The document discusses how to create learning activities and sequences in LAMS (Learning Activity Management System) and assign them to students via the Learning Activities portlet in myPLS. It provides instructions on setting up the Learning Activities portlet, authoring sequences in LAMS using different tools, and creating both basic and more complex sequences involving tasks like prediction, observation, and explanation. Teachers can then assign sequences as learning activities to students by selecting members, setting start/end dates.

1. Creating Learning Activities
in myPLS using LAMS

2. .............................................................................................................................Learning Activities 3
..................................................................................................Planning a Learning Activity/LAMS sequence 3
................................................................................................................................................The LAMS Tools 4
...........................................................................................................................The Learning Activities portlet 4
..........................................................................................................Initial set up of Learning Activities portlet 4
.................................................................................................................................................Author in LAMS 5
.....................................................................................................................Create a LAMS sequence - Basic 6
......................................................................................................Create a LAMS sequence - More complex 10
..................................................Create a LAMS Sequence - Collaboration and Higher Order Thinking Skills 12
................................................................................................................................Assign a Learning Activity 13
Table of contents
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3. Learning Activities
The Learning Activities portlet allows you to create sequenced learning activities and assessments via the
award winning LAMS (Learning Activity Management System). These activities can include a range of
individual tasks, small group work and whole class activities based on both content and collaboration. LAMS
allows for activity pathways based on student ability and learning style. Some students may progress
immediately onto harder topics while other may need more practise until they understand the topic.
You can assign a learning activity to some or all of the students in the community. The activity can be
scheduled to start and end on specific dates, or left as an open ended activity. You can use the activity
monitor in LAMS to track the progress of students and view results.
Note: LAMS consists of a range of tools that can be included in the sequence. It is important to note some
LAMS tools such as wiki and forum have equivalent portlets within the myPLS portal. These tools do not
share content. Content created in LAMS will remain within the sequence.
•Visual authoring environment
•Sequence activities
•Individual tasks
•Small group work
•Whole class activities
•Both sychronous and asynchronous activities
•Content and collaboration
Planning a Learning Activity/LAMS sequence
Planning a learning activity is exactly the same as planning an offline activity - you have to have a purpose.
You may want your users to
• Reflect on their understanding of a topic or issue
• Compare their understanding before and after using a resources
• Collaborate with others to dissect an issue
• Compare sources of information for accuracy
• Experiment with online tools
• Debate views on controversial issues, and justify their beliefs
• Moderate the discussions of other learners
• Critique art or writing published online or offline
• Design a solution to a community or societal problem
Teachers can create sequences that allow students to do the above - synchronously or asynchronously,
Individually, in small groups or as part of a class or larger group.
Teachers using Learning Activities are able to;
•Track student progress through, and completion of, activities
•View and download student journal entries, discussions and other contributions
•Move students on from one activity to another
•Split students into groups from within a sequence
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4. •
The LAMS Tools
There are a large number of tools available in the LAMS authoring view. To begin, we are going to look at the
most immediately useful. Use these to gain confidence, and experiment with others as you continue using
LAMS.
A complete description of all tools in LAMS is available at the following link;
http://wiki.lamsfoundation.org/display/lamsdocs/Home
The Learning Activities portlet
The Learning Activities Portlet is the conduit between LAMS and your community members. A Learning
Activity takes a LAMS sequence and delivers it to designated members of your class, packaged with a title,
description and start and end date.
You must create a LAMS sequence before creating the activity ‘package’ to deliver it.
The view shown in this image is a teacher’s view, as the user is able to create a new activity, author in LAMS
and manage each activity via the Actions button.
A Learning Activities Portlet, Teacher view
Initial set up of Learning Activities portlet
In order to access LAMS and create a learning activity, teachers will need to add the Learning Activities
portlet to a community. Each community requires its own Learning Activities portlet. Teachers can access
their saved LAMS sequence from any community they own.
Each user can have the Learning Activity portlet in My Pages; this will display an aggregation of all learning
activities assigned to them.
1. On the Add menu, select Add Portlet.
2. Either type learning or browse the Learning category in the portlet menu
3. Drag the portlet to your chosen location on the page, or click Add to place it in the default location.
• Note: You can move the portlet around at any time by dragging it to your chosen location on the page.
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5. Author in LAMS
To create a LAMS Sequence, go to the Author in
LAMS button on the Learning Activities portlet.
A new window will open, and the LAMS authoring canvas will
appear.
1. Drag a tool onto the canvas (the Noticeboard is an easy one
to start with).
2. Double-click on the tool to open it up and add content or
define its behaviour.
3. When you have added several tools, click the Transitions
button and draw transition lines between the tools.
4. The sequence must be saved before it can be used in the
Learning Activities portlet. Click the Save button in the menu
bar. Click your folder, name the file and click Save.
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6. Create a LAMS sequence - Basic
This sequence is a basic comparison of internet searches using a basic search, and then conducting an
advanced search. Students will use the tool Boolify to construct a Boolean search.
The tools we will use are the following;
• Noticeboard - a good tool for giving initial instructions.
• Share Resources - a good tool for delivering links to websites, learning objects and more. Instructions
can also be included here.
• Survey - this allows teachers to collect feedback from participants.
Activity Content LAMS Tool
1. Introduction
2. Activity
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7. Activity Content LAMS Tool
3. Feedback
The sequence will appear to participants as follows;
1.Introduction
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8. 2.Activity
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9. 3.Feedback
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10. Create a LAMS sequence - More complex
Using a simple scenario, we will create a short Predict-Observe-Explain sequence.
Note - The POE strategy is taken from the book Practical eTeaching Strategies for Predict-Observe-
Explain, Problem-Based Learning and Role Plays by Professor James Dalziel, Macquarie e-Learning
Centre of Excellence (MELCOE), Macquarie University.
The book can be ordered here - http://www.lamsinternational.com/resource/
Activity Content LAMS Tool
1. Introduction What effect does gravity have on a rolling object? What about an
object that is rolling up or down a hill? What about a roller coaster?
Let's find out!
2. Your Activity Using the Funderstanding Roller Coaster, we can experiment with
this single variable and see what effect gravity has on a rolling
object.
In this learning activity, we are going to Predict what will happen,
Observe what really does happen, and then Explain the results.
As you can see in this image, there are several variables that the
user can control. These include;
• Speed
• Friction
• Gravity
• Mass
• Size of the hill
• Another hill - size
• Number of loops
If we assume that the settings are such that the coaster car can
travel the length of the roller coaster successfully, what will happen
if we decrease the gravity?
3. Voting -
Prediction
What will happen when the gravity is turned down to zero? Choose
from the options listed, or write your own prediction.
•The car will go faster without gravity.
•The car will go slower without gravity.
•Your own idea______________
4. Voting -
Confidence
How sure are you of your prediction?
Users select from 10% sure -> 100% sure.
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11. Activity Content LAMS Tool
5. Observe When the Funderstanding Roller Coaster loads, run it without
changing any of the variables.
Next, change the gravity setting so that it is as low as it can go.
Run the coaster again.
URL provided in activity;
http://www.funderstanding.com/coaster
6. Reflect What did you observe?
7. Forum - Explain Use the forum to discuss what you found, how it differed to your
prediction and what the result means.
With the tools renamed to make more sense in
the context of this activity, the sequence would
now look like this to the teacher (within the LAMS
authoring environment).
Relabelling the tools in LAMS
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12. Create a LAMS Sequence - Collaboration and Higher Order Thinking
Skills
This activity is about child sponsorship organisations. Students are required to research the organisations
from the point of view of one of four roles. They must contribute to a wiki on the topic, and then participate in
a forum, reflecting on what they have learned. The sequence, from the teacher’s point of view, looks like
this;
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13. Assign a Learning Activity
After creating a LAMS sequence, you use it to create a
Learning Activity in myPLS via the portlet.
1.Click Assign an Activity/New Activity
2.Give the activity a name and description.
3.Select a sequence from the folder tree.
4.Select a starting and ending date for the Learning
Activity to be available.
5.Click Create.
6.To make the activity available to users,
you must add members to the activity.
Go to the Actions button next to the
activity you wish to use.
7.Select Manage Members.
8.Select members for this activity from the list of users in your
community. You can choose individuals or all everyone in
the community by clicking Add All.
9.Click OK when finished.
Note: Once you have one or more LAMS sequences created
and saved, you can reuse them in the same or other
communities.
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14. myPLS Help Files
Assistance with adding and using the Learning Activities portlet is available in the myPLS Help system.
Assistance with using LAMS is available via the LAMS Documentation wiki located at the following web site:
http://wiki.lamsfoundation.org/display/lamsdocs/Home
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