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New Technologies, Learning Systems, and Communication: Reducing Complexity in the Educational System
Abstract
Today education offers new possibilities for communication, collaboration, interaction, and student-centered authentic learning. Examining the potential impact of the new educational environment has become an important aspect of educational researchers' efforts. Much of this research and literature about information and communication technology (ICT) and learning has been conducted through the lens of sociocultural theories (e.g., Lave & Wenger, 1991), and theories about dialogism (e.g., Bakhtin, 1986). In this chapter we introduce a systems theoretical approach especially inspired by the German sociologist N. Luhmann, and examine the empirical and theoretical research on ICT through this lens. The chapter concludes with a proposal of a research agenda to understanding learning and knowledge in this new environment. Based on Luhmanns' concepts of learning and teaching, which considers systems, communication, and learning, the chapter explores the ways in which new technologies have expanded classroom communication but also changed the nature of what learners and teachers may experience. Luhmann introduces the idea of complexity and contingency, and states, Complexity means being forced to select; being forced to select means contingency; and contingency means risk (Luhmann, Social Systems, 1995, p. 25). The interaction requires new ways of communicating and also challenges students' abilities to deal with their own ways of knowing. The concept of teaching is defined as a specific form of communication which intends to give students the opportunity to learn and construct knowledge; however, this presents new challenges for both learners and teachers. It represents inherent complexity, partly in the system and partly in the environment of the system. Thus, educators must learn to handle complexity as well as contingency. The chapter will, through recent literature, offer results and implications of the ways complexity and contingency may impact teaching and learning. In particular, we call for ongoing research in communication and the conditions for learning in concrete educational settings, including development of learning resources and research projects focusing on new knowledge media and their learning potential.
... Video, også benaevnt som "podcast", er løbende blevet produktudviklet og med et stadigt større fokus på de studerendes mulighed for at laere sig det, der er intenderet i forbindelse med brug af den konkrete laeringsressource (Heilesen, 2009). Samtidig viser den didaktiske praksis og forskning, at undervisningsmiljøets betydning i stadig højere grad er i fokus (Buus et al., 2018;Danielsen et al., 1997;Danielsen et al., 2002;Fibiger et al., 2001;Godsk & Hansen, 2016;Hansen et al., 1995;Lauridsen et al., 2016;Løkkegaard & Ryberg, 2013;Mathiasen, 2010). I dag udbydes der i universitetsregi en bred vifte af såkaldte interaktive videoformater, der i et didaktisk perspektiv er taenkt som laeringsressourcer (se fx: https://cobl.ku.dk/news/2017/laboratoriesikkerhed/). ...
... Yderligere er brug af videoformaterne sat i en didaktisk ramme som eksempelvis i forbindelse med organiseringen af undervisning som "flipped classroom" (se fx https://cobl.ku.dk/news/2017/nyt-kursusforloeb-faarveterinaerstuderende-paa-1.-aar-til-at-braende-for-faget/). Men også nye videoformater som blandt andet instruktionsvideoer, demonstrationsvideoer og "feltvideoer" er blevet aktualiseret gennem de seneste mange år (Huber & Werner, 2016;Mathiasen, 2010). ...
... Når en studerende i et forskningsinterview fortaeller, at selvom han har hørt den laererproducerede podcast 20 gange, har han ikke forstået dét, det der bliv formidlet (Mathiasen, 2010), er der med det praesenterede kommunikationsbegreb basis for kritisk at reflektere over det konkrete videoformats mulighed og begraensning. Den studerendes refleksioner over egen forståelse inviterer til et kommunikativt fokus på, hvad der skal til, for at den studerende kunne hjaelpes på vej til den af underviseren intenderede forståelse af den formidlede information. ...
Brugen af video i undervisningen har gennem de seneste dekader til stadighed fyldt mere i billedet af anvendte læringsressourcer på universiteterne. Med et kort tilbageblik på de seneste godt ti års brug af videoformater beskrives forskellige didaktiske aspekter ved inddragelse af forskellige videoformater i undervisningen. Med reference til litteraturen præsenteres aspekter ved brugen af videoformater med udgangspunkt i et kommunikationsperspektiv. Artiklen afsluttes med en opfordring til fortsat didaktisk udvikling, hvor videoformater, set som læringsressourcer, udvikles med fokus på stadig flere kommunikative aktiviteter i undervisningsrelaterede sammenhænge.
... The standard deviation ranges from 0.88 to 1.24, suggesting that the sample data distribution is reasonable and suitable for model fitting. The average values for data analysis skills and teamwork abilities are slightly higher than other variables, indicating that these two abilities are widely recognized by the sample [2]. ...
... The study explores the neural consequences of technological impact on brain plasticity (Mathiasen & Schrum, 2010) and attention deficit (Small & Vorgan, 2009). Interviewed experts refer to a theore- tical approach, arguing that the more enriched and volatile is the medium, the more brain connec- tions are created and, thus, the more the plasticity is able to be flexible and trained. ...
The incorporation of new techniques in market research is leading entertainment industry to a better understanding of audience’s preferences and liking. In this context, neuroscience methodology is a trendy research among worldwide broadcasters. By the employment of literature review, this paper focuses on neuroscience’ s potential to lay the foundation of efficient educative transmedia design. Complementary, the research also determines the impact and implementation of this innovative methodology by European public broadcasters. Results point out that emotional engagement is key for cognitive processing such as attention and memory, and the potentiality of learning transmedia platforms such as video games and social TV for increasing the effectiveness of learning processes given its ability to stimulate audience participation, content redundancy, and encourage emotional engagement.
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... En este sentido, los equipos multidisciplinares y la psicología tendrán un rol determinante (Horvath & Donoghue, 2016). El estudio indaga sobre las consecuencias neurales derivadas del impacto de la tecnología sobre la plasticidad del cerebro (Mathiasen & Schrum, 2010) y el déficit de atención (Small & Vorgan, 2009). Los expertos entrevistados se remiten a un planteamiento teórico que sugiere que cuanto más enriquecido y variable sea el medio, más conexiones cerebrales se crean y, por tanto, más flexibilidad y entrenamiento de la plasticidad. ...
Resumen El nuevo panorama mediático, caracterizado por la fragmentación y desafección de las audiencias hacia la televisión tradicional, urge la incorporación de innovadoras estrategias que atiendan a las demandas de sus públicos y conecten con ellos. El presente artículo analiza la capacidad de la Neurociencia para optimizar la producción de contenidos adaptados a las preferencias de los espectadores y comprueba la introducción de esta metodología en las radiotelevisiones públicas europeas. Para ello se realizó una revisión de los informes de gestión, memorias de cuentas y webs de las radiotelevisiones públicas estatales y regionales de la Unión Europea (N=100) así como de la evolución de sus audiencias de 2010-15. Complementariamente, a partir de un análisis exploratorio y de entrevistas en profundidad con cuestionario abierto y cerrado, se recogió la opi-nión de expertos neurocientíficos, consultores de Neuromarketing, académicos y profesionales de la televisión pública europea (N=22) sobre la utilidad e introducción de esta ciencia para el estudio de las audiencias y su aplicación en la programación, y el rol de la Neuroeducación en el diseño de programas educativos. Los resultados determinan que cerca de una docena de RTV públicas ya aplican el Neuromarketing audiovisual como herramienta innovadora para probar y diseñar productos de entretenimiento, bloques comerciales y estrategias de mejora de la competitividad frente a su implementación en la programación educativa, enco-mienda principal del servicio público. Abstract The new media landscape is characterized by the fragmentation and disaffection of the audience towards The new media landscape is characterized by the fragmentation and disaffection of the audience towards traditional television. Such a context requires innovative strategies to meet the needs of the public and connect with it. This article analyses the ability of Neuroscience to optimize the production of content adapted to audiences.
... The study explores the neural consequences of technological impact on brain plasticity (Mathiasen & Schrum, 2010) and attention deficit (Small & Vorgan, 2009). Interviewed experts refer to a theoretical approach, arguing that the more enriched and volatile is the medium, the more brain connections are created and, thus, the more the plasticity is able to be flexible and trained. ...
The new media landscape is characterized by the fragmentation and disaffection of the audience towards The new media landscape is characterized by the fragmentation and disaffection of the audience towards traditional television. Such a context requires innovative strategies to meet the needs of the public and connect with it. This article analyses the ability of Neuroscience to optimize the production of content adapted to audiences. For this purpose, a review of management and economic reports and corporate websites of the European public broadcasters (N=100) was carried out, as well as the evolution of the audience in the period 2010-15. Also, an exploratory analysis and in-depth interviews with open and closed questionnaires was undertaken. The data collect the opinion of neuroscientific experts, Neuromarketing consultants, academics and professionals in European public television (N=22) on the usefulness and introduction of this science for audience research, its possible application in programming, and the role of Neuroeducation in the design of educational programmes. The findings determine that almost a dozen public service media in Europe are already applying audiovisual Neuromarketing as an incipient and innovative tool to test entertainment programmes, commercial spaces and competitiveness improvement strategies. However, it has not been implemented in educational content, which is a core mission of public broadcasters. Resumen El nuevo panorama mediático, caracterizado por la fragmentación y desafección de las audiencias hacia la televisión tradicional, urge la incorporación de innovadoras estrategias que atiendan a las demandas de sus públicos y conecten con ellos. El presente artículo analiza la capacidad de la Neurociencia para optimizar la producción de contenidos adaptados a las preferencias de los espectadores y comprueba la introducción de esta metodología en las radiotelevisiones públicas europeas. Para ello se realizó una revisión de los informes de gestión, memorias de cuentas y webs de las radiotelevisiones públicas estatales y regionales de la Unión © COMUNICAR, 52 (2017-3); e-ISSN: 1988-3293; Preprint Europea (N=100) así como de la evolución de sus audiencias de 2010-15. Complementariamente, a partir de un análisis exploratorio y de entrevistas en profundidad con cuestionario abierto y cerrado, se recogió la opi-nión de expertos neurocientíficos, consultores de Neuromarketing, académicos y profesionales de la televisión pública europea (N=22) sobre la utilidad e introducción de esta ciencia para el estudio de las audiencias y su aplicación en la programación, y el rol de la Neuroeducación en el diseño de programas educativos. Los resultados determinan que cerca de una docena de RTV públicas ya aplican el Neuromarketing audiovisual como herramienta innovadora para probar y diseñar productos de entretenimiento, bloques comerciales y estrategias de mejora de la competitividad frente a su implementación en la programación educativa, enco-mienda principal del servicio público.
... En este sentido, los equipos multidisciplinares y la psicología tendrán un rol determinante (Horvath & Donoghue, 2016). El estudio indaga sobre las consecuencias neurales derivadas del impacto de la tecnología sobre la plasticidad del cerebro (Mathiasen & Schrum, 2010) y el déficit de atención (Small & Vorgan, 2009). Los expertos entrevistados se remiten a un planteamiento teórico que sugiere que cuanto más enriquecido y variable sea el medio, más conexiones cerebrales se crean y, por tanto, más flexibilidad y entrenamiento de la plasticidad. ...
Resumen El nuevo panorama mediático, caracterizado por la fragmentación y desafección de las audiencias hacia la televisión tradicional, urge la incorporación de innovadoras estrategias que atiendan a las demandas de sus públicos y conecten con ellos. El presente artículo analiza la capacidad de la Neurociencia para optimizar la producción de contenidos adaptados a las preferencias de los espectadores y comprueba la introducción de esta metodología en las radiotelevisiones públicas europeas. Para ello se realizó una revisión de los informes de gestión, memorias de cuentas y webs de las radiotelevisiones públicas estatales y regionales de la Unión Europea (N=100) así como de la evolución de sus audiencias de 2010-15. Complementariamente, a partir de un análisis exploratorio y de entrevistas en profundidad con cuestionario abierto y cerrado, se recogió la opi-nión de expertos neurocientíficos, consultores de Neuromarketing, académicos y profesionales de la televisión pública europea (N=22) sobre la utilidad e introducción de esta ciencia para el estudio de las audiencias y su aplicación en la programación, y el rol de la Neuroeducación en el diseño de programas educativos. Los resultados determinan que cerca de una docena de RTV públicas ya aplican el Neuromarketing audiovisual como herramienta innovadora para probar y diseñar productos de entretenimiento, bloques comerciales y estrategias de mejora de la competitividad frente a su implementación en la programación educativa, enco-mienda principal del servicio público. Abstract The new media landscape is characterized by the fragmentation and disaffection of the audience towards The new media landscape is characterized by the fragmentation and disaffection of the audience towards traditional television. Such a context requires innovative strategies to meet the needs of the public and connect with it. This article analyses the ability of Neuroscience to optimize the production of content adapted to audiences.
La brecha digital en Galicia durante el confinamiento debido a la COVID-19 ha mostrado las necesidades del profesorado para hacer un uso eficiente de las TIC/TAC. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las dificultades en el uso de las TIC/TAC con una muestra de 201 profesores de secundaria y proponer soluciones a éstas. Los sujetos realizaron un cuestionario online sobre el uso de estas herramientas antes y durante el confinamiento y los obstáculos encontrados para su aplicación. Además, un espacio de opinión libre aporta precisión al análisis cuantitativo. Los resultados muestran como la brecha digital es un problema tanto para alumnos como para profesores, evidenciándose, no solo la falta de equipamiento, sino también la falta de preparación. Formación continua de calidad y ayudas institucionales para la reducir el impacto socioeconómico parecen ser la solución. Se sugiere un cambio en las metodologías de enseñanza para proporcionar a los profesores un mejor entendimiento de la generación Z.
La brecha digital en Galicia durante el confinamiento debido a la COVID-19 ha mostrado las necesidades del profesorado para hacer un uso eficiente de las TIC/TAC. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las dificultades en el uso de las TIC/TAC con una muestra de 201 profesores de secundaria y proponer soluciones a éstas. Los sujetos realizaron un cuestionario online sobre el uso de estas herramientas antes y durante el confinamiento y los obstáculos encontrados para su aplicación. Además, un espacio de opinión libre aporta precisión al análisis cuantitativo. Los resultados muestran como la brecha digital es un problema tanto para alumnos como para profesores, evidenciándose, no solo la falta de equipamiento, sino también la falta de preparación. Formación continua de calidad y ayudas institucionales para la reducir el impacto socioeconómico parecen ser la solución. Se sugiere un cambio en las metodologías de enseñanza para proporcionar a los profesores un mejor entendimiento de la generación Z.
This article describes research on the quality of a computer program designed to help secondary level science teachers in southern Africa create exemplary paper-based lesson materials. Results of this study show that the content, support, and interface of the program combine to form a tool that is considered by both users and experts to be valid and practical. Findings further indicate that it has the potential to help users create good quality materials while learning from the design process, but that this potential depends primarily on how the program is implemented.
Why is technology not used more in schools? Many researchers have tried to solve this persistent puzzle. The authors of this article report on their study of technology uses in 19 schools. They suggest an ecological metaphor, using the example of the introduction of the zebra mussel into the Great Lakes, to integrate and organize sets of factors that affect implementation of computer uses. Their findings suggest that an ecological perspective can provide a powerful analytical framework for understanding technology uses in schools. That perspective points out new directions for research and has significant policy and practical implications for implementing innovations in schools.
Policymakers agree a key objective of instructional technology research efforts must be to help ensure the 2.2 million new teachers needed in the next decade have the skills to select and use instructional technology effectively. This research study supports the work of teacher educators who took a critical and systematic look at how their early childhood/elementary program prepares its teachers to meet current technology standards (ISTE, 2000). A unique part of the program is the absence of stand-alone technology courses in favor of total integration of technology into the other courses. The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of technology infusion in the initial certification program for 43 early childhood/elementary teachers. The focus was on technology skills that prospective teachers should develop prior to student teaching. A mixed-methods approach to data collection garnered information from faculty, course syllabi, and preservice teacher self-assessment surveys. Confirmation of findings was evident across the data sources. Results indicate the effectiveness of integrating deliberately scaffolded hands-on experiences and increased modeling of technology to elevate future teachers' ability to select and use appropriate technologies in the instructional setting.
The scaffolding metaphor was originally developed to describe the support given by a more expert individual in a one-on-one interaction. Since then, the notion of scaf- folding has been applied more broadly, and it has been transformed and generalized. Most recently, it has been used by researchers in the learning sciences to describe fea- tures and functions of technological artifacts, especially those of educational soft- ware. In this article, we present an analytic framework that we believe can guide and systematize these new uses of the scaffolding metaphor. In this new framework, "scaffolds" are not features of artifacts or situations, nor is "scaffolding" something that may be occurring (or not) in a given situation that we observe. Rather, a scaffold- ing analysis is a kind of comparative analysis that we perform on learning interac- tions. Because this analysis is comparative, it always produces results that are relative to specific choices that we make in framing the comparative analysis. In this article, we present a theoretical argument for our proposed framework and illustrate the defi- nition by applying it to two software environments.
In a small‐scale study of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)‐rich primary school, interactive whiteboards (IWBs) were found to be the predominant ICT tools used by teachers. The study sought to identify how the teachers used features of ICT to enhance learning, based on a list of ICT’s functions published for teacher education programmes. This list did not appear to account for all the aspects of the IWB’s influence that were described by teachers and observed in their lessons. Interview and observation data concerning digital whiteboard technology were probed further, using a framework for analysing activity settings designed for teaching and learning. This process generated a new taxonomy of features of ICT involving two levels: those intrinsic to digital media and devices and those constructed by hardware designers, software developers and teachers preparing resources for learning. Pedagogical actions supported by these features were identified and views concerning the impact of these actions on learning were analysed. This article reports the findings of the analysis, and exemplifies a use of the taxonomy in comparing practice across subjects. It suggests that this focus on ICT’s features may be valuable for both future research on the impact of ICT on learning and the design of new ICT resources.
Surveyed faculty at Ball State University to determine what factors they believe are important either in facilitating or inhibiting adoption of instructional technology. Found that major barriers include technology reliability, learning to use new technologies, uncertainty about its worth, and lack of institutional support. Includes recommendations. (EV)
The amount of resources being poured by Western universities, companies, and governments into creating educational content
to be exported (via the Internet) to other cultures is astounding. Those assigned to accomplish this task are left with the
great challenge of meeting the needs of learners who come from cultures that are foreign to them, and who often have very
different abilities and expectations than originally assumed. This study explores the cultural competence in the lived experience
of 12 professionals who have been involved with such efforts. Often they have had to question their assumptions, recognizing
flaws in their own thinking and in the organizations that support them, and tried to alter their practice accordingly. Their
awareness of cultural differences and the importance and impact of these differences in their practice will be discussed.
Games are no longer just for fun; they offer potentially powerful learning environments. Today's students have grown up with computer games. In addition, their constant exposure to the Internet and other digital media has shaped how they receive information and how they learn. There are many attributes of games that make them pedagogically sound learning environments. An increasing number of faculty are using games as enhancements to the traditional learning environment with encouraging results. While the interactivity and engagement of games are highly positive a number of questions remain about how games will be developed, deployed and accepted in higher education.
Invited Commentary: Mason, R. (2004) Commentary on: Oblinger, D. (2004). The Next Generation of Educational Engagement. [PDF]
Editors: Terry Anderson and Denise Whitelock.
"Discusses how the Internet revolution has produced a powerful counterrevolution. The explosion of innovation we have seen in the environment of the Internet was not conjured from some new, previously unimagined technological magic; instead, it came from an ideal as old as the nation. Creativity flourished there because the Internet protected an innovation commons. The Internets very design built a neutral platform upon which the widest range of creators could experiment. The legal architecture surrounding it protected this free space so that culture and information--the ideas of our era--could flow freely and inspire an unprecedented breadth of expression. But this structural design is changing, both legally and technically."
Lifelong learning is an essential challenge for inventing the future of our societies; it is a necessity rather than a possibility or a luxury to be considered. Lifelong learning is more than adult education or training --- it is a mindset and a habit for people to acquire. It creates the challenge to understand, explore, and support new dimensions of learning such as: (1) self-directed learning, (2) learning on demand, (3) informal learning, and (4) organizational learning. Lifelong learning requires a deeper understanding of the co-evolutionary processes between fundamental human activities and their relationships with new media. It requires an integration of new theories, innovative systems, practices, and assessment. New intellectual spaces, physical spaces, organizational forms, and reward structures need to be created to make lifelong learning an important part of human life. These new spaces and structures must support individuals, groups, and organizations who will engage in and experience them as innovators and risk takers, and will use their creativity and imagination to explore alternative ways of learning.
Programming is an activity through which students can learn about other domains, but the difficulty of programming diminishes its usefulness as a learning activity. One approach to facilitate the use of programming for learning is to view programming as a skill like those taught through apprenticeships, and to use the apprenticeship concept of scaffolding to facilitate doing and learning through programming. Scaffolding means providing modifiable support (through fading) that communicates process, coaches, and elicits articulation. Software‐realized scaffolding embeds scaffolding in a computer‐based environment. Emile implements software‐realized scaffolding to facilitate student learning of physics by facilitating students building computer‐based models and simulations. In this article, I present Emile's features as examples of software‐realized scaffolding, and I present the results of an evaluation of Emile's effectiveness. Students were able to use Emile to create fairly sophisticated programs and gained a qualitative understanding of kinematics in the process.
Traditionally, project management practices have not drawn any distinction between the characteristics of different projects. Recent research has found that innovative projects require different project management approaches if quality outcomes are to be achieved. Projects involving more innovation require more open management processes and contain a higher percentage of academic and/or professional staff. These characteristics often apply to educational projects in tertiary institutions. There is conflict inherent in managing change projects in educational environments between the classical 'project management' approach and the way that academics and teaching staff, who are independent professionals, traditionally work. This study derived from experience at RMIT, where a system wide online learning system (the Distributed Learning System, DLS) has been implemented since 1999. The implications for the project management approaches suitable for educational projects are discussed and a typology is suggested to categorise projects within an organisation and link them to key factors for successful project management.
Evidence-based explanations are a core element of scientific reasoning. Nonetheless, the literature reports that students often fail to support their hypotheses with evidence, or give explanations that are not grounded in the data. This research examined the role of software scaffolding in supporting middle school students' coordination of theory and evidence. Students in 1 of the 2 classes in the study used an inquiry-support software tool to manage their investigation, whereas the students in the other class used science journals. We argue that the software-based scaffolding helped students coordinate theory with evidence while the science journal was not effective in helping students construct evidence-based explanations.
Case studies of three urban elementary schools were conducted to document the integration of technology given identical resources from a local university’s PT3 grant. Data sources for this qualitative study included participant observers’ field notes and journal entries, school personnel interviews, timeline and chronicle of technology-related priorities and events, and children’s and teachers’ technology artifacts. Cases were summarized with respect to prior technology context, agents of growth and development, and changes and future directions. The analysis identified three scaffolds that appear to have a significant influence on—and redefine the challenge of—technology integration: alignment with the curriculum/mission, teacher leadership, and public/private roles for technology recognition.
Moving beyond the historical and theoretical traditions that have defined teacher education in TESOL over the last quarter century, in this introductory piece we argue for a reconceptualization of the knowledge-base of ESOL teacher education. Essential to this reconceptualization is the premise that the institutional forms and processes of teacher education frame how the profession responds to the basic sociocultural processes of learning to teach. As such, our teacher education practices constitute our professional self-definition. We argue that the core of the new knowledge-base must focus on the activity of teaching itself; it should center on the teacher who does it, the contexts in which it is done, and the pedagogy by which it is done. Moreover, this knowledge-base should include forms of knowledge representation that document teacher learning within the social, cultural, and institutional contexts in which it occurs. Finally, we believe the knowledge-base of language teacher education needs to account for the teacher as a learner of teaching, the social context of schools and schooling within which teacher-learning and teaching occur, and the activities of both language teaching and language learning. This tripartite framework calls for a broader epistemological view of ESOL teacher education, one that accounts for teaching as it is learned and as it is practiced; we argue that it will ultimately redefine how we as teacher educators create professionals in TESOL.
In the broad context of adult and higher education, this article argues that to allow the e of e‐learning to disappear would be to lose the opportunity to grasp the enabling and emergent properties of digital networked technology. Through examining cycles of educational technology, current trends in e‐learning research, the practices and competencies of educational designers, and the roles of key stakeholders, a framework is established to reinforce the emergence of the nomadic, mobile learner who is dependent not on the teacher or formal educational systems, but on the network of knowledge and skills that can be accessed on an anytime, anywhere, e‐learning basis. Through this framework a manifesto for connected generations is proposed, grounded in c‐learning – collaborative, contextual, and connected learning.
This paper examines some of the ways in which e-learning has failed to live up to its early promise and suggests how this situation might be remedied. Two of the main challenges for the future of e-learning are explored: the ever shifting nature of the e-landscape, characterized by its rapidly changing technologies, software and marketing mechanisms; the difficulty of helping teachers find ways to exploit the capacities offered by these ‘disruptive technologies’ as they continue to bring about change. It is argued that if our investment in e-learning is to be recouped then what is needed is a paradigm shift to the employment of ‘disruptive pedagogies’. This would involve the use of teaching strategies that exploit the currently underused capacities of technology options in such a way as to enable student engagement, motivation and higher order thinking skills.
The concern with a "digital divide" has been transformed from one defined by technological access to technological prowess - employing technologies for more empowered and generative uses such as learning and innovation. Participation in technological fluency-building activities among high school students in a community heavily involved in the technology industry was investigated in a study of 98 high school seniors enrolled in AP-level calculus. Findings indicated substantial variability in history of fluency-building experiences despite similar levels of access. More and less experienced groups were defined based on their breadth of prior experience. Males and females who were classified as more experienced utilized a broader range of learning resources and were more likely to learn from out-of-school classes and distributed resources such as online tutorials and reading material. Gender differences emerged with respect to participation in certain activities such as computer programming, even when controlling for overall breadth of experience and an analysis of course-taking history helped explain why. Four times as many males as females had taken a programming class. Analysis of reasons for taking. courses indicated that the majority of females who chose to take programming did so with the encouragement of family members. Both confidence and interest were related to experience, though the relationship differed for males and females, These results are discussed with respect to a multi-context framework for the development of technological fluency.
This paper reports on a case study of an in‐service teacher‐training programme for Greek philology teachers, from 2002 to 2003, which was designed to develop the use of information and communications technologies in their teaching. It draws on questionnaires and interviews with 34 teachers who took part in the training. In addition, the three trainers who led the sessions, 10 head teachers from the schools in which the teachers worked and three programme designers were also interviewed. A holistic picture of the programme was formed by comparing and contrasting the views of different ‘stakeholders’ in the programme. It was found that the programme had some impact on developing teachers’ information technology skills and knowledge of information and communications technologies as a curricular tool, but the programme had very limited impact on classroom practice. The reasons for this lack of impact included curriculum constraints, lack of time, lack of support and inadequate access to technology. The programme is discussed in the context of the structural difficulties in promoting change in highly centralised educational systems.
In this article we assert a potential research agenda for the teaching and learning of science as inquiry as part of the JRST series on reform in science education. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of cognitive and sociocultural constructivism, cultural models of meaning, the dialogic function of language, and transformational models of teacher education, we propose that more research is needed in the areas of teachers' beliefs, knowledge, and practices of inquiry-based science, as well as, student learning. Because the efficacy of reform efforts rest largely with teachers, their voices need to be included in the design and implementation of inquiry-based curriculum. As we review the literature and pose future research questions, we propose that particular attention be paid to research on inquiry in diverse classrooms, and to modes of inquiry-based instruction that are designed by teachers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 38: 631–645, 2001
This paper presents a case study of the design and implementation of a master’s level research course. Factors that defined
the curriculum design problem included the subject matter, a view of learning as a change in identity, and the role of technology
in curriculum design. Both the design process and results of research on the implementation of the course are described. The
paper concludes with a retrospective discussion of lessons learned, including parallels of (a) user-centered technology design
with our final approach to curriculum design and (b) socially constructed views of technology with socially constructed views
of learning.
An important skill in solving problems, especially ill-structured problems, is the production of coherent arguments to justify
solutions and actions. Because direct instruction in argumentation has produced inconsistent results and cannot effectively
support online learning, we examined the use of online argumentation scaffolds to engage and support coherent argumentation.
In this study, we showed that providing a constraint-based argumentation scaffold during group problem-solving activities
increased the generation of coherent arguments. The same scaffold further resulted in significantly more problem-solving actions
during collaborative group discussions. The effects of the scaffold varied for problem type. Groups that solved ill-structured
problems produced more extensive arguments. When solving ill-structured problems, students need more argumentation support
because of the importance of generating and supporting alternative solutions. The close relationship between argumentation
and problem solving, especially ill-structured problem solving, is significant. The effects of the argument scaffold consistently
transferred to the production of arguments during individual problem solving. Students used the familiar argumentation scripts
while solving problems individually.
In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to the alleged changes in the ways the so-called digital generation communicates and learns. Most of the commentary has been based on anecdotes, observations and opinions. The lack of empirical
evidence in this matter suggests that it may be time to begin the process of gathering data to confirm these views. At the
forefront is the issue of which learner characteristics have changed, if any, and, accordingly, which evaluation tools are
best suited to evaluate them. One mechanism found to be valid and reliable is the matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). Developed
over thirty years ago to measure cognitive tempo on an impulsive-reflective axis, this instrument was subsequently adapted
into a twenty-question version. Cairns and Cammock, the researchers who modified the original into the MFFT-20, published
the results of several reliability studies to demonstrate its overall effectiveness. This preliminary study is an attempt
to begin the empirical verification process of using cognitive tempo as a relevant assessment tool. Two groups of K-12 students
from different eras were investigated to determine if comparing cognitive tempos between subjects who took the original MFFT-20
to those who live in the current media-centric society provides any insights as to possible differences in the visual cognitive
processing skills and preferences. The results of the comparative analysis, along with possible implications for teachers
and instructional designers are discussed.
The CASCADE-MUCH system was designed to help teacher-designers in Shanghai, China with the development of instructional scenarios
for multimedia curricula. After four rounds of prototyping, a summative evaluation was carried out to assess practicality.
Results showed that the system was practical for the intended target users in Shanghai and also had potential for users in
other contexts. The purpose of this article is to present the design process of the CASCADE-MUCH program and discuss how the
evolutionary prototyping approach improved program quality and contributed to the designer’s knowledge growth.
The aim of this paper and the one which follows is to explore how the potential of computer games may be taken up in schools to support learning engage- ment among students. It is not the intention of the papers to dismiss existing classroom practices or overlook accounts of innovative practices in schools; the papers' aim is to provide educators who are interested in exploring the use of computer games in schools with information and ideas about how these games may be effectively used to engage students in their learning. This paper questions whether the empowerment of students to create games for one another based on the school curriculum may address the insignificance of computer games in the sociocultural setting of the school. Both papers have been commissioned by Microsoft (Asia-Pacific) under the Partners-In- Learning Initiative. Under this initiative, Microsoft establishes partnerships with ministries of education, national and local government bodies, and other stakeholders to empower students and teachers to realize their full potential, mediated by information and communication technologies.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach in which students in small groups engage in an authentic, ill-structured problem, and must (1) define, generate and pursue learning issues to understand the problem, (2) develop a possible solution, (3) provide evidence to support their solution, and (4) present their solution and the evidence that supports it (Barrows, How to design a problem-based curriculum for the preclinical years. Springer Publishing, New York, 1985). However, research has shown that novice problem-solvers and learners without deep content knowledge have difficulty developing strong evidence-based arguments (Krajcik et al., J Learn Sci 7:313–350, 1998a; Reiser, J Lear Sci 13(3):273–304, 2004). In this paper, we discuss the components of (e.g., claims and evidence) and processes of making (e.g., define problem and make claim) evidence-based arguments. Furthermore, we review various scaffolding models designed to help students perform various tasks associated with creating evidence-based arguments (e.g., link claims to evidence) and present guidelines for the development of computer-based scaffolds to help middle school students build evidence-based arguments.
The twenty‐first century demands not only that we learn new forms of social engagement but also that we unlearn habits that have been useful in the past but may no longer be valuable to the future. Teachers have ‘un‐learned’ the role of Sage‐on‐the‐stage as the dominent model of teaching, and the shift to Guide‐on‐the‐side has served an important function in changing the focus of pedagogy from the teacher to the learner. However, Guide‐on‐the‐side is no longer sufficient for our times. This paper argues the importance of a further shift to Meddler‐in‐the‐middle. Meddler‐in‐the middle positions the teacher and student as mutually involved in assembling and dis‐assembling cultural products. It re‐positions teacher and student as co‐directors and co‐editors of their social world. Meddler‐in‐the‐middle challenges more long‐term notions of ‘good’ teaching in a number of ways. Specifically, it means: (1) less time giving instructions and more time spent being a usefully ignorant co‐worker in the thick of the action; (2) less time spent being a custodial risk minimiser and more time spent being an experimenter and risk‐taker; (3) less time spent being a forensic classroom auditor and more time spent being a designer, editor and assembler; (4) less time spent being a counsellor and ‘best buddy’ and more time spent being a collaborative critic and authentic evaluator.
Digital Game-Based Learning, by Marc Prensky, is a strategic and tactical guide to the newest trend in e-learning - combining content with video games and computer games to more successfully engage the under-40 "Games Generations," which now make up half of America's work force and all of its students. The book fully explores the concept of Digital Game-Based Learning, including such topics as How Learners Have Changed, Why Digital Game-Based Learning Is Effective, Simulations and Games, How Much It Costs, and How To Convince Management. With over 50 case studies and examples, it graphically illustrates how and why Digital Game-Based Learning is working for learners of all ages in all industries, functions and subjects.
Over the past 20 years, an increasing number of psychologists and educators have used the notion of scaffolding as a metaphor for the process by which adults (and more knowledgeable peers) guide children's learning and development. The purpose of the present article is to provide a critical analysis of the scaffolding metaphor, with particular emphasis on its applications to the case of atypical learners. In the initial sections of the article, the origins and early applications of the metaphor are sketched. With this as background, criticisms of the metaphor raised by others are reviewed, and a proposal for an enriched version of the metaphor is presented. At the heart of the proposed revision is an emphasis on the communicational dynamics and conceptual reorganization involved in adult-child interactions. With an enriched metaphor as a frame, the next section reviews applications of the scaffolding metaphor to the study of parent-child interactions and teacher-student instructional activities involving children with learning disabilities. The strengths and limitations of this work are evaluated, and proposals are made for how to reap further benefits from applications of the scaffolding metaphor to analyses of the development and instruction of children with learning disabilities.
Wahrheit ist die Erfindung eines Lügners. Gespräche für Skeptiker
- Hv Foerster
- B Pörksen
Wolfgang Klafki och den tyska didaktiken i Uljens, M (red). Didaktik
- S Hopmann