All portfolio items

My summary slide:

Future classroom projects

BECTA Expert Technology Seminar

Thursday 13th May 2004

Richard Millwood, Ultralab, APU

Wireless classrooms

Online learning communities

Distributed schools

Collaborative performance

Assessment to match

I went with Ultralab colleague Jonathan Furness and here is our partial diary, :

ITTE 2004 diary so far - Tuesday lunchtime

Sunday 4th July

Monday 5th July

Tuesday 6th July

Our summary slide:

My diary of the event:

European Network of Health Promoting Schools

11th Business Meeting for National Coordinators

Copenhagen

Monday 13-15 September 2004

Sarah Jones and Richard Millwood - arrived about 11.15 in time for coffee

11.30 WHO Strategy for Child and Adolescent  Health and Development, Mikael Østergren, Regional Adviser for Child and Adolescent Health and Research, WHO Regional Office for Europe

- All the interventions needed (for children <5) are known, but not how to make them effectively.

- Developing strategy for piloting in March 2005 in 2-3 countries

12.00 Reproductive Health, Gunta Lazdane, Regional adviser for Reproductive Health and Research, WHO Regional Office for Europe

- Variety in teaching and attitudes to sex education is enormous

- Huge variety in 15 year olds having sex, boys usually outstrip girls except Finland

- Large variety in use of contraception and abortion

14.00 European Master on Health and Education, Bjarne Bruun Jensen, Research Programme for Environmental and Health Education, Danish University of Education

- Title Young People, Culture and Health Promotion: a Learning Perspective

- It is a Masters in Education, so teachers etc, but hope for health people too.

14.35 ENHPS - status and recent developments, Viv Rasmussen & David Rivett,Technical Advisers, Promotion of Young People's Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe

- Need to make programmes work together rather than competing for scarce resources and recognition

Tasks for workshop

- Feedback on Masters on Education

- Situation Analysis questionnaire to gather data

- Input to workshop in November

17.00 Plenary session

Tuesday

09:12 Young Minds - a report from the Budapest Conference, Venka Simovska, Neils Larsen, Danish University of Education

Venka Simovska - overview of web site

- small group of students from a few countries (eight participating schools) working creatively to identify and act on a variety of environmental / societal/ youth / health challenges

- www.youngminds,net

- Content management framework for young people and their teachers

- IVAC approach to organising activity

(Brainstorming)

Investigations, effect, problems, comparisons etc

Visions, dreams, local, global etc

Actions, personal, teogether, politcal etc

Change

(Evaluation)

- Topics addressed included media - noted that Internet sources often showed up inadequacy of TV such as Newsround

- Links made between mental well-being / media / school democracy / environment

- Maslow's hierarchy of needs

- Connection with ministerial conference in Budapest - direct confrontation about local-to-school environmental issues and how, who, when might they be dealt with.

09:40 Neils Larsen - evaluation

- Students applied IVAC approach autonomously to other problems

- 'action' not only as outcome, but also ongoing

- process take time - full school year recommended

- difficult to fit with crowded curriculum, team teaching etc (Denmark no problem, week free for this)

- international collaboration enhanced commitment

- publication to come

10:05 Questions David Rivett Technical Advisers, Promotion of Young People's Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe - pointing out connection to ministerial signed declaration at the 4th Ministerial Conference on environment and Health,  and thus open door to involve youth

10:20 Us!

11:00 - 11:30

11:30 More questions based on identification of opportunities and challenges in relation to online learning communities

12:00 The Egmond Agenda, Ian Young, Programme Manager Schools, NHS Health Scotland

- Main issues discussed in relation to the Health Promoting Schools in partner countries:

Situation analysis, partnership, advocacy, theoretical base, programme content & objectives, long term planning, teacher education, evaluation

- Have partner countries used the Egmond Agenda? if not etc

- Groups to discuss the issues raised

12:30 lunch

Abstract for 'Values and principles to drive e-learning'

There is a tendency to take an over-pragmatic view of what works with computers and to sustain practices and decisions justified on past success and simply 'overlay' technological solutions. This is often based on old-fashioned pedagogy, early designs of software and a social, cultural and technological context, all of which have moved on. To develop future pedagogies and software and respond to new contexts demands more substantial foundations. This session examines the values and principles which should drive e-learning.

Abstract for 'Physical design of learning spaces - workshop'

The purpose of this workshop is to explore why the design of school buildings matters and consider how it can affect the lives of pupils, staff and other school users. The workshop will provide the space and time for participants to be actively involved in exploring design decisions.

A starting point for the workshop will be an examination of clear predictions about future pedagogues and an opportunity to examine the pedagogical and technological implications of radical school designs through a brief presentation and discussions.

Following this a hands-on workshop will enable participants to work in small groups to develop and examine a range of designs, from single classroom 'makeovers' to whole school designs.  This activity will act as stimulus for discussion.

Lessons learnt from the workshop will then be applied to a whole school context in a ‘roundup’ session.

This was the plan for the seminar:

Effective and creative use of computers in schools – Programme summary

Sunday 27 February

• Arrival and Dinner
• Seminar aims and objectives

Monday 28 February

• Welcome and introductions
• An overview of the UK’s ICT in education
• The new learning landscape
• Digital creativity workshop

Tuesday 29 February

• Establishing research questions
• Preparing for research visit
• Classroooms of tomorrow
• World view

Wednesday 2 March

• Visit to schools
• Free time in Birmingham
  for sightseeing and shopping
• Dinner in Birmingham

Thursday 3 March

• Preparing presentations
• Using ICT to rethink assessment
• Presentations from school visits
• Identifying issues

Friday 4 March

• Panel discussion
• Future Vision
• Evaluation and action planning

This is the summary slide I used:

This was one of the winners of the Childnet International competition presenting his work:

Reflection: This was a useful moment to consider the role of multimedia in education which we had pioneered a decade before.

Contribution: I organised this event with Roger Clark and colleagues in Ultralab, and presented my analysis on the role of multimedia in education.

Here are my closing points from my presentation:

Multimedia content is still needed

• to offer a multimodal ‘knowledge’ base
• to cut and paste into multimedia essays
• to stimulate thought
• to motivate
• to engage with interesting learning objects

BUT

• is too often passive,
• and modelled on broadcasting

We don't need mountains of multimedia unless:

• it can be seen in overview, searched and appropriated
• it offers alternates
• it exploits the potential of digital media
• it offers completely new ways of expressing ideas

My abstract:

In a world where online community and practitioner knowledge are becoming common, workers at all levels can be make change happen in a considered, ethical and beneficial way by reflecting on their practice, conducting action enquiry and communicating their knowledge. This is the hypothesis of Ultraversity, a full-time degree for full time workers. The model developed will be elaborated, learners experience discussed and results examined. The questions of incentive for and management of such an empowered workforce will be discussed.

My abstract:

Programme:

On arrival - A4 page of guide opportunities for participation and methods

Mobile number

13.00 lunch

Participation 1 - text us your expectations of the day, why you are here

14.00 (20 minutes) Alan makes introductions

• 'Please leave your mobile on' - for expectations or impressions
• Brief account of our individual background
• Something about our partnership, Oracle and Ultralab
• Intentions of the day - myths and realities etc
• Outcomes - consequences and actions
• Programme of activity
• Acknowledge expectations

14.20 (20 minutes) Big issues in Society, Technology, Learning -  Alan to lead

• 3 slides from us
• Chance for delegates to input

14.40 (50 minutes) Presentaton - Richard to lead

• Myths
• What are they - what society tends to believe
• Realities -  what we believe and the evidence supports
• Participation -
• Your myths or commentary
• Captured on screen by us

15.15 Review of contributions - Alan to lead

15.30 (15 minutes) Comfort Break and coffee or tea

15.45 (45 minutes) Participation in groups - Alan and Richard 'floating'

• Consequences for one myth
• Actions for one myth
• Recording through 2 rapporteurs per group using SubEthaEdit

16.15  Report back from groups - our fill in and responses as commentary

16.30 (30 minutes) Round up and conclusion

• Evaluating expectations and delivery
• Why we think the participative technologies have been useful
• Participant - feedback and remaining concerns

17.00 Depart

Technology and Learning Myths & Realities

Putting the whole education scene in the context of today’s reality and try to highlight how our deeply held beliefs/myths can actually be barriers.

The context is shifting and the nature of the world we live in is changing………

Society

• Time poor
• Nature of organisation is changing – industrial/information/relationship age
• Critical skills, computing, communication, cultural understanding, collaboraion, creativity.
• Joined-up knowledge based economy, from efficiency to effectiveness.
• An academic/industry divide

Technology

• Technology all pervasive, ubiquity of ICT tools. Man’s historical relationship with tools.
• Technically literate society by the time students exit school they have experienced – 10k hours of video games, 250k emails, 10k hours on mobiles, 20k hours of TV, 500k commercials.
• Technology brings choice, choice brings new demands – multi media, 1 to many, many sources of info, problem solving options, exploration.
• Imperfect market – we don’t know what we don’t know.

Learning

• Learner opportunities are changing, mass/packaged/personalised
• Huge importance of effective learning experiences for corporates
• Shelf-life of subject knowledge reducing
• Need to reinvent oneself (continuous learning)
• EU legislation harmonising educational standards
• Funding and measurement models driving clearler value propositions

Myth 1 - Technology can never replace the classroom experience

Technology can never replace the classroom experience, e-learning will help but only in the context of a blended model.

Explain the reality (evidence)

• Not School
• Ultraversity
• Oracle University
• Think.com/Think Quest/Oracle Academy
• IESE Global EMBA

It’s a constructivist model not a transmission model.

Interaction, trust and rapport can all be developed in a purely technical environment. Trust comes from the opportunity to debate.

It starts with with the pedagogy. A lot is fundamentally flawed thus making neither face to face or technology effective.

Built on digital comfort, familiar tools, and learner needs.

Consequences of it?

It’s not supposed to replace the classroom, it’s a bigger shift in mindsets we need.

Compete to collaborate

Class to community

Prescribed results to diverse results

IT as a subject to tool of learning

An increased focus on work related issues and content, real world experiences.

The use of e-learning technologies without changing the pegagogy will simply result in the same outcomes but perhaps cheaper and quicker.

Requires a teaching skills change from teaching to facilitation

Impacts on the very nature of building new teaching institutions – a fresh look at physical environments, personal spaces for digital as well as physical equipment

Actions proposed

Become familiar with the tools

Seek out what’s working, what isn’t

Connect more closely to the needs of learners and corporates

Experiment

Myth 2 -Young people cannot concentrate anymore, and technology is to blame.

Kids/students can't concentrate for long enough to write linear essays

Children are deficient in their cognitive ability due to technology – actually more critical.

Kids use technology as adults do

Explain the reality (evidence)

• eViva,
• Summerschool
• More evidence?

Young people will concentrate as long as they like when motivated and creatively engaged. Motivation to concentrate on boring activity has always been a challenge, for every generation. New media is all about choice (satellite television, world-wide web, interactive games) and this requires more complex structuring to meet the reader’s needs unlike the traditional essay with its linear logic. Young people are less likely to be motivated by authority and more likely to be motivated by challenge.

Adults use technology to work with, kids use technology to have fun and be creative

Kids work collaboratively, working together, taking role of teachers

Use language loosley, misspelling, failing to gain basic illiteracies, uninhibited

Consequences of it?

Innovation is required in assessment tasks to match the kinds of media that society/industry/academia young people to produce. This won’t be easy, because we are all so used to the ‘author in control’ narrative, but is undoubtedly a sea-change in authoring.

Transform the education system to make it more effective and “sticky”.

Actions proposed

Invest in R&D in assessment processes

Myth 3 - Content is king

The essence of the university is all to do with domain knowledge and expertise – content is absolute king.

Explain the reality (evidence)

• Virtual Heads (NPQH)
• Ultraversity
• MIT and opencoureware
• Continuous learning ethic in Oracle/Software Industry
• ELW corporate members

Process is key – a loop of experiental learning followed by action, expressing ideas and then evaluation feedback is how effective and deep learning takes place. (Kolb, Millwood etc)

Analysis of the process of learning (active not passive)

Corporate Talent Development Heads increasingly requireing work related learning solutions.

Shelf-life of knowledge is diminishing.

The internet is the worlds biggest window on content, available to most

Consequences of it?

Students will increasingly seek universities where emphasis is on learning process and relationship to personal context and experience.

Lecturers may have two roles – facilitator AND expert

Growth of Corporate Universities.

Actions proposed

Change mindsets from content to process

Rethink university/school value propositions

Reframe the value and role of technology

Myth 4 - Knowledge always resides in the teacher

The teacher/pupil relationship is clear;

• Knowledge always resides in the teacher
• People learn by being told and this requires classrooms
• Traditional pedagogical models work
• Only teachers know how to teach.

Explain the reality (evidence)

Corporate Executives/specialists have same/better domain knowledge

[More evidence needed]

Personal experience and context-bound knowledge is a better starting point for many, especially mature, students.

Executives often know more about a subject than a Professor, learning is therefore a process of collaboration and sharing experiences to create new insights.

The growth in corpoate universities is strong.

Teachers know how to teach but is that valued as much as it used to be.

It’s not about teaching but process and engagement

Consequences of it?

All other forms of knowledge are undervalued and ignored. Opportunities to create new knowledge are minimised.

Learning is ineffective, one way, bland and unemotional.

Actions proposed

The role of the teacher is changing from teacher to coach/facilitator.

The role and value of technology changes from LMS repositories to collaborative tools.

Myth 5 - The education system prepares you for work

Higher Education understands what business needs and the schooling system prepares students for the world of work.

Explain the reality (evidence)

Circa 80% of UK plc sources Executive learning solutions outside of the Business School environment.

The 80/10/10 rule and rise of corporate universities

The value of MBA’s is increasingly questionable

Universities and Business Schools mainly teach disciplines not work based scenarios and stories.

Business Schools/HE have vested interests not compatible with business problems and issues.

No connection between the technology in a Business School and that in commerce.

Pedagogical experiences bear little relationship to the complex social systems people work in and therefore the skills required to deal with them.

Drop out rates

Loss of apprenticeships

Performance criteria do not compliment what business needs.- pass rates, publications, rankings, grants, chairs funded, books published

Learning how to learn is now the reality, the shelf life of knowledge at work is very short. Huge detatchment of business and schools

Execs have minimal time to address theory without practical and relevant problem solving in their context

Consequences of it?

A gulf is appearing between HE/Business Schools and commerce

Lost business opportunities

Technologies for learning are disconnected from reality

Employment opportunity mismatch. Skills match for the new economic reality

A static pedagogy results in confirmity to standards

What have many of the above got to do with learning?

Energies and resources are diverted

The ability to present your learning credentials is increasingly important. Need to move from packaged to personalised education

Actions proposed

Develop a more balanced dashboard to reflect the core raison d’etre

Greater use of “in the workplace” technology and siimulations

An alignment is necessary between industry and academia to focus on developing talent able to cope with the complexities of the day.

Greater emphasis on the “teaching school” medical mode

Myth 6 - The only way to test real learning is through examination

Explain the reality (evidence)

Digital portfolios and embedded assessments

Growth in 360 reviews and peer assessments

Consequences of it?

Actions proposed

Move from tests assessed on norms to performsance assessed by experts, peers, mentors and self

Another thought - Technology for learning is defined in terms of relationships between the learner and teacher not teacher and teacher. i.e. Vlearning E not VStaffE

“Soon enough, virtual universities will be undistinguishable from real universities, they will both look a lot like work”

Roger Shank

Professor Emeritus Nothwest University

Fom the invitation:

The debate will be on the topic of the identifying strategies to increase the number of students studying IT at school, college and university.
IT has been identified as one of the 'strategic subjects' in which a strong knowledge base and a supply of highly skilled workers are of particular national importance. This is in response to the recognition of the high importance of IT for national prosperity, at a time when fewer students are choosing to study this subject in higher education.

Widening participation is an important part of this process, as courses seek to recruit more women and mature-age students to study and work in IT. Computing can also build on a strong record for ethnically diverse recruitment.

The aim of this debate dinner, which has been funded by HEFCE, is to discuss the why the number of IT undergraduates has gone down and to identify strategies to improve the situation.