Beyond the computer lab:
Rethinking ICT for education
Steve Vosloo
Fellow, 21st century learning
Presented at 3rd Annual Education ConferenceJohannesburg, 4
March 2009
The growing disconnect
Digital lives of learners
Bridging the disconnect:
Mobile learning / Games
There is a disconnect between children's learning experience in
the classroom and outside of school.
There is now an extraordinary contrast between the high levels
of activity that characterise children's consumer cultures and the
passivity that increasingly suffuses their schooling.
(Buckingham, 2003)
Buckingham, D. (2003). Media Education & the end of the
Critical Consumer. Harvard Educational Review Buckingham.
In many ways the world has changed and school has not.
Classroom vs the world
Formal & structured
Top-down
Passive
Disengaged
Un-networked & disconnected
CAMI & Powerpoint
MCQs & simple creations
30 mins/week
Informal & fluid
Bottom-up
Active
Engaged
Networked & plugged-in
MXit/Facebook, games, web
Communication, play & exploration
Up to 2 hours/day
I'm generalising here, and being a bit unfair to schools, but
I'm trying to make a point about the differences between these two
sites of learning.
Technology has enabled not only the consumption of content, but
also the creation and sharing of it. Digital media empowerment
underpins the emerging participatory culture (Jenkins, H. 2006.
Convergence Culture, where old and new media collide. New York
University Press)
As soon as learners step out of the door, they are preyed upon
as potential consumers in the attention economy. Nike, McDonalds,
MTV, etc. are vying for their attention. I'm not saying whether
this is right or wrong, I'm just pointing out the reality.
Classroom vs the world
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/coda/161946841/sizes/l/,
CC
ICT in schools is predicated on the top-down understanding that
we know how children should be learning from technology rather than
seeking to learn from their existing practices.
(Their Space, 2007)
Now, it may be true that many of today's kids are
over-stimulated and obsessed with technology. But as educators, we
need to begin to understand the digital life of learners, the
changes that are happening in their world in order to respond
appropriately.
Their Space: Education for a digital generation (Demos.co.uk,
2007). http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/theirspace
Cellphones
Media access and use
Source: Young South AfricAnS, BroAdcASt MediA, And hiV/AidS
AwAreneSS:Results of a NatioNal suRvey by the Kaiser Family
Foundation & SABC (MaRch 2007).
http://www.kff.org/southafrica/7614.cfm
Cellphone ownership and use
Source: Young South AfricAnS, BroAdcASt MediA, And hiV/AidS
AwAreneSS:Results of a NatioNal suRvey by the Kaiser Family
Foundation & SABC (MaRch 2007).
http://www.kff.org/southafrica/7614.cfm
Rural access
Computer at home: 2%
Have a cellphone: 62%
(Kaiser Family Foundation & SABC, 2007)
Young South AfricAnS, BroAdcASt MediA, And hiV/AidS
AwAreneSS:Results of a NatioNal suRvey by the Kaiser Family
Foundation & SABC (MaRch 2007).
http://www.kff.org/southafrica/7614.cfm
Image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteafrican/2735722117/sizes/m/
(CC)
Cellular South Africa
BratTrax (2005/06) study: ages 7-15:
High increase in cell phone ownership among all age groups from
2003 2005
All age groups recorded a high usage of SMS, with voice services
and game playing increasing
Children of all ages aspire to the have the newest model of
handset
Children mostly download ringtones, logos, games
Large difference in cell phone ownership among income groups
Source: see the BratTrax reports by Youth Dynamix
http://www.youthdynamix.co.za/
MXit
Claim 10 million subscribers
250m messages/day
Subscribers profile:
0-11 years: 2%
11-14 years:8%
15-18 years:26%
School-age youth on MXit: 3.6m
Profile stats given by Paul Stemmet at 3rd Annual Education
Conference in Southern Africa, 3 March 2009, Johannesburg, South
Africa.
Gaming
... even the harshest critics agree that we learn something from
playing video games. The question is: how can we use the power of
video games as a constructive force in schools, homes, and at
work?
Shaffer, Squire, Halverson, Gee (2005)
Video games and the future of learningPublication Type Journal
ArticleYear of Publication 2005Authors Shaffer, D. W.; Squire, K.
R.; Halverson, R.; Gee, J. P.Journal Title Phi Delta KappanVolume
87Pagination 104-111ISBN Number 0031-7217Accession Number
ISI:000232242500005
http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/gappspaper1.pdf
Play
Earliest forms of learning (Vygotsky)
Try, fail, experiment / die and do over
Experiential & immersive
Highly engaging
Motivating
Theory of situated learning learning to be
Learning through games?
Ecology of games:
Strategy, dialogue, mentoring
Communities of practice:
News, FAQs, discussion forums
Develop community social practices
We dont learn from games, we learn through them.
In SA, gaming can be used as a learning tool when it is
conceived and designed as the vehicle that provides the opportunity
for social dialogue in a learning activity.
Alan Amory (2008)
Said during presentation Q&A at ED-MEDIA 2008.
Learning through games?
Experiment with identities
The harder the better
Gee's 36 learning principles of good games (2004)
Form of problem solving
James Paul Gee (2004): What Video Games Have to Teach Us About
Learning and Literacy
http://www.amazon.com/Video-Games-Teach-Learning-Literacy/dp/1403965382/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218454089&sr=8-1
In some sense, a game is nothing but a set of problems. We're
actually selling people problems for 40 bucks a pop ...
Will Wright (Jenkins 2005)
Jenkins, H. (2005).Buy These Problems Because Theyre Fun to
Solve! A Conversation withWill Wright. Telemedium:The Journal of
Media Literacy, 52 (1 & 2), 20-23.
Digital lives: social networks, pop culture
Participatory culture
Cellphones and gaming
What to do?
Engage
(don't have to embrace)
Use the ICT in their hands
Enable participation
Use pop culture to achieve educational goals
Dr Math on MXit
Dr Math is a maths tutoring service to school learners that uses
MXit
2-8pm, Sunday-Thursday, with some 20 tutors
3,200 learners have used service (from grade 3 up)
One tutor can help up to 100 learners per hour
Tutoring mostly done in English, but some Afrikaans cases are
occurring
Learners contact Dr Math from their homes, while on buses, taxis
and on the sports field. Even from the bath!
LATEST: Text-adventure game (interactive fiction)
dr.math: What grade are you in? what are you covering in
math?Spark plug: 7dr.math: grade 7?Spark plug: yesdr.math: are u
doing "pre algebra" stuff like What is the value of X if x + 3 =
10?Spark plug: yesdr.math: ok, so what is the value of x if x + 3 =
10?Spark plug: 7dr.math: ok. how about (15 x 2 ) + x = 35Spark
plug: 5dr.math: (I am going to use * for multiply so not to confuse
it with x, ok?)Spark plug: okdr.math: (2 * x) + 8 = 18Spark plug:
5dr.math: very good. can you explain to me how you figured that
out?Spark plug: 18 - 8 is 10 so 2* what is 10 and the answer is
5dr.math: Excellent.
Math on MXit: Using MXit as a Medium for Mathematics
EducationLaurie BUTGEREIT
Presented at Meraka INNOVATE Conference for Educators, CSIR,
Pretoria, 18-20 April 2007
http://researchspace.csir.co.za/dspace/handle/10204/1614
M4Girls Project
Improve maths in grade 10 rural girls (by Mindset)
43 mini videos, 3 mobisode animations, 2 games
Some project stats: * Nokia 6300 phones used (entry level phone)
* 43 mini videos (2-3 mins long) loaded onto phones (taken from
existing Mindset digital content). Interesting finding: the girls
wanted more videos. After watching 3 minute video they asked: Where
is more? This counters the original assumption that only short
mobile movies will retain user attention. * 3 mobisode (mobile
episode) animations. * 2 games: o An overt maths problem solving
game o An implicit business development simulation game * All
curriculum aligned * Grade 10 girls: 20 got phones, 20 in control
group who didnt get phones * 6 month project
Initial results of the project: * Exceptionally high usage of
the games and video clips by the learners. * Problem solving is
collaborative. When stuck with a problem, the kids asked each other
and their siblings. * Teacher in my pocket.
Refs: M4Girls and Innovating Education
Reading/writing cellphone
Using the cellphone as a book delivery and authoring tool
Serialised m-novels: e.g. 28 chapters, 900 characters (Novel
Idea)
Othello as an m-novel?
Effects of texting on literacy and language development?
Serious games
Developed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment
(Wikipedia 2007)
Education, training (military / commercial), health, public
policy ...
Social change, content or language learning, raising awareness,
cross-cultural sensitivity ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game
Alternate reality game
Think Sunday Times Finders Keepers but played collectively using
web, email, SMS, voice, video, etc.
Collaborative problem-solving
Skills: collective intelligence, judgement, transmedia
navigation (Jenkins et al, 2006)
ARG: an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a
platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell
a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions.
(Wikipedia)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_reality_game)
Collective Intelligence the ability to pool knowledge and
compare notes with others toward a common goalJudgment the ability
to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different
information sourcesTransmedia Navigation the ability to follow the
flow of stories and information across multiple modalities
Jenkins, H., Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A. J., &
Weigel, M. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory
Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. . Retrieved October
31, 2007, from
http://www.digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF.
But ...
Need to manage risks:
Distraction
Cyberbullying
Effects of TXTSPK on spelling/formal writing
Too much screen time
Inappropriate content
Privacy/safety
Costs
For an interesting viewpoint on TXTSPK, read 2b or not 2b? by
David Crystal:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/jul/05/saturdayreviewsfeatres.guardianreview
He reminds us that using non-standard language is nothing new, e.g.
wot and cos were introduced into the Oxford English Dictionary in
1829.
TXTSPK forces people to write economically, inventively and
playfully.
What do these things have in common?
Printing press
Film
Comics
Rock 'n roll
They were initially condemned.Spurred severe societal
backlash.Later became commonplace.
Cellphones and gaming will follow the same path. They are not
going to go away.
So ...
We must move beyond the lab
ICT for education must include the full gamut of ICT and
media
Challenge
To be open to new possibilities
Consider ways to exploit cellphone and gaming affordances to
support teaching and learning, while limiting the distraction and
risk factors
Only we can do this ...
Teachers are at once one of the single greatest change agents
for more creative uses of ICTs in education, and also the potential
obstacle to this.
Questions
Thoughts on texting?
Do you see it in formal writing?
Gaming: prevalence amongst learners?
How can youth ICTs be used for teaching and learning?
Thank you
Email
[email protected]
Twitter
www.twitter.com/stevevosloo
Blog
innovatingeducation.wordpress.com
Slides
www.slideshare.net/stevevosloo
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