eLearning Perspectives
Invited presentation to the Virtual Collaboration Honours group
Dept of Information Systems, Rhodes University
Module convener: Chris Upfold
4. Key Trends Accelerating HE Tech Adoption
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Fast trends: Driving change over next 1-2 years
Growing Ubiquity of Social Media
Integration of Online, Hybrid, & Collaborative Learning
Mid-range trends: Driving change over next 3-5 years
Rise of Data-Driven Learning & Assessment
Shift from Students as Consumers to Students as Creators
Long-range trends: Driving change over next 5+ years
Agile Approaches to Change
Evolution of Online Learning
http://www.nmc.org/publications/2014-horizon-report-higher-ed
5. Significant Challenges Impeding HE Tech Adoption
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Solvable:
Low Digital Fluency of Faculty
Relative Lack of Rewards for Teaching
Difficult:
Competition from New Models of Education
Scaling Teaching Innovations
Wicked:
Expanding Access
Keeping Education Relevant
http://www.nmc.org/publications/2014-horizon-report-higher-ed
6. Important Developments in Ed Tech for HE
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Near-term horizon – within the next 12 months
Flipped Classroom, Learning Analytics
Mid-term horizon – 2-3 years out
3D Printing, Games & Gamification
Far-term horizon- 4-5 from widespread adoption
Quantified Self, Virtual Assistants
http://www.nmc.org/publications/2014-horizon-report-higher-ed
7. How can we take advantage of this potential?
http://coachfederation.org/blog/index.php/78/
Does one size fit all?
9. What
elements
would
we like
to blend?
Spatial
Blended
Learning
ICT
Mediation
Synch vs
Async
Pedagogy
Devices
10. Three dimensions
Spatial or geographic distribution of teachers and learners
Face to face (F2F) Mixed Mode Distance Education
On Campus Off campus
Extent of ICT support
No digital support Digitally Supported Internet-supported Internet-dependent Fully online
Offline Online
Pedagogical approach / level of mediation
Independent Learning Mixed Mode Interactive Learning
Low mediation High mediation
11. What else are we blending?
Semi-synchronous flow:
• students do some parts of the course at their own pace and do other
parts of the course on a fixed schedule.
– Instructors release course materials on a fixed schedule, student can work on
it anytime after
– Live events, such as live Q&A sessions with the instructors, happen at a fixed
date and time. Students can also watch archived versions.
– Assessments are due by a fixed deadline.
Google CourseBuilder- https://code.google.com/p/course-builder/wiki/CourseFlow
12. We can even blend the way we access our
Virtual Learning Environment …
• Offline version of virtual learning environment
• Enabling access to
– Full course with learning pathway
– Identical structure and functions
– Resources & materials
• Go online or synchronization for:
– Uploading assignments
– Communications e.g. forums
14. Concluding Remarks
• Blended mode
– An infinite number of ways to blend
• Influencing factors
– Learner demographics
– Class size
– Pedagogical approach
• Dimensions
Re-examine
– Spatial separation (geographic)
– Temporal (asynchronous & semi/synchronous)
– Extent and manner of digital support (ICTs)
– Level of mediation
core
assumptions
for the
changing
environment
15. Reflection
• Who are your
stakeholders?
• What is the potential
impact of online /
blended course provision
for them?
• How can you develop or
enhance processes at
your institution to
address the challenges?
User Involvement
Executive
Management Support
Clear Statement of
Requirements
16. Thank You!
Questions?
Brenda Mallinson
brendam@saide.org.za
Slideshare - http://www.slideshare.net/brenda6
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License.
17. References / Bibliography
• Bower, M., Dalgarno, B., Kennedy, G., Lee, M. and Kenney, J. (2014) Blended Synchronous Learning – A
Handbook for Educators. Office for Learning and Teaching, Australian Government. Available online at:
http://blendsync.org/handbook
• CoICT (2011) ‘Poodle Becomes Panacea To Internet Connection’. Issue 02, eLearning Newsletter, Centre
for Virtual Learning, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
• EasyFilms™ (2011) EasyFilms explains Blended Learning. Available online at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjYOajMCnkQ
• Google CourseBuilder. Course Flow. Available online at: https://code.google.com/p/course-builder/
wiki/CourseFlow
• Hilton, D. (2014) Blended Learning. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lEDjPMKtWk
• Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., Freeman, A. (2014). NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher
Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Available online at:
http://www.nmc.org/publications/2014-horizon-report-higher-ed
• MAF Learning Technologies (2012) Poodle: A Portable Moodle Solution. Available online at:
http://www.maflt.org/products/poodle
• Mallinson, B. (2014) ‘Using Off-line Solutions for Online Learning’. Presented at 9th eLearning Africa
Conference, Windhoek, Namibia.
• Mallinson, B. (2014) ‘Exploring Modes of Education Delivery in the Digital Age’. African Virtual University
Journal. 1st Edition. In Press.
• Young, R.C. and Chamberlin, M.A. (2006) Ready to Teach Online? A Continuum Approach. Proceedings of
the 22nd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning. Available online at
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/Resource_library/proceedings/06_4310.pdf
Notas do Editor
Presented by invitation to the Information Systems Honours students at Rhodes University.
Course Convener: Chris Upfold
http://www.nmc.org/publications/2014-horizon-report-higher-ed
Social media is changing the way people interact, present ideas and information, and judge the quality of content and contributions. The impact of these changes in scholarly communication and on the credibility of information remains to be seen, but it is clear that social media has found significant traction in almost every education sector. (pg8)
Education paradigms are shifting to include more online learning, blended and hybrid learning, and collaborative models. Potential to leverage the online skills learners have already developed independent of academia. Taking advantage of the best of both environments. (pg10) – our focus of this seminar.
There is a growing interest in using new sources of data for personalizing the learning experience and for performance measurement. As learners participate in online activities, they leave an increasingly clear trail of analytics data that can be mined for insights. Kresge Siyaphumelela project. http://kresge.org/news/grant-opportunity-now-open-for-south-african-universities-improve-data-capacity
Students are learning by making and creating rather than from the simple consumption of content. Creativity, as illustrated by the growth of user-generated videos, maker communities, and crowdfunded projects in the past couple years, is increasingly the means for active, hands-on learning.
Institutional leadership and curricula could benefit from agile startup models. The Lean Startup movement uses technology as a catalyst for promoting a culture of innovation in a more widespread, cost-effective manner.
Shift in the perception of online learning - now seen as a viable alternative to some forms of face-to-face learning. The value that online learning offers is now well understood, with flexibility, ease of access, and the integration of sophisticated multimedia and technologies chief among the list of appeals.
http://www.nmc.org/publications/2014-horizon-report-higher-ed
Faculty training still does not acknowledge the fact that digital media literacy continues its rise in importance as a key skill in every discipline and profession.
Teaching is often rated lower than research in academia.
Note: Both 1 and 2 are staff considerations – OUT Digital Fluency course
3. New models of education are bringing unprecedented competition to the traditional models of higher education. Note: Expansion of Private Providers in SA and beyond.
4. Our organizations are not adept at moving teaching innovations into mainstream practice.
5. The global drive to increase the number of students participating in undergraduate education is placing pressure across the system. E.g. SA new Community college system.
6. If higher education does not adapt to the times, other models of learning (especially other business models) will take its place.
1. The flipped classroom refers to a model of learning that rearranges how time is spent both in and
out of class to shift the ownership of learning from the educators to the students.
2. Learning analytics is an educational application of “big data” - statistical analysis for businesses. Goal is to improve student engagement and success.
3. 3D printing refers to technologies that construct physical objects from three dimensional (3D) digital content such as 3D modeling software, computer-aided design (CAD) tools, computer-aided tomography (CAT), and X-ray crystallography.
4. Moved on from solely being recreational and has found considerable traction in the military, business and industry, and increasingly, education as a useful training and motivation tool.
Quantified self - phenomenon of consumers being able to closely track data that is relevant to their daily activities through the use of technology.
As voice recognition and gesture-based technologies advance and more recently, converge, we are quickly moving away from the notion of interacting with our devices via a pointer and keyboard. Virtual assistants are a credible extension of work being done with natural user interfaces (NUIs).
Blended Fruit image: http://coachfederation.org/blog/index.php/78/
EasyFilms™ explains Blended Learning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjYOajMCnkQ (2m 43s)
Embedded video removed to reduce file size.
Changed Pedagogy – e.g. Flipped Classroom
Devices - BYOD
The continued evolution of e-learning is contributing to the blurring of the distinction between face-to-face and distance education provision.
A second continuum could represent another dimension by plotting the extent of supporting ICTs – ranging from fully offline to fully online. Note the inclusion of ‘digitally supported’ in the ICT dimension. In our African context, it is pertinent to also consider digital forms of support that do not require internet access. The digital forms of support for learning could be offline via a CD/DVD, and a further detail could be expressed by clarifying exactly which elements of the ICT dimension may be on- or offline. Within a particular course, learning could be supported both online and digitally offline at various stages.
The 3rd dimension is largely influenced by cohort size.
Temporal dimension …
Synchronous flow: students do all of their work at the same time as everybody else.
Asynchronous flow: students do everything at their own pace and have no deadlines to consider.
Poodle - http://maflt.org/poodle ; For Moodle v1.9.3 & v2.1 (different company - v2.3)
Poodle runs Moodle courses off a USB flash drive without an Internet connection and leaves no electronic footprint on the hosting device (MAF-LT 2013).
Environmental problems: Unreliable internet access and limited bandwidth; Unreliable local power supply; Sustained effort required to become familiar with VLE; Off campus access to internet;
Leading to: Interrupted access to own course/s in the VLE; Preferred online course access for development / participation / engagement taking place mostly on campus (generator & intranet)
Incurring costs for off-campus (home / café) access; Limited time to become familiar with VLE & course resources; Further exclusion from the affordances of online T&L
2. Blended Learning (David Hilton) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lEDjPMKtWk (2m 13s)
This video is an example of how you could make a video to address a topic from the perspective of an academic exercise.
Embedded video removed to reduce file size.
It is clear that there is no single blend for delivery mode, but rather an infinite number of ways that one can deploy a course or programme. Careful consideration is necessary of the relevant aspects that affect education provision in the blended and online mode.
The deployment of supporting ICTs opens up many possibilities for a more interactive engagement but whether the affordances of ICT are used in this way must be a conscious design decision: at a basic level, ICT can be used simply to transmit content more efficiently. However, in institutions that consciously seek to use supporting ICTs to enhance their teaching and learning, the role of the lecturer is changing to that of facilitator, learning environment designer, co-learner, and may also include content curation. The role of the learner in such institutions and programmes is also changing, moving towards more self-directed independent study, and greater collaboration and engagement both with peers inside the institution and others outside the walls of the classroom or lecture hall. Plomp, 1999:26; Berge, 2000; Kahn 2012; Richardson u.d., c.2013
The core assumptions of DE (access, independence, economics of scale) need to be re-examined in the context of online learning theory and practice (collaboration, community, quality assurance)
The 3 Project Management Critical Success Factors – Support from top management; User involvement; Clear Requirements;
Blended model - What are the implications for course delivery?
Importance of flexible approach - justify use of LMS – more accessible on Intranet