tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3777998681834824302024-02-08T08:41:43.628+07:00Thoughts on Education, Technology and DevelopmentReflections on technology-enhanced learning and education in Cambodia. Hope you enjoy it.Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-61302104874802300692013-02-04T16:27:00.001+07:002013-02-04T16:27:08.006+07:00New Blog AddressHi all,<br />
<br />
I decided to move this blog from Blogger to Wordpress. The main reason is that I feel that Wordpress offers more options for blog design and layout that I'd like to try out.<br />
<br />
The blog's new name is <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/">'Learning Matters</a>' (still pondering a better title) and is located at stefeducation.wordpress.com. I will continue using the blog for reflections on my OU courses and publications I find interesting on education, technology and development.<br />
<br />
StefaanStefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-44463379364575735602013-01-26T12:21:00.000+07:002013-02-24T14:30:49.442+07:00Low-Cost Private Education: The Beautiful Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcM4xsSAdUKNgBYj5ovk5l558R3p6NN-R1Er9MjQcuo6466RgCY4tPgBK876L6BpIzLTtfVbnIHZ4LjLsuI2U8J-qirQ5mzlEt8V-Xe2NIWrCuQ5nS2fNs5jlT0hDh9lVcRWA7IgWLFo/s1600/The-Beautiful-Tree-9781933995922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcM4xsSAdUKNgBYj5ovk5l558R3p6NN-R1Er9MjQcuo6466RgCY4tPgBK876L6BpIzLTtfVbnIHZ4LjLsuI2U8J-qirQ5mzlEt8V-Xe2NIWrCuQ5nS2fNs5jlT0hDh9lVcRWA7IgWLFo/s200/The-Beautiful-Tree-9781933995922.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The<a href="http://www.cato.org/events/beautiful-tree-personal-journey-how-worlds-poorest-people-are-educating-themselves"> Beautiful Tree from James Tooley</a> provides a powerful antidote to the one-sided focus on public education as the only route towards universal education.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Read further <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/low-cost-private-education-the-beautiful-tree/">here</a></span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-6231773033932214962013-01-23T20:07:00.001+07:002013-01-23T20:07:46.737+07:00Some Reflections on Accessibility Challenges for Disabled Learners in Cambodia<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoDTTZf-Zua2pD5CLdoYsKRpAl8s_jhd9Rx8ezWt-FoYTdITktlq-kt8uz5IbI1hJD5g-4BBd_pE52AJ6YGjN_6kvafvQorCapFhqFEULkiV_AYNYRPKQSobNwDvb6fGyIAIgtMtCVGU/s1600/disabled+cambodia+computer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoDTTZf-Zua2pD5CLdoYsKRpAl8s_jhd9Rx8ezWt-FoYTdITktlq-kt8uz5IbI1hJD5g-4BBd_pE52AJ6YGjN_6kvafvQorCapFhqFEULkiV_AYNYRPKQSobNwDvb6fGyIAIgtMtCVGU/s200/disabled+cambodia+computer.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: http://pwds.wordpress.com/</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Notwithstanding a remarkable recovery in Cambodian education in the last decade, access for disabled learners has lagged behind. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Accessibility goes <a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/09/h810-challenges-disabled-students-face.html">beyond the availability of computers and teaching resources</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Challenges</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Barriers to education for disabled students start with barriers in society. Large pupil: teacher ratios and small classrooms reduce accessibility. Instruments for diagnosis are not in place and, as a result, students with learning difficulties or 'invisible' disabilities such as dyslexia or mental impairments often end up being labelled as stupid and drop out. The education system is strongly centralized with a rigid curriculum and inflexible learning outcomes that emphasize academic achievement, as opposed to all-round development. As a result, teachers are less flexible and pay <a href="http://www.eenet.org.uk/resources/docs/IE%20few%20resources%202008.pdf">less attention to individual learning needs</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Local NGOs tend to establish special schools, rather than develop integrated programs. Assistive technologies they introduce may not be scalable and render learners dependent on technologies that their families or future employers cannot afford. The pre-existence of a segregated education system makes it more difficult to achieve inclusive education later. Unfortunately, activities of specialized NGOs give other organisations an excuse not to focus on disabled learners, sustaining an <a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/09/h810-thinking-about-accessibility.html">old-fashioned, medical approach</a> to disabilities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are socio-economic barriers as well. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Many Cambodian parents decide not to send their disabled children to school. They consider education primarily as a way to acquire wealth and </span><a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/01/poor-education.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">wrongly believe</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> that the first few years of education matter less than the next ones. As a consequence, they tend to invest all their resources in the education of one child, rather than in an equitable education for all their children. Moreover, employment opportunities are scarce as employers are not encouraged to hire disabled people. Until 2008 disabled people in Cambodia were even excluded from teaching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is enhanced by social discrimination. Buddhist culture considers a disability as bad karma and a punishment for faults committed in a previous life (<a href="http://www.krousar-thmey.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Krousar-Thmey-Annual-Report-2010.pdf">Krousar Thmey 2010 Annual Report</a>). This leads to social discrimination and instils a sense of complacency in disabled people and their environment. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Online education in general still faces tough cultural challenges. Online learning is often </span><a href="http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/339" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">considered as second-rate education</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> in a society where education is traditionally associated with teacher instruction and memorisation. Positive role models are important in changing attitudes and behaviour, as well as systems of quality assurance for online education. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Opportunities </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In 2012 the Cambodian National Assembly decided to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). As the Convention enters into force on 19 January 2013, it will legally bind the government to work on inclusive education.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ratification fuels expectations that the Cambodian government will adopt a <a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/09/h810-thinking-about-accessibility.html">social and universal approach to disabilities</a>, in alignment with the WHO’s position. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Developing course and materials with accessibility and flexibility in mind benefit all learners, as these cater to a variety in learning styles, learning speeds and impairments. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Disabled learners may benefit from more online learning as they can study at their own pace at home. Digital learning materials are usually more flexible as font sizes and types, background colours and format can be changed and assistive technologies used. Online learning allows more control on communication and disclosure. However, online learning may also increase barriers, due to badly designed software and learning materials, or due to a lack of personal support. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In Cambodia 'blended' approaches </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">with supporting regional centres, located in schools or centres for teacher education, that complement online activities and function as places for tutor assistance and peer support, could be explored. A model applied for some time, among others, <a href="http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/65/133">in Brazil</a>. Online learning would expand educational opportunities for people outside the capital, deploy scarce human resources more efficiently and allow teachers to follow in-service training without having to leave their schools. The </span><a href="http://www.tessafrica.net/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) programme </a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">is a good example of benefiting from the advantages of online learning to teacher education in developing countries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Changes in legislation
do not automatically lead to improvements in accessibility. The
government needs to invest in human capital for specialised support services
and make assistive technology more widely available, for example through loan kits. Principles of universal design and awareness
of disabilities should be embedded in general teacher education. Most importantly, disabled people need to be
convinced that they as well can have dreams and aspirations, and that they can
achieve them as well, with the right support.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Online learning can
contribute to an inclusive learning environment by providing a platform for
creating and sharing accessible learning materials, creating opportunities for
scaling up pre-service and in-service teacher education, allowing learners to
study in a more flexible way and opening up access to international courses.</span></div>
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Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-24148787356669196722013-01-17T20:20:00.000+07:002013-01-17T20:20:46.653+07:00#H810 Final Impressions<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The frequency of posts on this blog has been rather limited during the last few months. This is largely due to <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/h810.htm">H810</a>, Accessible Online Learning, at the UK Open University. By submitting my end paper (EMA), my third module on my way to a <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/qualification/f10.htm">Master in Online and Distance Education</a> is now officially finished (although results won't be in for a few months). I posted impressions on previous modules, <a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2011/10/h800-final-considerations.html">H800 </a>and <a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/08/h807-final-verdict.html">H807, </a>before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Each module follows a broadly similar structure, based on carefully crafted course texts, academic and website readings, asynchronous discussions with peers and tutors in the forum and regular flurries of activity ahead of paper deadlines. In these papers, learners need to relate course content to their own context. H</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">810 was not different from other modules. The relative balance in quality does vary though and some aspects were different.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This module was the most practically oriented so far. All kinds of tools and software passed under the spotlight. Standards and their practical translation into guidelines were discussed. Developing and assessing learning resources was an important part in the assessment. The weight of academic papers was lower than in previous modules. Instead we looked at more videos and websites. The academic character was more than compensated though in the last block of the course, that focused on interpreting accessibility in education through three models (Institutional Change, Activity Theory, Communities of Practice), taking a more policy and institutional stance. In particular institutional change (North, 1994), which discusses the difference between theory (issuing rules) and practice (lack of change on the ground) formed a welcome policy viewpoint complementary to the operational focus in the first half of the course.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tutor support was not so much strong in quantity (fewer supporting messages in every discussion) as in quality (other viewpoints, pointers to supplementary resources, useful tips), which I appreciated. I found the quality of peer discussion very high, as most learners had a professional role in supporting disabled learners in higher education. For me, without experience 'in the field', these discussion offered a welcome addition and reality check to the academic materials.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">No course is perfect though and there were some glitches. There was little attention for accessibility development outside the Anglo-Saxon world. There were no synchronous discussions, except for one tutor-led presentation on <a href="http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/toolkits/">Xerte Online Toolkits</a>, which I liked very much. In H800 these discussions helped to create a group bond and although tutor group discussions were lively, I can't say there was a strong community feeling. I found the time available for writing the EMA (a 6000 words essay) extremely short, in particular as the deadline was right after Christmas holidays. A short break sometime in course activities would have been fine. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But overall I found H810 an extremely interesting course, partly because I had very little prior knowledge. It definitely raised my awareness for accessibility issues in (online) learning. Concepts such as a social view on disability, invisible disabilities and universal design are relevant for development cooperation as well. The course strengthened my belief in online learning, and made me looking forward to my next module, H809 (although I'd love it would start a few weeks later).</span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-75582399817425273182013-01-17T14:12:00.000+07:002013-01-17T14:12:01.156+07:00James Buchanan and Development Cooperation<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkdJWiNxLW4RMplS6Xv0F_Emwzh-hIRhLru8UoxviAcQlAg0Y7ZRzUvYgyMyAHWM-d7ADLqMbkHOZw6gEMYs0jKWzDLMN59PqgM3GmKr8uaJTHIzLpPziCSRKZnbEUxFnk9nweFb2do4/s1600/250px-James_Buchanan_by_Atlas_network.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkdJWiNxLW4RMplS6Xv0F_Emwzh-hIRhLru8UoxviAcQlAg0Y7ZRzUvYgyMyAHWM-d7ADLqMbkHOZw6gEMYs0jKWzDLMN59PqgM3GmKr8uaJTHIzLpPziCSRKZnbEUxFnk9nweFb2do4/s200/250px-James_Buchanan_by_Atlas_network.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Buchanan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The American economist and Nobel Prize winner James Buchanan recently passed away. Some quotes and information about his <a href="http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2013/01/what-made-buchanan-special-as-an-economist.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+marginalrevolution%2Ffeed+%28Marginal+Revolution%29">work </a>were posted on MRU. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A concept, first described by him, the Samaritan's Dilemma, is particularly relevant in development cooperation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Dilemma can be described as follows:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An actor who is deeply concerned about the well-being of others confronts situations in which other actors are in serious need of help. The Samaritan is thus confronted with choosing between helping and not helping. The recipient, on the other hand, has to decide how much effort the recipient will make to help them in this case. If the Samaritan extends help and the recipient extents high effort, the Samaritan will be benefited substantially as will the recipient - but from the recipient's perspective, they could be even better off if low effort was expended. (Ostrom et al, 2002)</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The prospect of bank bail-outs is an example where money (from tax payers) to banks (the recipients) has reduced incentives for these banks to work efficiently and lower risks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In development assistance recipient governments know that donors will provide money, whether they extent low or high effort. They will have therefore fewer incentives to create strong institutions, policies and rules. They may even have adverse initiatives: the worse the performance, the more development aid they will receive. This is real. During workshops participants pretend to have a lot of problems using teaching resources, later admitting that they hope to receive more training (and per diems). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Samaritan's Dilemma reduces a</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ccountability, as recipients don't face the economic consequences of their actions (donors pick up the tab anyway). When repeated (often the case in development assistance) the donor may create a situation where the recipient loses skills and motivation over time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Samaritan's Dilemma is primarily a motivation problem, but a lack of or asymmetric information creates similar problems, such as moral hazards. This is a situation where people receiving indiscriminate amounts of donor funds will be less inclined to engage in reforms or find alternative revenue sources. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Solutions to the Dilemma lie in capacity development and ownership by recipients. Capacity development intends to strengthen recipients' knowledge, skills and attitude to undertake certain activities, e.g. teach in a different way. Ideally, capacity development is coupled to a clear timeline, allowing recipients to gradually take responsibility for the actions. The problem with capacity development is that recipients do not always have the incentives to invest in the knowledge and skills that the donor is trying to develop. These incentives are determined by rules and institutions at higher (policy and constitutional) level.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ownership is a buzzword in development cooperation and worth of a (soon to write) blog post in itself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">* The picture of James Buchanan is published under a </span><span lang="NL"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Creative Commons
Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">* Reference: </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;">Ostrom, E., Gibson, C., Shivakumar, S. and Andersson, K. (2002) </span><i style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;">Aid, Incentives, and Sustainability: An Institutional Analysis of Development Cooperation</i><span style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;">, Sida Studies in Evaluation 02/01, Stockholm, Sida, [online] Available from http://www.sida.se/</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-46296364928412740942012-10-05T14:20:00.001+07:002012-10-05T14:20:36.287+07:00International Teachers' Day: Thanks to All Teachers<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r903UMsyYf9kioWYdvww2ctosKQzh7gSpHwbMGle__8tEMyBfsofOcAv_Nv6lpHxSljDKJ2bnV77McZYhrYjZecaR__9ueL1V5LWjJwseOBt0muoCJ7YKnbt94cENjijI1egEsPT5yY/s1600/DSC07018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r903UMsyYf9kioWYdvww2ctosKQzh7gSpHwbMGle__8tEMyBfsofOcAv_Nv6lpHxSljDKJ2bnV77McZYhrYjZecaR__9ueL1V5LWjJwseOBt0muoCJ7YKnbt94cENjijI1egEsPT5yY/s200/DSC07018.JPG" width="176" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My name is Nol Samnang. I
am 24 years old. I am a new teacher graduated from Regional Teacher Training
Center (RTTC) in Kandal province last school year. After my graduation, The
ministry of Education assigned me to 24 Kannha Upper Secondary School, located
in Kampong Speu province which is bit far away from my home town, but still I
am happy with my career as a science teacher. The school runs classes from
grade 7 to grade 12, and this school year I am appointed to teach chemistry for
all classes in grade 10. I was very nervous for my first teaching day when all
the children in my class stared at me with huge expectations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIf2JHvL1bYjMcAWIlYxrsw2E4DnzJnaBNeUAK2bn3Xz4SFpPTVgDewG4wjJbC53oS2MD3SBxzc80ZbK10DGzviO8EqI0LWxBcfZSXY30z1OxBL5jtPQDzy3eYyijQSkP7J9wzXKfqA4/s1600/DSC01331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIf2JHvL1bYjMcAWIlYxrsw2E4DnzJnaBNeUAK2bn3Xz4SFpPTVgDewG4wjJbC53oS2MD3SBxzc80ZbK10DGzviO8EqI0LWxBcfZSXY30z1OxBL5jtPQDzy3eYyijQSkP7J9wzXKfqA4/s200/DSC01331.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Ever since I was a small
girl I dreamt of being a teacher. I like
explaining things and want to help children to gain better knowledge and
skills. During my two years training at
RTTC I have learned a lot both on teaching methodology and content knowledge. I
usually worked in group in the library on the homework given by my teacher
trainers. Through the assignment I learned how to think critically, how to
solve problems as well as to observe phenomena.
These are the skills I find very important to become a good science
teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My teacher trainers usually
apply student center approach as well as including experiments in their lessons.
This has stimulated me to repeat the
same method during my practicum. Student center approaches stimulate students
to develop their skills; they are encouraged to use their prior knowledge and
creativity to form a new content. They learn to recognize and listen to others’
opinion. Moreover, I find experiments
very important for science lesson, it retain their knowledge in the memory
without forgetting it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In general, to become a
good teacher, they should have strong content knowledge and good appearance, furthermore they should think logically, be neutral and
friendly with the students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I encountered some
challenges to apply student centered approach in my lesson when I became the
teacher. Some teaching materials are not available in school but I can find and
bring them from home. Sometimes my pupils help me with finding the right
materials. My director is always
enthusiastic to support me when I ask for any request. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>Today is International
Teachers’ Day. In Cambodia thousands of
teachers work every day in challenging conditions to give children a better
future. They deserve a lot of respect
and support for what they do. The above
story is a summary of an interview we had last month with Nol Samnang,
chemistry teacher in Kampong Speu province. Credit to Sokhany Nget for transcript and pictures.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-18485640409728465112012-09-29T13:23:00.000+07:002012-09-29T16:28:57.641+07:00#H810 Financial Support for Disabled Students in Flanders<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPsDwLgUn92gzCE4kDpCOc7qF5E-MXGEJKg-0pk5Co6_New28HF4H1qyvBSVcac_utkGRNOfYxrYszmzbVn2U7OJr_OwQU9o7a3qOdVCh8-iEFhw0WZ8uBf41_niGlQfUPh0LRj4mNkc/s1600/page_8_thumb_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPsDwLgUn92gzCE4kDpCOc7qF5E-MXGEJKg-0pk5Co6_New28HF4H1qyvBSVcac_utkGRNOfYxrYszmzbVn2U7OJr_OwQU9o7a3qOdVCh8-iEFhw0WZ8uBf41_niGlQfUPh0LRj4mNkc/s200/page_8_thumb_large.jpg" width="159" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Klasse</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This week we look at forms of financial support that disabled students receive in higher education. As Cambodia does not have a system for financial support for disabled students to study higher education, I decided to look at the situation in the Flemish Community.<br /><br />Flanders does have a wide range of support mechanisms to help disabled students succeed in higher education. However, findings one's way through the maze of involved agencies can be daunting. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Additionally, HE in Flanders is heavily subsidized already with annual tuition fees for most courses not exceeding 500 euros. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the UK the newly approved Equality Act requires anticipation, compared with the previous Disability Act that required reasonable adjustment. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The principle of anticipation seems not yet to be embedded in Flemish legislation, although various institutions seem to work on Universal Design Principles, to make all courses and course materials more inclusive.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1.<b> Legal basis for financial and other support </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- The <a href="http://www.un.org/disabilities/">UN convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities</a> was ratified by Belgium in 2009. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- The <a href="http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex/database/document/document.asp?docid=13487">Participation Decree</a> (link in Dutch) (2004) intends to stimulate participation to higher education for all students, including those with a disability or learning difficulty. The decree stipulates that each institution should make adjustments for disabled students. However, as the adjustments are not clearly defined, students remain dependent on the commitment of the HE institution.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- The <a href="http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex/database/document/document.asp?docid=13528">Flexibility Decree</a> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(link in Dutch)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(2004) provides the framework for differentiated and flexible learning trajectories. It intends to improve access to HE for disabled students.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- The <a href="http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/api2.pl?lg=nl&pd=2008-09-23&numac=2008203387">Flemish Decree on Equal Opportunities</a> (link in Dutch)(2008) prohibits discrimination based on among others physical or genetic characteristics, disability or health situation. The Decree also makes it compulsory for the institution to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate students with a disability. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- The<a href="http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex/database/document/document.asp?docid=13988"> </a><a href="http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex/database/document/document.asp?docid=13988">Flemish Decree on the Financing of Higher Education</a> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(link in Dutch)</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(2008)<i> </i>stipulates that HE institutions can receive additional funds for students with a disability. A condition is that students need to be registered with the Vlaams Agentschap voor Personen met een Handicap (VAPH). Students with a learning difficulty such as dyslexia however are not eligible for financial support. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For these students the schools themselves have a budget to pay for extra support.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2.<b> Financial support</b> is provided by the </span><a href="http://www.vaph.be/vlafo/view/nl/204713-en.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Vlaams Agentschap voor Personen met een Handicap</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> (VAPH), </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Flemish government agency. </b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Various</span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> non-profit agencies </b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">play a complementary role</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. Higher Education in Flanders is overwhelmingly publicly organized.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- The VAPH provides:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A</span> b<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">udget for a pedagogical or technical assistant (can be a fellow student). There are limitations on what this budget can be used for, as it’s not intended for adapting learning materials, having someone take notes during lessons or helping finding resources in the library. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Disabled students can request a ‘Personal Assistance Budget’ (PAB). This budget can be used by the student to organize and finance assistance. The student can employ one or more assistants to help with studies or daily activities such as cooking, transport… </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Reimbursement of Screenreader software</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Within this agency there's an <a href="http://www.vaph.be/vlafo/view/nl/495783-Cel+Speciale+Onderwijsleermiddelen.html">unit </a>that deals with assistive technologies and interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing students.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- <a href="http://www.cabvlaanderen.be/">Vlaams Communicatie Assistentie Bureau voor Doven</a> (link in Dutch only) (CAB)</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a non-profit organisation that coordinates the deployment of interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing. Some interpreters use VGT (Flemish Sign Language), others write down what is being said ('Schrijftolk').</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Disabled students can be eligible for </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">study financing</b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, depending on their parents’ income. This is only for ‘initial academic courses’ such as bachelor and master courses, but not for postgraduate courses. As mentioned before, fees for postgraduate courses are not limited as those for bachelor and master courses are. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />- <b>Epos vzw</b> is a non-profit organisation that provides financial support for disabled students who want to study abroad under the Erasmus programme. The organisation provides an additional budget on top of the regular scholarship to cover additional costs. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It should be noted that registration fees at Flemish institutions for higher education are notably low compared with those at UK institutions. Most Bachelor and Master courses have an annual fee of approx. 500 euro. Only postgraduate courses can be much more expensive. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><br />3. <b>Barriers </b>for accessing support <br /><br />- Students need a recently issued medical <b>certificate </b>for accessing various kinds of support. This renders disclosure compulsory and may also provide a financial barrier for some students. <br /><br />- The type of assistance available and required procedure to obtain assistance varies between institutions and even between departments of an institution. <br /><br />- Frequently there’s a lack of <b>communication </b>about the available support. For example, a list with possible adjustments or assistive technologies is not always available. Students are requested to ask what type of assistance they need, but are not always aware of all technical and other types of assistance available. <br /><br />- Some institutions have a list with possible adjustments and support and let students choose what they need. This seems to be perceived as positive as individual needs are recognized. However, students need to select the type of support early, and can not always accurately assess what they would need. <br /><br />- Many learning difficulties such as dyslexia are not recognized by the VAPH. <br /><br />- Support seems to be scattered among various ministries and organisations and there are many rules for each type of support. It may seem quite daunting for disabled students and their families to find their way in the maze of support mechanisms. Fortunately, most institutions have one person per department who helps with disabled students with their study trajectory. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sources:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The 'Support Center for Inclusive Higher Education' (</span><a href="http://www.siho.be/english/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Steunpunt for Inclusief Hoger Onderwijs' (SIHO)</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - link to limited English version) is a inter-universitary knowledge centre for studying with a disability or learning difficulty. It's an excellent source of information and contains various studies and testimonies from students (</span><a href="http://www.siho.be/in-beeld/portretten/studentenportretten/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">written </a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and </span><a href="http://www.siho.be/in-beeld/beeldmateriaal/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">video</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, both in Dutch,), </span><a href="http://www.siho.be/in-beeld/portretten/beroepsportretten/leerkracht/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">teachers with a disability</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> (in Dutch) and lecturers.</span></div>
</div>
Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-5256699584655524832012-09-13T21:12:00.000+07:002012-09-13T21:16:02.820+07:00#H810 Challenges Disabled Students Face in Education<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GwQGGdZryOmEqaHOrwmtMUCmWhUDIbWUsbddA4BPwod-smO8ptxVtUM50hP8AZw2Wok6yeM-XeVpedVBUCnvDErB79lpvQGQ5oFJWKaWe0NZryGE1AqI72H2PxiMIwH1_YKoJJh9cvE/s1600/Uganda-Blind-Child_01-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GwQGGdZryOmEqaHOrwmtMUCmWhUDIbWUsbddA4BPwod-smO8ptxVtUM50hP8AZw2Wok6yeM-XeVpedVBUCnvDErB79lpvQGQ5oFJWKaWe0NZryGE1AqI72H2PxiMIwH1_YKoJJh9cvE/s1600/Uganda-Blind-Child_01-300x200.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: see below</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Disabled students encounter a range of challenges in their education, including in online education. Th is week's readings feature a few qualitative studies and a variety of case studies to describe the challenges disabled students are facing. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Most readings deal with dyslexic students, and students with mobility, visual or hearing impairments. Occasionally, we read about students with mental disabilities, dyspraxia and epilepsy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Challenges go beyond the accessing the course materials and can be roughly divided between course related challenges, challenges related to registration and bureaucracy, and psychological challenges.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Course related challenges </b>include:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">accessing course materials: </span></i></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many disabled students use assistive technologies such as screen readers, mechanical page turners, scanners, laptops with specialised software etc. Challenges also include bad pedagogy (such as long PowerPoint lectures) and design (such as images without description).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>communication with other students</i></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This includes challenges to engage in group activities and to respect the deadlines that come with it. However, informal peer support is important for many learners with disabilities.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">examination and assessment</span></i></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These include problems to work under time pressure, extra time needed due to use of assistive technologies and difficulties to express verbally or orally one's thoughts. Inappropriate feedback such as excessive attention on spelling and grammar mistakes for dyslexic students can be demotivating.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">managing learning</span></i></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These include challenges to find their way in a multitude of assignments and readings. Looking up and accessing third party materials online may pose challenges. An university library can be a daunting place for a student with dyslexia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Registration</b> related challenges include:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">dealing with procedure to get accepted for additional help</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">deciding whether to apply or not for additional help</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">lack of communication between the administration and the academic department, or between various departments ('glass walls')</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">waiting for extra help to arrive </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">time and energy spent on administrative issues encroaching on study tasks.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Students with disabilities are each engaged in a 'personal journey' (Goode, 2007) trying to reconcile a desire to study with a learning disability. They are actively managing their identity in various ways. <b>Psychological challenges </b>in doing this include:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Dealing with the decision whether or not to <b>disclose their disability</b></i></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">People may have </span><a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/09/h810-thinking-about-accessibility.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">various reasons</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> to try concealing their disability. Students try finding a balance between a need for assistance and a desire to live and study (as) independently (as possible). Some students fear being stigmatized by their peer students or harming their job prospects when disclosing a disability. Some students fear being victimized, and prefer a 'give-and-take' relationship. In online learning, students arguably have more control over what they want to disclose and to whom. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>D</i></span><i>eciding whether to <b>use additional services</b> & issues related to their use</i></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mortimer and Crozier (2006) report that additional services are </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">underused </b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(and perhaps also oversold). Lack of information and aversion from bureaucracy may offer some explanation, but case studies show that quite a few students deliberately choose not use services that they are eligible to. For them using them may present more disadvantages than benefits. Disadvantages can include creating a sense of dependency or abandoning their coveted 'ordinariness'. Sometimes they fear that staff or peers may be unappreciative to their 'special' situation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Both challenges come down to finding the right balance between becoming 'invisible' and becoming 'extravisible'.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Students with disabilities can become ‘invisible’ if/when their needs are not met— they are disabled by the environment from full participation and ‘disappear from view’. On the other hand, if and when they have to go out of their way to make their needs known they become ‘extravisible’ in a negative way.(Goode, 2007, p.42)</span></blockquote>
<br />
<ul>
<li> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>N</i></span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">egotiate a variety of <b>social relations</b></i></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Studying usually brings a variety of challenges that studying entails, even without a disability to handle. Studying is often a first break with parental oversight. Disabilities may manifest more clearly as study demands rise. For quite a few students in the case studies studying is a kind of personal endeavour, proving to themselves that they can achieve something, move beyond their limits.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Already facing physical and psychological hurdles, they often didn’t have the energy to ‘<strong>do battle’. </strong>‘Battling
the system’ was a very common phrase and several interviewees had come
close to dropping out. In other cases students had become <strong>‘</strong>battle-hardened<strong>’ </strong>and were more able to ‘demand’ the rights to which they knew they were entitled (Goode, p.44). </span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The case studies seem to support the argument for a social approach to learning disabilities, in which courses are <a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/09/h810-accessibility-and-online-learning.html">designed with flexibility in mind</a>, enabling variations in study pace, media preferences, study approach and assessment. In its accessibility policy institutions should not only focus on developing a system of specialist help, but on designing courses that are inviting for as large and diverse group of learners as is reasonably possible. </span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">--------------------</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 1.35;">Goode, J. (2007) ‘“Managing” disability: early experiences of university students with disabilities’, </span><i style="line-height: 1.35;">Disability & Society</i><span style="line-height: 1.35;">, 22(1), pp. 35–48.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;">Mortimore, T. and Crozier, W.R. (2006) ‘Dyslexia and difficulties with study skills in higher education’, </span><i style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;">Studies in Higher Education</i><span style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;">, 31(2), pp. 235–251.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 1.35; text-indent: -2em;">Credit for the picture at the top to </span>UNICEF/UGDA2012-00127/Michele Sibiloni. <a href="http://www.educationandtransition.org/">http://www.educationandtransition.org</a> provides stories on inclusive education from many countries.</span><br />
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<br />Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-70794492329441784412012-09-10T21:33:00.002+07:002012-09-10T21:44:39.140+07:00Too Hard To Measure: On the Value of Experiments and the Difficulty to Measure Lesson Quality<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Interesting <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2011/jun/21/science-teaching-experiments-in-lessons">article in The Guardian</a> (from some time ago, I'm a slow reader) about the overblown importance attributed to doing experiments during science lessons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The article reminds me of my experience in Cambodia, where experiments are also frequently espoused as proof of a student-centred lesson.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In reality experiments in Cambodian classrooms are often a very teacher-centred activity:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the teacher demonstrates and students (at best) trying to observe what happens. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">students do the experiment in large groups, by adhering to a strict series of steps outlined in a worksheet. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">students work in large groups, in which usually only one or two students do the work, The others are merely bystanders. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the procedure, observations and interpretation of the experiment are laid down in detail beforehand.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The article touches upon two interesting elements. First, there is the questionable educational value of many experiments in science classes. secondl</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">y, there is the challenge to measure lesson quality beyond 'ticking off' the occurrence of activities such as experiments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The article refers to '</span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gRKw7rLirHgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA41&ots=EdVdDCc1ut&sig=FEUedFV9FMoebHTlW0e9tqLLwtE#v=onepage&q&f=false">The Fallacy of Induction</a></i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">' from Rosalind Driver. Her book 'Making Sense of Secondary Science' is an excellent book on misconceptions in science education and has been an important inspiration for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Driver doesn't dismiss practical work in science, but argues that 'Many pupils do not know the purpose of practical activity,
thinking that they ‘do experiments’ in school to see if something works, rather
than to reflect on how a theory can explain observations.' (Driver et al, 1993, p.7).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She raises two main arguments. First, practical activities are often presented to students as a simulation of 'how science really works', collecting data, making observations, drawing inferences and arriving at a conclusion which is the accepted explanation. It's simplistic, and pupils happily play along, following the 'recipe' in the 'cookbook', checking whether they have 'the right answer'. I</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">n reality, science rarely works this way:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For a long time philosophers of science and scientists
themselves have recognised the limitations of the inductivist position and have
acknowledged the important role that imagination plays in the construction of
scientific theories.' (Driver, 1994, p.43)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second argument is that pupils don't arrive in class with a blank slate, but with a whole range of self-constructed interpretations or 'theories' on how natural phenomena work. These 'preconceptions' require more than an experiment to change, as children tend to fit observations within their own 'theoretical framework'.<br /><br /> Observations are not longer seen as objective but influenced by the theoretical perspective of the observer. ‘As Popper said, ‘we are prisoners caught in the framework of our theories.’ This too has implications for school science, for children, too, can be imprisoned in this way by their preconceptions, observing the world throught their own particular ‘conceptual spectacles.’ (Driver, 1994, p.44)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Misconceptions can be changed if they are made explicit, discussed and challenged with contradicting evidence. After this 'unlearning' phase, children may adopt a different framework. Driver concludes: 'Experience by itself is not enough. It is the sense that
students make of it that matters' (Driver et al, 1993, p.7). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Discussion activities, in which pupils have the opportunity to make their reasoning explicit and to engage with and try out alternative viewpoints, including the 'scientific one', need to be central (cognitive conflict). Practical activities can be complementary to these discussions, instead of the other way around, when discussion and conclusion are quickly reeled off at the end of the practicum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, the love for experiments while neglecting the question whether and what students are actually learning also touches upon the difficulty to measure adequately lesson quality. Limited time and resources result in a focus on outward and visible signs. However, these:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">deny the complexity of teaching and learning;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">deny the individuality of students' learning and understanding;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">steers teachers and programme staff towards focusing on these outward signs, as they know they will be evaluated on these criteria. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Collecting valid and reliable data on lesson quality is hard. Self-assessment instruments are notoriously prone to confirmation bias. Lesson observations don't give a reliable everyday picture of lesson practice. They suffer from the fact that teachers pull out special lessons when visitors appear for announced (or unannounced) visits. Conversely, as <a href="https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/page/4/">Cuban describes beautifully</a>, other teachers tremble and panic when an evaluator walks into their classroom and the lesson becomes a shambles.</span><br />
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Evidence-based evaluation is often touted as the way forward for development projects. Randomized trials in health have been useful to collect a body of knowledge on what works and what not. In a randomized trial a group of students where teachers received pedagogical training is compared with a group of students where teachers didn't receive training. Comparisons can be made with test scores, student satisfaction or drop-outs.</span><br />
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However, test scores are unsuitable as exams are notoriously prone to cheating and questions focus on recollecting factual knowledge, the opposite of what we want to achieve. A self-designed test could be a solution, but there's the risk that programme activities will focus more on the test than on improving teaching skills. Student satisfaction scores are prone to the aforementioned confirmation bias. Drop-outs are hard to use as they are influenced by many interrelated factors such as geography, economic growth and government policy.</span><br />
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Ownership by the direct target group on the evaluation is part of the solution in my opinion, as well as using a variety of data sources. In future blog posts I plan to write more on how we try to measure lesson quality.</span><br />
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For more detail see this available study from <a href="http://www.score-education.org/media/3671/review_of_research.pdf">Prof. James Dillon</a> (pdf) on the value of practical work in science education.<br />
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Driver, R. (1994) 'The fallacy of induction in science teaching', in Teaching Science, ed. Levinson, R., London, Routledge, pp.41–48.<br />
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Driver, R., Squires, A., Rushworth, P. and Wood-Robinson, V. (1993) Making Sense of Secondary Science, Routledge.<br />
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Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-88762818682158301392012-09-04T20:51:00.002+07:002012-09-05T09:43:24.511+07:00#H810 Accessibility and Online Learning<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QjDse4NLfC4ZIoQ5sk1X203eW-2D4QCZWlJErphxgds-ESiJ8dfu8jXwlqKg2brPoWOWQ_qLshRLJnTKMhMe9sKqHUkGj7ufo8N3p42jmPcm04R9S_sOVAHgrkLSD1LqESlwipIN5jk/s1600/track-field-hurdles-flickr-phil-roeder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QjDse4NLfC4ZIoQ5sk1X203eW-2D4QCZWlJErphxgds-ESiJ8dfu8jXwlqKg2brPoWOWQ_qLshRLJnTKMhMe9sKqHUkGj7ufo8N3p42jmPcm04R9S_sOVAHgrkLSD1LqESlwipIN5jk/s320/track-field-hurdles-flickr-phil-roeder.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credit: Phil Roeder (CC)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Accessibility is the removal of barriers. Barriers can relate to physics and mental disabilities, but also to geography, culture, ethnicity and gender. In an educational context it means providing equitable access to educational opportunities to all. <br /><br />Accessibility is a responsibility of all of us. In an (online) educational context there is a shared responsibility of administrators, course developers & designers, teaching staff and co-learners to ensure that everyone has access to an equivalent (not necessarily equal) learning experience. <br /><br />Online learning has potential to remove barriers for disabled learners. Online learning doesn’t require transportation to campuses and lecture halls. Learners have more control over what and how much they disclose to whom. Various tools enable learners to overcome all kinds of impairments and engage in online <b>communication</b> with fellow learners. Online learners may enable disabled learners to be real peer learners and engage more easily in a reciprocal, ‘give and take’ relationship. However, online learning may also increase barriers, due to badly designed software and learning materials, or due to a lack of personal support.<br /><br />In developing countries 90% of children with disabilities do not attend school (UNICEF data). In Cambodia there are both political, economic and cultural reasons for the lack of accessibility to education in my opinion. Ensuring accessibility is not a matter for a small minority of the population. An estimated 20% of the population in Australia and New-Zealand have a disability. <b>Lifelong learning</b> means that more learners are elderly people, with various kinds of impairments. Impairments may be temporary such as a broken arm. Accessible learning materials are also <b>flexible </b>learning materials, catering for various styles and contexts, thereby benefiting all learners.</span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-47279405813292865102012-09-03T20:17:00.000+07:002012-09-03T21:37:51.145+07:00#H810 Thinking about Accessibility in Education<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some reflections on the first two chapters of Seale (2006) and the questions in the course text.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Reliable data on the number of learners with disabilities is important to raise awareness with institutions and policy makers on the importance of increasing accessibility of education. Accurate data make it more difficult to ignore or minimize the challenge. Officially, 4.5% of the Cambodian population has a disability (UN-SDD, 2010), but given its turbulent past, murderous traffic and high diabetes rate the figure seems an underestimation. Comparing and interpreting disability data is notoriously tricky with various definitions being used. Official percentages vary widely, for example between 1% and 20% in Asia-Pacific.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Again these [percentages of disabled students] figures should be treated with caution. They may reflect an increase in students’ willingness to disclose a disability, changes in the figures in the general population, changes in support for children in the school system or some other factors. (Seale, 2006, p.10)</span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5GLUb2jr6vW1X6WfRg3NFFx-KQZ8uzq63GyNSonDt-2IKai7visF_P2HooxXmNxv0igzCziP9wpiURvaWhGpqZ_QI6TVtPc4m1ZZHM3oDS9T-Obd0IfpApXltLUs9dRJLVEmilEQ1To/s1600/2012-09-03_2012.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5GLUb2jr6vW1X6WfRg3NFFx-KQZ8uzq63GyNSonDt-2IKai7visF_P2HooxXmNxv0igzCziP9wpiURvaWhGpqZ_QI6TVtPc4m1ZZHM3oDS9T-Obd0IfpApXltLUs9dRJLVEmilEQ1To/s640/2012-09-03_2012.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">from: Disability at a Glance, 2010</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Traditional definitions of disability and accessibility focused on the medical diagnosis. Legal and administrative interpretations are still infused with this approach. The ICF classification from the WHO, however, integrates more contextual and social elements in its approach to disability.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>The WHO argue that their new classification now operates a universal
rather than a minority model of disability where everyone may have
disability; disability is seen as a continuum rather than dichotomous
and is understood as multi-dimensional. This universal model is based on
the value of inclusion and rejects the view that disability is a
defining feature of a separate minority group of people</i>. (Seale, 2006, p12)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In this approach every learner may have some kind of disability, understood as some limitation of the learner experience. In the Cambodian situation, these may include traumatic experiences, as many families are broken or still face the traumas experienced during the Khmer Rouge regime and its aftermath. Visual or hearing impairments are often compounded by a lack of affordable glasses or hearing devices. The social view considers the definition and extent of a disability socially constructed.</span><br />
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Despite legal, pedagogic - a course designed for accessibility benefits all learners - and moral reasons to develop truly inclusive education, disabled learners may often decide not to disclose their disability. In online learning, the absence of face-to-face contact may increase the barrier. In Cambodia, culture, religion and poverty all may play a strong role in attitudes toward disability and education, which I want to explore further in this course.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Participants gave a number of practical reasons for why they concealed their
impairments:</span></i><br />
<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">those with invisible disabilities expressed concern that others would not believe that they had a real disability;</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">participants felt that others would see them as less competent;</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">they wished to be viewed as consistent and trustworthy;</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">they worried that others would see them only as needing help
rather than as a peer who can give and take in a relationship. (Seale, 2006, p.16)</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Seale argues that disability and accessibility should be treated as social rather than individual problems. An education system should be flexible enough to cater for a variety of learning needs, rather than redirect learners with disabilities to specialized or medical services.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Accessibility, given this redefinition, is the ability of the learning
environment to adjust to the needs of all learners. Accessibility is
determined by the flexibility of the education environment (with respect
to presentation, control methods, access modality, and learner
supports) and the availability of adequate alternative-but-equivalent
content and activities. (Seale, 2006, p.19)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This vision may of course clash with economical considerations. In Cambodia, large parts of the education system are (being) privatized. Ensuring accessible education requires investments in infrastructure, staff training and school management. Without sufficient and enforceable legal provisions, they are unlikely to invest in an accessible learning environment. A magic fairy is an apt imagery here, as paying lip service to an accessible education system is easier than realizing it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In seeking to develop accessible e-learning practice, we cannot rely on finding ‘magic fairies’ with magic solutions. (Seale, 2006, p.5)</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Larry Cuban uses the metaphor of hurricanes on sea to describe educational reform. Grant policy statements are like giant surface waves. Education practitioners and scholars point out research findings and bring nuance, like the disturbed waves below the surface. At the bottom of the sea however, the hurricane above is hardly felt. This is where teachers daily struggle to cope with the challenges thrown at them and make the best out of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Seale, J. (2006) <i>E-Learning and Disability in Higher Education: Accessibility Research and Practice</i>, Abingdon, Routledge, [online] Available from: http://learn2.open.ac.uk/ mod/ subpage/ view.php?id=153062.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">United Nations - Social Development Division (SDD) (2010) Disability at a Glance 2010: A Profile of 36 Countries and Areas in Asia and the Pacific, [online] Available from: http://www.unescap.org/publications/detail.asp?id=1407.</span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-42732665940237117682012-09-01T13:07:00.000+07:002012-09-01T13:42:20.990+07:00#H810 Context and Expectations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx5tf25UqarXJwehiPQs2bpDk9ki-gbCkUwgQ7sG-zEr30PoeRasmkdMDrpnvTCjWOmCZjxepmuHp-c0T-kdpi5YyCBYEgGhywr2r2KG3j-heOUT2dsivYh4xopsdDmRCEGFvu_662uk/s1600/DSC06438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx5tf25UqarXJwehiPQs2bpDk9ki-gbCkUwgQ7sG-zEr30PoeRasmkdMDrpnvTCjWOmCZjxepmuHp-c0T-kdpi5YyCBYEgGhywr2r2KG3j-heOUT2dsivYh4xopsdDmRCEGFvu_662uk/s320/DSC06438.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today, <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/h810.htm">H810 </a>kicks off, my third module in the MAODE master programme of the OU. The title of the module is 'Accessible Online Learning: Supporting Disabled Students'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The start seems very promising, with an already active tutor group an interesting learning materials (nicely available in epub format). Blogging is heavily encouraged and this first week we are asked to reflect on our context and expectations for the course.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I believe that a qualitatively rich education is an universal right for everyone, not only for the 'average' or 'traditional' learner in developed countries. Not only is education for many the best chance for upward social mobility, it also enriches and empowers people and gives them a sense of achievement and self-fulfilment. In Cambodia development programmes are often geared toward increasing enrolment rates, reducing attrition rates and improving the general quality of education. Learners' special needs are rarely recognized and only but a few NGOs focus on improving educational accessibility for disabled learners.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Online learning offers tremendous potential for learners in developing countries. Open courses, such as those offered by <a href="https://www.coursera.org/">Coursera </a>and <a href="https://www.edx.org/">EdX </a>have many participants from developing countries, attracted by the prestigious institutions involved and the free admission. MOOCs espouse a completely new educational formula, based on distributed content, networking, participation and self-motivation. However, in all the hype surrounding these developments I've never encountered so far any mention of disabled learners. Do they participate at these courses? Are these course designed for them anyway?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cambodia has come a long way since the first elections in 1994. Schools have been built, teachers been trained and enrolment rates in basic education been vastly increased. Resources have understandably been focused on getting the basics in order (schools, teachers, books) for traditional learner groups. Understandable as in this way with limited resources a maximum number of learners can be targeted. On the other hand, it also means leaving a considerable number of people out in the cold. Should we as development partners focus on inclusive education, even if it means that a lower total number of people will be targeted? </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Inclusive education means expanding educational opportunities for all learners, including disabled learners, learners with learning difficulties, and learners from minority groups. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to learn more about what improving accessibility can mean for these various groups of learners. How they can cope with the educational challenges thrown at them. How instructional design can be used to develop inclusive course materials. And how, in Cambodia, we can improve opportunities to those who still fall through the (wide) mazes of the educational net.</span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-23802283016185739022012-08-18T16:10:00.002+07:002013-02-25T17:19:24.242+07:00Effectiveness of ICT in the classroom: Findings from the IDB study on OLPC Peru<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3MOTiJJ0yK9bCSVP4t_JLdbH73GpEkavCPzI286RbLjSkmI5fef9fX3h9ivow5lpiycWNxA_b8MGJ8bxBdd2bRgnIK9SZfVoGrGvaO5iYR9eX_C6TBKnlbYG7omXvLaAqp6ZZfpdDxw/s1600/olpc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3MOTiJJ0yK9bCSVP4t_JLdbH73GpEkavCPzI286RbLjSkmI5fef9fX3h9ivow5lpiycWNxA_b8MGJ8bxBdd2bRgnIK9SZfVoGrGvaO5iYR9eX_C6TBKnlbYG7omXvLaAqp6ZZfpdDxw/s320/olpc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Credit: <span style="background-color: #fefefe; font-size: x-small; line-height: 1em; text-align: left;">jdebner</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The <a href="https://edutechdebate.org/olpc-in-peru/oscar-becerra-on-olpc-perus-long-term-impact">Edutech Debate</a> and the <a href="http://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/1-to-1-around-the-world">World Bank Blog from Michael Trucano</a> regularly provide excellent background reading on the effectiveness on
ICT in education (‘computers in the classroom’). Discussion surged again with the <a href="http://www.iadb.org/en/research-and-data/publication-details,3169.html?pub_id=IDB-WP-304">publication</a>
of an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) in Peru, which sparked
an lengthy but worthwhile <a href="https://edutechdebate.org/olpc-in-peru/what-do-olpc-peru-results-mean-for-ict-in-education/">discussion</a> on the EduTech website. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Read further <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/effectiveness-of-ict-in-the-classroom-findings-from-the-idb-study-on-olpc-peru/">here</a></span></div>
Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-23887360861733473842012-08-13T20:24:00.001+07:002013-02-25T17:11:19.111+07:00#H807 The Final Verdict<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgty5_XRAjZYB86SXDzUVRPJRBfI1iccxi2TfcjwmFzZj_SnxxWR4AkmIIPjAZwMXIjVQ13JOXeIzcnl7TcthdNh5B6E0-WsB7HD7tL5qDhq8l4-yHmf_4L6YSxcGpELTmXNNAkYSKs9xQ/s1600/h807.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgty5_XRAjZYB86SXDzUVRPJRBfI1iccxi2TfcjwmFzZj_SnxxWR4AkmIIPjAZwMXIjVQ13JOXeIzcnl7TcthdNh5B6E0-WsB7HD7tL5qDhq8l4-yHmf_4L6YSxcGpELTmXNNAkYSKs9xQ/s1600/h807.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a few weeks, I resume my MAODE studies at the OU with the
module <a href="http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/h810.htm">H810, Accessible online learning: supporting disabled students</a>. I submitted by H807 EMA hours before boarding the plane to Belgium, and I didn't got to blogging during my holiday. As the dust settles - but without the EMA scores in yet - I want to write a few final reflections on H807. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Read further on <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/h807-the-final-verdict/">here</a> (new blog address)</span></div>
Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-1999261091441732532012-05-28T16:14:00.000+07:002013-02-24T14:32:52.673+07:00#H807 E-learning models and their implications for activity design<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrGnswM-lbswdgC-1B_tHPdfXQXGSVljxZ6OBdEG3-q7dRr4wUTyYx9NbBRBVsJJm0KUDH1gSvd7837TZD798WFLh_1S8pHSLBUjkri4k5NS13vad5xZLJ0qm1lRvx9hWjVT__CVpzN8/s1600/Eisblumen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrGnswM-lbswdgC-1B_tHPdfXQXGSVljxZ6OBdEG3-q7dRr4wUTyYx9NbBRBVsJJm0KUDH1gSvd7837TZD798WFLh_1S8pHSLBUjkri4k5NS13vad5xZLJ0qm1lRvx9hWjVT__CVpzN8/s320/Eisblumen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copyright: Oliver Merkel</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With the submission of TMA03 focus in <b>H807 </b>shifts to the
design of e-tivities (Salmon, 2000). The ultimate block
starts with a study of the theoretical foundations that underpin activity
design explicitly or, more often, implicitly, as pedagogic assumptions. The key text is a review of
e-learning theories by Mayes and de Freitas (2004), complemented with e-books from
Terry Anderson (2008) and Peter Goodyear (2001). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Read further <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/h807-e-learning-models-and-their-implications-for-activity-design/">here</a></span></div>
Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-16380404772933201152012-03-24T11:28:00.000+07:002013-02-24T14:33:47.268+07:00#H807 The Wiki Way: Analysis of Social Values of Wikis<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIc12APJ65zhucKWtA5VbJM7ALncTrEeW-UtUL18DRMJEHxvBZFTPcAqYP7-lDkYmbEWZuA3Nv_19_TVby8e9LELqe6sdBGd8gqO8zvuAg-qCtetMhJs-BZBi4y68uGViALzH8SfGmWB0/s1600/team-work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIc12APJ65zhucKWtA5VbJM7ALncTrEeW-UtUL18DRMJEHxvBZFTPcAqYP7-lDkYmbEWZuA3Nv_19_TVby8e9LELqe6sdBGd8gqO8zvuAg-qCtetMhJs-BZBi4y68uGViALzH8SfGmWB0/s200/team-work.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p>A wiki is a collaborative authoring environment that can be
used to reach certain pedagogical objectives, in particular when the underlying
pedagogy is social constructivism. This
learning theory asserts that learning occurs by reconstructing knowledge in social
activity. Wikis can be used to support
group activities, peer and tutor reviewing and knowledge creation and sharing
activities. Some people would say that
these are the <a href="http://stefedu.blogspot.com/2012/03/h807-on-affordances.html">‘affordances’</a> of wikis. The learning artefact is usually a
collectively authored text. <o:p></o:p>Sukaina Walji provides an excellent overview on wikis in a FAQ format on <a href="http://littlegreycells.posterous.com/an-overview-of-using-wikis-in-a-learning-envi">her blog</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Read further <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/h807-the-wiki-way-analysis-of-social-values-of-wikis/">here</a> (new blog address)</span></div>
Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-58083444364099033302012-03-17T14:42:00.000+07:002012-03-17T14:42:04.156+07:00#H807 On Affordances<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week in H807 features an elaboration of the term 'affordances' in educational technology.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This relates to the broader
discussion on if and how technologies we use affect our behaviour.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Is our behaviour (as a learner) influenced by
the use of e-mail, blogging, e-readers etc.? For example, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">'writing
with pen and paper required the user to think linearly, writing only when the
text was near completion, in contrast the use of a word processor allows you to
think non-linearly and to adapt and develop ideas as they emerge.' (McGrenere and
Ho, 2000, p6)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The term was originally coined by Gibson (1979), but has since
undergone an evolution in its meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Gibson (1979)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ecology<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Origin in the study of perception by WWII pilots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Interaction between environment and organisms. Environment becomes meaningful in its
interaction with organisms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Objective/ Positivistic meaning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fundamental properties:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">An
affordance exists relative to the action capabilities of a particular actor.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -16px;">The existence of an affordance is independent of the actor’s ability to perceive it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">An affordance does not change as the needs and goals of the actor change.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Norman (1988)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Design<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Adoption of affordances for design.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Design of an object may support its intended
use. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Suggestions or clues as to how to use the properties</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Perceived and actual properties of an object.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Can be dependent on the experience, knowledge,
or culture of the actor (User-centric meaning of affordance)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Can make an action difficult or easy</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">McGrenere and Ho (2000)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Utility vs Usability<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Degrees of affordance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>Ease with which an affordance can be
undertaken<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Clarity of the information that describes the
existing affordance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kreijns et al (2002)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="138"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Social affordances<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 293.4pt;" valign="top" width="391"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Properties of technologies that create and sustain social
interactions (‘social space’).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To invite learners to act in accordance with the perceived
affordance, i.e., start a task or a non-task related interaction of
communication’<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.9pt;" valign="top" width="109"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Conole & Dyke (2004)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="138"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Taxonomy of affordances<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 293.4pt;" valign="top" width="391"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Standard set of taxonomies can help practitioners to make better use
of ICT in education.'<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.9pt;" valign="top" width="109"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Boyle and Cook (2004)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="138"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 293.4pt;" valign="top" width="391"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Affordances incompatible with social constructivism</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.9pt;" valign="top" width="109"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oliver (2005)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="138"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Claims<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 293.4pt;" valign="top" width="391"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Term ‘affordance’ is confusing and used inappropriately. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">‘Claims’ would be better.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.9pt;" valign="top" width="109"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Wright and Pamchoma (2011)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="138"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Discourse</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 293.4pt;" valign="top" width="391"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Suggest discourse-based approach, like the 4 discourses on technology in learning identified by Bigum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In Gibson’s view affordances are latent in the environment,
objectively measurable and independent of the individual’s ability to recognise
them, but are always in relation to the actor (Wright and Pachoma, 2011, p.249). Its meaning was confused by the
appropriation by Norman, who distinguished between ‘real affordances’ (conform to
Gibson’s notion) and ‘perceived affordances’. This
shift incorporates subjective interpretation and mental activity, which were
explicitly rejected by Gibson (Wright and Parchoma, 2011). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Conole and Dyke (2004) introduced a taxonomy of affordances
for educational technology. This aims at
helping practitioners when designing e-learning activities. The affordances include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Diversity</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Communication and Collaboration</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Reflection</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Multimodal and Non-Linear</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Risk –Fragility – Uncertainty</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Immediacy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Monopolization (convergence)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Surveillance</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The paper from Conole and Dyke (2004) generated an
interesting discussion with a response from Boyle and Cook (2004) and a
counter-response from Conole and Dyke (2004).
They argue that it’s wrong to apply the notion of affordances within a
social constructivist context. ‘Gibson’s
approach is (a) not constructivist, and (b) not social’ (Boyle and Cook,
2004). They claim that other theories of
perception are more reconcilable with social constructivism. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oliver (2005) refers to Gregory’s perception
theory: </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">‘Gregory, for example, presents
a position far easier to reconcile with constructivist perspectives. Perceptions
are predictive hypotheses, based on knowledge stored from the past. ...We carry
in our heads predictive hypotheses of the external world of objects and of
ourselves.’ (Gregory, 1998, cited in Oliver, 2005, p. 405)</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">McGrenere and Ho
(2000, p.7) suggest a two-dimensional interpretation of the affordance concept,
‘where one dimension describes the ease with which an affordance can be
undertaken and the second dimension describes the clarity of the information
that describes the existing affordance. Each of these dimensions is a
continuum.’<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The main critique centres on the confusing nature of the
concept, because of its appropriation by different theoretical streams. Oliver’s (2005) concludes that the term is
highly problematic in both its origin and in its application. McGrenere and Ho (2000, p.8) state that ‘as
the concept of a affordances is used currently, it has marginal value because
it lacks specific meaning’.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">‘The term becomes shorthand, causally ‘afforded’ by the technologies
and presented as obvious and inherent. Rendering
something as complex as the idea of anytime anyplace learning in this way
closes it to investigation; it simply becomes a black box with an input of
access, which occurs anytime or anywhere, and an output of learning. What is
going on inside the black box has been obscured from view and closed from
enquiry.’ (Oliver, 2005, p.252) ‘Once
prevalence and ubiquity are expanded to include and acknowledge heterogeneity,
the supposed ’affordances’ start to break down and its black box begins to
crack revealing a much more complex system than a mapping of affordance as
input to pedagogy as output.’ (Oliver, 2005, p 254)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oliver (2005) denounces the taxonomy of affordances,
suggested by Conole and Dyke (2004). ‘This
list [taxonomy of affordances] groups together qualities attributable to the
technology (e.g. multimodality and non-linearity), to its user (e.g.
reflection) and to their mutual relationship (e.g. immediacy). Arguably, such a
list does not conform neatly to Gibson’s, Norman’s or McGrenere & Ho’s
formulation of affordance. Some elements seem consistent with the
essentialised, positivist origins of affordance. Others seem entirely unrelated
– reflection, for example, would be denounced by Gibson. Moreover, the idea
that reflection might be a response to an offering by technology (implying some
causal link) rather than an act of personal agency seems odd. ‘(Oliver, 2005,
p.409)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, Oliver (2005) acknowledges that a list might be
useful, but objects to the use of the term ‘affordances’. ‘The notion of ‘affordance’ seems ill-suited
to legitimating this conglomeration of claims about perceptions, actions and
characteristics. Something much broader is required. Substituting the word
‘claims’ for ‘affordances’, for example, provides a more plausible framework with
no loss of the central message and no diminution of utility to practitioners.’ (Oliver,
2005, p.409)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A brief ‘tour’ of the literature provides some insight in
the origins and various interpretations of the term ‘affordances’. It seems wise to either refer specifically to
the intended meaning when using it (for example, by referring to Gibson or Norman),
or drop the term altogether, using more neutral terms as ‘claims’ or ‘potential’
instead.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Key references<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Gibson, J. J. (1979) The ecological approach to visual
perception (Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">McGrenere, J. & Ho, W. (2000) Affordances: clarifying
and evolving a concept, Proceedings of Graphics Interface, May, Montreal.
Available online at: </span><a href="http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/~joanna/papers/gi_2000_affordances.pdf" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/~joanna/papers/gi_2000_affordances.pdf</a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kreijns, K., Kirschner, P. A. & Jochems, W. (2002) The
sociability of computer-supported collaborative learning environments,
Educational Technology & Society, 5(1). Available online at: </span><a href="http://www.ifets.info/journals/5_1/kreijns.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">http://www.ifets.info/journals/5_1/kreijns.html</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
(Accessed March 14, 2012)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oliver, M. (2005) ‘The Problem with Affordance’, E-Learning
and Digital Media, 2(4), pp. 402–413.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Wright, S. and Parchoma, G. (2011) ‘Technologies for
Learning? An Actor-Network Theory Critique of “Affordances” in Research on
Mobile Learning’, Research in Learning Technology, 19(3), pp. 247–258.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Categorization of Affordances, </span><a href="http://acad88.sahs.uth.tmc.edu/courses/hi6301/affordance.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">http://acad88.sahs.uth.tmc.edu/courses/hi6301/affordance.html</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-10607433462381610542012-03-10T11:52:00.000+07:002013-02-24T14:35:42.802+07:00Improving Physics Education in Cambodia: Beyond the Workshop<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Last week we’ve been organizing a workshop on physics
education for lower secondary teacher trainers in Cambodia at the regional
teacher training centre in Kandal province. All Cambodian physics teacher trainers were
present. That makes around 20
people. The workshop lasted 5 days. Each day we discussed a different part from
the curriculum. There were days we
focused on sound, mechanics, pressure, optics and electricity and
magnetism. The last day participants collaboratively
made a lesson plan using materials they’d learned. There
was a strong emphasis on low-cost experiments, but there’s also attention for simulations
and animations, and student-centred approaches.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4T_Ct8_nmD68qVR4Rf6r2-8xbutAp-86Er8LX4A-ks3f1jOYyYTqaMrUDGw8KQYd5VdeUFSxHN9VtAVB8evHapZk8RzTbKxDpnPm25Cbex1cKc_Z8FkL8lLjTsMizL-bQT1Z7FPck5ZU/s1600/DSC05950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4T_Ct8_nmD68qVR4Rf6r2-8xbutAp-86Er8LX4A-ks3f1jOYyYTqaMrUDGw8KQYd5VdeUFSxHN9VtAVB8evHapZk8RzTbKxDpnPm25Cbex1cKc_Z8FkL8lLjTsMizL-bQT1Z7FPck5ZU/s320/DSC05950.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The underlying concept of the workshop – and actually the
whole programme – is the <a href="http://tpack.org/">TPACK concept</a> (Mishra and Koehler,2006; Koehler and
Mishra, 2007; Abbitt, 2011), an extension of Shulman’s idea of pedagogical content knowledge, this is knowledge of pedagogy that is applicable to the teaching of specific content. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Read further <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/improving-physics-education-in-cambodia-beyond-the-workshop/">here </a>(new blog address)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="csl-bib-body" style="line-height: 1.35; padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em;">
<span class="Z3988" title="url_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fzotero.org%3A2&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Measuring%20Technological%20Pedagogical%20Content%20Knowledge%20in%20Preservice%20Teacher%20Education%3A%20A%20Review%20of%20Current%20Methods%20and%20Instruments&rft.jtitle=Journal%20of%20Research%20on%20Technology%20in%20Education&rft.volume=43&rft.issue=4&rft.aufirst=J.T.&rft.aulast=Abbitt&rft.au=J.T.%20Abbitt&rft.date=2011"><span class="Z3988" title="url_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fzotero.org%3A2&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2Fviewdoc%2Fdownload%3Fdoi%3D10.1.1.130.7937&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Teachers%20learning%20technology%20by%20design&rft.jtitle=Journal%20of%20Computing%20in%20Teacher%20Education&rft.volume=21&rft.issue=3&rft.aufirst=Matthew%20J&rft.aulast=Koehler&rft.au=Matthew%20J%20Koehler&rft.au=Punya%20Mishra&rft.date=2005&rft.pages=94-102&rft.spage=94&rft.epage=102">
<span class="Z3988" title="url_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fzotero.org%3A2&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1111%2Fj.1467-9620.2006.00684.x&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Technological%20Pedagogical%20Content%20Knowledge%3A%20A%20Framework%20for%20Teacher%20Knowledge&rft.jtitle=Teachers%20College%20Record&rft.volume=108&rft.issue=6&rft.aufirst=Punya&rft.aulast=Mishra&rft.au=Punya%20Mishra&rft.au=Matthew%20J.%20Koehler&rft.date=2006-06&rft.pages=1017-1054&rft.spage=1017&rft.epage=1054&rft.issn=0161-4681%2C%201467-9620"></span></span></span></div>
</div>
Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-18298426809675576822012-02-15T13:40:00.000+07:002012-02-25T17:12:33.071+07:00#H807 case-studies in elearning innovation (4): Use of e-portfolios and blogging in Teacher Education<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This
case study investigates the introduction of e-portfolios in three teacher
education programmes at the University of Wolverhampton. PebblePAD (</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">h</span><a href="http://www.pebbelpad.co.uk/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ttp://www.pebblepad.co.uk</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">) was used as e-portfolio system.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The
case study discusses well the </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>pedagogical principles</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> that underlie the
adoption:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Making teacher education more authentic;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Encouraging deeper engagement with the course material by
stimulating discussing observation underpinned by theoretical understanding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Stimulating learner ownership and control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Develop critical thinking skills, underpinned <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">by a 'dialogic' approach </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Developing a Community of Practice (Lave &
Wenger), that continues to be active beyond graduation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Gibbs/ Kolb reflective cycle.
This is a series of writing and thinking frames to prompt and encourage
deeper levels of learning and meta-learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Patchwork text approach.
This focuses on developing shared short formative writing into summative
pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Personal Learning Environment (rather than a mere content
repository).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The
author describes the introduction as an astounding success.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Success factors</b> include:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Training and support for staff and students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>E-mentoring system for ongoing support (system of graduated
students supporting subsequent student cohorts)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Introduction was based on sound pedagogical principles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Early online socialization<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Expectation that reflection and analysis will continue beyond the
classroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Providing a safe environment for students to share thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“Taking an approach which supports confidence and esteem building,
early writing, rapid feedback moving into writing/ reflective communities of
practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991, Wenger, 2005) is hugely beneficial and
supports meta-learning.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There
are <b>drawbacks</b> as well and the author honestly describes her feelings of
isolation and frustration that befell her during the pilot programme.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She found that e-portfolios weren’t regarded
as seriously as other innovations by colleagues.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>“False dichotomies”</i> were created by school
directives such as content delivery vs. dialogic approach, VLE vs. E-portfolios
that divided many staff and making that the e-portfolios were often considered
as an add-on rather than integral to learning.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The author found support in professional communities, leading to an
invitation to contribute to a book on e-portfolios.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I found
this the case study the most instructive of the four, because of the attention
for the learner experience, the honest description of drawbacks and the clear
links between the technology and the elements of learning theory on which the
adoption of new technology was based.</span></div>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-80321087667758206282012-02-15T13:36:00.000+07:002012-02-15T13:36:52.269+07:00#H807 case-studies in elearning innovation (3): Use of Video-Conferencing in Classics Studies<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This
case-study discusses the adoption of video-conferencing in the Classics
departments of 3 universities in Wales. Seminars on specialized topics
were alternately organized at each university with students and academic staff
from the other 2 institutions participating in discussion-based sessions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Video-conferencing
has allowed the 3 departments to improve the quality of their programme by
offering a wider range of seminars from specialized lecturers in a time and
cost effective way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Student
and lecturer feedback are mainly positive. Students consider the
video-lectures to be complementary to their face-to-face activities, but are nevertheless receptive for a stronger e-learning component. Lecturers appreciate being part of a wider academic team and the academic discussions during the
seminars, which are often attended by academics from several institutions.
Students also appreciate the opportunity to observe these academic
discussions, engaging in a kind of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>legitimate peripheral
practice</i> (Wenger). Technical
issues with software and difficulties to get bookings for the conference
room proved the main obstacles in this case study.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's a rather
unremarkable case study in which a technology is used to improve the
quality of the learner experience. As in
other case studies the e-learning component is seen as a complement to the
face-to-face activities in the programme.
Opportunities for inter-university student interaction are passingly
mentioned - the title says only ‘collaborative teaching’ -, but it seems that
there is clearly a lot of potential here for further development of the
e-learning component. I believe that
these kinds of initiatives are probably the only way small universities can
still provide a sufficient quality and survive in the changing HE landscape.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-74739801310370851872012-02-13T21:57:00.000+07:002012-02-14T20:13:15.614+07:00#H807 case-studies in elearning innovation (2): Online Msc in Strategic Management in Africa<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This case study description is part of Activity 2 - Week 2 in the H807 course at the OU.</span></i>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The second case study describes the introduction of an online MSc in Strategic Management course by the University of Derby. The course had been running some years as a face-to-face course and was then adapted to be offered both as a blended learning programme in Malawi and Botswana, and as a 'pure' online course. In the blended learning option Derby Un. lecturers organized regular intensive 3-day seminars in the country.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The author is very critical of the experience and lists a number of encountered problems:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The online programme proved expensive due to additional time use (overhead, limited IT literacy, technical problems, slow typing)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Retention rates were lower with the online variant. For the blended variant retention rates were similar to the face-to-face variant.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Many students had problems to access to materials due to low bandwidth speeds.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There was no audio- or video-conferencing component built in, as many students had insufficient internet connection speeds.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The author felt the online course was imposed by the institution to reach administrative targets.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Due to these problems students were not satisfied with the course.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Although the case study lacks suggestions on how the course could be improved or a discussion of potential cultural factors that hampered the adoption of elearning, the case-study highlights some important considerations to take when introducing an online course:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Outline what what IT access and skills students need to have to complete the course;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Provide technical IT support to staff and students</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Monitor time use for all parts of the course (development, update, marking, tutoring...)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Make a cost-benefit analysis. In particular for small student cohorts a blended approach might be more cost-effective.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ensure sufficient staff buy-in</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-14750057832930013262012-02-13T20:45:00.000+07:002012-02-26T15:14:07.223+07:00#H807 Case studies in elearning innovation (1): formative e-assessment<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This case study description is part of Activity 2 - Week 2 in the H807 course at the OU.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The first case study describes the introduction of formative e-assessment in an first-year undergraduate micro-economics course at the University of Derby. It's a course attracting 200 to 300 students with a wide range of academic backgrounds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The main objective of the e-assessment was to <b>increase retention rates</b> by improving students' skills for self-regulated learning. The e-assessment was organized as a complement to face-to-face lectures and tutorials. The formative assessment included a weekly range of exercises such as simulations, drag and pull diagrams, recognition exercises, calculation activities and concept identification activities. Extensive feedback loops and links to course and other materials were integrated into the exercises. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Student access was monitored and students failing to login by week 3 were contacted and invited for remedial clinics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Results were largely positive. There were increases in pass rates and grades achieved and the drop out rate declined. Students liked the materials, practising course concepts in between lectures. They appreciated the feedback loops and indicated the material increased their confidence to engage during the tutorials. Also, students treated the activity as a social activity, sharing their progress on social networks. For the institution the materials enabled identifying weaker students at an early stage of the course, so they could be given additional support. Moreover, the materials triggered other elearning uptakes as lecturers learned from the experiment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There were some disadvantages though. Due to memory constraints materials could only be accessed within the institution (would be addressed for later runs). More seriously, making and regularly updating the materials proved very time-intensive. Remedial clinics were dropped in the second run. For courses with fewer students the development cost may be too high. The type of subject, which requires regular practice and development of knowledge and skills in a short time frame, is likely more suitable to this type of formative e-assessment than others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The case study shows nicely how e-assessment is aligned with the face-to-face component of the course, making new things possible. Feedback was more personalized. The on-line activities made it possible to use lecture time and tutorials more efficiently. Links to course materials were embedded in the e-assessment. Better monitoring allowed reducing the drop out rate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The case study illustrates some guiding principles for successful formative assessment such as immediate feedback and links to course materials. Also, limitations and drawbacks are discussed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-54371986033532643472012-02-11T15:14:00.004+07:002012-09-11T11:29:55.965+07:00#H807 Elearning Concepts: What's New?<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week the clarification of terms continues with an exercise locating concepts related to elearning on a grid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxbJdDXzLWEN_LCaTFiklmBYAUeQjDHMJqq-1OporOUBLMZJ70Ss7DViIPifa5PQUK9Dh1AsyOszZWufItM57IxftG5WfTMQGaBsHie4HogRiLs1PmIA92kglbASKV1FB7pC1gBNDym8/s1600/grid.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxbJdDXzLWEN_LCaTFiklmBYAUeQjDHMJqq-1OporOUBLMZJ70Ss7DViIPifa5PQUK9Dh1AsyOszZWufItM57IxftG5WfTMQGaBsHie4HogRiLs1PmIA92kglbASKV1FB7pC1gBNDym8/s640/grid.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elearning concepts on a 2-dimensional grid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i style="text-indent: -20px;"><span lang="EN-GB">1<b>.</b><span style="font-weight: bold; font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></i><i style="text-indent: -20px;"><span style="color: #333333;">What pattern was formed when you placed these concepts on the grid? Were they evenly spaced or in a cluster</span><span style="color: #333333;">?</span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I could place most concepts on the axis
‘Existing – New’. It made me think about
whether these concepts represented something really new you can do with
technology, or whether they described an existing concept that is affected by
technology. It’s still somewhat
arbitrary however, as personalisation, virtual communities and flexibility arguably
are not new concepts and might be relevant in a technology-poor learning
environment as well. I placed most
concept half-way on the axis between formal and informal learning, as I found
that distinction quite problematic to make for most concepts. As argued below, the distinction between
formal and informal learning is blurring with learners develop Personal
Learning Networks (PLNs) in a formal learning environment and informal learning
initiatives are looking for ways of more formally recognizing learning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As an alternative placing the concepts on a
timeline could be interesting, as most concepts drift in and out of favour. Google’s nGram viewer for GoogleBooks shows
how collaborative learning and personalisation and peer assessment are already
mentioned before the widespread adoption of the internet. Other terms such as blended learning,
elearning and just-in-time learning seem more connected to the rise of the
Internet. It’s a pity that the timeline
only runs until 2008, as there appears some indication that the term ‘elearning’
is slightly shifting out of favour.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB5Z0pgDd6EiMQuHe16pM9nn3W-spxk1qGmlpAkWWpjNxZsM5C2bqjCebU2R8SVY8gPlhFR28_FuNz1mURj0myJGyk6TjFcVQrnjwfCkj13L-voFFp7fG12WxAbNT9NrNCk8r925rsq0/s1600/nGram+chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB5Z0pgDd6EiMQuHe16pM9nn3W-spxk1qGmlpAkWWpjNxZsM5C2bqjCebU2R8SVY8gPlhFR28_FuNz1mURj0myJGyk6TjFcVQrnjwfCkj13L-voFFp7fG12WxAbNT9NrNCk8r925rsq0/s640/nGram+chart.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Occurrence of elearning concepts with Google's Ngram viewer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #333333;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="color: #333333;">To what extent should we think of elearning as a
distinct discipline with a need for its own concepts and vocabulary?<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don’t think we should consider elearning as a
distinct discipline. Theories on how
people learn draw on ideas from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, economy
etc. Technology has an impact on all
these elements, changing the nature of information, altering business models,
impacting modes of delivery, arguably affecting our brains etc., but basically
the research domain is still the same, optimizing the way people learn things.
The profound impact technology has on learning makes it certainly worthwhile to
study, but I don’t see why it should form a distinct discipline. I prefer the term “technology-enhanced’
learning to elearning, because it doesn’t seem to imply a separate discipline.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #333333;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="color: #333333;">Do you think the formal–informal divide is more or
less evident in elearning than in more traditional forms of learning?<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I think elearning blurs the distinction between formal
and informal learning, mainly by offering more opportunities for informal
learning. In the OU courses there is the formal part with the course guide, the
forum activities etc. But there is also an important informal element with
reading and commenting on others’ blog posts, writing on my own blog,
discussing course concepts with friends and engaging with my Twitter
network. Not all these elements are
limited to technology, but the internet has certainly made it easier to create
an online network of people with similar interests and objectives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The divide is related to what makes learning formal.
There are the accreditation, the guidance, the selection and making available
of course materials. However, for each
of these aspects of formal education there are initiatives challenging the
traditional institutions, such as various MOOCs, Stanford’s AI course, MITx,
CodeYear and Livemocha.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All these initiatives offer free access to
information, guidance and support and (sometimes) some way of accreditation, as
a letter of notification (in the Stanford course), free or non-free badges
(CodeYear, MITx) or course credits (Livemocha).
It seems that, after content and guidance, accreditation is the next
(and last?) monopoly of traditional educational institutions that is
increasingly coming under attack.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #333333;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="color: #333333;">Did you find any of the concepts difficult to place on
the grid provided? If so, why was this?<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some concepts are difficult to locate because they are
not clearly defined. I find ‘mobile learning’ a fuzzy and rather meaningless
term, in particular with the growth of tablets, netbooks, e-readers etc. If a
read an article in the train on an e-reader or mobile phone, I’m engaging in
mobile learning. If I print the same
article, print it out and read it on the same train, I’m not engaging in mobile
learning. That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-88116570174499238502012-02-09T21:36:00.002+07:002013-02-24T14:34:36.756+07:00#H807 Innovations in learning<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In a course on "innovations" in e-learning it seems sensible to spend some thoughts on what we understand as innovation in education. Two (rather old) articles were included to help us frame our ideas on innovation. I jotted down some thoughts on what I understand as innovation, then read the articles to complement my ideas, reflected on my own context and finally read the comments on the tutor group forum.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBjp7rUIbZhEq_sdgCyTkcEwZrgNVMhd2YsaCflg6KkUFxjCW7XqhDdwCjWdt5CbbdBxVJMkKQTuyfNiAecCpWUdBPu1tycoRILhVyG2Plwno9CYyHsjJmrpWRkh1LVxZkDivz4Ja_0U/s1600/innovation_591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBjp7rUIbZhEq_sdgCyTkcEwZrgNVMhd2YsaCflg6KkUFxjCW7XqhDdwCjWdt5CbbdBxVJMkKQTuyfNiAecCpWUdBPu1tycoRILhVyG2Plwno9CYyHsjJmrpWRkh1LVxZkDivz4Ja_0U/s640/innovation_591.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: miketidd.com</td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. My Initial Thoughts</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Read further <a href="https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/h807-innovations-in-learning/">https://stefeducation.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/h807-innovations-in-learning/</a>(new blog address)</span></div>
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Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377799868183482430.post-14978223677172333292012-01-19T08:12:00.001+07:002012-01-19T08:13:29.720+07:00CodeYear<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">An interesting online course has started a few weeks ago, called <a href="http://codeyear.com/">CodeYear</a>, organized by <a href="http://www.codecademy.com/about_us">Codecamedy</a>, a start-up created by Zach Sims and Ryan Bubinski. The course takes one year and stimulates participants to take up the challenge to learn coding. The focus is on object-oriented programming, in particular Java.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSWllry_t_lL24rEjwHFC15BF2lbc5bTBJUCRzI1TRfxQEpo7L7yWK4A1m4r3l7f7MWdInGFFT50WTiGqOLewNK8BnA0tqsMcWe2LKoR7KkuRQzTCGUmvxL5i_KeEyZeWM425MJJshDY/s1600/2012-01-18_1327.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSWllry_t_lL24rEjwHFC15BF2lbc5bTBJUCRzI1TRfxQEpo7L7yWK4A1m4r3l7f7MWdInGFFT50WTiGqOLewNK8BnA0tqsMcWe2LKoR7KkuRQzTCGUmvxL5i_KeEyZeWM425MJJshDY/s320/2012-01-18_1327.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Screenshot CodeYear homepage, January 18</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've signed in and completed the problems for the first week. The exercises are small chunks and introduce gradually the Java syntax. For every problem you can access a forum with Q&A for that specific problem. Gradually you build up "achievements" and "badges", intended to motivate you to continue. It is unclear for me whether a certificate or 'badge' can be printed when reaching the end of the course.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The course works more as a clever tutorial for me, though, rather than an online course like MOOCs (e.g. change11) or my OU course. There are no speakers, no clear course facilitators and interaction with other participants is rather absent (except through the Q &A forum). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Apparently, the idea is to expand the course with assignments submitted by users. That could be interesting, as it would lift the course from a nice introductory programming course to a collaborative and evolving course, in which you deal with real-life coding examples.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBZTxS_Bl4jaRSLiqUZFwdPTdQH9j5DTVsM23N6jYF79NHoYi4jG6qxxgnAJr1orZCa97JL76FILTsiOIm3PnQaSLfqMb-f9j9wix0PoTKH1KxBAjrJim5HBnBsKq1jyBm9gRhd5qEiE/s1600/2012-01-18_1332.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBZTxS_Bl4jaRSLiqUZFwdPTdQH9j5DTVsM23N6jYF79NHoYi4jG6qxxgnAJr1orZCa97JL76FILTsiOIm3PnQaSLfqMb-f9j9wix0PoTKH1KxBAjrJim5HBnBsKq1jyBm9gRhd5qEiE/s640/2012-01-18_1332.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Screenshot on Return function (Week 2), CodeYear</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The course relates to the wider discussion on what should be in a school's ICT curriculum. Should programming skills be considered as a basic digital literacy skill, as writers such as <a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/07/douglas-rushkoff/rushkoff_doug-copy/">Douglas Rushkoff</a> state?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“In 20 years, programming will be just another blue-collar job or related to almost every major employment field,” (Mr. Sims, co-founder Codecademy)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(<a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/codecademy-offers-free-coding-classes-for-aspiring-entrepreneurs/">NY Times</a>)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Children are being forced to learn how to use applications, rather than to make them. They are becoming slaves to the user interface and are totally bored by it," he said. (Mr. Livingstone, author Next Gen report)</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16493929">(BBC News)</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I find it worthwhile to have the discussion whether a school ICT curriculum should move beyond learning to work with expensive, corporate software programmes. I believe that programming would do more to develop children's analytical skills, and also creativity. Crucially, it will enable children to change their viewpoint of the internet as something you use, but cannot change to something you can shape. </span>Stefaan Vande Wallehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10216410493541658562noreply@blogger.com0