Journeyman's Tale: Teaching: science, art and technology

EDED20491 - ICTs for Learning Design - Teaching: science, art and technology – Reflections and conclusions

Assignment 1 – Due 18 Mar 11

Student: Malcolm Woodside

Student No.: s0198045

Blog URL: http://malcolmwoodside.blogspot.com

Introduction

“The ‘art’ of teaching is rapidly becoming the ‘science’ of teaching”, we are told (Marzano, et al., 2001, p. 1). This becomes more obvious as technological changes impose upon and invade learning spaces, and as traditional lockstep forms of instruction progressively work less effectively on the newer generations of learners.

Technological changes include Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The term ICT applies to a wide range of technological forms, from paper through to iPads and iPhones. However, it is the advanced technologies or high-tech options that are often the subject of consideration when the acronym ICT is used, and some of these will be considered here.

So far this semester the writer has been involved in the study, particularly through practical application, of a number of ICTs. These include blogs, wikis, phones and dialogue via these mediums, on ICTs, learning theory applied, and their efficacy.

While the writer has used computers in the workplace for many years it is only recently that he has adopted using a personal mobile phone. He has never developed a blog or wiki before this course. The experience provided by involvement in this semester’s work has proved quite instructive. Here the writer will reflect upon his experiences and draw some conclusions regarding the blog, wiki, mobile phone, and learning theory. Foundational to what follows is the theory.

Learning design framework

The writer has adopted a variation of the ADDIE framework as a continuous cycle. The five phases are:

- analyse,

- design,

- develop,

- conduct, and

- evaluate (with evaluation occurring continuously at each phase).

Applying this to a classroom situation, if an activity / learning experience is not achieving the required outcome, or students lose interest, the analysis of the ongoing evaluation will dictate that the teacher / instructor will modify his / her plan and deliver the material using a different approach in order to benefit the learners.

An application of continuous improvement is the fact that the writer had to attempt a number of the actions several times, to get them to work, and learning new skills, and applying the connectivity between different pieces of knowledge and skills developed into new knowledge and skills. Having a range of applications available for ICTs can aid the teacher in keeping students egaged.

Blogs

The writer was involved in several blogs during this semester, and this was from two aspects. While he accessed and commented on the blogs of other students, including the Moodle forums, he also constructed a blog as his own journal.

The writer submitted, altered and added to his own blog, utilising different elements of the blog-maker program. Due to the nature of the circumstances, the writer entered comments under the various blog entries, to practice those skills, although no other students provided comments.

Wikis

The write collaborated with another student for the production of a learning styles wiki. The other student was interested in Vygotsky’s work but the discussion resulted in a wiki on Behaviourism. While quite a simple production, the act of setting up and modifying a wiki was quite instructional.

Three learning styles – and connectivity

The three learning theories of Behaviourism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism each have their strengths and weaknesses. After Mergel (1998) a Behaviourist approach suits basic / foundational skills; A Cognitive approach suits situations where many learners prepare to work together in a system; a Constructivist approach suits finding solutions for uncommon or new problems.

It is the writer’s view that much of cognitivism and constructivism learning theory can be easily applied to blogs, wikis, and high-tech communication technology. Behahviourism can play an important part in teaching the basics: how to access, manipulate and use. The skills developed in accordance with these three learning styles are greatly enhanced by the learning accumulated by the students and connectivity made between different elements of knowledge (Siemens, 2004).

Technological toys

Mobile phones, laptops, iPad, tablets and other new high-tech tools offer a great opportunity for teaching and learning. The writer was a little surprised by the coolly neutral or even negative comments made by some students on the mobile phone wiki.

Admittedly, there are shortcomings, but after reading an article by Prensky (2005), the writer understands that the horse has well-and-truly bolted, closing the barn door now will only enrage the students. Students’ attention needs to be grasped quite firmly, and the appropriate applications, delivered on high-tech gadgets can have a greater chance of keeping the students’ attention long enough for them to learn the subject matter. The prohibitive costs are a great inhibitor, but it is conceivable that a long term plan could resolve funding issues. Technology changes are always introducing new materials and processes.

Diversity and opportunity

Some compact digital technology has grown too small for easy use by some people with physical or visual impairment. Modification or add-ons are needed to enable these people to effectively interact. ICT are now being used for isolated students to communicate and learn.

The writer has spoken to a number of teachers recently who have little interest in (high-tech) ICTs, other than what is already available in their specific environments. This could be a result of budget limitation impinging upon uptake of new technologies, discouraging the teachers from keeping up with changes. This in tern causes the teachers to be unaware of what can be done with new products or procedures. This course has opened the writer’s eyes to what can be done.

eLearning and digital pedagogy

The step-by-step process utilised in this semester’s work is great to ease the technologically illiterate into the twenty-first century. As this all takes a lot of time the incremental process reduces wasted time trying to find answers in isolation. Reiterating the statement on mobile phones, while some people are still reluctant to see value in new technology to learning, the myriad of applications now available make these tools potentially fantastic aids to learning.

Marzano’s Dimensions of Learning (DoL) can apply well to the use in eLearning applications. Efficacy relies upon the imagination of the learning designer, the teacher. The DoL ‘Habits of Mind’ includes critical thinking, creative thinking, and self-regulated thinking. With appropriate applications students can be engaged and learning (Prensky) so that these skills can develop.

Conclusions

The experiences encountered in this study have opened the eyes of the writer to the opportunities available for high-tech ICTs. The exploding number of applications available for iPhones and the other tools can equip a teacher with the tools to engage and keep engaged the students in their classes. The ICTs discussed are simply tools to be used to apply the principles of learning theory and learning design. Teachers themselves need to continue to learn.

References

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Mergel, B. (1998). Instructional Design & Learning Theory. Available: http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm

Prensky, M. (2005). Engage me or enrage me, Educause Review. Sep/Oct. Retrieved from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design, http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf

Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm.

Appendix:

A Blog and blog contribution addresses

Appendix A Blog and blog contribution addresses

Name: Malcolm Woodside

Student No.: s0198045

Blog URL: http://malcolmwoodside.blogspot.com

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http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=143197#p337175

Re: Global English

by Malcolm Woodside - Wednesday, 16 March 2011, 05:24 PM

Re: Global English