Blended Elearning Pilot

online elearning

elearning cons:

• technically challenging (browser and machine specific)
• d2l: very limited in delivery (basic HTML, text driven)
• static system: unresponsive to student interaction
• a different cost structure (access to equipment)
• still designed around fact transmission (copies inclass systems of education, but online)

elearning pros:

• develops student concepts of productivity in computing
• improves student technical prowess
• offers opportunties for access to modern information delivery
• develops fluency in self directed learning
• allows opportunities to demonstrate self discipline in learning
• familiarizes students with elearning structures they WILL see in post secondary
• increases teacher digital literacy (hope hope)

in-class instruction

In-class Cons:

• antiquated delivery system creates apathy
• repetitive, teacher focused environment
• de-emphasizes student direction
• often focuses on control rather than learning
• doesn't prepare students for what they are going to face when deinstitutionalized
• costs (but mitigated because we have always paid them and don't notice them)
• creates the illusion of credibility

In-class Pros:

• tried and true system
• (kind of) works even when the power/network is off
• creates a reasonably safe and controlled environment
• teacher focus minimizes student disruption
• allows students to try new ideas in a safe, familiar situation
• creates a sameness that is easy to staticize and examine with simple/standardized testing
• Face to face support with both teacher and peers

blended elearning

We take:

• the familiarity and safety of the classroom
• the face to face support of expert elearners

...and offer students a shallow end in which to begin gaining familiarity with 21st Century Fluencies that they are going to be expected to demonstrate beyond school.

technological

• computer availability, you MUST have a 1:1 ratio
• network MUST be regularly attainable and responsive
• software MUST be compatible and installed correctly (a clean, well planned image)
• hardware MUST be capable of working with minimal setup
• hardware should support reading and writing as fluidly as possible
• don't assume your students are computer wizards, a few may be, but most won't be - just like the general public

My perfect network shapes traffic intelligently. It deprioritizes traffic from less productive sites unless work is complete (Facebook loads faster if you're keeping up, if you're not, it crawls to a halt)

Make a system that actually encourages and supports student focus on class tasks. Don't ban other sites, but prioritize network traffic intelligently!

psychological

Where we wish it was...

THERE IS NO SUCH THING

AS A DIGITAL NATIVE!

What we're aiming for:

21st Century Fluencies

Information Fluency

· Communication

· Information Processing, Reasoning & Synthesis

· Critical Thinking and Analysis

The ability to unconsciously and intuitively interpret information in all forms and formats in order to extract the essential knowledge, authenticate it, and perceive its meaning and significance. (21st Century Fluency Series) This also involves the ability to communicate face to face and digitally.

Solution Fluency

· Problem-solving and Application

· Adaptability

The ability to define a problem, creatively generate solutions, try a solution, review the outcome and modify the plan of action if needed. One must be flexible, willing to alter the chosen path and be open to opposing ideas before working to a solution.

Media Fluency

· Technological Literacy

· Critical Thinking and Analysis

· Graphic Literacy

There are two components of Media Fluency. Firstly, the ability to look analytically at any communication media to interpret the real message, how the chosen media is being used to shape thinking, and evaluate the efficacy of the message. Secondly, to create and publish original digital products, matching the media to the intended message by determining the most appropriate and effective media for that message. (21st Century Fluency Series)

Creativity Fluency

· Creativity

· Innovation

· Artistic Proficiency

This is the process by which artistic proficiency adds meaning through design, art and storytelling. It regards form in addition to function, and the principles of innovative design combined with a quality functioning product.

Creative Fluency extends beyond visual creative skills, to using the imagination to create stories, a practice which is in demand in many facets of today’s economy. It is widely regarded by many successful industries that creative minds come up with creative solutions. (21st Century Fluency Series)

Collaboration Fluency

· Collaboration

· Teamwork

· Global Citizenship/Digital Citizenship

· Self Awareness

Collaboration fluency is team working proficiency that has reached the unconscious ability to work cooperatively with virtual and real partners in an online environment to create original digital products. (21st Century Fluency Series)

Working with others also requires one to be aware of their own role, circumstances and impact of their behaviour. One must practice life-long learning in order to ensure his/her readiness to participate in our changing world. That participation should reflect the principles of leadership, ethics, accountability, fiscal responsibility, environmental awareness, global citizenship and personal responsibility.

A lot of industries (paper publishing and production, equipment, training, etc) revolve around education and many have a vested interest in keeping things the same. Students leave a world of excessive information based stimulation for the information leakage of the 20th century class room, and we wonder why student engagement is an issue...

Conclusions

elearning offers a path away from traditional class structures into 21st Century Fluencies

elearning offers a chance to rethink our 20th Century models of computer and network access and use

elearning is becoming commonplace in post secondary learning, not familiarizing students with it puts them at a disadvantage

elearning offers students an intensive opportunity to begin using computers as productivity tools

elearning itself is still at a very rudimentary stage, but it will improve, usage and technology will drive this

teachers who claim this is nonsense and a waste of time are disadvantaging their students. Their archaic habits drive disengaged students from school

"Every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003."

“I spend most of my time assuming the world is not ready for the technology revolution that will be happening to them soon,”

http://www.hwdsb.on.ca/21Cfluencies/

- Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google

http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/04/schmidt-data/

Generation Xbox

...sound like anyone you know?

@tk1ng

1. Arrogance: Killing the bad guys and saving the universe leads to a superiority complex. This carries over into the real world, too. Gamers as young as 20 often claim to be experts at whatever they do.

4. Flexibility: There's always more than one way to win a game. To beat a particularly difficult sequence, gamers try different methods with tireless persistence. They tackle life's problems with the same flexibility. This allows for analytical, strategic, and open-minded thinking.

timothy.king@ugdsb.on.ca

www.atking.ca

5. Competitiveness: Life is a game, and everyone plays to win. Even though gamers often succeed at teamwork, they retain a strong, underlying sense of personal ambition.

2. Sociability: Sitting alone at the �console isn't considered alone time - especially when it's spent playing massively multiplayer online games. The more a gamer plays, the more likely they are to identify themselves as sociable.

STUDENT DATA

taken from an online survey

at the end of the second round

of elearning careers courses,

January, 2011

Student

6. Insubordination: Logging thousands of hours in authority-free worlds teaches gamers to live by their own rules. Gen G accepts criticism exclusively from peers. Outsiders don't speak their language anyway.

The REAL data!

3. Coordination: Virtual heroes must react quickly to visual cues to advance to the next level. A study by the University of Rochester found that visual processing dramatically increases with as little as 10 hours of gameplay.

Student

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.04/genX.html

Centre Wellington DHS's Blended Elearning Pilot

with

Who are our Students?

student response data from our pilot

What You Need for an Elearning Pilot

• 1:1 student computer ratio
• wireless internet access
• basic productivity software (word processor, presentation tool)*
• a willingness to bend this when needed
• elearning access to your course

What we did: Netbooks!

• half the price of an ipad
• keyboard means data entry isn't that painful*
• wireless ready
• multiple OSes and lots of freeware available

Problems You May Experience:

A class set (they go nicely in one of those old laptop carts) costs about 25x$250=$6250

http://vimeo.com/28088498

Mastering the Basics

* Basic hardware use

You will experience anger and

resentment as you try and

direct them into productive use

of what they perceive as a toy

* file and directory management

* keyboarding

What does the ideal elearning environment look like?

* familiarity with PRODUCTIVITY software (that means ANY creation software in my books)

* basic network connectivity (network logins, wireless access, users need to know how these things work)

• Students use computers primarily for entertainment
• Computer use mainly revolves around social networking, videos and gaming
• Students need to be taught digital literacy, it is not assumed, and it's not a magical birthright based on your age
• Distractability is a major problem for at risk students (they cannot focus on school work in a Facebook free environment)

A student's view of the money:

• Preset software that works
• Flexible devices that allow for quick data entry (keyboard, voice to text, visual, verbal input options)
• Flexible devices that reduce page turns while reading (tablet best)
• a learning management system that isn't text heavy (easily integrates with media, doesn't impede literacy challenged students)
• a system that uses work completion to direct attention and reward focus
• Flexible, continually adaptable seating arrangements that encourage collaborative learning
• check out the Finns at the end for a peak at what this looks like

http://cwfalcontech.wikispaces.com/Alternate+computer+solutions

323 desktop PCs at CW

323 x $1800 (estimated cost of MDG desktops) = $581400

With this kind of funding, the goal of having one laptop per student, suddenly becomes alot more realistic.

Why was it ever thought necessary to spend $1800 on a computer when all students need, is a basic, functional laptop?

A more than satisfactory laptop for what a highschool student would require, would cost approximately $400-$500.

1400 students at $400 each = $560,000

Replacing our 1980s inspired desktop labs with mobile technology would get us much closer to a 1:1 student:computer ratio...