Take a field trip. It can be a virtual field trip or a real field trip. You could visit a museum, an adult learning centre, or a university or college. Place-based learning is about “going to a place and learning what it can teach you.” Share your experience in the forum and connect it to the readings this week, as well as to adult learning theory.
For this discussion question, I went on a field trip to the Kelowna Art Gallery.
I unpacked my biases at the front door, put on my facemask, and entered a world I am not accustomed to visiting. I had a tabula rasa. My objective was to peel back any of my superficial layers of generalized or pre-packaged experiences, see this place from various perspectives, and learn about the issues relevant to the community I am exploring (Pederson et al., 2018).
There were six exhibitions from artists, and I chose Melanie Daniel, Goin Where the Climate Suits My Clothes. The exhibits are a series of large-scale paintings, works on paper, and delicate papier-mache sculptures that explore humankind’s unhealthy relationship with the natural world. Melanie Daniel imagines a planet on the brink of collapse from the chronic disregard for its wellbeing. Yet, her bold works offer a hopeful glimpse of a future able to adapt and survive. Melanie Daniel was born in Victoria, BC and lives in Kelowna. Her work has been shown across Canada and internationally in the US, Israel, and Sweden.
The exhibits are an example of art education and place-based education and how my art education journey could develop ecological literacy. The visual artworks raised awareness of and engagement with environmental concepts and issues. It was clear how art educators can contribute to environmental art, also referred to as eco-art and environmental education. Hopefully, this will encourage educators to explore ecological literacy with their learners.
Place-based education establishes connections between learners and the neighbourhoods in which they live. The relevance of their curriculum is increased because it is directly related to learners’ lives. “If learners develop strong bonds with their place and community physically, politically, emotionally, and spiritually, they are more likely to care for it and seek to improve it over time” (Inwood, 2008, p. 30).
I went to the art gallery with the stance of dialogic pedagogy. I critically interrogated the topic of place-based art education, expressed my voice and point of view to my sister and stepdaughter, and listened to my sister and stepdaughter’s voices while creating a respectful and equitable relation. The three of us thought about the art more critically, shared context and multiple viewpoints with competing beliefs, and constructed our meaning to the works.
Would I place a work from Melanie Daniel on my home wall? No. Would I place a watercolour or drawing by the Group of Seven on my home wall? Definitely yes.
Technology-Based Approaches to Teaching, Learning and Adult Education in Online Learning
Adult education over the years has brought significant changes and new demands in the educational system. One of the most substantial changes is using technology introduced by educators to implement the best instructional objectives and strategies to work with diverse learners. As stated by Conrad and Donaldson (2012), “A significant element in meeting the instructional needs of the 21st – Century learner is to discover effective ways to engage the individual in the context of diverse technology-enhanced learning opportunities” (p. 1). Changes in society, learner expectations, and technology were already motivating post-secondary institutions, faculty and educators to rethink pedagogy and teaching methods before COVID-19. The pandemic accelerated this process and left post-secondary institution faculty members with few instruction options as the virus quickly re-shaped instructor’s teaching practices. This sudden shift to online/eLearning transformed the teaching and learning landscape by providing educators and learners with few options other than to adapt, adopt, and embrace new technology in online learning.
This essay analyses the impact, efficacy, and implications of technology-based approaches to teaching, learning, and adult education in online learning. Then, it reflects on the practical considerations and innovations in the education of using technology in learning and teaching through hands-on technology use. The topic of examination chosen for technology-informed teaching, learning, and education is online learning. The form of educational technology to present this essay is a blog (https://ontaskteaching.wordpress.com/).
The Pedagogy of Online Learning
The use of technology, both face-to-face and online, has dramatically altered how we teach and learn, leading to the emergence of a new pedagogy (Teachonline, 2020). Developments in artificial intelligence for teaching and learning, virtual and augmented reality, simulations, and serious games have further emphasized technology’s importance for teaching and learning. Both instructors and learners live in a rapidly changing world, with new technology, new teaching approaches, and external pressures from governments, employers, parents, and media. Subsequently, great educators have re-shaped and enhanced their teaching environments to create the right learning conditions (Bates, 2019).
Ongoing online teaching and learning challenges include aligning pedagogy, subject matters, and students’ access and success with appropriate technologies and software. Technology allows us to teach differently while meeting both existing and emerging needs. Learners experience different ways of learning due to their access to digital content, mobile delivery systems, new forms of assessment, and communication with peers worldwide. The result allows learners to share knowledge and shape their learning actively.
The Impact of Technology on Online Learning
Before COVID-19,in Canada, more than two-thirds of Canadian post-secondary institutions offered online courses and programs and considered online learning critical to their future academic plans due to the increased need for access by students (Beattie, 2018). Instructors were hired or directed to teach online as part of their teaching contract or volunteered to experience the new media involved in instructing online (Telmesani, 2009). Nonetheless, educators face the same challenges transferring their teaching skills from face to face to teaching online. Challenges posed by WordPress, Facebook, and Wikipedia may be relatively simple to face, as it is to incorporate them into an online course, but what about animated graphical interchange formats (GIF’s) or adding humour through images and videos containing text (memes)? To support educators and learners in the growth of online learning and the use of technology, the Province of Ontario “is aimed squarely at providing faculty with the digital fluency to confidently take their teaching online” (Porter, 2019, as cited in Beattie, 2019, p. 1).
COVID-19created a wholesale, sudden shift to remote online learning, and educators had little choice but to adopt technology to teaching. Whether synchronous or asynchronous technologies are used, technology can support the work of educators in enabling learning. Technology allows educators to teach differently. With access to digital content, mobile delivery systems, and new forms of assessment, learners can take a more active role in sharing knowledge with peers worldwide and shaping their learning.
Efficacy of Technology on Online Learning
As an online educator, one may not be in a position to opt-out of designing and instructing an online course. When faced with teaching an online course, the educator has three choices 1) resist and fight the technology while instructing in the same draconian manners history has taught, 2) avoid and ignore the tsunami of change, or 3) embrace technology as a positive learning tool for both educators and learners. Technology can be intimidating, but self-efficacy and confidence grow with each new tool discovered through personal experience.
Technology contributes to critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. It reinforces independent learning. When the proper tools are used, learners can develop the necessary life language skills for their lives through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This active learning increases engagement through discussion groups, chat lines, online polling, or quiz questions during lectures with instantaneous results. The subject matters become dynamic and timely thanks to digital textbooks that embed links to relevant sources and materials or learner course wikis. Being well-versed in technology can help educators build credibility with learners and educators while developing communities of practice. Learners share experiences, discuss theories and challenges, and learn from each other while the educator maintains a critical role as guide, facilitator, and assessor of the learning.
Online technology allows the educator to regularly check in with learners for feedback on course materials and assignments. Educators can spot where learners might be struggling and adjust the workload accordingly. Furthermore, shy learners who would not usually raise their hand or participate in a face-to-face class may be more willing to be involved. Learner response systems help learners measure their understanding of a topic and allow educators to see what areas need to be reviewed. For example, iClicker uses multiple-choice or true and false questions to enable educators to enhance their lectures. This technology helps foster digital citizenship.
Digital citizenship is “how we should act when we are using digital tools, interacting with others online, and what should be taught to help the next generation be better stewards of this technology” (Cole, 2019). By utilizing the online world in their classes, educators have the perfect opportunity to educate learners about the digital world around them and how to be a good digital citizen. Teaching digital citizenship is essential to assisting learners in understanding digital literacy and ensuring cyberbullying prevention, online safety, digital responsibility, and digital health and wellness.
When an educator is passionate, they see it, and they feel it. Learners perceive that learning can be fun. There are countless resources to enhance education, from apps to organizational platforms to making learning more fun and effective. For example, gamification and digital storytelling using competitive scenarios and interactive lessons while distributing points and rewards make learning fun, engaging, and relatable to learners while reducing passivity and promoting healthy competition.
Technology gives learners instant access to new information that can supplement their learning experience. Furthermore, it enables learners to engage in an ongoing learning cycle: before, during, and after class, while fostering a collaborative learning environment by networking with other learners, even on group projects, sharing information, working together on group projects, and interacting with the educator. For example, the Yorkville University Moodle learning management system allows professors to upload new content for learner review online.
Although technology-based online learning approaches have many advantages, there are some disadvantages. Technology can be a distraction to learners who may find it hard to focus and concentrate when a wide range of digital devices are around them. Text messaging, visiting Snapchat or shopping for Christmas may be acceptable at times, but when they contribute to using most of a learner’s time, that becomes an issue. Hence, creating a structure, expectations, and guidelines on online technology is essential from day one.
One major obstacle to technology-based learning is that all learners may not have online education accessible to them. Consideration must be given to a learner’s geographic location, availability of the internet, and their devices’ technical requirements to install, run, or access specific learning software. For example, gamification and game programming may require learners to have a device with robust memory, storage, and video card. Furthermore, not all learners can afford the tools such as personal computers, iPods or even online texts required for their class.
To address the issue of lack of technology, options may include 1) offering laptop loaner programs, 2) distributing information via e-mail or in the Cloud (e.g., Microsoft OneDrive), 3) providing for free downloadable software (e.g., Microsoft Office 365 at Yorkville University) for creation of video lessons, online meetings, or screencast recording and videos. The key to using technology in online courses is always the educator-learner relationship because that is where education happens. Technology can be a handy tool, although that is all it is – a tool to enhance education.
The implications of Technology on Online Learning – Pros and Cons
Policymakers, educators, parents, and learners must weigh technology’s benefits in education against its risks. Using technology in education is not just about using digital devices – it relates to anything that facilitates interaction between educator and learner, but how much technology and information is too much? Aligning pedagogy, subject matter, assessment, learner access, and success with appropriate technologies, software, and online strategies is an ongoing challenge of online instruction and learning (Teachonline, 2020). Creating presentations, discriminating reliable sources from unreliable ones on the internet, and mastering proper online etiquette are necessary skills. Mobile technology is a must-have for learners to be prepared for almost any career, and educators must be willing to provide the information resources to them. Hence, accessibility to online learning is vital for everybody regardless of money, resources, and disability.
Connectivism examines the implications of online learning and the exponential growth of new technologies. Special populations and marginalized groups of learners have the same or more challenges as they experience enacting connectivism. Many special populations of learners do not have the ubiquitous access to knowledge granted by the current technological environment, such as the internet. Learning environments are often established online, and special populations of learners have to navigate through the challenges with limited guidance. What is the cost of special populations having limited access and understanding of learning technology? The answer is not simple but lies in narrowing the digital divide between those “haves” and “have nots”.
Practical Considerations on Online Learning Technology
Digital immigrants who grew up before the internet and other digital computing devices became available used a slide rule in math and physics classes instead of electronic calculators and computers. Today, most learners are digital natives – namely, they have grown up with technology. It is woven into their lives. Digital natives expect technology to be used whenever appropriate to learn, develop essential informational and technological literacy skills, and master the fluency necessary in their specific subject domain. Educators need to accept this reality and embrace technology in teaching. The onus is on the educator to satisfy a learner’s expectations by choosing learning technology-based learning models and theories to provide them with the best learning experience.
One such theory is William Kahn’s theory of employee engagement, later referred to as the engagement theory. The theory was modified from a business model to an educational model where the fundamental idea is that learners must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and having worthwhile tasks. Engagement theory can be a conceptual framework for online technology-based learning and teaching due to its emphasis on meaningful learning, collaboration among peers and within a community of learners, and experiential and self-directed learning (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998). Ongoing advances in digital technologies, social media, and mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets give the learner much more control over access to and the creation of knowledge and learning interaction. Furthermore, these tools empower the learner while increasing their motivation and engagement.
Playwright Richard Foreman talks of information overload where “we run the risk of turning into pancake people – spread wide and thin as we connect with that vast network of information accessed by the mere touch of a button” (Carr, 2008). Content and information obtained from media and posted online are important, but careful interpretation and reflection are crucial to making the content meaningful and authentic. The learner may understand the content, but content engagement, questioning, and exploration of the content are more important. Assessing the value and relevance of new information is critical. The apps used must align with course objectives and reflecting the range of cognition levels in Bloom’s taxonomy – remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating (Darby, 2019). Examples include Zoom to help learners connect synchronously to discuss concepts in a supportive team environment. Quizlet helps them remember facts and terms, Hypothesis to help them analyze, and Google Docs and Slides to synthesize and create.
Conclusion
Online courses must meet the demands of 21st-century society by using relevant information technology and software. However, aligning pedagogy, subject matter, and learner success with appropriate technologies is an ongoing challenge of online teaching and learning. The development of such skills requires learning to unfold in rich and complex environments, with plenty of opportunities to apply, assess and practice such skills. The online teaching community must quickly adopt new technology and continue identifying what technologies are appropriate and purposeful to implement in the course. Online teaching demands educators heed the warning from Stanley Kubrick’s movie, 2001 A Space Odyssey. The essence of Kubrick’s dark prophecy was that as we rely on computers and technology to mediate our understanding of the world, our intelligence flattens into artificial intelligence.
As an educator, designing an online course using technology tools helps learners learn differently and find relevance in their courses. Technology helps drive innovation in teaching and learning; however, decisions about how best to use technology for what purposes are equally important.
As shown in this essay, technology helps drive innovation in educating and learning. It is exciting to know how the current and future technology allows experimenting in pedagogy, democratize classrooms, and improving learner engagement and effectiveness. In the end, technology in online education opens doors to new experiences, discoveries, and new ways of learning.
References
Bates, A. (2019). Teaching in a digital age (2nd ed.). Tony Bates Associates Ltd.
Explain how communities of learning and communities of practice are formalized and sustained. How do you see this working within your student cohort at YU in the MEd Program in Adult Education? Explain what steps you might take to establish a learning community, and which forms of technology you might use for networking.
Because my community of practice in Unit 4, Discussion 1 used the M.Ed. program as an example, I will use a corporate community of practice example for this discussion question.
About 15 years ago, the City of Kelowna, under the guidance of City Manager Ron Mattiussi, chose to build what I can call now a corporate learning community of practice. They needed new strategies to solve many city-wide restructuring challenges. Objectives and the purpose were clear (to be the best mid-sized City in North America). The City ensured it knew each employee’s experience and knowledge brought to the table (bilingual, university educated, management experience). City-wide group introductory meetings were held with shared knowledge from management and others. Human resources appointed a moderator to guide discussions at the meetings, keep the groups on task, and act as a liaison between management and others. Smaller regular meetings were held to discuss successes, failures, and progress. Project management technology software tools served as a virtual base of operations. Through the platforms, albeit proper security clearances were allocated, all city employees could share documents, assign tasks, keep track of deadlines for projects, and stay updated with a posted community calendar. COVID-19 had not arrived at this time, so all meetings were in person. The City supplied support and resources, but limited monetary funds were mostly used for advertising. City-wide surveys of employees were conducted identifying issues or weaknesses. The City could then prioritize the most pressing matters and where time and resources should be allocated. The City of Kelowna anticipated success by tapping into the collective knowledge and skillsets of the workforce.
Did the City of Kelowna succeed in creating an effective corporate community of practice? I retired from frustration and anger at the City’s inability and the business licence section due to its failure to identify and deal with government management bureaucracy. The restructuring of the City to become the best mid-sized City was doomed from the start. Why? The core group actively engaged in the changes were managers, there was a low level of one-to-one interaction with non-management, non-management were not sold on the idea and unwilling to adopt the new work practices into their daily work, non-management did not view their participation in the changes as meaningful in their daily work, and management used inappropriate and imprecise documentation, visual supports and technological tools such as PowerPoint from management. One would now call it “fake news.” After twenty years, there is still no definition or criteria of the ‘best mid-sized city.’
As the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland points out, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”
Consider this unit’s readings and identify communities of practice and knowledge communities in your own life that particularly connect to work. Critically analyze them in relation to the readings and your own learning contexts.
I find it clear from this week’s readings on communities of practice, also known as learning communities, are everywhere. People come together formally and informally for some common interest. There are lots of examples such as the family, workplace, volunteer organizations, and even Facebook. As stated by Wenger (1998), “Communities of practice are an integral part of our daily lives… Most communities of practice do not have a name and do not issue membership cards. Yet, if we care to consider our own life from that perspective for a moment, we can all construct a fairly good picture of the communities of practice we belong to now, those we belonged to in the past, and those we would like to belong to in the future” (Wenger, 1998, p.7 as cited in Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 120-121).
My most recent community of practice is my enrollment in the M.Ed. program. “A learning community is a group of learners who share similar or common academic goals and attitudes, who meet regularly to collaborate on coursework or projects” (Lin, Cordie, & Witte (2018), p. 1). When I enrolled in the program and took the first course, I was on the periphery. I interacted with other learners, my professors, counsellors, friends, and support systems. In my third course, I have learned instructional design, school jargon, assignment procedures, and time management skills, so I am more central to the community. Once I have completed more courses and nearing the end of the program, I may have a mentoring relationship or be an information resource for others interested in pursuing the same educational path.
What a coincidence! My example of a community of practice resembles the four cornerstones (relationships, resources, instruction, and guidance) identified by Bruce Bearisto in his YouTube video:
Consider the learning outcomes in this unit and think about the ways that the readings and the videos this week inform the challenges of social action through adult education. Explain the continuing challenges, and offer some ideas for confronting these challenges in the context of Canadian adult education.
Adult education for social change improves all populations, and where the fair treatment of those socially disadvantaged is improved. Concern about social inequality and a belief that adult educators can contribute to social change based on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth is the driving force behind creating the programs such as social inequality, migration and intercultural cooperation and collaboration.
Education has been accepted as a significant socialization agency, and teachers and educational institutions are socializing agents.The relationship between education and social change takes a dual form – education as an instrument and education as a product. This implies that education as a tool is used to bring about desired changes in society. In the latter case, changes in the educational structure follow due to changes that have already taken place in society. Adult education as an instrument of social change means education helps people to bring social change. Education not only preserves the cultural traditions, i.e., customs, traditions and values, etc. but transmits them to the next generation (Srivastava, 2016).
Adults may be encouraged to seek social change whose interests lie in social movements such as (environment, women’s movements, peace and disarmament), humanitarian movements (human rights, churches, United nations), and disadvantaged or inclusion initiatives (First nations, elderly, the poor, handicapped). Access to adult education may be widened by advisory bodies giving input into diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as the Canadian not for profit called Caledon Institute of Social Policy:
The Caledon Institute of Social Policy does rigorous, high-quality research and analysis; seeks to inform and influence public opinion and to foster public discussion on poverty and social policy; and develops and promotes concrete, viable proposals for the reform of social programs at all levels of government and social benefits provided by employers and the voluntary sector. Caledon’s work covers a broad range of social policy areas, including income security (e.g., pensions, welfare, child benefits, Employment Insurance, benefits for Canadians with disabilities), community capacity-building, taxation, social spending, employment development services, social services, disability supports and health. While Caledon focuses on Canadian issues, it draws upon international experience and innovations in social policy. Caledon also seeks to inform social policy experts and policymakers in other countries on Canadian social policy issues and developments.
Other measures to increase the relevance of adult education to particular social groups may include; acknowledging the anticipation of the continued rapid growth of participation in adult education; advocate for an increase in government support of adult education, and recognizing the importance of a wide variety of adult learning needs (vocational training, literacy training, environmental, multi-cultural); and to develop a service ethic approach to adult education and use it as an instrument of social change;
I enjoy research because it is good, clean, nerdy fun. If I am engaged in critical social research, then I am interested in making social change. Who knows, I may have the opportunity to engage in social change movements with research that may promote new attitudes or create exciting new practices.
Laurie
References
Srivastava, T. (2016, March 01). Role of education in social change. Pioneer Shiksha.
Read the book review by Freire and Molina (2018) and think about ways that their review impacts your thinking about adult education and social action. Complete an I.R.A to clarify your thoughts:
Insights: what are your insights after reading this review?
Resource: share a resource that supports your insights; this may be another reading, a video or an image.
Application: explain how you might apply your new insights in your own personal and into your own personal and professional practice as an adult educator.
Insights:
This course has opened my eyes to how educators are not embracing society’s marginalized populations. I include myself in that category. While researching this topic, it is clear to me how important and vital it is to re-examine and do some soul searching in my role as an educator in this mainstream adult education program. I must continue to examine how so much of the world has changed. I can no longer have such narrow views on marginalization and suppression of educational views and opportunities. I have always considered those on the periphery to reconfigure ‘their’ lives to align with the dominant social and structural norms and practices. Why are ‘they’ not the catalyst for change? I have always been proactive, so why can’t ‘they’ do the same? Selfish? Yes. I have always been one to ‘play by the rules’ and ‘do as I’m told.’ That started as a child and being disciplined by my father, and later my career in law enforcement has numbed me to the needs of prisoners, sex workers, and first nations.
Resource:
The resource supporting my insight is the research report titled Beyond Barriers: Maximizing Access to Learning for Marginalized Adults in the City of Edmonton dated October 23, 2009. The purpose of the project sponsored by the University of Alberta (Edmonton) was to assess the educational programming needs of low-income adult populations, looking particularly at educational gaps, trends, and barriers for accessing learning within the City of Edmonton. From a list of 132 community-based organizations agencies, 112 were contacted, including inner-city drop-in centres, pre-employment programs, immigrant and refugee-serving agencies, Aboriginal agencies, University extension services and institutional providers.
In this report, the context was to show how the adult education landscape had shrinking access to learning for adults who experience barriers, and adult education has abandoned its traditional educational goals such as social cohesion and equality. The educational context revealed Alberta’s learning systems are complex, fragmented, and incomplete, especially for marginalized learners. The focus has been on formal post-secondary education rather than on community-based organizations.
Application:
Marginalized adults need learning environments that will help them build additional learning capacities. Participants need to restart their learning journey, including small encouraging mentoring communities that rebuild confidence and hope. Funders and providers have to recognize the broad range of adult learning beyond employment learning. Examples include citizenship participation, Aboriginal autonomy, basic education, literacy, women’s learning centers, and personal interest learning. While widening the circle of pedagogical practices, it is essential to include holistic learning, community building, critical reflection, peer learning, field experiences and job shadowing.
It is important to know that marginalized learners require small, nurturing environments where they are personally known, the complexity of their lives are understood, and where one on one assistance, moral support, counselling and mentoring is provided.
After reading the book review Disrupting Adult and Community Education: Teaching, learning, and Working in the Periphery by Freire and Molina (2018), should I invest $128 in Amazon and read the book? Is the answer yes just because Freire and Molina suggest the book is a “must-have” for those working with marginalized populations or working in adult research. Do I want to feel the discomfort as it disrupts my preconceived notions of what it means to practice adult and community education? My pedagogy of learning is comfortable, but life is not always comfortable.
Laurie
References
Chovanec, D. & Lange, E. (2009). Beyond barriers: Maximizing access to learning for marginalized adults in the city of Edmonton. Educational Policy Studies, University of Alberta.
Freire, C. J., & Molina, N. (2018). Disrupting adult and community education: Teaching, learning, and working in the periphery. New Horizons in Adult Education & Human Resource Development, 30(3), 72–74. https://search-ebscohost- com.libraryservices.yorkvilleu.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=url,cookie,ip,uid&db=ehh&AN=131108837
Good morning Steven.
Thank you for introducing me to Tim Wise and his YouTube video. I had no idea what white privilege was or how involved it is until this course. I found the comments on YouTube from other viewers interesting, enlightening, and disturbing. Some viewers’ opinions are explicit denials that seem to continue to protect white male privilege from being acknowledged, lessened or ended. This just continues to defend it.
I viewed the YouTube video from Peggy McIntosh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRnoddGTMTY. Her view is that whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege like they are taught not to recognize male privilege. Dr. McIntosh views white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that she can count on using every day. Examples like renting and purchasing an apartment or house, getting a mortgage, driving without being stopped by the police, and buying bandages that match her flesh colour.
I am fortunate to be on two volunteer boards – BrainTrust Canada and the Brain Injury Alliance of BC. The not for profits meet the needs of people affected by acquired brain injury by providing evidence-based approaches to provide brain injury prevention and education, rehabilitation services, and client advocacy.
I love the advocacy part. I can certainly see the application and how I can incorporate the knowledge of marginalized groups. That may be a good idea for my capstone paper. Thank you for planting that seed.
Emerging technologies have increased the pressure for changes to teaching and learning today. What are the implications, challenges and opportunities that you perceive from these technologies? Specifically consider simulation learning, networked learning and the influence of social media in your response. Rather than writing your response, you could create a short video on YouTube using your phone and post the link in the DQ. See instructions on how to create a video for YouTube and post the private link. Only your classmates will be able to see the video.
I will use a cliche when I say my role as an educator is to facilitate learning. But it is true. Inspiring, motivating, encouraging learners to develop new skills and technologies. To accomplish this, I have to embrace learning as a philosophy of life. Davis (1989) developed the Technology Acceptance Model theory, where the technologies acceptance rate depends entirely on two characteristics: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. I focus my classes on exposing learners to real-life problems that reinforce their perspective “as active, intelligent, creative constructors of their knowledge structures” (Blake & Pope, 2008, p. 62).
Computer simulations have become a part of advanced learning environments for decades. Theoretically sound and practical guides are used to design and use models and simulations to support instructional contexts. Developments in interactive software and the emergence of systems thinking provide a unique opportunity to create interactive model-based simulations. Computer simulation programs encourage learners to explore complex and realistic systems. The interactive environment and graphic capability of these programs provide instant feedback to the learners.
Networked learning is learning in which information and communication technology is used to promote connections; between one learner and other learners, between learners and tutors, between a learning community and its learning resources (Goodyear, 2001). One of the principles of connectivism is about network forming, and it relates largely to network learning. In other words, networked learning is a subset of connectivism (Siemens, 2005).
In this digital age, technology now occupies every aspect of our lives and engaging my learners in their journey is a big challenge. I find using technology in MY life is a big challenge. But the employment of the theoretical underpinnings of the theory of connectivism may help me guide and empower my learners to find purpose in their studies.
There are two kinds of smart people: those who know the answer and those who know where to find the answer. The connectivist is the one who knows where to find the answer and is tapped into the ever-changing landscape of knowledge management.
Laurie
References
Blake, B. & Pope, T. (2008). Developmental psychology: Incorporating Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories in classrooms. Journal of Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives in Education, 1(1), 59-67.
Davis, F. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319-340). https://www.jstor.org/stable/249008?seq=1
Goodyear, P. (2001). Effective networked learning in higher education: notes and guidelines. Studies in Advanced Learning Technology, 1(3).
Thank you for your posting. In your posting, you do hint at something that I experience most days in one of my teaching environments. Connectivism is clearly tied to the pervasive use of technology to generate information and through which knowledge is created. But this comes at a cost. As you point out, many vulnerable populations have very limited access and understanding of technology. I see this every day when I work with newcomers from countries with virtually zero technical knowledge and yet they are expected to learn in an online environment. Oftentimes these learners give up in frustration because they have not had a lifetime of learning and being with technology like those in the West. So, the digital divide grows – both in terms of access and in terms of living in a tech culture. An in non-Western cultures, learning and knowledge is rooted deeply in social, cultural, and human connectivity. So making the shift from non-tech environments to tech environments begs the question: What knowledge is valued and what knowledge is lost in such a move?
best,
Professor Steven Noble
Good morning Steven,
Thank you for replying to my posting. First, I will reflect on your comments using the Internet as an example; then, I will answer your question.
Like you, not a day goes by where I do not use technology, and in many cases, I learn (knowledge) something new. I am frustrated by technology when I cannot figure out how something works – like my damn YouTube video for these discussion questions. Like you identified, I gave up in frustration but merely as a conditional withdrawal waiting for another day to fight the fight.
A considerable percentage of people are located in less developed countries and more significantly in the rural areas where the technology infrastructure and lack of Internet development are inferior. I use the example of the recent US presidential election. Metropolitan cities with an educated population voting Democrat, while huge rural areas are voting Republican. We are aware of the results.
What knowledge is lost, and what knowledge is valued? The censorship or restriction of the Internet by individual autocratic governments to achieve selfish political interests. Knowledge is not valued but suppressed. A perfect example of this happened in December 2016 when the Gambian government blocked the Internet during the presidential election period. Besides this incident, there are well-documented reports of many governments in Asia, the Middle East, and beyond restricting internet access to their citizens in the pretext of avoiding social protests.
Among the wreckage of a ship that sailed the Mediterranean more than 1,000 years before timekeeping gearwork first appeared in Medieval Europe. No one on the planet was supposed to have had complex scientific instruments—what was this thing? It came to be known as the Antikythera Mechanism. In the decades that followed, with ever more sophisticated technology to guide them, researchers would begin to understand how the peculiar device once worked. Today, the mechanism is often described as the world’s oldest computer—more precisely, it seemed to be an analog machine for modelling and predicting astronomical and calendrical patterns—Connectivism at its finest.
Your comments on my first discussion question were to look at ideas socially, politically, culturally, economically, power, justice, etc. The most important thing is to change the public’s and governments’ attitudes regarding the Internet and understand its importance in realizing a prosperous and knowledgeable society. Implementing the necessary infrastructure and competency to ensure this technology is accessible and secure for the public has too many advantages to ignore.
Laurie
Laurie
There may be some excitement and interest in connectivism whereby nodes of information interconnect and share knowledge/information; however, there has not be much done to differentiate between what knowledge is and what information is? That is the first thing to give consideration to. The second thing is what is the natural extension of connectivism and interconnectivity as a way to learn? As with all things that are science fiction, a recent TV show explores this. The show is called The Feed whereby every person is implanted with a device in his or her brain so that everyone is literally connected through brainwaves so that they can share their thoughts and emotions with one another (Clark et al., 2019). Then someone or something hacks this network. Thinking about this scenario, it would be interesting for you to think about the negatives of connectivism or the potential of what could go wrong when everyone is on the same “wavelength” of learning? Connected to this idea is a TED Talk I listened to years ago and that the reliance on networked learning, particularly as driven by the Internet is problematic in that there are algorithms at work that shape the information one receives based on your clicking history, which in turn serves to narrow down the world as each person knows based on what is familiar (Pariser, 2011).
Professor Steven Noble
Clark, J., Constant, R., Hogg, S., Kennedy, M., Lewis, S., Murray, S., & Lambert, S. (Producers) (2019 – ). The feed. [TV series.]. Amazon Studios; Liberty Global; Amazon Prime Video; Polyband. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8005176/
Connectivism – as an educator, just the word by itself wants me to do more research and find out more. The name and what it means is what I find most compelling. How do you learn about new stuff? Where do you go to learn new stuff? What are my knowledge networks? I look at YouTube daily, and this discussion question requires a posting on YouTube. I have a FaceBook page because my children said, “Dad if you want to know what we are doing in our lives, you need FaceBook.” I have a blog I started for my learners, including school assignments, glossary, and fun learning. Blogs help me answer the questions of How do I… and What about…? I have a Twitter account as a knowledge network to share and learn. Who do my learners connect with online? I use Snapchat because it is fun, quick, and free. How do my learners share their learning? Do they have blogs? Who or where do they learn from? Where do I find experts in education and learning? It is essential to know so people can get connected and gain perspective around the world.
So, what is connectivism? Connectivism is a prominent network learning theory developed for e-learning environments. In 2004, Stephen Downes and George Siemens argued that changing technology is prevalent in education, and the current learning theories (behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism, and constructionism) were limiting. This required a new learning theory for the digital age.
Connectivism is the first theoretical attempt to examine the implications for learning the Internet and the explosion of new communications technologies (Bates, 2019). This idea that knowledge exists everywhere and is increasing at an extraordinary rate, and technology is an integral part of learning. The important and unimportant information accessed and organized by the learner is a skill worth developing.
Learning, on the other hand, is the process of creating connections and developing a personal network. But it is essential to consider the value of the information and determine if it is useful or not.
Technology in education makes social efficacy, and technical proficiency, critical goals and the Internet are optimal learning environments. In asynchronous learning, learners can access the online material at any time. In synchronous learning, there is real-time interaction between learners and educators. The positive information is readily available; the negative is that the retention of information is no longer important. The positive is building a network of new connections. The negative is those connections lose their value over time. The positive is that learners are the main focus of the learning process. The negative is that there is a lot of ambiguous information available.
Special populations of learners have the same and more challenges as they experience enacting connectivism. Frequently called the “information highway” and the “global village” (Wilson and Lowry, 2000), the Internet, through Web 2.0, provides resources for inquiry, information gathering options, data rating and affinity sites, communication, and mobility. Many special populations of learners do not have that ubiquitous access to knowledge enabled by the current technological environment, such as the Internet. Add to that, learning environments are often established online where authenticity can be simulated or questioned. Special populations of learners are required to navigate through the challenges with limited guidance.
According to Siemens (2005), knowledge is created beyond individual human participants’ level and is continually shifting and changing. The Internet changes the essential nature of knowledge, and learning can tap into that information.
Laurie
References
Bates, T. (2019). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (2nd ed.). Tony Bates Associates Ltd.
Think about yourself as an adult learner in this program. Many of the readings this week talk about learning spaces in the context of the physical university setting. What is your reaction to these readings when thinking about your context of online learning in a virtual space? Consider how formal learning is changing under the influence of the new learning spaces and how the notion of learning spaces is changing. Please post a collage of images that describe the changing learning space.
When I review the readings and think about my online learning context in a virtual space, I do not think of physical learning spaces; I immediately think about the lack of social interaction. We have online discussion groups and virtual Zoom meetings twice per term but reading a discussion question(s) and typing a response(s) does not come close to the true definition of formal learning with virtual spaces for a synchronous learning experience. Covid 19 temporarily ended face-to-face instruction with students and professors’ daily social interaction, but I am sure that I miss it like many learners.
I know education is changing, and I know teaching methods have to adapt to match current trends and meet today’s world’s demands. Learning spaces are changing because the pedagogical objective is to improve the learning process. The spaces have to be efficient, be comfortable to the learner, and enable the learner to feel confident. Different zones focus on and explore different areas of learning, socializing, and communicating. Yes, academics are doing their best at ensuring learners receive the best education they can get, but having all my classes in virtual spaces does not mean I have to like it.
Moore’s Theory of Transactional Distance formulated in 1997 has a direct bearing on e-learning. It explains and quantifies the learning relationship between instructor and student in the e-learning situation, where there is a substantial physical or temporal distance between the two. Moore talked of transactional distance – as distinguished from a physical or temporal distance – referring to the psychological or communicative space that separates the instructor from the learner in the transaction between them, occurring in the structured or planned learning situation (Moore, 1997, p. 1). Learners need access to real-time interaction with the instructor and class peers that simulate the traditional classroom setting. Learners have asked for more opportunities to interact with each other in synchronistic ways (West & Jones, 2007). To shorten the transactional distance, why not employ a synchronous online classroom to facilitate learner engagement in online learning?
Why not use available software for a virtual classroom? The use of synchronous conferencing techniques can offer opportunities for social interaction in a virtual classroom space. Synchronous software popular in educational settings, such as Centra, HorizonLive, Kaltura, Elluminate Live!, and Interwise, share several interactive real-time characteristics. Would this not assist the older adult learner? Jin et al. (2019) identified four theoretical frameworks to understand older adults’ informal learning using mobile devices, so would all the frameworks (technology acceptance, experiential learning, social cognitive, and activity) not be enhanced through virtual classroom instruction for the older adult?
West, E., & Jones, P., (2007). A framework for planning technology used in teacher education program that serve rural communities. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 26(4), 3-15.
On Task Teaching 