How might Educational Technology How might Educational Technology support support

Teaching and Learning in Higher Teaching and Learning in Higher Education?Education?

POSSIBILITIESPOSSIBILITIES

ObjectivesObjectivesProvide a conceptual framework for

thinking about educational technology choices

Exposure to a range of technologies used for teaching and learning purposes

Facilitate reflection on possibilities of appropriate use in the local context

To present a few possibilities which are on the horizon as well as those which are immediately available

A Cautionary NoteA Cautionary NoteEducational Technology will NOT solve all your problems

Time and money spent on technology and online teaching will be wasted unless interventions are driven by good educational design.

Behaviourism Cognitivism

Teaching Theory & Teaching Theory & TechnologyTechnology

4

Constructivism

e-Activities:

Discussion forumse-Mail contact

Productivity softwaree-Activities:

Rote based tutorialsOnline assessment

Online lecture notes

e-Activities:

Social interactionsOnline libraries

Online Chat Counselling

Learning InteractionsLearning Interactions

Anderson, T. (2003). Towards a Theory of Online Learning,

http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ch2.html

Learning Interactions & Learning Interactions & ToolsTools

Anderson, T. (2003).

Five Challenges for Five Challenges for EducatorsEducators

Laurillard, D. (2001). Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Learning Technologies. Routledge Falmer

Read Course MaterialsRead Course Materials

This used to mean the textbook and prescribed readings …

But now we can also use…

Read Course MaterialsRead Course MaterialsElectronic Text Files: Downloaded

to either an electronic reader or computer. E-books, PDFs or MS Word files

Audio Files: Downloaded to either a computer, iPod or mobile phone.Podcasts or recorded lectures as

MP3 filesVideo Files: Downloaded to either a

computer an iPod or mobile phone as MP4 filesTeacher Tube / YouTube

Read Course MaterialsRead Course Materials

Both commercial and open education services are available to help students access top quality academic materials

Five Challenges for Five Challenges for EducatorsEducators

Laurillard, D. (2001). Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Learning Technologies. Routledge Falmer

Explore within the Explore within the discipline?discipline?

This used to mean reading books and paper based journals but now there is a tsunami of online information.

How do we help students to deal with this?

Newsfeeds & RSS!Newsfeeds & RSS!

Newsfeeds mean that you no longer need to come to a web page to see what’s new. Instead you can gather all of this in one place and click through to what interests you

Explore: Discipline Specific Explore: Discipline Specific PortalsPortalsSometimes Subject Based Information Gateways are more useful than general web searches e.g Intute offers portals for a wide range of disciplines.

Explore: Open AccessExplore: Open Access

There is a wealth of information available as Open Educational Resources and as Open Access Research including resources from many of the world’s top universities.

Five Challenges for Five Challenges for EducatorsEducators

Laurillard, D. (2001). Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Learning Technologies. Routledge Falmer

Engage in Learning Engage in Learning Conversations?Conversations?

This used to mean a discussion in a tutorial or lab session or individual consultations

but now new technologies offer a richer experience..- Online discussions- Online chats- Blogging- Text messages- e-Mail

Qualities of ConversationQualities of Conversation

All the qualities that we associate with deep face to face learning conversation can be taken online. These include excitement, discovery, trust, intense listening and flow. As in face to face interaction this requires good facilitation. What’s different is the effective use of the online environment to provide conversational spaces and tools.

Conversation: BlogsConversation: Blogs

strong authorial voice separation of content from appearance easy to start easy updating, listing of postings from most to least

recent collection of recommended links Newsfeeds/ RSS

Conversation: ForumsConversation: Forums

Five Challenges for Five Challenges for EducatorsEducators

Laurillard, D. (2001). Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Learning Technologies. Routledge Falmer

Practicing SkillsPracticing SkillsThis used to mean mostly drill and

practice of standard techniques , but now electronic tools can provide a richer experience ....

Interactive spreadsheetsSimulationsRole PlayGames

How can we facilitate student learning of skills and techniques with real world application?

Skills: SpreadsheetsSkills: Spreadsheets

Example of an Excel based exercise on metal fatigue that runs on a local network at UCT’s Engineering depart.

Skills: SimulationsSkills: Simulations

Internet based simulation on chemical reactions and a virtual microscope from Colorado University http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Reactions_and_Rates

Skills: SimulationsSkills: Simulations

Virtual microscope used at University of Delaware

Five Challenges for Five Challenges for EducatorsEducators

Laurillard, D. (2001). Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Learning Technologies. Routledge Falmer

ProducingProducingStudents must be able to produce

knowledge in forms such as reports, models, performance or media....

The newer tools include collaborative writing environments and specialist production software to support flexibility and creativity

Producing: WikiProducing: Wiki

Producing: Specialist Producing: Specialist SoftwareSoftwareOften students will need to use specialist software to develop and show professional skills e.g. CAD software for architects, film editing software for Film and Media students in a production stream.

Interaction SummaryInteraction Summary

Online Learning Online Learning EnvironmentsEnvironments

OLE act as containers/ toolkits/ integrators for many of the electronic tools highlighted

Learning Management Systems (LMS) / Virtual learning Environments (VLE)

Institutional choice: proprietary vs. open source?

- Blackboard (P)- Kewl (OS)- Moodle (OS)

Environments: Virtual Environments: Virtual WorldsWorldsIn countries with ample bandwidth many universities are starting to use virtual worlds such as Second Life for research and teaching

Next Generation Learning Next Generation Learning Environment?Environment?

Ali Jafari, Patricia McGee, and Colleen Carmean, Managing Courses, Defining Learning: What Faculty, Students, and Administrators Want

……and with low or no and with low or no bandwidth?bandwidth?

Everything on the local network – resources, software, online learning environments

Caching of websites for local use

CD-Rom/ DVDFlash memory

including generic (cheap) mp3 players

Mobile phones

ET Beyond e-ET Beyond e-Learning Learning Information Systems:

It is taken as a ‘given’ that the university is also supported by an electronic information system that provides accurate statistics:

AdmissionsStudent and staff recordsAccountsAcademic RecordsLibrary etc.