Of all the GCUT modules that we have navigated thus far, 6114 on ICT has really illustrated to me the diversity of skills and experience that exist in the medical educators that make up this current cohort. This has been reflected in the blog entries that I have been able to access (there I'm admitting my 'thick accent' already) and have greatly enjoyed reading.
With regard to Web 2.0, I was most interested to read Morgann's blog as she is 'native' to this technology with her own experience but also because her chosen field demands constant up-skilling. I certainly agree that the difficulty can be in imparting the knowledge to others but having read this and Michael's blog on the same subject it is encouraging to know that the students (and other staff) will have expert guidance. Michael's description of what Web 2.0 meant to him I felt summed up the new technology very succinctly. The concensus on the topic indicated that although this is a different form of learning and one that will hopefully better engage the students the underlying fundamentals of learning still need to be monitored. Jane G comments that where elearning is employed there still needs to be the ability to move the students from surface to metacognitive learning. Angela raised the very important point that the use Web 2.0 technology would allow educators to better accommodate student demands - academic and social needs.
On the topic of 'digital natives, digital immigrants' Morgann felt that the debate was a waste of time and that technology was just a tool. Introducing the discussion, Matt raised the issue that students are not as tech-savvy as they would want us to believe and that skills in social networking do not readily translate into the field of learning and this was certainly reinforced in the readings. Jane K mentions this in her blog when she comments about students who use the technology superficially and ineffectively as well as the mix of computer skills within the student cohort. In the final group session I made the comment that good students always have and always will be self-directed and I have to degree with Elspeth when she says that these students have an innate curiosity and a determination to do well. Hopefully with the variety of teaching options that are available a greater percentage of the students can be moved into this category. Angela seems to epitomise the digital immigrant who is willing to embrace and experiment in her difficult task with the nursing students and their diverse background. More power to her wiki!
As mentioned by those who undertook the VARK questionnaire (I had done it in a previous module and am all R and V with minimal K and negligible A) it is not surprising that to be involved in education particularly coming from the more traditional system that there will be a read/write preference as Jane K points out. Morgann, Carmella and Angela all make mention of how the learning preference of the teacher may influence the style of learning used. Morgann remembers being kept interested and engaged by the use of different styles within the one subject and is willing to experiment in the future whilst preserving the information the students need to learn. My concern would be that those who attempt this approach may not be so successful although Carmella does suggest that she has to remind herself to be multi-modal in the time with the students. Comments such as 'need to keep evolving as an academic' (Angela) and 'encourage approaches to future teaching that push my existing technique' (Michael) means that the students will have the benefit of 'pushers of pedagogy' who are willing to adapt and improve.
It was most interesting to read the various takes on the current trends in ICT with reference to e-portfolios (an area that I am about to be more involved with) by Jane K and how it will provide so many more options of access, interaction etc. Angela is enthused by the concept of 'adaptive learning' where learning occurs within an environment that interacts with the learner and therefore potentially more engaging and nurturing. Michael, as usual, just sums it all up by saying 'current trends in ICT enable the pursuit of continuous improvement.
Those of us who are willing and anxious to embrace the new world of available technology cannot possibly go wrong if we encourage metacognitive learning, crtical thinking in an environment that allows mistakes/corrections to occur. Can we?
Saturday, 14 July 2012
Friday, 13 July 2012
Learning theories, learning styles. Analysis of learning styles and ICT.
'Teachers who cater for different needs use a variety of teaching approaches'. Having come from a clinical rather than academic background, I had no real preconceived ideas as too the most efficient means of facilitating student learning in a university setting. We attempt to impart information and share our knowledge with patients on a daily basis but is this a transferable skill to assist medical students. The comment to my initial PBL group on day 1 was "If this is the best PBL session we have all year, this group is in a lot of trouble". In a previous module for this course we were asked to complete a VARK questionnaire to determine our own learning style followed by a discussion on appropriate techniques that could be employed to accommodate the differing styles. There is no doubt that my interaction with the students is very much different to that in 2009.
For me, the most difficult aspect of a student-centred form of learning to overcome was embracing the concept of a facilitator rather than adopt the role of lecturer/resource person. I could supply them with all the necessary information from accredited sources (I went into each session over-prepared) thereby enhancing their knowledge base but completely defeating the goal of making the students self-directed learners. Hopefully now a reasonable balance has been achieved. Being able to adopt a flexible teaching style has not been an issue given that it is an approach required in General Practice as we deal with patients of different ages as well as educational and cultural background. Trying to be all things to all people and adapt to the various learning styles can be a disservice to both the students and the educator if the approach becomes vague and too generic.
Fleming and Mills (1992) makes the comment, "The most realistic approach to the accommodation of learning styles in teaching programs should involve empowering students through knowledge of their own learning styles to adjust their learning behaviour to learning programs they encounter ie. to know themselves and operate in a metacognitive fashion". One would hope that in a post-graduate degree, ie. medicine, the students would have already adopted a learning style even if they couldn't categorize it. The task then of the tutor/facilitator may be, just as stated above, to assist the student to make their style transferable to differing situations.
Given the change in technology, education and extracurricular activities/hobbies over the past 30 years, it would be interesting to compare the VARK scores of a cohort of medical students from 1982 to the current group and also individual scores 30 years apart. As mentioned by Tara Brabazon (2006) in her discourse on "the Ipodification of Education" lectures, if well researched, resourced and presented should appeal to the various learning styles as they can be "multi-modal formations, using sound, vision, gestures and often scent and touch. As a space where people gather to think about complex ideas, the lecture has pivotal symbolic importance". Therefore a good lecture is a good lecture whether it is 1982 or 2012.
Brabazon,T. (2006) Socrates in Earpods?: The Ipodification of Education. in Fast Capitalism, (2),1. http//www.uta.edu/huma/agger/fastcapitalism/2_1/brabazon.htm
Fleming,N. & Mills,C. (1992) Not Another Inventory, Rather a Catalyst for Reflection, To Improve the Academy. 11,p.137.
For me, the most difficult aspect of a student-centred form of learning to overcome was embracing the concept of a facilitator rather than adopt the role of lecturer/resource person. I could supply them with all the necessary information from accredited sources (I went into each session over-prepared) thereby enhancing their knowledge base but completely defeating the goal of making the students self-directed learners. Hopefully now a reasonable balance has been achieved. Being able to adopt a flexible teaching style has not been an issue given that it is an approach required in General Practice as we deal with patients of different ages as well as educational and cultural background. Trying to be all things to all people and adapt to the various learning styles can be a disservice to both the students and the educator if the approach becomes vague and too generic.
Fleming and Mills (1992) makes the comment, "The most realistic approach to the accommodation of learning styles in teaching programs should involve empowering students through knowledge of their own learning styles to adjust their learning behaviour to learning programs they encounter ie. to know themselves and operate in a metacognitive fashion". One would hope that in a post-graduate degree, ie. medicine, the students would have already adopted a learning style even if they couldn't categorize it. The task then of the tutor/facilitator may be, just as stated above, to assist the student to make their style transferable to differing situations.
Given the change in technology, education and extracurricular activities/hobbies over the past 30 years, it would be interesting to compare the VARK scores of a cohort of medical students from 1982 to the current group and also individual scores 30 years apart. As mentioned by Tara Brabazon (2006) in her discourse on "the Ipodification of Education" lectures, if well researched, resourced and presented should appeal to the various learning styles as they can be "multi-modal formations, using sound, vision, gestures and often scent and touch. As a space where people gather to think about complex ideas, the lecture has pivotal symbolic importance". Therefore a good lecture is a good lecture whether it is 1982 or 2012.
Brabazon,T. (2006) Socrates in Earpods?: The Ipodification of Education. in Fast Capitalism, (2),1. http//www.uta.edu/huma/agger/fastcapitalism/2_1/brabazon.htm
Fleming,N. & Mills,C. (1992) Not Another Inventory, Rather a Catalyst for Reflection, To Improve the Academy. 11,p.137.
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Elearning - rethinking, preparing, implementing
'Lecture' = "information passing from an instructor's notes to students' notes without passing through the minds of either" (Jona,K. 2000). Having survived an education through school and university that was fiercely teachered-centred (really what would students know about education) the above statement does not ring true in all situations. Lecturers who are able to engage the students, make the sessions interactive.
inclusive and enjoyable are still able to impart valuable information.
Having said that it does appear that the future educational model will be learner - or student-centred where the learners will drive the learning process. But are educators ready to forego the power and encourage learners to take responsibility for their own learning? If this approach is to be successful then it becomes essential that the appropriate learning environment is created, encouraged and made sustainable. Subject matter must be relevant and assessment aligned appropriately. Whether this is more effective face-to-face or online will be dependent on the access, support and resources available as well as the skill and passion of those educators willing to embrace elearning.
This 'new' learning environment has to be one in which the student feels comfortable to 'fail' so that they can make mistakes, be instructed on the correct response or procedural technique and thereby learn from their mistakes. Engendering an environment where the students are concerned that they will be ridiculed or ostracized in some way can only promote an atmosphere of passive learning and little if any interaction or growth.
The article by Jona (2000) states that goal pursuit is at the heart of natural human learning. 'To pursue a goal means to take action and make decisions, and this, in turn, creates opportunities for failure'. Failure leads to questions and questions drive learning. For this to result in effective learning, the student will need to remain motivated, disciplined and self-directed. Timely and appropriate feedback from those delivering the course will encourage such behaviour. Can this be delivered effectively online? Technology and the acquisition of new skills should ensure the success of such an approach.
Jona,K. (2000) Rethinking the Design of Online Courses. Proceedings ASCILITE
2000 Conference.
www. elearnspace.org/Articles/Preparingstudents.htm
inclusive and enjoyable are still able to impart valuable information.
Having said that it does appear that the future educational model will be learner - or student-centred where the learners will drive the learning process. But are educators ready to forego the power and encourage learners to take responsibility for their own learning? If this approach is to be successful then it becomes essential that the appropriate learning environment is created, encouraged and made sustainable. Subject matter must be relevant and assessment aligned appropriately. Whether this is more effective face-to-face or online will be dependent on the access, support and resources available as well as the skill and passion of those educators willing to embrace elearning.
This 'new' learning environment has to be one in which the student feels comfortable to 'fail' so that they can make mistakes, be instructed on the correct response or procedural technique and thereby learn from their mistakes. Engendering an environment where the students are concerned that they will be ridiculed or ostracized in some way can only promote an atmosphere of passive learning and little if any interaction or growth.
The article by Jona (2000) states that goal pursuit is at the heart of natural human learning. 'To pursue a goal means to take action and make decisions, and this, in turn, creates opportunities for failure'. Failure leads to questions and questions drive learning. For this to result in effective learning, the student will need to remain motivated, disciplined and self-directed. Timely and appropriate feedback from those delivering the course will encourage such behaviour. Can this be delivered effectively online? Technology and the acquisition of new skills should ensure the success of such an approach.
Jona,K. (2000) Rethinking the Design of Online Courses. Proceedings ASCILITE
2000 Conference.
www. elearnspace.org/Articles/Preparingstudents.htm
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Framework for the design of authentic tasks
Looking at the elements for the design of authentic tasks in web-based learning environments it appears to mirror the concepts that are employed in PBL sessions. The scenarios employed deal with medical conditions that they will encounter with varying frequency giving them 'real-world relevance'. The history is initially ill-defined and therefore open to several interpretations. They have to determine their task, either a diagnosis or management plan, by performing a number of 'sub-tasks' with taking a history, performing an examination and interpreting the findings of these and subsequent investigations.
The students are encouraged to work in a collaborative environment and hopefully, over the course of the three sessions, have the ability to reflect on their learning. It is anticipated that the students will acquire the necessary skills of analysis, evaluation etc leading to clinical reasoning that will be transferable to future career situations.
With the number of features in common between the concept of PBL and the framework for the design of authentic tasks, it would seem appropriate to look at better ways of incorporating a web-based learning environment into the current practice.
A seamlessly integrated assessment still may be a work in progress.
The students are encouraged to work in a collaborative environment and hopefully, over the course of the three sessions, have the ability to reflect on their learning. It is anticipated that the students will acquire the necessary skills of analysis, evaluation etc leading to clinical reasoning that will be transferable to future career situations.
With the number of features in common between the concept of PBL and the framework for the design of authentic tasks, it would seem appropriate to look at better ways of incorporating a web-based learning environment into the current practice.
A seamlessly integrated assessment still may be a work in progress.
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Digital natives debate
How the characteristics of your students might affect how they learn and what an ideal environment might look like for them.
There are those educators who come from an era where online technology was something to be approached with trepidation. Previous concerns over 'crashing the system', losing information (that you forgot to save) and just not having the knowledge to access the information certainly places me very firmly in the position of a 'digital immigrant' however I am trying to lose some of my 'accent'.
Marc Prensky (2001) in his article on "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" makes the comment that students these days tend to process information fundamentally differently from previous generations. If the controlled chaos in the PBL room is an indication with books, ipads, PCs all operating at the same time (and the student's apparent need to have such a learning environment with multi-tasking etc) then this would certainly seem to be the case. Apparently students require that the information is delivered faster with less step-by-step and more in parallel. The question then is at what level the information is being processed and whether this is in any way contributing to deep learning?
As tutors of medical students we are concerned about their ability to take the basic information to further levels of analysing and evaluating as referred to in Blooms taxonomy and thereby encouraging them to develop clinical reasoning. There was nothing in the old style of didactic lectures and rote learning that engendered this clinical reasoning ability. This is certainly an aspect of teaching and learning that needs to be fostered and encouraged by the tutor. Learning can and should be fun which may be against the ethos of some digital immigrants.
In his article Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives to Digital Wisdom, Prensky (2009) discusses the concept of digital enhancement and the need for society to move in that direction because of the divide between the capabilities of the human brain and that of the ever increasing amount of available knowledge. He distinguishes between digital wisdom (the ability to find practical, creative, contextually appropriate and emotionally satisfying solutions to complicated human problems) and digital cleverness. He concludes by raising the moral and ethical issues that he is convinced will eventuate as a result of the use of embedded chips and brain enhancement.
Reading the very strong views held by Marc Prensky about the future direction of technology and learning, one cant help but recall the android Data in Star Trek: the next generation who spent his existence wanting to be more human!
Prensky,M.(2001), Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, On the Horizon MCB University Press, 9:5
Prensky, M. (2009), H. Sapiens Digital: From Digital Imigrants and Digital Natives to Digital Wisdom, http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=705.
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
higher education
Having now created a blog the blogging begins.
What dose the changing environment of higher education in a Web 2.0 world mean to you ?
Having taught MED 2000 now for the past 4 years, I feel that I am starting to run out of approaches to keep me engaged in the teaching and learning process. Obviously with the students they are receiving new information each week. I am therefore anticipating that the ED6114 module will supply new information and techniques to assist with the students learning. Throughout the modules to date we have discussed trying to establish deep learning as a principle with our students and I will be interested to see how Web 2.0 technology can support this.
Web 2.0 is a term that I had heard but was not aware of its meaning until going through the pre-reading for today. Terms such as facebook, twitter and blogs were all familiar although I have related them more to activities utilised by a younger generation. Now being able to marry Web 2.0 technology with these makes more sense. In the JISC executive summary it mentions Web 2.0 as a means of "communication, participation, networking,sharing" resulting in a " strong sense of communities of interest". It also very rightly points out the type of higher education world that I have been exposed to that being "guarded, careful, precise and measured".
It has been interesting watching the students in their interactions with online learning. At the beginning of the year in the discussion with my current group of students I raised the question of how they would source information to research areas generated by PBL scenarios. I was expecting to be inundated with information however the group seemed to be uncertain as to their approach other than to refer to the textbooks in the room which would for the most part be out of date.
This appears to reinforce the concepts mentioned by Matthew today and that also is referred to in the readings that although Gen Y seems very comfortable with new technology it has not been translated into their approach to learning. Access to the information seems to be less and less of an issue and in fact the diversity and speed of access seems to create its own set of problems. One of the concerns raised in the articles and also in the podcast described as a matter of urgency and "a significant and growing deficit area" was the area of information literacy concerning the student's ability to "search, retrieve and critically evaluate informaton from a range of appropriate sources and also attributing it".
Reference is made in the podcast by the student, Ellie Russell, and also in the readings that students still value face to face contact. This is encouraging but may not persist into the future. Rather than trying to 'persuade' students of the relevance of the tutor's position, I believe it is up to us to prove our relevance to the students by being up to date with our methods of teaching. Coming from a baby boomers generation (or in the case of IT - the generation of the 'lost') I have no qualms in asking the students for assistance in accessing and utilising online technology. This may be easier for me as the students would anticipate that I don't possess their 'native' skills.
Another concern that I can envisage as a tutor is trying to be an educator adopting a different approach to teaching and learning with the new technology but not having an appropriate curriculum design or support network to allow appropriate alignment. I would hope that any of the institutions of higher learning would be working very dilligently to this common goal. The podcast refers to access, quality and reform and they must be of equal importance.
Look forward to learning more about Web 2.0.
References
Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World.
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/generalpublications/2009/hewe
What dose the changing environment of higher education in a Web 2.0 world mean to you ?
Having taught MED 2000 now for the past 4 years, I feel that I am starting to run out of approaches to keep me engaged in the teaching and learning process. Obviously with the students they are receiving new information each week. I am therefore anticipating that the ED6114 module will supply new information and techniques to assist with the students learning. Throughout the modules to date we have discussed trying to establish deep learning as a principle with our students and I will be interested to see how Web 2.0 technology can support this.
Web 2.0 is a term that I had heard but was not aware of its meaning until going through the pre-reading for today. Terms such as facebook, twitter and blogs were all familiar although I have related them more to activities utilised by a younger generation. Now being able to marry Web 2.0 technology with these makes more sense. In the JISC executive summary it mentions Web 2.0 as a means of "communication, participation, networking,sharing" resulting in a " strong sense of communities of interest". It also very rightly points out the type of higher education world that I have been exposed to that being "guarded, careful, precise and measured".
It has been interesting watching the students in their interactions with online learning. At the beginning of the year in the discussion with my current group of students I raised the question of how they would source information to research areas generated by PBL scenarios. I was expecting to be inundated with information however the group seemed to be uncertain as to their approach other than to refer to the textbooks in the room which would for the most part be out of date.
This appears to reinforce the concepts mentioned by Matthew today and that also is referred to in the readings that although Gen Y seems very comfortable with new technology it has not been translated into their approach to learning. Access to the information seems to be less and less of an issue and in fact the diversity and speed of access seems to create its own set of problems. One of the concerns raised in the articles and also in the podcast described as a matter of urgency and "a significant and growing deficit area" was the area of information literacy concerning the student's ability to "search, retrieve and critically evaluate informaton from a range of appropriate sources and also attributing it".
Reference is made in the podcast by the student, Ellie Russell, and also in the readings that students still value face to face contact. This is encouraging but may not persist into the future. Rather than trying to 'persuade' students of the relevance of the tutor's position, I believe it is up to us to prove our relevance to the students by being up to date with our methods of teaching. Coming from a baby boomers generation (or in the case of IT - the generation of the 'lost') I have no qualms in asking the students for assistance in accessing and utilising online technology. This may be easier for me as the students would anticipate that I don't possess their 'native' skills.
Another concern that I can envisage as a tutor is trying to be an educator adopting a different approach to teaching and learning with the new technology but not having an appropriate curriculum design or support network to allow appropriate alignment. I would hope that any of the institutions of higher learning would be working very dilligently to this common goal. The podcast refers to access, quality and reform and they must be of equal importance.
Look forward to learning more about Web 2.0.
References
Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World.
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/generalpublications/2009/hewe
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