New Model Learning

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See also: Learning in the Information Age | Learning Theories and Styles | Instructional Design
Educational Technology - an Introduction for Teachers and Learners | Learning Technology: the Myths and Facts
Learning and the Impact of Technology | Learning, Distance Learning and Learning Technology Links

Introduction | Approaches to Learning | Technology-Mediated Learning

Technology-Mediated Learning

Educational Technology (Learning Technology, Instructional Technology) is the application of technology to support learning, ie technology-mediated learning.

In traditional juvenile education (school) learning is delivered by teachers trained in teaching (ie the psychology of how we learn) and also having sufficient subject knowledge. In traditional post-school education learning is delivered by subject experts often with little or no teaching training.

The higher the level of learning, the less likely the teacher will be trained to teach, eg UK university lecturers are not required to hold any teaching certification. Indeed there is some argument that the higher the level of students the more able they should be, and the more beneficial for them, to make sense of knowledge haphazardly thrown at them.

In technology mediated learning there is greater need for systematic approach to the design of the learning experience. Such an approach demands the contribution of a whole range of skill sets as indicated below.

Interaction between subject expert, instructional designer,
technical specialists and educational technologist.

Subject experts are those traditionally referred to as academics or faculty. Their role is to determine the learning outcome(s) of a particular piece of learning and to provide the content that will constitute that learning.

Instructional designers are the educationalists. They bring an understanding of how people learn and are able to shape the learning outcomes and content provided by the subject experts into an effective learning experience.

Technical specialists have been involved in education for some time but are assuming increasing significance with the growth of online learning. The skills they bring include Web design, graphic design, client and server side scripting, streaming media, XML, Java programming, multimedia authoring, server / systems administration etc etc etc. They are likely to be freelancers, selected and employed on a project by project basis.

Educational technologists / learning technologists / instructional technologists are members of a relatively new profession. As their various titles suggest they possess knowledge both of learning and of the technologies that can support learning. Their role is to provide an interface between the different contributors to the technology mediated learning experience.

The Components of Technology Mediated Learning

Learning Content

Text
- Physical textbooks - obtained through lead institution or obtained locally
- Printable digital material, eg "PDFs"
- HTML (if little enough to be comfortably read on-screen)
Audio/Visual
- Recorded lectures
- Case studies
- Laboratory experiments
- Primary sources, eg news clips, documentaries, interviews, movie clips...
Simulations
- Allowing learners to experiment cheaply and safely with real life concepts
Origins of content
- Purpose built resources
- Bought-in resources (reusable learning objects)
- Authentic material, guided / un-guided journey through the Web

Assessment

Formative / summative
- For guidance of learner (formative)
- To award certification (summative)
Computer marked
- Multiple choice
- Numerical
- Short answer
- Immediate feedback
- Can be randomized to provide an "infinite" number of different tests from single question bank
Tutor marked
- Computer as efficient and secure delivery mechanism
- Accountability of tutor and learner, ie time-stamping, online status reports
Individual / group
- Collaborative tools
- Peer assessment
Authentication issues
- How do we know WHO is taking the test?
Plagiarism issues
- How do we know work is the learner's own?
- Same technology that provides mass access to knowledge can also be used to check whether that knowledge has been used inappropriately.

Communication

Synchronous / asynchronous
- Thinking on one's feet v Reflection time
Teacher-student / student-student
”Public", ie registered users / private (many-to-many / one-to-one)
Learning as a conversation, eg the models of Pask and Laurillard
see Reflections on the Conversation Theory of Gordon Pask by Gary McI. Boyd, Centre for Systems Research & Knowledge Engineering Education Dept., Concordia University, Montreal, Canada;
and Laurillard's Conversational Framework for Instruction from St Mary's University of Minnesota
Participation required / assessed?
- How to assess participation? Hopefully quality rather than quantity.
- Is it legitimate to assess process rather than outcome?
May be viewed as a non-essential "add-on" by strategic learners
Text / audio / audio-visual (video conferencing)
- Does voice & picture add value?

Technologies for Learning

Web design, HTML, CSS. The Web browser is a universal interface and the means by which technology-mediated learning is delivered to the learner. Usability and accessibility are key factors in designing for learning.

Web scripting languages. Client side JavaScript allows the creation of interactive Web pages which respond to user actions. Server side languages such as PHP permit among other things interfacing with databases to build, deliver and monitor assessments.

Learning Management Systems (LMSs, also called Virtual Learning Environments, or simply Learning Environments), eg WebCT, Blackboard, Moodle, Bodington.

Open source software. In keeping with the academic origins of the Internet there is a huge range of open source software available (including LMSs such as Moodle and Bodington). Not only is this software free to use but is distributed with source code which may be modified to precisely suit specific needs (so long as the modified code is also made freely available).

XML eXtensible Markup Language. XML is rapidly becoming the standard for the storage and transfer of textual information. XML facilitates the sharing of learning resources and also their re-purposing eg a single piece of learning may be delivered in print, online, on CD-ROM, to mobile devices...

Streaming media. The production and preparation of audio and video elements supporting learning.

Multimedia authoring. The creation of animations and simulations to enhance learning using software such as Macromedia Flash. The synthesis of multimedia assets into a satisfying learning experience using software such as Macromedia Director.

Programming in a language such as Java for the creation of interactive simulations and intelligent tutoring and assessment systems.

Learning Objects

Many thousands of professors in many institutions around the world teach similar courses. In many cases these professors produce their own materials in support of those courses. While these materials may be perfectly adequate for purpose they represent a vast amount of wasted effort of highly talented labor in terms of re-inventing wheels. And although adequate the materials are usually not "best of breed".

Learning objects are pre-packaged learning resources of very high quality. They represent a much greater investment of time and effort than the individual professor's materials. The text book is an example of a learning object with a long history. The growth of the Internet and computer technology allows learning objects of a much higher degree of sophistication. Digital learning objects may easily be shared, cataloged, located and retrieved.

Already the development of standards to facilitate interoperability of learning objects is well underway. Likely developments include a learning object economy and a separation of content production from learner support.

Learning, Distance Learning and Learning Technology Links