Technocentric or Learning-centric?
I just posted this over to Karl Kapp's Kapp Notes blog. He is using Second Life with classes - far beyond what I'm trying. But he's bound to have questions similar to mine.
---
I'm having very mixed thoughts and feelings as I begin blogging with first-semester master's students. Many feel unprepared and overwhelmed - not just with the technology but with the expectation to:
- Have something to say in an area that's new to them
- Have a voice in a public conversation
- Care enough about the issues to drive their participation
These are things that come gradually for most students. Here they are though - out there looking for things to say, finding ways to join the conversation, looking for a reason beyond "class assignment" to participate.
One thing we haven't discussed much - my pushing the technology as a near-end in itself. What at the learning goals that drive our blogging requirement? Am I not guilty of the first ed-tech leader's original sin - pushing the technology ahead of the learning?
My response to that question is, maybe exploring technology's learning potential is a little techno-centric, but we'll never know the learning gains until we try some things out. The risks are there, but the benefits are too - getting out of the weekly readings/discussion cycle that drives most graduate education classes. Asking students to hurry up the development cycle and quickly assume a professional identity - that's an exciting prospect to try out, even if it doesn't totally succeed.
posted by Brent G. Wilson @ 9:13 AM
5 Comments
5 Comments:
Brent, I am glad you had reservations about jumping in with Blogs for us first timers. I was a bit overwhelmed and hesitant when I left after our first meeting and felt most of the things you mention on your post.Now that I have some time to reflect, I am glad, now that the learning curve is not so steep, that I was "forced" to jump right in. I have much more confidence and willingness to try new techno stuff.(Ah, the only thing missing is more time) Thanks Jacy
Brent,
Here is the answer that I left on my blog as a comment, I thought I would post it here as well.
First, thanks for the comment.
I think you bring up some good points. And I especially like your last conclusion. As professors of instructional technology, I think we need to push students into new technologies so they see what they are like and then the students and the professor can have a discussion about the learning values or non-values of the particular technology but...if the students never experience the technology, they will never know its limitations or advantages from a learning perspective.
I wrote a post a while back Kapp Notes: Yes, All Learning Professional Should Blog.--At Least for Month that addressed that very issue. I indicated that I thought someone in this field should blog for a little while to understand when the technology makes sense for learning and when it doesn't. As professors we are in a great position to introduce our students to these technologies as you are doing this semester.
Blogging can be overwhelming especially for someone new...like students. But by making it a class assignment, you can provide guidance, ideas and support that a "lone" blogger may not get. Also, the students can always blog-to-each-other and gain insights into the value of blogging for them or the non-value within the confines of the class (although anyone who wants can read the postings as well, students might be suprised to see who is actually reading the posts or lurking.)
Also, sometimes, newbies can provide great insights and questions into topics that "experts" take for granted. So I think that they do add value to the discussion even when they don't think that they are.
I find it exciting to be blogging and to introduce it to students and I sense that you do too, it is a wild ride and, as you said, it might not succeed but man is it fun!
And, I think...educational...talk about constructivism.
Brent,
I'm actually glad you asked us to start blogs as part of the class. I was pretty skeptical of the whole idea and no amount of reading other blogs would have changed my attitude in the same way creating my own has done.
Jacy mentioned confidence - what could be more of a confidence builder than having someone like Karl Kapp read my blog and actually leave a comment!
Kirsten
Brent:
While I'd love to know what your learning outcome for the blogging requirement is, you have succeeeded in pushing us out of our comfort zones and into exploring new ways to communicate ideas and knowledge.
This is valuable. Technology constantly changes, and, while it shouldn't drive the learning, we must stay on top of it to be successful in the field of eLearning. We can't afford to become complacent; potentially valuable tools will just pass us by.
For some, the blogging project may be just the push needed to get out there and explore.
Betsy asked about the learning goals underlying the blogging assignment. Here is the rationale I wrote as a response to another post. It's not written as a learning goal strictly, but does suggest the kind of learning I'm hoping to achieve.
- Students are entering our master's program for induction into a professional field of practice
- In our field of learning technologies, being a professional means being a self-directed learner always keeping up with changes in the field
- They need to know how to find, evaluate, and use resources that are now available in a way earlier professionals only dreamed of
- They need to develop a set of core interests and conviction - which can lead to real passions and commitments over time
Establishing a public presence and engaging in conversation with other professionals - that seems completely in keeping with our goals for induction into a profession. The timing may be questionable, but that's part of my reason for doing this experiment - seeing if my preconceptions about "readiness" can be challenged and proved wrong!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home