http://phoebe-project.conted.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/trac.cgi

The Phoebe project aims to guide practitioners working in post-compulsory learning (FE, HE and ACL) in designing effective and pedagogically sound learning activities. To realise this aim, we are developing a prototype online planning tool that will offer users both flexible and guided paths through the planning process and encourage them to explore new approaches and tools in their pedagogy.

Phase 2 is being tested starting at the end of August. 

Phoebe is designed for planning learning sessions (i.e. a classroom-based f2f lesson, tutorial, seminar, lab/practical class, lecture, field trip or a unit of a computer-based/online course). A learning session can be either a “stand-alone” piece of learning or one of a series of sessions that make up an entire course or module within a course.

A learning session consists of a sequence of learning activities: “tasks” that you want your students to do, with or without your involvement, plus presentations/lectures by the lecturer.

A learning design is the equivalent of a lesson plan.

Phoebe is based on wiki technology.

Phoebe was presented at the Greenwich E-Learning Conference.

Leanne Cameron  of the Macquarie e-Learning Centre of Excellence (MELCOE) spoke at the same conference about work just beginning on developing a pedagogical planner. The concept is to provide a tool that does more than create a “lesson by numbers”. They hope to develop a scaffold to guide the non-professional or trainee educator through the process of learning design and complete the process by producing a usable online lesson.  Is there a need for such a tool?