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Distributed-Learning Communities
as a Modelfor Educating Teachers
Chris DedeHarvard UniversityChris_Dede@harvard.eduwww.gse.harvard.edu/~dedech/
“Test to Standard” Modelof Educational Improvement
Develop content standards basedon knowledge and skillsof disciplinary experts
Implement high-stakes tests that inexpensively document coverage of the attainmentstests can measure
Reward and punish individual students, teachers, schools, and districtsbased on test performance
Shortfalls in No Child Left Behind
Twenty-seven years of contentto cover in twelve years
Little prioritization of knowledgecentral to interrelationships, citizenship, lifelong learning
Curriculum driven by low-level content and skills measuredby cheap, drive-by tests
The Partnershipfor 21st Century Skills
Six Key Elements of 21st Century LearningICT Literacy Framework Linking
21st Century Tools to Learning Skills21st Century ContentMilestones for Improving
21st Century LearningNine Steps to Build Momentum
www.21stcenturyskills.org
Powerful Pedagogical Models
guided inquiry learning withactive construction of knowledge
apprenticeship/mentoring relationshipslearning communities:
social exploration of multiple perspectives
How People Learn (National Academy Press, 1999)
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309070368/html
Learning Community
A culture of learning, in which everyone is involvedin a collective effort of understanding
Shares and develops a repertoire of resources: experiences, tools, stories,ways of addressing recurring problems
Allows a close connectionbetween learning and doing
Addresses the informal and tacit aspectsof knowledge creation and sharing
an alternative means of teaching/learningand of professional development
Evolving towardDistributed Learning
Sophisticated Methods of Learning and Teachingguided construction of knowledge and meaningapprenticeships and mentoringinfusion of research into teaching
Orchestrated across classrooms, homes, workplaces, community settings
On demand, just-in-timeCollaborative
distributed across space, time, media
My Distributed Learning Course
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/~dedech/502/
face-to-face interactionvideoconferencingwireless, handheld devicessmall group collaboration via groupwaresynchronous interaction in virtual environmentasynchronous, threaded discussioninformal website-based learning experiencesshells for course authoring
New Forms of Rhetoric
Lessons Learned
• Richer, deeper learning from mixturethan from any subset• Participants “Find Their Voice”• Time for Communication and Reflection• Peer Mentoring and Collaboration
• Very different individual patterns of preference for mixture of media
• Instructional design complex mixof cognitive, affective, psychosocial
Distributed-Learning Communities
Range of participants’ skills and interestsgoes beyond geographic boundariesand face-to-face opportunities
Asynchronous media enable convenient participation, deeper reflection,and archiving of insights
Emotional and social dimensions rely on synchronous virtual interchanges
Broader range of participants willactively engage in dialogue
Compared to face-to-face communities,more investment required to participate
“Next Generation” Interfacesfor Learning and Teaching
World to the Desktop:Accessing distant experts and archives forknowledge creation, sharing, and mastery
Multi-User Virtual Environments:Immersion in virtual contexts withdigital artifacts and avatar-based identities
Ubiquitous Computing:Wearable wireless devices coupled tosmart objects for “distributed cognition”
What is a MUVE?
A representational container that enables multiple simultaneous participants to access virtual spaces configured for learning.
A place where learners represent themselves through graphical avatars (persona)to communicate with others’ avatars and computer-based agents, as well as to interact with digital artifacts and virtual contexts.
A learning experience that provides diverse activities in support of classroom curriculum.
River CityCurriculum
Figure 1: Lab Equipment inside the University
Figure 2: River Water Sampling
So What?Why Should Teachers Care?
enhancing motivation (challenge, curiosity, beauty, fantasy, fun, social recognition)
reaching learners who don’t do wellin conventional classroom settings
building fluency in distributed modes of communication and expression -- rhetoric
rich, authentic representations(e.g., MedievalWorld)
professional development via virtual communities
http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/muvees2003/
“Next Generation” Interfacesfor Distributed Interaction
World to the Desktop:Accessing distant experts and archives forknowledge creation, sharing, and mastery
Multi-User Virtual Environments:Immersion in virtual contexts withdigital artifacts and avatar-based identities
Ubiquitous Computing:Wearable wireless devices coupled tosmart objects for “distributed cognition”
Why Ubiquitous Computing
• One-to-One Student to Tool Ratio• Wireless Handheld Devices (WHD) offer
approximately 60% of the computing powerof laptops of a few years ago
• One WHD is approximately 10% of the costof one modern laptop
• Handheld ubiquitous computing – instant on, anytime, everywhere, and in the hand of the user
Augmented Reality
• Combines physical world and virtual world contexts
• Embeds learners in authentic situations
• Engages users in a socially facilitated context
Computer simulation on Computer simulation on handheld computer triggered handheld computer triggered
by real world locationby real world location
Proof of Concept• Environmental Detectives
– Players briefed about rash of local health problems linked to the environment
– Provided with background information and “budget”
– Need to determine source of pollution by drilling sampling wells and ultimately remediate with pumping wells
– Work in teams representing different interests (EPA, Industry, etc.)
Harvard’s Handheld Devicesfor Ubiquitous Learning Project
http://gseacademic.harvard.edu/~hdul/
“Next Generation” Interfacesfor Learning and Teaching
World to the Desktop:Accessing distant experts and archives forknowledge creation, sharing, and mastery
Multi-User Virtual Environments:Immersion in virtual contexts withdigital artifacts and avatar-based identities
Ubiquitous Computing:Wearable wireless devices coupled tosmart objects for “distributed cognition”
Focus on Our Core Business… Support Portal for Teacher
Retention
Focus on Our Core Business…CURRICULUM DESIGN ASSISTANT
Tapped In: ti2.sri.com/tappedin/
Design Heuristics forDistributed-Learning Communities
• Transformative goals
• Building collective knowledgeand resources
• Multiple ways to participate
• Mechanisms for sharingvia a range of interactive media
Conditions for Successin Technological Innovation
High-quality learning tools and materialsExtensive professional developmentStrong technical infrastructureOrganizational shifts to enable
deeper content, powerful pedagogiesEquity in Content and Services
as well as Access and LiteracyStakeholder Involvement
Meeting the Challenge ofTransformation via “Unlearning”
Developing fluency in usingemerging interactive media
Complementing presentational instructionwith collaborative inquiry-based learning
Unlearning almost unconscious assumptions and beliefs and values about the nature of teaching, learning, and schooling
crucial issue for professional development
Four Levels ofLearning Technologies
Device (cell phone, HDTV,personal digital assistant)
Application (word processors, intelligent tutoring systems, educational simulations)
Medium (shared virtual environments, interactive television, worldwide web)
Infrastructure (Internet, telephone system, cable and broadcast television, cyberspace)
Beyond McLuhan
Media shape their messages
Media shape their participants
Infrastructures shape civilization
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