E-Learning: possible futures, certain change….

Alan BruceULS IrelandEDEN Porto June 2012

1. Contribution and impact in societal transformation

Defining - and agreeing - scale of social challenge occurring around us

Understanding the extent of change In a transformed world all institutions

are transformed E-learning as symptom and solution Unlocking e-learning’s Pandora’s

box: Tahrir Square to Occupy to los

Indignados

Fragments of a globalized future…

Planetary urbanization Struggles over ownership, control

and resources Equality, access and inclusion – the

mirage of human rights Acceleration of contradictions Understanding crisis – living with

crisis Tsunamis of globalization:

obliteration of borders… but creation of connectivity

2. Trends

Ubiquity and access Innovation – the failed imperative Schools, Teachers, Families, Communities Continuing debate over quality and

assessment Replacement or supplement: masks

institutional crisis of European educational systems

Freedom, openness and creativity in the digital economy

Imagined futures

Continuing impact of debate on privatization Critical reflection vs. commodification of knowledge:

where does e-learning position itself? Peer-to-peer learning economy Free speech and autonomous expression Openness as global logic based on free and open-

source software Battles over digital rights management and IPR Links between open content, open science and open

collaboration make collaborative creativity sustainable

Move from Information Age to Conceptual Age (Daniel Pink 2005)

3. Challenges and opportunities

Possible solution: not panacea Digitization transforms all aspects of

cultural production and consumption New digital logics alter traditional

organization of knowledge, education and culture

Engaging with obsolete structures – the issue of Power

New grammar of digital culture is being created (Michael Peters 2012)

Summary

Learning as issue of identity and creativity: eLearning as eMeaning

Processes of creativity no longer controlled by traditional knowledge institutions

Creativity now facilitated by platforms and infrastructures that encourage large-scale production and challenge old hierarchies

Process of profound institutional re-structuring comparable to European 16th century

Centrality of access, equality and diversity Learning not learning unless: Radical,

Transformative, Empowering