fergie (ian@fergie.u-net.com)
Sat, 3 Jul 1999 17:02:37 +0100
From: "fergie" <ian@fergie.u-net.com> Subject: Distance Learning and using IT Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 17:02:37 +0100
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Sorry - now learnt how to send in ascii
Tom - Further to your statement "I have been interested in this issue from
several perspectives:..."
Many students are currently nervous of IT when they come to University now,
but future generation will have already embraced it and be ready and
demanding multiple-sensory options to learn. One of the important facets of
using IT in education is to offer options, not be prescriptive. Some
educators are equipped already to assist in the provision of such teaching
options (eg those who have already embraced IT, good design via Human
Computer Interaction studies, cognitive aspects via psychology studies, and
also multimedia authoring skills via various studies and research, eg web
design, Toolbook, Director etc etc). There are probably not many of us out
there but there are some and, I believe that, in the future there will be
many more as they come through university/teacher training etc. There are
existing professional design companies who provide excellent material for
many diverse aspects of learning/teaching (for example skill practice,
encyclopaedia, simulations etc) at a cost, but, increasingly in the future
there will be many new teachers/lecturers who will be trained to provide
their own material (or, more sensibly) material for sharing with their
institution/discipline/area/profession and, importantly, trained in how to
integratively evaluate this provision iteratively. So, it is not a case of
"trying to retool professors to deliver via a medium which is not within
their expertise" but more a case of an enlightened generation of teachers
assisting/replacing those teachers who do not have the expertise. (I use the
word "replacing" to indicate natural wastage – not redundancies (which
would, in my view, do more harm than good by losing a wealth of useful
pedagogical experience).
Previously delivery systems were linear (except for the wonderful Logo
programs and their like), and then with the encyclopaedic CD Roms,
interactivity was lost for a while until cheaper, easily ‘writable?’
material became available. Now, with new technology (small files, compressed
video etc, VERY easy to learn authoring tools such as Toolbook and Director)
our educators are empowered to write and share their own software. This can
be linear with a CHOICE to jump to another node if desired. If used in a
linear fashion, immediate assessment and APPROPRIATE and immediate feedback
can be given to the student at the end of each section, as desired. It can
also be designed in a non-linear fashion with separate nodes allowing the
user to access whatever section they desire.
The main point is that this media allows users to select an approach
suitable to their own learning style and also allows users to assess their
own progress as they use the courseware. This courseware can be used by
either teacher or student and as part of a module or as a supplement. Good
content will always mean one thing to one person and something else to
another person – choice is good as it allows an appropriate content to be
selected.
You say, "I am not sure that one can look just at the students or the
delivery
vehicles. I think one needs to look at the system including those who
are responsible for the delivery, both process and content." I would suggest
that the whole aspect of students/teachers/delivery vehicles be looked at
holistically (including the use of automated assessment facilities) to
educate in the 21st century and would refer you to work of Diana Laurillard,
Steve Draper and Joanna Bull et al, notably Laurillard, Diana, "Rethinking
University Teaching – a framework for the effective use of educational
technology" Routledge, Steve Draper at http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk and Joanna
Bull re assessment. Have a look at Active Learning journal at
http://www.cti.ac.uk/
Carole
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