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