Teaching the Crowd

Terry Anderson,Professor, Athabasca University

Berlin, Germany: April 16-17, 2015

With much Credit to Jon Dron

Agenda

• The usual futurist’s look at a changing world

• What it means for educators

• 3 Generations of Pedagogy

– Cognitive Behavioural developments

– Social Cognitive developments

– Connectivist developments

• Social Aggregations Make a difference

– Demo of Athabasca Landing?

Values

• We can (and must) continuously improve the quality, effectiveness, appeal, cost and time efficiency of the learning experience.

• Student control and freedom is integral to 21st

century life-long education and learning.

• Continuing education opportunity is a basic human right.

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/communications/internet-minute-infographic.html

Very Rapid Technological Change

All Online Learning is not the same

Learning as Dance (Anderson, 2008)

• Technology sets the beat and the timing.

• Pedagogy defines the moves.

Understanding Online Pedagogies and fitting them into our social boxes

• McLuhan “We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us”

• “When physical spaces for learning go online (distributed, non-hierarchical, networked, digital), new, more effective pedagogies emerge”. George Siemens

Three Generations of Online Learning Pedagogy

1. Behaviourist/Cognitive –

2. Social Constructivist –

3. Connectivist

Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. IRRODL, 12(3), 80-97

1. Behavioural/Cognitive Pedagogies

• “tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em,

• tell ‘em

• then tell ‘em what you told ‘em”

Direct Instruction

Gagne’s Events of Instruction (1965)

1. Gain learners' attention2. Inform learner of objectives3. Stimulate recall of previous information4. Present stimulus material5. Provide learner guidance6. Elicit performance7. Provide Feedback8. Assess performance9. Enhance transfer

Instructional Systems Design (ISD)

Enhanced by the “cognitive revolution”

• Chunking

• Cognitive Load

• Working Memory

• Multiple Representations

• Split-attention effect

• Variability Effect

• Multi-media effect – (Sorden, 2005)

“learning as acquiring and using conceptual and cognitive structures” Greeno, Collins and Resnick, 1996

Technologies of 1st generation

• CAI, text books, One way Lectures, Video and audio broadcasts and webcasts with advancements??

"At the School" (1910), French postcard envisioning techno-pedagogy in the year 2000. (Bibliothèque nationale de France, via paleofuture)

Social Focus of 1st generation -Individual Learner

Learning Alone

• Maximizes Freedom:

– Space, time, pace,

• Allows and promotes individualization

• Freedom from “group think”

• Power of auto-didacticism

• Freedom from groups

Behavioural/Cognitive Developments

Open Educational Resources & Open Texts

Because it saves time!!!

Publisher’s Response to OERs

All resources linked to national learning outcomes

POERUP Map of OER Initiatives

http://poerup.referata.com/wiki/Maps

OER Barriers to Adoption

• Few instructor incentives

• Publisher push back

• Quality concerns

• Licensing, copyright issues

• “not invented here” syndrome

• Lack of open culture and practice

• Insufficient content

Adaptation of Course Content by type of Learner

Hermans, H., Jansse, J., Vogten, H., & Koper, R.(2015). Flexible Provisioning Adult Learners.Journal of Universal Computer Science 21(2)

Khan Academy Offers Student Tracking/Analytics

Big Data &Education

1) Technology: maximizing computation power and algorithmic accuracy to gather, analyze, link, and compare large data sets.

2) Analysis: drawing on large data sets to identify patterns in order to make economic, social, technical, and legal claims and design interventions.

3) Mythology: the widespread belief that large data sets offer a higher form of intelligence and knowledge that can generate insights that were previously impossible, with the aura of truth, objectivity, and accuracy.

Boyd, d. & Crawford, K. (2013). Critical Questions for Big Data: Provocations for a Cultural, Technological, and Scholarly Phenomenon

1st Generation, Cognitive Behavioural Pedagogy

Summary• Scalable

• Few requirements (or opportunities), for social learning

• Works most efficiently with individual learning models

• Effective and efficient for some types of learning

• Have we really taught learners to succeed as life long learners with this type of learning?

31

2nd Generation Social Constructivist Pedagogy

• Group Orientated

• Membership and exclusion, closed

• Not scalable - max 50 students/course

• Classrooms - at a distance or on campus

• Hierarchies of control

• Focus on collaboration and shared purposegroup

2nd Generation - Constructivist

• Current model for most Online Learning– continued strong growth globally

• Canada - “Student registrations jumped another 18.4% in Winter 2013”

Image: http://theories-theorists.wikispaces.com/Shanna-+Constructivism

Constructivist Learning in Groups• Long history of research

and study• Established sets of tools

– Classrooms– Learning Management

Systems (LMS)– Synchronous (chat, video

& net conferencing)– Email, wikis, blogs

• Need to develop face to face, mediated and blended group learning skills

Garrison, R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical thinking in text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2), 87-105.

• “Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application?”

• 'Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?’

Confucius Analects translated by Legge:

• Increase in learning outcomes, social skills, positive attitudes to learning BUT

• “the need for cooperative teams to mature implies that cooperative learning does not yield an immediate improvement …need for patience and persistence… students experienced in cooperative learning”

Hsiung, C.-M. (2012). The Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning. Journal of Engineering Education, 101(1), 119-137.

Social Constructivist Learning

The Power of Synchronous Learning in Groups

• Immediacy

• Pacing

• Social Modeling

• Comfort level for student and teachers, but DON’T fall into classroom lectures.

Immersion ??

Group Management

• Need good tools to allow group to work effectively and efficiently to build trust and work effectively at a distance

https://voicethread.com/?#u316369

https://voicethread.com/?#u316369.b394099.i4835363

http://www.go2web20.net/#tag:collaboration

http://www.collaborativelearning.org/sciencebiology.html

OERs at work!

Social Constructivist Social Form

• Group based

• Limited in size

– Dunbar’s Max ~150 for a tribe

– Max. 50 persons/section in post secondary

• Mutual awareness of each other

• Teacher domination and dependency?

2nd Generation Social Constructivist Pedagogy

Summary• Not scalable, expensive in terms of time and

money

• New group tools enhance efficiency

• Helps teachers and learners transition to online learning a transference from good classroom teaching

Generation 3 Connective pedagogies

• http://mms.uni-hamburg.de/epedagogy/mmswiki/index.php5/Connectivism

Connectivism

• “connectivism is the thesis that knowledge is distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks.” Stephen Downes 2007

See special issue of IRRODL.org

Connectivist Knowledge

• Is created by linking to appropriate people and objects

• May be created and stored in non human devices

• Is as much about capacity as current competence

• Assumes the ubiquitous Internet

• Is emergent

George Siemens (2005)

Connectivist Learning

Persistence

Accessibility

Network Effects

“Connectivying” your course http://terrya.edublogs.org/2012/12/18/connectivy-your-course/

NOT Learning in a Bubble

Disruptions of Connectivism

• Demands net literacy and net presence of students and teachers

• Openness is scary

• New roles for teachers and students

• Artifact ownership, persistence and privacy

• Too manic for some

The Social Aggregation makes a Difference

• Available open access

Teachingcrowds.ca

The Social Aggregations of Generation 3 Connective Pedagogies

• Individuals

• Groups

• Networks

• Sets

3rd Gen. Connectivist

2nd Gen. Social Constructivist

1st GenCognitive/Behavioural

Social Forms of Connectivism

Networks and Sets

Social Networks

• Facebook, LinkedIn, • Academia, • Twitter• Blogs• Listservs• Private

– ELGG– NING– Drupal, – Word Press

https://webmaker.org/standard - Mozilla

Networks – Privacy Issues

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Companies Student Privacy Pledge

http://studentprivacypledge.org

• We commit to:• Not sell student information• Not behaviorally target advertising• Use data for authorized education

purposes only• Not change privacy policies without notice

and choice• Enforce strict limits on data retention• Support parental access to, and correction

of errors in, their children’s information• Provide comprehensive security standards• Be transparent about collection and use of

data

Set Model of social aggregation

• Aggregation of all people/things sharing a particular interest, commonality.

• Examples: Set of all graduates of X, all psychology resources, all physics teachers

• Often set members curat resources with social involvement limited to votes, comments, links

• Sets MAY develop into networks or groups.

Most Common Set ToolTag Cloud

Classic Set: Those editing a Wikipedia article

Set Tools: Pintere.st

Sets (Example)

Connectivist Learning Summary

• Born on the Net

• Focuses on student responsibility for their own learning and building of their own learning nets and sets

• Is emergent and can be disruptive

• For advanced learners only??

Conclusion:

• The best part of Online Learning is its eclectic nature, allowing student and teacher exploration of their own learning needs and gifts.

• Need to match pedagogy, technology, social forms and learning outcomes

• Empowerment, lifelong learning and smart (not more) work for teachers

Terry Anderson terrya@athabascau.ca

Blog: terrya.edublogs.org

Your comments & questions

most welcomed!Now or at the next interactive session

Slides available

Further Reading

• Anderson, T. & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. International Review of Research on Distance and Open Learning, 12(3), 80-97. http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/890/1826.

• Anderson, T. & Dron, J. (2012). Learning technology through three generations of technology enhanced distance education pedagogy. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 2012/2. Retrieved from http://www.eurodl.org/?p=current&article=523.

• Dron, J. & Anderson, T. (in press). Teaching crowds: the role of social media in distance learning Edmonton, Canada: Athabasca University Press.

If Time Allows

• A tour of Athabasca’s social network – The Landing??

• A deeper look at Professional Development??

The Athabasca Story

• LMS – Moodle

• E-Portfolio- Mahara

• Social Networking - Elgg

Hard

Soft

Low learner control

High learner control

Case Study : Athabasca Landinglanding.athabascau.ca

Landing Stats (Mar. 2015)

Individual Control (PLE)

Privacy Control

Groups

Group Example

Nets

Sets

Student view

• "I have managed to gain more useful knowledge through one course conducted here on Landing than from all the others combined. ”

Opportunities• Sharing resources

• modeling of product and pacing

• “amplified” feedback.

• part of a social structure

Challenges• Confusion and learning

curve

• Information overload –filtering problems

• instrumental learners

• Privacy and sharing

• Institutional inertia

“free-agent learner” student profile

profile accurately depicts the way many of today’s students are approaching learning. For these students, the schoolhouse, the teacher and the textbook no longer have an exclusive monopoly on knowledge, content or even the education process. These students are leveraging a wide range of learning resources, tools, applications, outside experts and each other to create a personalized learning experience that may or may not include what is happening in the classroom.2009 Speak Up Survey

Companies Student Privacy Pledge

http://studentprivacypledge.org

• We commit to:• Not sell student information• Not behaviorally target advertising• Use data for authorized education

purposes only• Not change privacy policies without notice

and choice• Enforce strict limits on data retention• Support parental access to, and correction

of errors in, their children’s information• Provide comprehensive security standards• Be transparent about collection and use of

data