digital lifeboat

As I have been working on my draft specification, I have been thinking around the subject of how to engage the motivation of the teacher students on the courses I will be developing.

In my report last term and in the project specification, are lots of questions which focus on identifying the problem to be solved. The answers are biased towards the technical, and practical issues. Work is already in progress to identiy the gaps in knowledge that the training materials need to address.

There needs to be a corresponding Why? to the What of all the above.

I want to make sure I give attention to the motivational areas, the needing and wanting area as in Race. If the teachers gain a few skills, but do not gain any concepts which they find personally relevant to their own teaching I feel I will not have served them well.

I have been thinking in general terms about the introduction areas of the courses. Here is where I think I should focus on motivation, by making sure that the relevance of the topic in question to their own teaching and learning is explored.

Christopher Sessums extensive research into teacher education leads him to this observation

“I have seen teachers absolutely panic over having to learn how an application works (unlike their students who willingly push buttons to see what happens) rather than looking ahead to see how such a medium might be useful.”

He also askes the question

“Is it possible or realistic to expect teachers who do not want to enhance their basic computer skills to be compelled to do so without any incentives? What’s in it for them?”

Cultural Implications of Social Software Teaching and Learning, Ready or Not

http://eduspaces.net/csessums/weblog/144604.html

In his blog post “Web Learning about Web Learning for Teachers”, Terry Anderson notes

But I wish we could learn to spark interest in the most exiting and revolutionary technology ever to be used for formal instruction, in ways that were just a bit more designed to fire the imagination and engagement of users – both as learners and as teachers.

http://terrya.edublogs.org/2008/09/08/108/

Here is my motivation if any were needed to ensure that the benefits of understanding how to use a particular piece of software or employing a particular tool are stated very explicity in the course materials. Now to think about the means of achieving that.

Using the Vark questionnaire my results were

Visual: 3
Aural: 2
Read/Write: 4
Kinesthetic: 6

My results indicate a mild preference for kinaesthetic or active learning styles. However I am not strongly or uniquely identified with this learning style.

I have previously done the learning styles inventory, based on Kolb, and found again a slight preference for active learning.

I believe in effect, that I use a variety of learning styles. I like to assimilate information in a written form and often use tables and reports to synthesize my thinking. I succeed at my work because I take the time to read the instructions very carefully. I do however need there to be a practical outworking of my studies. I would not see myself as being a pure researcher ever.

Yes it’s a pointer, but as an adult learner I think I know what works for me fairly well, however I have probably not formalised my thinking about my learning styles before.

One very beneficial result of this exercise for me is to re-enforce my choices of learning activities and environments. This will allow me to maximise benefit from future learning activities, and opportunities for professional development.

For me on line learning works well because there is activity and interactivity at every stage. It is a bonus that we also use lots of text based communication, which suits both of my learning style preferences.

I would find a class based lecture style of learning less engaging and therefore less beneficial.

Races ripples theory. Click on the image to load the animation.

Diagram gif used with kind permission of Robert Gordon University

http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/celt/pgcerttlt/how/how4d.htm

Prep for group disscussion monday 30th oct.

What are the elements of effective online computer aided learning.

Reflected on the issue of effectiveness. Seeking a definition of CAL was very hard to find. It seems that this is still an emerging science / art and that as such definitions are fluid and not concrete. Found interesting paper here

http://www.herts.ac.uk/ltdu/learning/whatiscal.pdf

Computer Aided Learning describes an educational environment where a computer program, or an application as they are commonly known, is used to assist the user in learning a particular subject.

So CAL is not a single computer program but part of an educational strategy devised to teach a particular subject.

These are the effective elements that I felt were demonstrated in the examples of CAL posted to the discussion thread.

Coherent design, clear layout, balance of text and images

Course designed with ref to theories of learning

Clear learning outcomes

Clear navigation

Ease of access to site, security issues

Appropriate use of multi media, – enhancing not distracting from the purpose.

Accessibility- alternative access, and document formats

Tracking progress and checking understanding

Interactivity, tests quizzes feedback.

Re enforcement of learning

Reflection- returning to a subject to review or record

Paper -Sit- experiences of online learning: students experiences contains the following of relevence.

Innovation and creativity are needed in enhancing human machine interface communication, to facilitate peer interaction, support and socialization in the online learning

http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/
/knowledge_management/km2/cop_toolkit.asp

Etienne Wenger is credited with coining the term ‘community of practice’ and he defines them as “groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an ongoing basis.” He also believes that learning is a social activity and that people learn best in groups.

http://www.ewenger.com/

Ettiene Wenger
Theoretically, my work focuses on social learning systems.I am trying to understand the connection between knowledge, community, learning, and identity. The basic idea is that human knowing is fundamentally a social act. This simple observation has profound implications for the way we think of and attempt to support learning.
Practically, these ideas are helping people who face all sorts of challenges, such as:
design more effective knowledge-oriented organizations
create learning systems across organizations
improve education and lifelong learning
rethink the role of professional associations
design a world in which people can reach their full potential

The domain

It has an identity defined by a shared domain of interest

The community

members engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information

The practice

They develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems—in short a shared practice.