free software that can be help teachers to design their learning pathways. It seems simple but I get the feeling it would help teachers construct effective learning designs by making it easier to conceptualise what students need to do and what resources are used.
In my experience really critical reflective thinking about our own practice is one of the hardest things to engender. Why? What type of environment must be in place to encourage this?
instruction that attempts to control the learner’s responses and environment
acquisition
learning goal is enculturation
Enculturation results from interactions among people, objects, and culture in a collective effort to solve problems, create products, or perform service
These kinds of designs are excellent for learning discrete bits of information, practicing simple and basic behaviors, building complex psychomotor skills, and learning to use applications or processes that require a narrow, prescriptive approach
In George's interview with Robin Good his emphasis is very much on "what does the technology enable me to do"? - what can I/ the learner DO with this tool?
Learners are collaborators in the learning process and have an equal role in setting goals.
The question to keep asking as we go along is WHY? Too often tools and approaches are discounted without question. It is of course absolutely valid for an individual to reject an option but they should be able to justify their decision to their peers
Question to group - how do you assess/ evaluate an individuals contribution to the new paradigm of shared meaning making? What is a valuable contribution to a group wiki page for example -
correcting a spelling error?
improving the readability of content?
adding an acknowledgement to unrefenced content?
adding new content?
providing feedback to a peer via the discussion page?
How do we communicate this to learners? Is peer-assessment a viable option - how? Is a mark/grade needed to ensure participation?
I think this is an important thing to focus on - it's about learning how to learn, understanding how we learn, acknowledging our strengths and our weaknesses
Teachers pass on information to the learner. The clearer the information the more the learner will acquire.
This convergence of tools, practice, and theory enables teachers and students to discuss, plan, create, and implement unique strategies for providing instruction within a unique environment.
enablers
Tools enable learners to contribute to the community.
This will only happen if the tools are absolutely easy to use and the user can quickly get on with the T&L task at hand. That isthe beauty of many of the most popular tools on teh open web such as FlckR or wikispaces - they are quick and easy to master yet offer very rich capabailities
learners who want to learn what they need as fast as they can to apply within their community of practice
Not sure I like this comment. If as George Siemens says 'currency' is the most important aspect in learning (depending on subject matter of course) then any expectation of 'learning what they need' is fraught and in a way sets the learner up to fail. While there is a base level amount of info/ understandings for any field above all we need learners to know how to remain current in a state of flux via participation in networks.
Really enjoyed this, will use as a talking point in a learning design for TAFE \nteachers towards adopting these technologies, I'll be designing connecting and \nconstructivist actvities to encourage them to explore the use of the \ntechnologies you speak of in their teaching...with Moodle in the mix as an \naggregator and sense maker in the learning sequence.
As a strategy and as a learning solution, blended is presently better received and more effective than online learning alone. Blended is usually taken to mean a blend or mix of classroom (in-person, face-to-face) and online techniques - where learners spend some of their time learning online; and other time in classrooms. Classroom learning is good for the immediacy it offers, the personal interaction. Alternatively, online learning better supports reflective activities, where learners need to think and act more deeply about content.
What is blended learning? Well, it's exactly what the name supposes - a blend or mix of two or more approaches that can be used to design a learning experience.
What is blended learning? Well, it's exactly what the name supposes - a blend or mix of two or more approaches that can be used to design a learning experience.
Prezi showing the principles of pedagogy as they relate to eLearning. Nice example of a presentation using the Prezi tool. Creation tool for eLearning activies.