issue, just like for other social networks or intelligent systems is the question of privacy. Which is the reason why this is a closed system. The teacher never sees any of the messages, triggers and alerts of his students as this is the basis of self regulated learning. The iClass system is based on trust and on auto-regulation of its users within the limits set by the teacher.

Back to the basics
The iClass system, which is currently been evaluated by a pool of teachers in several EU countries, offers a different learning experience for learners. In a podcast, Richard Galvin, head of the European School Brussels II explained how "many of the learning platform used in schools are not used to their full potential".

"We have to get back to the basics, try to focus on how students learn what motivates them and create places and contexts for different learning experiences. iClass can help do that, it is a question of adapting what we have, to the learning that we want to achieve in schools", he said.

The project, still in a prototype stage, opens up a window to how intelligent systems will, in the future, support the acquisition of knowledge. It is a window opened to the future. Developed as part of the EU’s sixth Framework Programme, more details will be released at a global conference in April.

A recent Le Monde article hinted that schools are entering a digital revolution and that “pupils’ natural mastering of more and more complex tools is changing their relationship to learning”. Intelligent systems such as iClass may well prove the story right. It does not just make learning ‘fun’ or ‘easier’, but a real life experience: like looking in a mirror and asking: am I doing this right?

More at: www.iclass.info; http://iclass.wikispaces.com 

European Schoolnet has just produced a booklet about the iClass project: 'The Future of Learning: Results from the iClass project'. You may download this book in PDF here:
One-page layout [PDF]
Two-page layout [PDF]

Interview with Richard Galvin, Director, European School Brussels II (Woluwe).
Richard explains in this interview how the iClass platform is not a simple teaching tool but goes beyond that to offer the user a truly new experience to 'learn how to learn'.
To listen to the podcast, either use our player below or download the MP3. If you are an iTunes user, you may use this enhanced MP3 file with graphics. Interview with Ali Turker, project manager for the Turkey-based Sebit.
Ali Turker talks to Insight's Paul Gerhard about the latest developments in the project and what is coming next. Ali is the leader of the technical implementation work package for the iClass project.
To listen to the podcast, either use our player below or download the MP3. If you are an iTunes user, you may use this enhanced MP3 file with graphics.