challenges, change and trends

Keynote Presentation to the Adult Literacy Practitioners Association (NZ)

Wellington, 22 May, 2009Derek Wenmoth

Director, eLearningCORE Education Ltd

My reference point…My reference point…

• Born 16 February 2008• Turned one, 16.2.09• 2013 - start school

• 2023 - sit first NCEA exams…

What we want for our young peopleWhat we want for our young people

ConfidentConfident

– Positive in their own identityPositive in their own identity– Motivated and reliableMotivated and reliable– ResourcefulResourceful– Enterprising and Enterprising and

entrepreneurialentrepreneurial– ResilientResilient

Source: NZ Curriculum, 2007

ConnectedConnected

– Able to relate well to othersAble to relate well to others– Effective users of communications toolsEffective users of communications tools– Connected to the land and environmentConnected to the land and environment

– Members of communitiesMembers of communities– International citizensInternational citizens

Source: NZ Curriculum, 2007Source: NZ Curriculum, 2007

Actively InvolvedActively Involved

– Participants in a range of life contextsParticipants in a range of life contexts– Contributors to the well being of NZContributors to the well being of NZSource: NZ Curriculum, 2007

Lifelong LearnersLifelong Learners

– Literate and numerate– Critical and creative thinkers

– Active seekers, users and creators of knowledge– Informed decision makers

Source: NZ Curriculum, 2007

21st Century Literacy21st Century Literacy

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

Alvin Toffler

The BookThe Book

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpc7Puo78_o

The Digital WorldThe Digital World

Think of the communications technologies that are “taken for granted” now that weren’t around when you were at school….

New ToolsNew Tools

• Pen• Chalkboard/

Whiteboard• Banda• Gestetner• 16mm projector• Slide shows• Telephone• Fax• Library

Now Next?• Txting/Pxting• Blogs/Wikis• Pod/Vod-casting• Data projector• LMS• IM/SMS• Digital cameras• iMovie• Google• Peer2peer networks

• Virtual reality• Wearable computers• Ubiquitous identity• Voice recognition• Agents and avitars• Visualisation• Miniaturisation• Reusable paper• Semantic web• PLEs

Then

New ToolsNew Tools

• Pen• Chalkboard/

Whiteboard• Banda• Gestetner• 16mm projector• Slide shows• Telephone• Fax• Library

Now Next?• Txting/Pxting• Blogs/Wikis• Pod/Vod-casting• Data projector• LMS• IM/SMS• Digital cameras• iMovie• Google• Peer2peer networks

• Virtual reality• Wearable computers• Ubiquitous identity• Voice recognition• Agents and avitars• Visualisation• Miniaturisation• Reusable paper• Semantic web• PLEs

Analog

Analog

Digital

Digital

Connected

Connected

Ubiquitous

Ubiquitous

Then

“Don’t you think that our students need to be literate in terms of multimedia, images and sound……or they’ll be as disadvantaged as we would have been if we’d left school without being able to read and write?”

New LiteraciesNew Literacies

Comment is FreeComment is Freehttp://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ewan_mcintosh/2008/02/beyond_the_three_rs.html

Less DickensMore Dr Kawashima What constitutes ‘text’?

novelsshort stories

playspoems

comicse-mails

filmsgames

TV programmes

text messagestext messagesblogsblogs

socialsocialnetworkingnetworking

sitessites

ResponsesResponses

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ewan_mcintosh/2008/02/beyond_the_three_rs.html

Touch typing…?Touch typing…?

Touch technologies such as Apple’s iPhone are changing the way we think about how we interface with technology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhhbaaWBgnk

iPhone dispenseriPhone dispenser

iPod dispenser - San Fransisco Airport

Mobile technology isnow a readily availableconsumer item

ICT & Literacy DevelopmentICT & Literacy Development

• Information literacy• Critical literacy• Mobile literacy• Media literacy and research

literacy• Cultural literacy• Legal literacy• Visual literacy

http://www.unescobkk.org/index.php?id=4348

But don’t confuse literacy with ability or competence.

Hole in the wall computer kioskHole in the wall computer kiosk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzPCYCIM8DU

Children quickly figured out how to us computers placed in public places in villages in India - but while this demonstrates adaptability and skill, it doesn’t follow that they became literate.

Role of Role of TechnologyTechnology

Technology changes the way the world works. As technology evolves, so must the skill sets of those who use it. In order to remain competitive tomorrow, today’s students need to develop techniques that readily adapt to changes as they occur.http://www.ncrel.org/engauge/skills/engauge21st.pdf

New Ways of WritingNew Ways of Writing

• New tools such as blogs, wikis and Google docs provide uniquely new ways of giving expression to our ideas and knowledge.

• The comment feature on blogs opens doors for interactions with others, and for communities of thinkers to emerge

• Wikis and Google docs provide the opportunity for genuinely collaborative writing and the co-construction of thought and knowledge.

New ways of readingNew ways of reading

E-reading tools such as the Kindle provide the opportunity for thousands of books to be read via a single device. Those books, magazines and articles can quickly and easily be downloaded for viewing, and kept up to date via the online subscription.http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=myqkadSYT2Q

New Ways of ReadingNew Ways of Reading

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKw_Mp5YkaE

Through the use of augmented reality, books can be “viewed” in 3D, with graphics and illustrations coming to life for the reder, adding depths and dimensions to understanding that can supplement the written text. HitLab NZ (based in Christchurch) have produced a range of solutions called “magic books”, including some for children.

New ways of conversingNew ways of conversing

VoiceThread is an exciting online tool that enables conversations to take place in both written and audio formats, providing a media rich alternative to the conventional threaded discussion forum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1--CdU4pljg

New Ways of participatingNew Ways of participating

Immersive online environments such as Second Life and Playstation Home provide yet another way of interacting with others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyquAXKeEI0

Advanced NetworksAdvanced Networks

Advanced networks, capable of transferring data at speeds of 100Mb+ are now an essential feature of being connected to a global knowledge economy. See: http://www.karen.net.nz/assets/Uploads/pdfadvancednetworkbackgrounder.PDF

Connectivity is keyConnectivity is key

Across NZ schools are being linked to high speed networks as part of the roll-out of fibre networks in regional areas. This enables the high speed transfer of data, enabling such things as HD video conferencing between schools, and the virtualisation of servers and services.

A National Education NetworkA National Education Network

The Kiwi Advanced Research & Education Network (KAREN) network provides a backbone of high speed connectivity for local school clusters across New Zealand

http://www.karen.net.nz

Virtual Learning NetworkVirtual Learning Network

The Virtual Learning Network provides a brokerage of courses and learning opportunities for students across the whole of New Zealand, using both synchronous and asynchronous technologies

http://www.virtuallearning.school.nz

One School’s StoryOne School’s Story

Point England School, a low decile school in Auckland, NZ has addressed the issue of low literacy among students through the use of student blogs, podcasts and vodcasts.See for yourself at:http://www.ptengland.school.nz

Impact on literacy teaching at PES Impact on literacy teaching at PES

• Gives literacy a purpose – authentic audience

• Integrates ICT with literacy (blogging)• Can be time consuming• Can cause imbalance in literacy

programme• Has provided a “hook” for students and

teachers• Provides a forum for sharing ideas• Provides a forum for reflection on

beliefs and practices.

Impact on student’s literacy learningImpact on student’s literacy learning

Improvements in student literacy have been outstanding…

Reading • Y4 and 6 – 2x expected shift• Y7 and 8 achieved at or above expected

level • Y5, 7&8 made expected shiftWriting • Yrs 4 -8 – 4x expected shift• Tongan 1.4x expected shift• Samoan 4.5x expected shift• Maori 5.2x expected shift

Our challenge as educatorsOur challenge as educators

• To what extent are we prepared, as a society and as educators, for the massive changes in human capabilities that digital technologies are likely to enable in the next 13 years?

• To what extent are our future visions for education based upon assumptions about humanity, society and technology that are no longer valid?

• To what extent can we, as educators, help to shape the developments of technology in order to enhance human development?http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/opening_education/2020_and_beyond.pdf

Thank youThank you

Email me: derek@core-ed.net Blog: http://blog.core-ed.net/derek