EdTech: communicating, learning in virtual presence

(part of a flipped lecture on MOOC, mLearningwithin a blended learning course)

Inge (Ignatia) de Waard

This presentation is part of a flipped lecture. The lecture description can be found here (google doc). Prior to the lecture, learners had to engage in a MOOC discussion forum, after this lecture a fishbowl discussion took place.

Finding your top job?

• https://www.pinterest.com/brainrecovery/working-life-and-people/

How to become & stay an expert?

Learning dynamics across the ages

Similarities…

• Language unification (scientific language: Latin/Greec, Spanish in the Golden Era, Arabic Golden Age)

• Exchanging technology (knowledge, papyrus, books, engineering)… walks, talks, discussions

• Networking and strengthening ties

• Power supporting and stimulating networks (e.g. Medici, Carnegie…)

… it still works

• Global languages take over

• Technology links people worldwide

• Networking on a global scale

• Global corporate power: Google, Amazon, Facebook, MOOCs …

Learning is a natural phenomenon

=> Social component, ‘social learning’

=> Individual preferences

=> Intrinsic motivation

Personal learning goals, depending on experience & interest

Learning is embedded in our genes

Educational technology builds upon age-long proven learning dynamics

Adds:

• Reach: global

• Size: connecting more people

• Speed of knowledge exchange

• Distributed content & knowledge creation

Risks

• Filtering existing knowledge

• Less critical curation of information

Educational technology?

• New alternatives to old actions (telegrams versus tweets)

• Connecting across location and time• More people connected

Big business

Growing response to societal change &

demand

Technology: not only devices

• Mobile: just in time, context, overal op ieder tijdstip

• Web & Internet

• Internet based learning: eLearning (SPOCs, MOOC)

‘Hidden’ within technology

• Algorithms (providing Big Data, offering personalised search information…)

• Potential filter bubbles due to black boxes (professional hair due, unprofessional hair due)

• Data dispersed to others, who has access to what?

Learning with less boundaries

• Anytime (synchronous EdTech (hang-out, skype meetings…) or/and asynchronous (social media or forum discussions, peer-to-peer reviews, …)

• Anyplace: using your own device (BYOD), or accessing through other devices wherever you are

Mobile learning

• Just-in-time learning

• Staying up-to-date (classes, clickers, institutional communications)

• Anytime/anywhere learning (bite size nuggets)

• Contextual learning (languages in new cities, ad hoc information searches)

MOOCs

What is a MOOC?SPOC

• Massive: no limits for enrolment (Small)

• Open: publicly accessible (Private)

• Online: all the content and discussions shared online

• Course: a stand-alone or part of training/curriculum, certificates or not…

Why do learners enrol?

More committed enrolment: personal or professional need Less committed enrolment: Leisure learners, unclear expectations, loosely interested (format or content)

FutureLearn: European platform

xMOOC: transformative, content is mainly using video, discussions, texts and assignments

• Courses open to all (with paid versions)

• Low threshold (for free courses, prior knowledge described)

• Social learning as benefit

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EdX – France TV - FutureLearn – Coursera - FUN21

MOOC demographics

MOOC’rs :

• Leisure learning increases (cfr. documentaries)

• Personal interest

• Professional development / lifelong learning

• Home scholing

(percentages from FutureLearn: oldest learner 92 years)

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Transformative model: expert shares knowledge.

• Video (transcripts, commenting)

• Online asynchronous discussion

• Test knowledge based on information uptake

MOOC elements

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MOOC blending

Video and sources from MOOCs (in blended learning)Use texts or documentsFlipped lecture approach• Look at media prior to class• Search and discuss sources and material

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MOOC learning = Informal, Personal Learning

Personal learning?

• Learning goals

• (Intrinsic) motivation

Informal learning increases

• What U want

• Where U want it

• When U want it

• How U want it

Intrinsic motivationPersonal learning goals

Individual or social learning?

63% individual 37% social

Looking or

sharing with

others

Course Course

facilitators

Course peers Professional

colleagues

In-

course

Friends Family Partner Other

(%)

Outside

course

Looking for

answers

Personal

interest

12 37 11 60% 4 19 11 6 40%

Professional

interest

17 45 10 72% 8 5 8 7 28%

Sharing

experiences

Person. Int. 2 35 13 50% 13 29 7 2 51%

Prof. int. 1 32 17 50% 16 19 15 0 50%

Social learning enriches

• Authentic experiences

• Latest information from authentic environments

• Multiple solutions depending on contexts

• Additional reflections on the learners own experience & why they solved something their way.

BUT! The MOOC Effect

• Bigger universities have more financial means

• Algorithms from Big Data / data mining (more personalised learner support)

• Are we on our way towards global universities or niche universities?

Rethinking degrees

University (formal)

Mini-masters (university &

industry)

Professioneel degree

Choices will become more focused: education/industry/politics

• Promoting STEM: based on work (critical voices)

• Pre-assessments (competencies: innovation, cognitive excellence, entrepreneurship…)

Does freedom of choice increase or decrease?

• Too many STEM (re-educating many)

• Pre-assessments push towards specific goals

• Algorithms direct what you learn, read, can choose from, pay for…

Competencies

• Digital literacy

• Critical thinking

• Language capable(Second language: Engels/Mandarin/Spanish/Arabic/Russian)

• Adaptive

Digital skills

Your critical thoughts

Screenshots of your submissions

(covering: algorithms, clickbaits, fake news, social media angles, being and staying critical, blurring of

personal/professional IDs, ethics)

Examples of the anonymised screenshots are given at this moment, organised per topic

• First question: does technology have a communicative benefit to learn a particular subject? Why?

• Why did you decide to study at this particularuniversity? If you could study at any university, which onewould you choose? Why?

• Who do you learn from?

• Do they have opposing ideas or most of the time similar ideas?

• What is your prefered way of learning? Whichsources do you use? Why?

• What was your reason for choosing this MOOC?

• Do you consider yourself digitally literate? On what do you base your opinion?

• Which algorithm would you like to develop? Whatwould be its purpose? How would this affect communication?

• Which type of media helps you learn (skype, video, texts (books, papers), discussion forums, audio books, podcasts, mobile applications/apps, games, …)? Which one do you prefer?

• What is your prefered way of learning (individualor social)? Why?

• How critical are you when you read information? Who taught you to think critically? Where do youget your factual information from?

• On what basis would you select material for a lecture? On what basis would you decide to addsome information? Which types of media wouldyou use?

• On what occasion do you use your smartphone forlearning? What is the advantage of using yoursmartphone on those occasions?