Review

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?