The Joy of Learning and.... Web 2.0?

So..I’ve been reflecting upon Einstein’s advice to his son. I was moved by his efforts to maintain a relationship with his son, and then grateful for my family. I can only imagine how much easier communications with his son would have been if they had the Internet and cellular infrastructure.

However, I was also slightly fascinated by his encouraging words for learning and life’s ambitions. Specifically, the sentence I highlighted from his letter, and offering keywords such as ‘enjoyment’, and ‘don’t notice the time passes’, and ‘wrapped up in work’.

How can distance learning even begin to meet the loosely defined criteria offered by ‘the Genius’? I took the liberty to research his words in relation to what we have discussed so far in OMDE 603. Recently we discussed Web 2.0 and social media. We know application such as Facebook and Twitter can be enjoyable and fun in a personal context. But, could students become engaged so that they ‘don’t notice the time passes’ because they are so ‘wrapped in their...studies/collaboration/learning activities’?

Would it be possible that the portfolio of Web 2.0 applications and products could support similar behavior? There are many 2.0 applications, either stand alone or configured together to provide an integrated learning tool.

I have no experience with Second Life, Virtual Reality, and Avatar’s, but keyword search across literature and the Web, using “learning enjoyment Web 2.0”, seemed to point in this direction. Virtual reality applications, such as Second Life, allow the user to participate, “in a 3D fantasy land as an avatar in the company of other avatars” (Steven, V.) Internet based virtual Web 2.0 applications may provide the enjoyment and ‘immersive’ qualities resulting in a very unique educational experience. “Second Life promotes a spirit that proclaims that there is much scope in education for experimentation and enjoyment, and the result doesn't have to look like 'education'. As Stephen Downes also says often in his podcasts, learning should be built into and part of what people do naturally day to day rather than something people are 'kidnapped' into doing within the walls of an isolated institution” (Stevens, V., 2006,  http://tesl-ej.org/ej39/int.html)

More on ‘what is’ Second Life: http://secondlife.com/whatis/?lang=en

Learning Management Systems (LMS’s) may also provide an interface for access to virtual apps amongst other 2.0 tools they can support. For example, Moodle LMS provides developers a way to configure virtual avatar applications into the Moodle. SLOODLE (Simulation Linked Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) ,”is a free and open source project which integrates the multi-user virtual environments of Second Life® and/or OpenSim with the Moodle™learning management system” (http://www.sloodle.org/)

More on virtual and second life in follow on blogs....

What advice would Einstein have for Distance Educators?

In 1915, aged thirty-six, Einstein was living in wartorn Berlin, while his estranged wife, Mileva, and their two sons, Hans Albert Einstein and Eduard “Tete” Einstein, lived in comparatively safe Vienna. On November 4 of that year, having just completed the two-page masterpiece that would catapult him into international celebrity and historical glory, his theory of general relativity, Einstein sent 11-year-old Hans Albert the following letter, found in Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children(public library) — the same wonderful anthology that gave us some of history’s greatest motherly advice, Benjamin Rush’s wisdom on travel and life, andSherwood Anderson’s counsel on the creative life. Einstein, who takes palpable pride in his intellectual accomplishments, speaks to the rhythms of creative absorption as the fuel for the internal engine of learning:

My dear Albert,

Yesterday I received your dear letter and was very happy with it. I was already afraid you wouldn’t write to me at all any more. You told me when I was in Zurich, that it is awkward for you when I come to Zurich. Therefore I think it is better if we get together in a different place, where nobody will interfere with our comfort. I will in any case urge that each year we spend a whole month together, so that you see that you have a father who is fond of you and who loves you. You can also learn many good and beautiful things from me, something another cannot as easily offer you. What I have achieved through such a lot of strenuous work shall not only be there for strangers but especially for my own boys. These days I have completed one of the most beautiful works of my life, when you are bigger, I will tell you about it.

I am very pleased that you find joy with the piano. This and carpentry are in my opinion for your age the best pursuits, better even than school. Because those are things which fit a young person such as you very well. Mainly play the things on the piano which please you, even if the teacher does not assign those. That is the way to learn the most, that when you are doing something with such enjoyment that you don’t notice that the time passes. I am sometimes so wrapped up in my work that I forget about the noon meal. . . .

Be with Tete kissed by your

Papa.

Regards to Mama.

PAH Continuum

…..The PAH (Pedagogy / Andragogy / Heutagogy ) Continuum includes the teacher leading student development towards a self-directed path of learning. The teacher and student relationship begins with basic pedagogy. Along the way, the teacher and student collaborate on how the student will learn based upon what interests the student.  The student begins to develop  skills that allow the student to self prescribe learning  sources, where to find information, where to seek guidance, and who might help direct along the learning pathway (http://heutagogycop.wordpress.com/tag/andragogy/)

According to several articles, educational technology encourages change in many aspects, such as with the pedagogy. Teachers have incorporated new technology into curriculum and has changed how they teach. The locus of control glides slightly towards student centered learning away from teacher centered pedagogy. So, is it still completely pedagogy? or can K-12 students, particularly high school students, begin to develop traits of andragogy? It is possible. “In contrast to pedagogy, andragogy promotes self-directedness or self-concepts associated with adult-like roles normally assumed after college graduation, including control of the learning process” (Plemmons, 2006)

A technology that could provide a tool for andragogy development is mobile devices. During a recent iPad experiment with 5th graders, observations show students exhibiting a more constructivist behavior. Other iPad integration efforts allowed students to personalize their applications and interface, and customize their learning styles to some extent. “The pilot

has also created an exploratory climate on campus—as teachers, students, and administrators learn at the same time how to use the iPad and what it will mean for their teaching and learning” (Foote, 2012).

Foote, C. (2012). Learning Together: The Evolution of a 1: 1 iPad Program.Internet@ Schools, 19(1), 14-18.

Plemmons, K. Application of Pedagogy or Andragogy: Understanding the Differences between Student and Adult Learners.

Technology Integration and Teachers

Spinning off the discussion thread on mobility in K-12, recent observations of a K-12 institution showed limited success of new technology integration. Several teachers were not successful with integrating the iPad’s into their daily routine. I had contemplated that the issue might be poor integration planning, training, and sustainment. However, upon review of literature, could it be possible that ‘routine’ is a hindrance. Teachers develop a pedagogical routine based upon their beliefs, experiences, examples from their supervisors, and prior teacher training. Technology, particularly if it is viewed as threatening to current practices, may not be accepted resulting in failure. Current pedagogy is objective and teacher centered. Technology, such as mobile devices, could lead to a transition to more of a constructivist and student centered approach. Technology that doesn’t require a change in pedagogy isn’t disruptive enough. However, if teachers feel that they need to change their pedagogy, they may not accept the technology. It may be for this reason that the recent 5th grade iPad experiment failed. Further research and follow is needed. It may also be possible that the current model requires overhaul. Next, andragogy and heutagogy........

Ertmer, P. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for technology integration?. Educational technology research and development, 53(4), pp. 25-40.

What is technology?

There needs to be some discussion regarding the term technology in OMDE 603.

possible definitions:

-- Technology is a body of knowledge used to create tools, develop skills, and extract or collect materials. It is also the application of science (the combination of the scientific method and material) to meet an objective or solve a problem. Scale is a way to represent the relationship between the actual size of an object and how that size is characterized, either numerically or visually' (http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih4/technology/guide/lesson1.htm)

--Technology may include objects, knowledge, activities, process, and socio-economic system.  http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/trinity/watistec.html

Perhaps a better title for this class would be Foundations of Learning Design, or e-Learning Design. This would better reflect the holistic approach towards technological value, and techniques, of learning.

I would like to discuss this term further in future blog posts.

Well, hello there...

I started this new blog today. We will chat soon.
TTFN
Jeff