How the N-Gen (Net Generation) interact with digital media.
Growing Up Digital
14 June 2005
Fischer's papers
Gerhard Fischer has published a number of papers (see previous post) related to technology and lifelong learning. The general thrust of these is that technology alone is not going to be a panacea that will transform us into a learning society. There will also need to be a shift in attitute ("mindset") from consumers of knowledge to producers of solutions, a re-design of software to allow users to remodel it to fit their needs, a shift away from using ICT to simply "automate rather than innovate" (November) and a radical change in the learning environment away from training by teachers with little or no understanding of the learners jobs to collaborative problem solving that is directly relevant to the workplace.
He would seem to sit within the current heterodoxy of lifelong learning, suggesting that lifelong learning should not be about taking individuals out of their usual environment to study for qualifications that bear no relationship to their specific role. Definite nods to Illich in that schooling is the problem and that there should be a shift toward learning experiences where the facilitator may be as ignorant of the solution as the students, but together they can work towards that solution - touches of Dewey's progressive methods there too.
Fischer also points out that creativity and innovation will be vital for societites of the future, "working smarter" from Drucker, and that lifelong learning should be about how to develop these traits in individuals and groups. He also points out that creating consumers is a problem that is a barrier to this and that changing our model of education from a consumer model with passive learners into a model that moves beyond Skinner and Taylor and integrates work and learning and makes learners active contributors in their learning.
This methodology is reflected in the methods used in the ATI where groups are assigned tasks which are made up of a number of criteria and it is up to the group to interpret these and provide solutions to the problems that they encounter with the help of their peers and advisors. Often some of the more technical problems need the input of a large group as it may be an issue that no-one has previously encountered. An example of this was when attempting to create an animation of a book opening and a page crumpling up and rolling away. In that instance we were lucky enough to have a large group with some useful insights and the creators of the software on hand to explain some of the tricks that could be brought to bear. After several attempts to animate a large, and heavy, book opening and much head scratching that a chance observation by a passing member of another group pointed out that we should just film someone opening the book and only animate the page crumpling thus saving us hours of work tring to produce a movable support that would allow us to prop the book open and remain hidden. By carefully framing the shot we caputured what appeared to be a self-opening book in about 10 minutes!
He would seem to sit within the current heterodoxy of lifelong learning, suggesting that lifelong learning should not be about taking individuals out of their usual environment to study for qualifications that bear no relationship to their specific role. Definite nods to Illich in that schooling is the problem and that there should be a shift toward learning experiences where the facilitator may be as ignorant of the solution as the students, but together they can work towards that solution - touches of Dewey's progressive methods there too.
Fischer also points out that creativity and innovation will be vital for societites of the future, "working smarter" from Drucker, and that lifelong learning should be about how to develop these traits in individuals and groups. He also points out that creating consumers is a problem that is a barrier to this and that changing our model of education from a consumer model with passive learners into a model that moves beyond Skinner and Taylor and integrates work and learning and makes learners active contributors in their learning.
This methodology is reflected in the methods used in the ATI where groups are assigned tasks which are made up of a number of criteria and it is up to the group to interpret these and provide solutions to the problems that they encounter with the help of their peers and advisors. Often some of the more technical problems need the input of a large group as it may be an issue that no-one has previously encountered. An example of this was when attempting to create an animation of a book opening and a page crumpling up and rolling away. In that instance we were lucky enough to have a large group with some useful insights and the creators of the software on hand to explain some of the tricks that could be brought to bear. After several attempts to animate a large, and heavy, book opening and much head scratching that a chance observation by a passing member of another group pointed out that we should just film someone opening the book and only animate the page crumpling thus saving us hours of work tring to produce a movable support that would allow us to prop the book open and remain hidden. By carefully framing the shot we caputured what appeared to be a self-opening book in about 10 minutes!
08 June 2005
Digital media means procrastination...
Interesting reading in the articles posted. One of the reasons I chose to use an online lived-learning journal was that I could update it wherever and whenever I needed to. This, the thinking went, would mean that I could record observations within minutes of the action taking place rather than when I next had time to sit down with a paper journal.
It would seem, however, that this freedom from sitting down with a physical book and writing up my experiences has, as at least one of these studies has suggested, tended to lead to less entries and, possibly more importantly, less timely entries than I would have expected from my previous expreience with "old technology".
Part of this must be due to pressures of work and life; because the journal can be updated instantaneously there is a definite tendancy to "do it when I finish this". What actually happens is that the updates tend to be put off until I realise that if I don't catch up with two weeks of information it will be lost.
This would, perhaps be the experience of the students in the studies. Because the material is always available it can always be studied later. The issue then becomes one not of studying, but of time management. Rigid lecture times force students to attend and to make space in their day for the lecture. The ability to study any where at any time can lead to continual procrastination.
Perhaps what is happening is the evolution of just-in-time learning. That's certainly how I work in my job. If I need to know how a video conference recording device works I go and read the manual; usually I only read it just before I need to do a task or even (often) as I do it. As information and knowledge become evermore available and compartmentalised I suppose it is natural that a similar model would perhaps evolve in students - the "Net Generation" are growing up with information at their fingertips and entirely new attitudes to learning. Good or bad? I suppose that depends. Perhaps we have to look at our education system moving from information transfer to information processing models.
Higher Education is moving in that direction. Sadly our Government seem to want to focus lifelong learning on information transfer and skills rather then information processing and processes. Schools, by and large, are only just seeing the alternatives and why change is necessary.
Another issue with long posts has been that the technology, whilst flexible, isn't as reliable as it should be. By their nature browser based applications are always prone to lost connections. In the case of this journal a lost connection could mean 30 minutes typing. This has lead to a combined strategy of either writing up posts in a word processor first and then cutting and pasting or saving the post after every paragraph (as now). The former method reduces the flexibility of the system, I have to be using a machine with WP software, and is more time consuming, the latter disrupts the train of thought and intrudes on the creative process.
Also, wonderfully flexible as computers are, they still aren't as instantaneous as a pencil and paper. They can be intrusive, noisey, slow to turn on and even handheld devices lack the discretion of a paperpad and biro. I've never been asked what I'm doing when taking notes via paper & pen, but audio recording and even taking notes on a handheld often prevokes comment and has occasionally been seen as an invasion of privacy. I sometimes think that Big Brother would be able to carry on unnoticed as long as he monitored everyone in person and recorded everything on paper!
It would seem, however, that this freedom from sitting down with a physical book and writing up my experiences has, as at least one of these studies has suggested, tended to lead to less entries and, possibly more importantly, less timely entries than I would have expected from my previous expreience with "old technology".
Part of this must be due to pressures of work and life; because the journal can be updated instantaneously there is a definite tendancy to "do it when I finish this". What actually happens is that the updates tend to be put off until I realise that if I don't catch up with two weeks of information it will be lost.
This would, perhaps be the experience of the students in the studies. Because the material is always available it can always be studied later. The issue then becomes one not of studying, but of time management. Rigid lecture times force students to attend and to make space in their day for the lecture. The ability to study any where at any time can lead to continual procrastination.
Perhaps what is happening is the evolution of just-in-time learning. That's certainly how I work in my job. If I need to know how a video conference recording device works I go and read the manual; usually I only read it just before I need to do a task or even (often) as I do it. As information and knowledge become evermore available and compartmentalised I suppose it is natural that a similar model would perhaps evolve in students - the "Net Generation" are growing up with information at their fingertips and entirely new attitudes to learning. Good or bad? I suppose that depends. Perhaps we have to look at our education system moving from information transfer to information processing models.
Higher Education is moving in that direction. Sadly our Government seem to want to focus lifelong learning on information transfer and skills rather then information processing and processes. Schools, by and large, are only just seeing the alternatives and why change is necessary.
Another issue with long posts has been that the technology, whilst flexible, isn't as reliable as it should be. By their nature browser based applications are always prone to lost connections. In the case of this journal a lost connection could mean 30 minutes typing. This has lead to a combined strategy of either writing up posts in a word processor first and then cutting and pasting or saving the post after every paragraph (as now). The former method reduces the flexibility of the system, I have to be using a machine with WP software, and is more time consuming, the latter disrupts the train of thought and intrudes on the creative process.
Also, wonderfully flexible as computers are, they still aren't as instantaneous as a pencil and paper. They can be intrusive, noisey, slow to turn on and even handheld devices lack the discretion of a paperpad and biro. I've never been asked what I'm doing when taking notes via paper & pen, but audio recording and even taking notes on a handheld often prevokes comment and has occasionally been seen as an invasion of privacy. I sometimes think that Big Brother would be able to carry on unnoticed as long as he monitored everyone in person and recorded everything on paper!
References on flexible coursework delivery
Flexible Delivery Damaging to Learning?
Lessons from the Canterbury Digital Lectures Project
Preparing courses for flexible delivery and distance education is normally a timeconsuming and expensive process. The results reveal some surprising social implications of making flexible delivery available to students at a residential university. Early in the trial, many students expressed an intention to use the system, but few did. Late in the course, many students stated that they urgently needed the system for revision, but even fewer used it. At the same time, lecture attendance appeared to be lower than normal.
Flexible coursework delivery to Australian postgraduates: How effective is the teaching and learning?
The educational implications of non-traditional delivery methods at postgraduate level are not yet well understood. A major question is whether advantages of access and flexibility are accompanied by trade-offs in learning experiences and outcomes.
Online, off course Education Guardian article from lecture.
Lessons from the Canterbury Digital Lectures Project
Preparing courses for flexible delivery and distance education is normally a timeconsuming and expensive process. The results reveal some surprising social implications of making flexible delivery available to students at a residential university. Early in the trial, many students expressed an intention to use the system, but few did. Late in the course, many students stated that they urgently needed the system for revision, but even fewer used it. At the same time, lecture attendance appeared to be lower than normal.
Flexible coursework delivery to Australian postgraduates: How effective is the teaching and learning?
The educational implications of non-traditional delivery methods at postgraduate level are not yet well understood. A major question is whether advantages of access and flexibility are accompanied by trade-offs in learning experiences and outcomes.
Online, off course Education Guardian article from lecture.
Reference: Can E-Learning Spur Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship?
Taylor & Francis Group - Article
The Internet has already brought about far reaching changes to our lives. More recently it has started to transform education and we have witnessed the emergence of e-learning. This paper proposes that e-learning can potentially reduce, and even eliminate, longstanding geographical, cultural, and logistical barriers prevalent in the traditional delivery of education.
The Internet has already brought about far reaching changes to our lives. More recently it has started to transform education and we have witnessed the emergence of e-learning. This paper proposes that e-learning can potentially reduce, and even eliminate, longstanding geographical, cultural, and logistical barriers prevalent in the traditional delivery of education.
Potential references: Papers by Gerhard Fischer
Gerhard Fischer's Publications
A complete list of publications online.
Lifelong Learning - More Than Training
Learning can no longer be dichotomized into a place and time to acquire knowledge (school) and
a place and time to apply knowledge (the workplace). Today's citizens are flooded with more
information than they can handle, and tomorrow's workers will need to know far more than any
individual can retain.
Lifelong Learning: Changing Mindsets
Lifelong learning is an essential challenge for inventing the future of our societies; it is a necessity
rather than a possibility or a luxury to be considered. Lifelong learning is more than adult
education or training — it is a mindset and a habit for people to acquire.
LIFELONG LEARNING AND ITS SUPPORT WITH NEW MEDIA
Lifelong learning creates the challenge to understand, explore, and support new dimensions of learning such as: (1) self-directed learning, (2) learning on demand, (3) informal learning, and (4) organizational learning.
Symmetry of Ignorance, Social Creativity, and Meta-Design
Complex design problems require more knowledge than any one single person can possess, and the knowledge relevant to a problem is often distributed and controversial. Rather than being a limiting factor, “symmetry of ignorance” can provide the foundation for social creativity.
A complete list of publications online.
Lifelong Learning - More Than Training
Learning can no longer be dichotomized into a place and time to acquire knowledge (school) and
a place and time to apply knowledge (the workplace). Today's citizens are flooded with more
information than they can handle, and tomorrow's workers will need to know far more than any
individual can retain.
Lifelong Learning: Changing Mindsets
Lifelong learning is an essential challenge for inventing the future of our societies; it is a necessity
rather than a possibility or a luxury to be considered. Lifelong learning is more than adult
education or training — it is a mindset and a habit for people to acquire.
LIFELONG LEARNING AND ITS SUPPORT WITH NEW MEDIA
Lifelong learning creates the challenge to understand, explore, and support new dimensions of learning such as: (1) self-directed learning, (2) learning on demand, (3) informal learning, and (4) organizational learning.
Symmetry of Ignorance, Social Creativity, and Meta-Design
Complex design problems require more knowledge than any one single person can possess, and the knowledge relevant to a problem is often distributed and controversial. Rather than being a limiting factor, “symmetry of ignorance” can provide the foundation for social creativity.
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