Week 10 of H817, dedicated mostly to MOOCs have introduced us to the concept that they may be typed as (x) and (c), which stand for behaviorist and cognitivist vs connectivist. Here we are a week later, faced with the challenge of re-structuring our OER based courses of several weeks ago into a connectivist approach.
Acknowledging a high potential of political incorrectness, i tend to think that some educational contexts may be more amenable to be structured as (c)s than others and fortunately enough, the OER based T4T (training for trainers) course i have tried to construct in week 8 is one good example as it allows for the unlimited use of connectivist principles of 'model and demonstrate' for teachers and 'practice and reflect' for learners. A counter example here though would be teaching (learning) anatomy to (as) a surgeon; it is good to know-where the knowledge is, but this is of no practical use if it is not readily present and recallable from within your brain. so i am more in line with the second proposition of Bill Kerr here (in Downes 2007) when he states "Either the new theory is intended to replace older theories... Or, the new theory is intended to complement older theories". Connectivism, to my understanding may be an excellent approach to enhance learning the foundation of which has been laid down using other pedagogies.
now, back to the task after this gibberish. here is how i would restructure my course:
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Week |
Topic |
Activities |
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1 |
The need to adapt digital technologies in education |
· Read ‘Gray, S (2011) Using digital media to improve teaching and learning.’ Blog. Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/using-digital-media-to-improve-teaching-and-learning-04-apr-2011. Retrieved from Jisc through Solvonauts · And ‘Baker, D (2011) Why we can’t afford not to invest in technology.’ Blog. Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/why-we-cant-afford-not-to-invest-in-technology-20-apr-2011. Retrieved from Jisc through Solvonauts · Discuss your experience on your own use of digital technologies for teaching or learning in a blog or forum article and share with others. in case you do not have any experience, try to describe an imaginary context of how it might be. |
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2 |
Pedagogy in Technology |
· Read ‘Thomas, A and Morris, N (2013) Is digital technology changing learning and teaching?’ Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/is-digital-technology-changing-learning-and-teaching-15-mar-2017. Retrieved from Jisc through Solvonauts · And ‘Connectivism.’ Available at: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/education/open-education/content-section-7.4. Retrieved from OpenLearn · Describe an educational context that you have been involved with as an educator and learner and explain whether, which and how the educational theories how been utilised in its structuring in your blog or forum entry. Read other entries and compare and reflect upon other views. |
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3 |
Blended Learning |
· Read ‘Blended learning: What’s in it for the learner.’ Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/blended-learning-whats-in-it-for-the-learner-03-mar-2017. A Digifest debate. Retrieved from Jisc · And ‘Embedding blended learning in further education and skills.’ Guide. Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/embedding-blended-learning-in-further-education-and-skills. Retrieved from Jisc · Construct an educational event de novo or restructure an existing one in blended learning format. Reflect on which educational theory(ies) is more applicable to the event you have structured and share with others through your blog or forum. · now try to reconstruct your event in a different way representing a different pedagogical approach. analyse and discuss the differences of your two models with others. |
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4 |
Open Educational Resources (OER) |
· Read ‘An introduction to OER.’ Available at: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/education/introduction-open-educational-resources-oer/content-section-2. Retrieved from Open Learn ·
and ‘Kernohan, D (2011) OER in the field:
Institutions solving problems openly.’ Blog. Available at: ct-2011">https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/oer-in-the-field-institutions-solving-problems-openly-2 · look for OER and create a schematic of a learning network in a specific field (may be your own) based on them. identify and discuss the advantages and issues in OER based education o do they expand your teaching/learning? o is there an element of distraction and redundancy? · Write a blog describing the changes OER introduce to teaching and learning. o is there more to OER than the cost and accessibility? o do you agree that OER may represent educational connections? |
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5 |
Future prospects |
· Read: ‘Comrie, C (2013) Technology in education: New battle lines’ Blog. Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/technology-in-education-new-battle-lines-19-feb-2013. Retrieved from Jisc through Solvonauts · and ‘Hamilton, M and Richards, P (2017) Deep dreaming of AI in education and using data to improve teaching.’ Blog. Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/deep-dreaming-of-ai-in-education-and-using-data-to-improve-teaching-06-feb-2017. Retrieved from Jisc through Solvonauts · reflect on and write a blog or forum entry discussing how AI may change pedagogy in the next 5 to 10 years in your own context, OR, · reflect on and write a blog or forum entry discussing whether and which pedagogical approaches described for human learning may be applicable to it.
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in fact, as can be seen, i did not change the essence but rather introduced activities that would involve student reflection and practice. i am afraid that this has become a very 'advanced' course though, based on the assumption that the learners are knowledgeable on educational theories and to some extent, machine learning. this is pretty much in line with my concern with connectivism i have expressed above, i would be at a complete loss had i been structuring a basic course.
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Including the activities has certainly added an element of connectivism to your course. Would you consider the use of Twitter to encourage wider learning networks to evolve?