The role of new web technologies in supporting the emerging educational paradigm. General Overview 2008

Presentation to the Department of Physiology

Russell Butson

Higher Education Development Centre

What are theseNew Web technologies

New Web Technologies – The Services

New Web Technologies – The Language

What the emerging technologies offer is not simply new software but a new perspective, a new way of thinking about the way we

use Information Communication Technology.

Traditionally the WWW was about connecting computers and making technology more efficient for computers – Web1.0 .

Today the focus is on connecting people, and making technology more efficient for people – Web2.0.

New Web Technologies – The Shift

What is theEmerging Educational Paradigm

Emerging Educational Paradigm

Instructional ParadigmTraditional

Self-Directed ParadigmEmerging

Knowledge Transfer from faculty to students Jointly constructed by students and faculty

StudentsPassive vessel to be filled by

faculty’s knowledgeActive constructor, discoverer, transformer of own knowledge

Faculty Purpose Classify and sort students Develop students competencies and talents

RelationshipsImpersonal relationships among

students and between faculty and students

Personal transactions among students and between faculty and students

Context Competitive and individualisticCollaborative learning involving

teams and faculty

Assumptions Any expert can teachTeaching is complex and requires

considerable training

The government expects tertiary education organisations to have in place the necessary systems and structures to ensure that:

• individuals are motivated to learn, engaged and have the skills and information needed to be effective students.

• they foster professional learning communities, and offer the resources and support needed for teaching and learning.

Tertiary Education Strategy 2007-12

Instructional Paradigm

Self-Directed Paradigm

Shift of responsibility

Creation of knowledge

Importance of resources

Closed Communities

Open Networks

In higher education the focus has been on content and the delivery of this

content to the student. Adopting this new paradigm would see us

harnessing the collective intelligence of our students to continually

improve the student experience through a more intensive interaction in

the educational process. This represents a far more complex environment

than is presently in place. Students would be viewed not as receptacles

for information but as an integral element of the educational process. In

fact, to adopt this approach is to make students an essential part of the

educational process in ways that blur the boundaries between our

traditional conceptions of teaching and learning.

The Potential of the Emerging Model

How can these new technologies support thisemerging educational paradigm

- social networking -

Social networking represents a shift from top-down

classroom technologies like Blackboard to what are

being termed social learning environments.

These are networked spaces comprising of 

technologies such as - personal profiles, blogs

forums, wikis, podcasts, documents, presentations,

video, news feeds – in fact whatever resources

students need to document, consume or

communicate their learning with peers and teaching

staff across disciplines.

What is Social Networking

Key Findings...

Did they use the site more as the course progressed?Yes – students felt their use increased over the course as they became more

familiar with the site and got to know other students

Did they feel the site had an influence on their degree of involvement in this course?

Yes – definitely. Most were on the sites daily.

Did they feel the site encouraged interactions, collaborations, friendships?

Yes – definitely. The photos of others were very important. The site allowed interactions between students who said they wouldn’t have connected without the site.

Who controlled the site?

Group projects start

Exam Prep – study groups start

Due!

System Data

System Data

System Data

System Data

The Potential of the Emerging Model

In higher education the focus has been on content and the

delivery of this content to the student. Adopting this new

paradigm would see us harnessing the collective

intelligence of our students to continually improve the

student experience through a more intensive interaction

in the educational process. This represents a far more

complex environment than is presently in place. Students

would be viewed not as receptacles for information but as

an integral element of the educational process. In fact, to

adopt this approach is to make students an essential part

of the educational process in ways that blur the

boundaries between our traditional conceptions of

teaching and learning.

The students experience3rd year microbiology students

Comments from Students...

This site is much more user friendly than Blackboard and is actually enjoyable to use. I only use Blackboard because I have to. This site I use because I enjoy it.

I think this site has been very successful. The best part is that we can post information and set up study groups very easily. It has been an excellent way to communicate and has enabled the class to get to know each other well.

This site is Kick Arse, its great because:

1. Its made Microbiology less boring and even kinda exciting (dare i say it) cause we have a mechanism to meet and find out about the people in our class. And they are really cool and share the same goals and want to work together.

2. We can organise things like the study posse for collaboration on exam prep

3. It can largely replace group meetings cause we are all busy and organising a time to meet is a nightmare. Also everything is recorded in the discussions so info/ideas/opinions can be looked up and referred back to super easily.

4. definite sense of community

5. My flatmates and friends are jealous and want a site like this for their course.

6. It beats blackboard any day.

I now know a lot about this subject and about science generally. I would like to be able to have access to the site to help new students next year.

End of the course ?

Hey! In the ultimate form of procrastination Lisa and I have made a bebo page for the micro department. It is by no means as serious (or useful!) as the v-net but is just a bit of fun and a good way to keep in contact for everyone that’s leaving at the end of this year.

You can find it www.bebo.com/otagomicro :)

Everyone join! Its heaps of fun!