Trends in Instructional Technology

I tell everyone the minute they walk out of the store with their new computer, it is obsolete. It has been said that we are not living through technology changes, we are living in them. Technology is not emerging which means to come forth into view or notice – it is “appearing”! When attempting to identify the future of technology as it relates to education, it seems many of the tools are available now. Approaching the tools toward a successful outcome – student learning – is what is being refined.

Such topics and ideas as:

• Individualized learning. Since we all have our own learning styles, technology should be assistive to the student in addressing learning style differences. (Reynolds, 2011) Students can be given a virtual ID that accesses a personal learning address where many apps converge into one place for the student to manage.
• Appreciate and take advantage of multifunctional tools and applications. It would be cost efficient to combine as many services as possible on one device. One example of creating a personal space combines online communities, creates identity and network space and allows for a virtual commons is given by GoingOn.

• Changing from time-based student progress to attainment-based progress in schools (Aslan, 2011). In other words, give students the time necessary to grasp content at their own rate.
• Moving from constrictive and complex Learning Management Systems to more Open Source learning.
• Augmented reality or layer of virtual information over actual locations, such as an interactive map will make for exciting story-telling. (Weider, 2011)   

Resources:

Aslan, S., & Reigeluth, C. (2011). A trip to the past and future of educational computing:. Contemporary Educational Technology, 2(1), 1-17. Retrieved from http://www.cedtech.net/articles/211.pdf

Reynolds, R. (2011, August 19). [Blog]. Retrieved from http://blog.xplana.com/education-and-technology-trends-2011/

Wieder, B. (2011, February 8). [Blog]. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/6-top-tech-trends-on-the-horizon-for-education/29581

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EppHHxJJVeE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKw_Mp5YkaE

Garage Band Literature! Blog 7

Everyone knows textbooks are going digital.  Even Steve Jobs was meeting with textbook publishers to circumvent states approval of textbooks by including them with I-pads (Young, 2011). Whether it was/is a great idea or a great sales pitch, I’m not sure. 

Although some professors are using freely available online resources for their students, others are beginning to be e-book publishers.  E-textbooks are portable, customizable, searchable and interactive and, of course, cheaper (Smith, 2010). Combining articles, book chapters and other pieces of material an instructor wants to present is a great way to gather all the information for which a student will be held responsible in one place at a desirable price.

Although the e-book advantages seem apparent, there are some professors that are still hesitant to make the change. They are fearful of technical problems that could affect a student’s ability to study. Also, while the cost of the book appears attractive, little mention is made of the fact that you have to purchase the device – whether a computer or e-book reader. Some students have a general reluctance to study from an e-reader, accustomed as they are to traditional text. In other words, they don’t feel that is their learning style. There are also eyestrain and battery limitations. (Nicholas and Lewis, 2010).

What are the challenges for the academic world to move forward with electronic textbooks?  Foster and Remy, in their article for the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, suggest the following criteria:

• Content: Must be accessible especially for those with disabilities such as visual impairment
• Navigation: Students will want to be able to highlight sections, input footnotes, end notes and other learner-specific aids.
• Personal Editing: Students need to be able to extract information for the purpose of writing or archiving.
• Collaboration:  Students want to be able to share and receive information with others.
• Faculty-generated content and course readers.
• Image Support: Color images, graphs, charts and the like.’
• Support for specific disciplines such as mathematical signs or musical scores and playback.
• Continued access to up-to-date content.

Young, J. (2011, October 25). Steve jobs had hopes of disrupting textbook market [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/steve-jobs-had-hopes-of-disrupting-textbook-market/33912?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

Smith, S. (2010). E-textbooks and content delivery. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: CCSP. Retrieved from http://tkbr.ccsp.sfu.ca/bookofmpub/files/2010/04/thebookofmpubdl.pdf

Nicholas, Arlene J. and Lewis, John K., "Learning enhancement or headache: Faculty and e-textbooks" (2010). Faculty and Staff -Articles & Papers. Retrieved from http://escholar.salve.edu/fac_staff_pub/29

Foster, Gavin and Remy, Eric. E-books for academe: A study from gettysburg college. Research Bulletin, (21). EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research. http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB0921.pdf

Blog 6: Learning with Projects and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Similar to problem based learning in its critical thinking and collaborative process is Project Based Learning (PBL) The nature of project-based learning (PBL) is developing skills and content by engaging in logical tasks that involve the skills and content to be learned, have personal relevance for students, and provide real-world context for learning (Warlick, D. 1999). They are alike in that they are student-centered learning exercises. Whereas Problem Based Learning is presented with a problem, Project Based Learning is centered around a task. In other words, it starts with an ending. The essential elements of PBL are explained in this Buck Institute of Education video.

Integrating technology into the process can provide the following outcomes:

• Access to information is flexible as to time because information is available at the convenience of the user. 
• Elimination of geographics in the formation of teams. 
• Ability to preserve interactions through transcripts and logs to assess student involvement, contribution and understanding 
• Introduces multimedia literacy.
• Emphasis on the learning process and idea development as opposed to content iteration (Dirckinck-Holmfeld, 2009).

Adult learning poses many challenges but the engulfment of technology into the process brings communication tools that allow for global conversations, virtual networks for true collaboration on projects and problems to produce professional products with potential for universal application.

Dirckinck-Holmfeld, L. (2009). Innovation of problem based learning through ICT: Linking local and global experiences. The International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology, 5(1). Retrieved from EBSCO host.

Warlick, D. (1999). Raw materials for the mind. Raleigh, NC: The landmark project. project-based learning in undergraduate educational technology. Dr. Cathy Cavanaugh, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of North Florida, USA. http://faculty.education.ufl.edu/cathycavanaugh/docs/PBL2040.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

The Problem Is The Curriculum

Einstein once said, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay in the problem longer.”

Problem Based Learning (PBL) isn’t a new phenomenon. Its practical origins are rooted in medical studies from the 1970’s. Evolving as a result of patients who present with problems or symptoms  that are sometimes unexplainable and complex, Problem Based Learning  is not a theory but more defined as a method or process of evaluating, constructing meaning, thinking critically, direct inquiry, collaborating with peers and arriving at an answer or alternatives. 

It has become a curriculum choice in many universities and professional learning settings that is growing in acceptance and progressing to multiple disciplines of study.  The PBL format is even more attractive because study groups can be formed synchronously or asynchronously in a technology-based world. Web-based PBL’s are supported by numerous free or minimal fee sites which are available for students to collaborate as a group, retreat into self-directed inquiry and then return to collaborate once again to assimilate everyone’s discoveries and present informed alternatives.

There isn’t a delivery method such as lectures that encourage passive information receipt.  It is an active and interactive process - the curriculum is the problem and is usually illogical or ill-conceived.  It does not have only one answer but viable answers and the assessment centers around the true viability of the answers presented.

Some of the advantages of PBL are:

• Easily adaptable to web-based research and technology instruction via integration and collaborative applications such as Googlegroups, PBWorks, and Wikis. In house corporate trainers use such formats as Microsoft Outlook or iVisit for video conference or outsource their employee learning systems to companies such as Cisco, Intel, or Ratheon.
• Empowers learners to think critically; analyze and solve complex, real life problems; find, evaluate and use appropriate learning resources; work collaboratively; demonstrate effective communication skills; and become lifelong learners (Duch, Groh, & Allen, 2001).
• Involves several learning strategies such as self-directed learning, collaborative learning, student centered learning, and experiential learning.
• The collaborative aspect of problem solving encourages negotiation, interdependence and emerging leadership skills. David Hopkins  has an extensive list for collaborative benefits.
• closely aligned to problem-solving processes required in the workplace (Bataray & Bay, 2009)

Bataray,M., Bay, OmerB. (2009, December). The effects of problem-based learning on the classroom community perceptions. Computers & Education, 55, 43-52. Retrieved October 11, 2011, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03601315

Duch, B., Groh, S., & Allen, D. (2001). Why problem based learning? A case study of institutional change in undergraduate education. In B. Duch, S. Groh, & D. Allen (Eds.), The power of problem-based learning (pp. 3–11). Sterling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing.

Hopkins, D.,(2010), Benefits of collaborative learning.. Retrieved from  http://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk/eresources/benefits-of-collaborative-learning-elearning/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNhismExIwU&feature=related

Experiential Learning - Just Do It!

Aristotle said, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” Experiential Learning is a way of learning new material using the basis of what we already know.  It is a cycle that builds on itself. As we learn we gain more experience and knowledge on which to construct new ideas, make observations, reflect and establish an extended base of understanding.  Some call it “Learning by Doing”. 

According to Ed Batista, Executive Coach and Change Manager, “This methodology is used extensively in leadership and interpersonal skills development in places such as Stanford’s Graduate School of Business…and is now part of the school’s mandatory curriculum.” Though there are variations of methods, experiential learning consist of a concrete experience, observation and reflection, formation of abstract concepts and finally, testing the information in new situations. 

Figure 1 - Adapted from: Industry and Technology Times, Online Learning: Bringing the Classroom to the Student http://www.koreaittimes.com/story/12274/online-learning-bringing-classroom-student

Of course the concrete experience is undertaking the activity or being directly involved in the learning project.  An example would be a field trip to a museum as opposed to reading about a museum. It is having the experience.  Next, is the observation and reflective process.  Sometimes discoveries can be made by watching others but also thinking about what happened or the outcome can bring about ideas about the outcome. Based on the reflections and observations of the experience, conclusions are drawn as they are determined in what is actually learned from the encounter and the new knowledge can be activated. 

Like most theories, Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) is not without its critics.  There is disagreement about exactly where in this process the cycle begins, be it the concrete phase or the observation/reflection phase (Orey, 2001). In a collaborative setting, different learning styles might disrupt the development of the project to the desired outcome of the initiator causing the instructor or mentor to “chase” the learners around the cycle (Atherton, 2011). Likewise, it is critical in this setting to guide the reflection and observation phase into the preferred direction, lest the conclusions from the activity do not effectively lend itself to implementation during the Active Experimentation phase.

Atherton J S (2011) Learning and teaching; experiential learning (online: UK) retrieved October 7, 2011 from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm

Batista, E. (2007) Experiential learning cycles, retrieved October 5, 2011 from http://www.edbatista.com/2007/10/experiential.html

Online Learning: Bringing the classroom to the student. Retrieved from  http://www.koreaittimes.com/story/12274/online-learning-bringing-classroom-student

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 10/7/2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Oxendine, C., Robinson, J., & Willson, G. (2004). Experiential learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/    

Quote by Aristotle: "For the things we have to learn before we can do t...". (n.d.). Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia. Retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/

Heading in the Right Direction

As the student population of many colleges tip from undergraduate to post-graduate and professional-level instruction, serving the adult learner has taken on new importance.  Considering variables such as geographics, time conveniences and individual goals, digital content reigns in the adult education domain (Meyers, 2011).

As a theory, self-directed learning is more likely the path of choice for most adult students and various technological tools provide a plethora of avenues for a person to construct their own knowledge.   In this process a person can set goals, pursue resources and often determine their strategic trail toward their desired learning result.  Of course, this is assuming the learning is informal.

A more formal setting tends toward the instructor instigating course development to guide the students in a manner that often encompasses diverse learning styles and teaching methods.  The assumption is that there is some type of class format, whether asynchronous or synchronous. The teacher will engage the student in a way that will eventually shift him or her to a more active and independent learning circumstance while the teacher transforms into a facilitator. In this way, teachers evolve into partners in the process, contributing, as opposed to dictating.  (Väljataga & Laanpere,2010).

Not all students are successful at directing their own learning.  This type of learner might be struggling with issues of time management, organization and motivation. He or she will most likely become inefficient in reaching their goals and might even drop out. For a student such as this, face-to-face or a blended face-to-face/online format would provide a better chance of goal realization. Sometimes technological learning is dominant to the student’s frustration and many extended campuses have special programs specific to these needs. Support will become central to achievement or completion whether that be from other learning peers, instructors or even a student sponsorship or mentor program.

Meyers, C. B. (2011, May 14). How the Internet is Revolutionizing Education. The Next Web /       

    International technology news, business & culture... Retrieved September 24, 2011, from                

   http:/thenextweb.com  

Väljataga, T. & Laanpere M, (2010). Learner control and personal learning environment: a challenge for

instructional design. Interactive Learning Environments, 18(3), 277-291. Retrieved September 25, 2011, from the EBSCOHost database.

The Tall and the Short of It!

The biggest difference I find between the younger and older learner is one is usually voluntary and the other isn’t.  Young students are generally interested in a grade and progression to the next level. Adults have a more closed-ended product in mind. Policy makers, administrators and teachers generally frame the pre-graduates track and the undeveloped learner depends on others to map that path for them. The emerging scholar is more likely to be in a developmental process; to reach for his learning style and experiment with various ways to examine material. 

Learning Is Developmental Regardless of Your Age 

The established learner is climbing toward a learning goal within a framework of an application or relevant product.

Young learners and adults do share common ground and the trend has been to move pedagogy and andragogy together as a progression. Of course, in some instances it will, in fact, depend on the age span.  Both have objectives. At the end of the instruction period, a specific concept should have been explored and understood.  Everyone must be engaged and willing on some level to pursue learning.  Most students bring prior experience or a learning base; albeit, diverse.  In either realm, we can find different learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses and knowledge and learning are being developed

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K.. (2003). Adult Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.),      /
     Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved  from 
     http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt
Hiemstra, Roger (2004). Helping people take responsibility for their own learning. Retrieved from 

     http://www-distance.syr.edu/distancenew.html

.

When we talk about adult learners the best picture that comes to mind is one of responsibility. Corporations manage their knowledge and call them human capital. Connie Malamed, an elearning coach, states these learners have characteristics that set them apart from traditional school or college learners. The person is generally beyond undergraduate work or age (24+), is reliant on self and most likely responsible for others, and works. In her blog, The eLearning Coach,Connie Malamed, also claims the aged learner is generally motivated to better themselves on some level. That leads me to the question: What is the motivation? Motivation whether from within (intrinsic) or an outside source (extrinsic) is the ingredient that spurs us forward into another level. 

Some intrinsic influences for adult learning might be:

• Ø  Keeping current with trends.
• Ø  Interest in a particular topic.
• Ø  Aspiring for intellectual depth.
• Ø  Pursuing a hobby or leisure activity.
• Ø  Enhancing memory or cognition.
• Ø  The pure joy of learning.

External motivators are more goal-driven:

• Ø  Career
• Ø  Skill Seeking
• Ø  Social interaction
• Ø  Recognition
• Ø  Competition

The age-old question of “Are you motivated by a desire to succeed or are you motivated by a fear of failure?” also brings into play the possibility that oftentimes a person is dually motivated. Daniel H Pink, American author and journalist  gives a great lecture and RSAnimate on findings around being purpose-driven even in a corporate setting.  He states that when profit motives are separated from purpose motives, production and profits suffer and for a company to be a profit maximizer, movement into purpose maximizing is imperative for success.  Examples of these companies would be Apple, Google and Skype.

Connie Malamed, 2011, Characteristics of Adult Learners (Web log comment). Retrieved from

http://theelearningcoach.com/learning/characteristics-of-adult-learners/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc