Designing for learning:a collaborative approach

Dr Aziza Ellozy

Director, Center for Learning and TeachingThe American University in Cairo

4th Conference on e-Learning ApplicationsJanuary 3-4, 2006

Designing for learning

Rethink Learning and Teaching What has worked in the past may no longer be

helpful or reliable (more so if teaching is at a distance)

Create new partnerships with specialists and peers "Teachers can’t do it alone."

Current trends in teaching and learning*

Course [and class] time is devoted to discovery-based learningdiscovery-based learning over traditional lecture modes

Teaching emphasis has moved away from memorizing facts towards finding, finding, evaluating and using informationevaluating and using information

"ResearchResearch" and "teachingteaching" are perceived as mutually enhancing rather than antithetical.

* From http://technology.berkeley.edu/critical1.html

Current trends in teaching and learning*

New teaching and learning styles incorporate collaborative workcollaborative work in diverse teams or groups.

Course contentcontent is publicly accessiblepublicly accessible and shared beyond the members of an individual course

* From http://technology.berkeley.edu/critical1.html

Current trends in teaching and learning*

The instructorinstructor is perceived as a partner a partner in a learning communityin a learning community rather than as a sole entrepreneur.

AssessmentAssessment is multilevel and complex

* From http://technology.berkeley.edu/critical1.html

Current trends in teaching and learning*

Today's studentsToday's students have grown up with technology as the air they breathe, are used to being wired 24x7, are comfortable multitasking in multimedia, and bring very different expectations to the classroom as a result

Today's employersToday's employers prize transferable skills (e.g., problem solving, creativity, interdisciplinary teamwork) over encyclopaedic knowledge.

* From http://technology.berkeley.edu/critical1.html

Implications for Content DesignImplications for Content Design

Designing for learning

Today’s Learners

New Learning Spaces

Learning Technologies

PedagogyPedagogy

LEARNING

Emphasis on the learning paradigmlearning paradigm

A shift in the role of facultyA shift in the role of faculty from teacher-centered to learner-centered

Faculty are moving from being disciplinary experts who impart knowledge by lecturing to becoming designers of learning environmentsdesigners of learning environments where they apply the best methods for producing learning and student success

““Teach less, learn more”Teach less, learn more”

Designing for learning:Pedagogy

Designing for learning: Pedagogy

ModifiedLecture

Discussion

PeerInstruction

Case Study Just-

in-time

teaching

Inform.

literacy

Problem

based

learning

Assess-ment

Critical Thinking

Service

learning

PedagogyPedagogy

ETC.

Digital Connected Experiential Immediate Social

*Copyright Diana G. Oblinger, 2005. Copied by permission of the author.

The Net GenerationThe Net Generation

Designing for learning:Today’s Learners*

*Copyright Diana G. Oblinger, 2005. Copied by permission of the author.

Born in or after 1982 Gravitate toward group activity Focused on grades and performance Busy with extracurricular activities Identify with parents’ values; feel close to parents Respectful of social conventions and institutions Fascination for new technologies

Designing for learning:Today’s Learners*

The Net GenerationThe Net Generation

*Copyright Diana G. Oblinger, 2005. Copied by permission of the author.

Born in or after 1982 ‡‡ Gravitate toward group activity ‡‡ Focused on grades and performance

‡ ‡ !! !! !! !! Busy with extracurricular activities ‡‡ Identify with parents’ values; feel close to parents ‡‡ Respectful of social conventions and institutions ‡‡ Fascination for new technologies ‡‡

Designing for learning:Today’s Learners*

The Net GenerationThe Net Generation‡ ‡ AUC studentsAUC students

Generational comparison

StudentsStudents FacultyFaculty

Multitasking Single or limited tasks

Engaging Disciplined

Spontaneous Deliberate

―adapted from Himes, 2004*

Pictures, sound, video Text

Random access Linear, logical, sequential

Interactive and networked

Independent and individual

*Cited in www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen

Implications for Content DesignImplications for Content Design

Need to make learning interactivelearning interactive and experientialexperiential

Need to consider peer-to-peer approachespeer-to-peer approaches

Need to utilize real-world applicationsreal-world applications

Implications for content design

Need to emphasize information literacyemphasize information literacy in courses

Need to use both online and face to faceuse both online and face to face learning

Need to encourage reflectionencourage reflection

Need to create opportunities for synthesisopportunities for synthesis

Implications for content design

Designing for learning:Pedagogy and the Net Generationa. Need to make learning learning

interactiveinteractive and experientialexperiential

b. Need to consider peer-to-peer-to-peer approachespeer approaches

c. Need to utilize real-world real-world applicationsapplications

d. Need to emphasize emphasize information literacyinformation literacy in courses

e. Need to use both online and use both online and face to faceface to face learning

f. Need to encourage reflectionencourage reflectiong. Need to create opportunities opportunities

for synthesisfor synthesis

ModifiedLecture

Discussion

PeerInstruction

Case Study Just-

in-time

teaching

Inform.

literacy

Problem

based

learning

Assess-ment

Critical Thinking

Service

learning

PedagogyPedagogy

ETC.

Designing for learning:Learning Technologies

“encompass information and instructional technology, as well as telecommunications tools, applications, and systems that support learning.”

“EDUCAUSE” definition

Designing for learning:Learning Technologies

May include the following:

Course Management Systems (WebCT, Blackboard…) ‡‡ Curricular Software ‡‡ Digital Video ‡‡ Electronic Portfolios Electronic Whiteboards ‡‡ Simulations and Games ‡‡ Learning Objects ‡‡ Mobile learning devices (wireless environments) ~~ Multimedia Applications ‡‡ Social Software ~ ~ (blogs, wikis, IM) Student/Classroom Response Systems (clickers) Web-based learning resources (MERLOT, Wisc-Online etc.) ‡ ‡ Videoconferencing ‡‡

‡‡ ‡ ‡

‡ ‡ Used at Used at AUCAUC

Learning technologies

Allow for innovations in instruction

Can be very powerful tools for learning

Should be driven by specific learning goals

Designing for learning:New Learning Spaces

New “learning spaces” New “learning spaces” support new types of support new types of teaching and teaching and learninglearning.

The shift shift in the designin the design of these learning spaces is driven by driven by changes in pedagogy changes in pedagogy and technologyand technology..

Before

After

NC STATE

PHYSICS CLASS TRANSFORMED TO INQUIRY-BASED FORMAT. STUDENTS INTERACT IN SMALL GROUPS

New learning spaces

Face forward is for listening, inaction

Round tables promote collaboration

New Learning Spaces*

*From http://www.ncsu.edu/per/SCALEUP/Classrooms.html

All share certain features:*

tables to facilitate group interactions (usually round, 6' or 7' in diameter)white boards around the room and/or for each groupteacher station near the center of the roomnetworked laptop computers

*From http://www.ncsu.edu/per/SCALEUP/Classrooms.html

New Learning Spaces*

Designing for learning

Today’s Learners

New Learning Spaces

Learning Technologies

PedagogyPedagogy

LEARNING

Designing for learning

In the face of this changing In the face of this changing landscape in teaching and learning landscape in teaching and learning faculty cannot work in isolation any faculty cannot work in isolation any moremore

There is a crucial need for There is a crucial need for collaboration between faculty, collaboration between faculty, technologiststechnologists and librarians, to librarians, to produce meaningful learning produce meaningful learning experiences.experiences.

The AUC Model

LLTLLTDeanDean

AcademicAcademicComputing Computing

ServicesServices

Center For

Learning and

Teaching

Web Web Develop-Develop-

mentment

Rare Rare Books and Books and

Special Special Collections Collections

LibraryLibrary

Classroom Classroom Techno-Techno-logieslogies and and MediaMedia

ServicesServices

Main Main LibraryLibrary

Libraries and Learning Technologies (LLT)

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

Questions?Questions?

??