14. “ ...on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face classes.” U.S. Dept. of Education Evidence Based Practices of Online Learning, 2009
15. The effectiveness of online learning is tied to learning time , curriculum , pedagogy , and opportunities for collaboration .
16. Give learners control of their interactions with media … move, use, remix, edit, build, change, click, interact, change, create, share, rate, record http://voicethread.com/#q.b908650.i4836718
Good afternoon. What a great honor and thrill to be with all of you in person, as well as those of you joining us online! When I was asked to speak at this year’s conference, I began to ask the question, “Emerging technologies for what? Toward what end?” Often when we answer that question, we’ll look at the teaching and learning process. In my work as a chair of the EdTech program at Boise State, I’m also focused on how emerging tech can assist us in creating revolutionary programs that take a proactive stance in addressing challenges we face in education. In Latin, to revolve is to turn around, often very quickly. There are educational revolutions occurring around us, and I’d like to share some examples of what those look like.
Every challenge represents an opportunity. On the left you see some examples of the very large societal challenges we face today in education. Arne Duncan
Sometimes, innovative solutions to challenges can come in the ways we least expect. Several months ago, I had an epiphany that helped shaped the current direction of our online educational technology program at Boise State. Here’s the SNL video that inspired me.
And here’s a copy of a brochure we were working on at the time that commercial was aired. We immediately decided to go in another direction—we carefully articulated our thinking and changed our mission statement. It was extremely empowering. We’re in a phase in online education where we need to move from “just don’t tell anyone” to “let’s tells everyone!”
iNACOL is the leading organization to consider standards development for K12 online education, for courses, teachers, and online programs. They host the Virtual School Symposium in the fall each year, the place to be if your interest is one the K12 side of virtual learning. So, with millions of kids now taking online courses and shifting into blended learning environments, and 1/4 of college students now in online courses, what does that mean for the evolution of learning at the college level?
Our department offers the technology integration course to preservice teachers in all credential programs at BSU. It’s important to note here that even though we are on a very well known brick and mortar campus with a great football team, we chose to move our graduate programs fully online almost 10 years ago. We also adopted a self-support status, moving off of appropriations and relying on the tuition we generate, requiring us to operate very much like a business. CLICK Our degree programs are all at the graduate level. MS in EdTech for those going into research. CLICK MET as a terminal degree for practioners working in schools or with ID. CLICK Three grad certificate programs
Their conclusion was clear. “...on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face classes.” What was most interesting about this finding is that the result is not due to the technology itself, but rather to the affordances offered by the technology.
We all know about the use of rubrics to guide students’ participation in discussion forums as a type of reflective learning activity. And we may also have integrated blogs to support meta-processing of the learning experience. Have you also considered YouTube comments, or other forms of community posting an opportunity for reflection on their work or the work of others?
Christakis & Fowler, Framingham Heart Survey, Networks are VIRAL, CONTAGION found 3 degrees of separation Obesity, drinking, and happiness (as measured in Facebook) move out three relationships, change occurs over time
We passed notes to social network….
Today we network in many, many ways. In this plethora of information, who becomes the authority on meaning making?
So now that we have confirmation that online learning works, and in what ways, let’s look at how we can use participatory cultures in today’s social networks to leverage learning potential. Henry Jenkins, New Media Literacies
Encourage students to participate, create, then lead in participatory cultures The effect is CONTAGIOUS, VIRAL They can literally change the world
Layers of technology: teaching, communication, social networking, marketing, administration
And here’s a copy of a brochure we were working on at the time that commercial was aired. We immediately decided to go in another direction—we carefully articulated our thinking and changed our mission statement. It was extremely empowering. I think we’re in a phase in online education where we need to move from “just don’t tell anyone” to “let’s tells everyone!”