elearning: emerging trends and issues
TRANSCRIPT
eLearning: emerging trends and issues
Thursday, August 30th
Michael Coghlan
My Story
ESL classroom teacher 1987 – 1997 1997 – went online Blended ESL teaching 1997 – 2000 ESL online 1997 – 2004 eLearning Facilitator for TAFE SA, Aust Flexible
Learning Framework 2004 – 7 Independent elearning consultant 2006 - 7
MULTIPLE VENUEPRESENTATIONS(MVPs)
remote students guest
lecturer
CLASSROOM/F2F VENUE
publicspace
Progression……
Distance learning (print based; ‘by correspondence’)
Online learning E learning B learning (blended) M learning (mobile) E+M = U learning (ubiquitous) (Janet Fraser,
Monash Uni) (http://infotech.monash.edu/promotion/coolcampus/workshop/3rdworkshop/walkaboutlearning.pdf)
Progression……
Distance learning (print based; ‘by correspondence’)
Online learning E learning M (mobile) learning E+M = U (ubiquitous) learning (Janet Fraser,
Monash Uni) (http://infotech.monash.edu/promotion/coolcampus/workshop/3rdworkshop/walkaboutlearning.pdf)
Flexible Learning
BLENDED LEARNING
The predominant model Elearning + face to face (f2f) instruction (in any
proportion) Can be as simple as email + f2f, or Email, plus websites, + f2f The most common: Learning Management System*
(LMS) + f2f
*Learning Management Systems: Blackboard, WebCT, Janison, Moodle
Other Models: Next/Back Learning
Content for whole course prepared and loaded upfront (expensive)
Minimal input from instructors; essentially unfacilitated
Self-paced; individualised Suitable for compliance or product
training, or for highly motivated students
The Internet – more than just a book
SALMON’S 5 STEP MODEL
Other Models: Facilitated Learning
Involves processing of content
PLUS Communication activities (discussion) with
fellow students and facilitator Strong social and/or collaborative
component
How do you feel about elearning?
A. Overblown importance?
B. A necessary evil?
C. A valuable complement to VET teaching and learning?
D. Undecided?
eLearning
advantages disadvantages
THE VET CONTEXT
The average age of a TAFE student has been about 31 for the last three years. The largest group of TAFE NSW students is aged between 20 and 29 but the fastest growing group of students is aged between 40 and 49. The number of students aged 50 to 64 has also grown quickly and this trend is expected to continue. (Issues paper, NSW DET,2004)
UPDATE:
2006: average age = 34http://www.education.vic.gov.au/tafecourses/Adult_Learners.htm
SOCIAL SOFTWARE
Social software lets people rendezvous, connect or collaborate by use of a computer network. (Clay Shirky)
SOCIAL SOFTWARE TOOLS
Instant Messaging (Skype) Virtual classrooms (Centra, Elluminate, Adobe Connect) Blogs (blogger.com, edublogs.org) Photo Sharing (flickr.com) Wikis (Wikispaces.com) – collaborative workspace Social Bookmarking (http://del.icio.us/) Personalised learning environments, or PLEs (
http://elgg.org/) Social Networking sites (MySpace, Facebook)
Many of these sites encourage contributing content (text and media) to the read/write web.
eLearning 2.0/Web 2.0(Stephen Downes)Elearning 1.0: static packaged content little true interactivity and learner input very little contact with teacher represented by Learner Management Systems. (eg WebCT,
Blackboard)
Elearning 2.0: more student-centred students generate and share content. they interact not only with teachers and their peers, but with
anyone in the world they can learn from.
(this description courtesy of Sean Fitzgerald)
User Generated Content (user = teachers and students) – WHERE DO YOU PUT IT? If not on public sites, Schools/colleges/TAFES need to enable their
own spaces to store: Media rich blogs Digital stories Audio files Podcasts
see movie at: https://source.seattleschools.org/l3rn/thumb/video/4501/
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1020/529424853_8b28a81792_m.jpg
eLearning 2.0(Networked Learning)
Line of increasing personal a
gency
Institutionally driven
Member driven
FormalInformalTop-down rules
for creation, operation and
governance
EmergentBottom-up norms, not rules
Enabling Culture
Culture of compliance
Line of increasing personal a
gency
Institutionally driven
Member driven
FormalInformalTop-down rules
for creation, operation and
governance
EmergentBottom-up norms, not rules
Enabling Culture
Culture of compliance
Mapping the cultural emphases of knowledge sharing practicesMapping the cultural emphases of emerging social software tools
From Stuckey and Arkell; Development of an
eLearning Knowledge Sharing Model; 2005
Mapping the cultural emphases of emerging social software tools
From Stuckey and Arkell; Development of an
eLearning Knowledge Sharing Model; 2005
Line of increasing personal a
gency
Institutionally driven
Member driven
FormalInformalTop-down rules
for creation, operation and
governance
EmergentBottom-up norms, not rules
Enabling Culture
Culture of compliance
Institutionally driven
Member driven
FormalInformalTop-down rules
for creation, operation and
governance
EmergentBottom - norms, not rules
Mapping the cultural emphases of emerging social software tools
Wikipedia
e-PortfoliosProfile tools
Blogs/Wikis
Flickr
Chat
Tagging Tools (del.icio.us, ELGG)
List servers
Forums
Onlinejournals
FIREWALL
FIREWALL
FIREWALL
From Stuckey and Arkell; Development of an
eLearning Knowledge Sharing Model; 2005
Line of increasing personal a
gency
Institutionally driven
Member driven
FormalInformalTop-down rules
for creation, operation and
governance
EmergentBottom-up norms, not rules
Enabling Culture
Culture of compliance
Institutionally driven
Member driven
FormalInformalTop-down rules
for creation, operation and
governance
EmergentBottom - norms, not rules
Mapping the cultural emphases of emerging social software tools
Wikipedia
e-PortfoliosProfile tools
Blogs/Wikis
Flickr
Chat
Tagging Tools (del.icio.us, ELGG)
List servers
Forums
Onlinejournals
FIREWALL
FIREWALL
FIREWALL
10.55
Education by and large has not changed. The world outside has. Syllabus/curriculum is rooted in a past paradigm of fixed knowledge.
Photo courtesy of Sawrah, http://flickr.com/photos/sawrah/314474272/
TENSION
SOCIAL
SOFTWARE
ORGANISATIONAL DEMANDS (AQTF, AUDITING, ASSESSMENT, DUTY OF CARE, COPYRIGHT, etc)
V
AQTF V SOCIAL SOFTWARE
Teacher centred Control Top down Hierarchical External imposed authority Right answers pre-
determined Only one end point ?
Student centred Student choice Bottom up Distributive (flat) Knowledge sharing among
peers Decisions made collectively Multiple destinations Engaging!
AQTF V SOCIAL SOFTWARE
Teacher centred Control Top down Hierarchical External imposed authority Right answers pre-
determined Only one end point ?
Student centred Student choice Bottom up Distributive (flat) Knowledge sharing among
peers Decisions made collectively Multiple destinations Engaging!
mutually exclusive?
SECOND LIFE (secondlife.com)
SECOND LIFE (secondlife.com)
The Dark Side of the Web
Are we sociologically ready?What are ethical responsibilities aseducators?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5jtiJPlv4Y
Peter Garrett in MySpace
OUR ROLE:
Philip Adams:
“Teach with the new technology, and teach students how to protect themselves from the new technology.”
“Censorship does not work!”
The cost of elearning: does it save you money? not necessarily….. Static content, unfacilitated online models can recoup
costs in the longer term Blended learning (online and f2f) can be cost neutral Solely online facilitated models
FACT: it takes longer to effectively teach 15 people online than it does to teach the same amount of content to the same number of people in a classroom
Costs can be offset by employing Open Source software (eg Moodle) and not investing in developing whole course content for preloading
Proprietary v Open Source
Proprietary Expensive Locked in to fixed product for extended periods
Open Source Free or very cheap Host can modify product as often as desired
The Virtual Classroom
Saves travel time and teleconferencing costs Offers remote synchronous instruction/meeting
space Recordings can be accessed (repeatedly)
asynchronously after the event This model of elearning is sustainable and cost
effective
Issues:
The debilitating influence of organisational networks
Whither the innovator? Knowledge gatekeeper > knowledge
facilitator Employability skills – is elearning a valid
(better?) alternative
Resources
Designing eLearning -http://designing.flexiblelearning.net.au/
Practical Guide to eLearning for Industry - http://industry.flexiblelearning.net.au/Guide/default.htm
Learning Management Systems – LMS (or Course Management Systems – CMS, orPlatforms)
Blackboard (now incorporates WebCT) Janison, Moodle
They comprise:
1. Learning materials (content)
2. Communication tools (mail, chat, Instant Messaging, Forum/discussions, blogs)
3. The Back End: Tracking tools – student profiles, grades, attendance patterns