Interactive Learning

eLearing Summer School Tim Savage, Associate Dean for Online Education, Trinity College

INTERACTIVE LEARNING OR

WHAT A BAD IDEA FOR A TALK

Interactive Learning

• But isn’t all learning interactive?

• What I mean: – Learning that is not passive

• But it is dangerous to define something in terms of what it is not

– Learning that is technology-mediated • Without defining what technology (as I only have an hour)

A learning environment is "interactive" in the sense that a person can navigate through it, select relevant information, respond to questions using computer input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, or voice command system, solve problems, complete challenging tasks, create knowledge representations, collaborate with others near or at a distance, or otherwise engage in meaningful learning activities.

Journal of Interactive Learning Environments

Changing Context of H. Ed.

Ever Developing Technologies

Changing Learners

New Learner Needs and Skills

New Pedagogies

Globalised Higher Education

Transnational

education

Student mobility

Increased demand

Focus on quality

Rapidly Developing Technology

Rapidly Developing Technology

1450 – Gutenberg introduces the first Western printing press 1840 – First correspondence course 1900s – Audio recording 1920s – Radio stations 1930s – Television 1960s – Satellites 1960s – Pre-WWW internet 1980s – Fibre optics, audiovisual CD-ROM 1990s – WWW Jennifer Hofmann, Why Blended Learning Hasn’t (Yet) Fulfilled it’s

Promises, in The Handbook of Blended Learning (Bonk & Graham 2006)

The Horseless Carriage

We have the technology (with apologies to The Bionic Man)

New Millennium Learners

New Millennium Learners

• When were they born?

Digital Natives

New Millennium Learners

Homo Zappiens Gamer

Generation IM Generation

Net Generation

Visual Non Linear Always On

Social Multitasking Prefer Multimedia

Pragmatic Easily Bored Results Focussed

New Millennial Learners

New Millennial Learners

The question about whether we should use technology-mediated (or eLearning) with NMLs in H. Ed. is irrelevant

They are already eLearners by the time they get to us

21st Century Skills

www.p21.org

Appropriate Pedagogies

Old Vs. New Assumptions About Learning

Old Assumptions New Assumptions

1. People transfer learning with ease by learning abstract and decontextualized concepts.

1. People transfer learning with difficulty, needing both content and context learning.

2. Learners are receivers of knowledge. 2. Learners are active constructors of knowledge.

3. Learning is behavioristic and involves the strengthening of stimulus and response.

3. Learning is cognitive and in a constant state of growth.

4. Learners are blank slates ready to be filled with knowledge.

4. Learners bring their own needs and experiences to learning situations.

5. Skills and knowledge are best acquired independent of context.

5. Skills and knowledge are best acquired within realistic contexts.

(Grabinger, 1996, p. 667) 6. Assessment must take more realistic and holistic forms

Changing Context of H. Ed.

Changing Learners

Ever Developing

Technologies

New Learner Needs and

Skills

Appropriate Pedagogies

The Danger

Changing Learners

Ever Developing

Technologies

New Learner Needs and Skills

New Pedagogies

The Opportunity

Questions