Distance Education: Past, Present and Future - Mark Bullen

Main Points History is important DE practice has not changed much in last 10 years DE appears poised to undergo radical changes Assumptions

History is important

DE practice has not changed much in last 10 years

DE appears poised to undergo radical changes

Assumptions

Looking to the Past History helps inform the future Much of what we think is new is not

History helps inform the future

Much of what we think is new is not

Looking to the Past John Dewey (1859-1952) Jean Piaget (1896-1980) Constructivism

John Dewey (1859-1952)

Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

Looking to the Past Learner-centered education Socrates Confucius

Learner-centered education

Looking to the Past E-learning Has its roots in distance education Dates back to the 1700s correspondence education Audiovisual devices - early 1900s Educational television - 1960s

E-learning

Has its roots in distance education

Dates back to the 1700s correspondence education

Audiovisual devices - early 1900s

Educational television - 1960s

E-Learning

History: Pre-Internet Early online learning Computer-mediated Communication (CMC) Collaboration, knowledge construction Many-to-many communication, time and place independence Asynchronous text-based communication as a facilitator of collaboration, knowledge construction

Early online learning

Computer-mediated Communication (CMC)

Collaboration, knowledge construction

Many-to-many communication, time and place independence

Asynchronous text-based communication as a facilitator of collaboration, knowledge construction

History: The Internet Era- Web 1.0 Internet, course management systems (CMS) changed our understanding of online learning CMS not about communication, collaboration, knowledge construction CMS about efficient distribution of content Teacher-centered Internet as a delivery mechanism

Internet, course management systems (CMS) changed our understanding of online learning

CMS not about communication, collaboration, knowledge construction

CMS about efficient distribution of content

Teacher-centered

Internet as a delivery mechanism

History: The Internet Era - Web 2.0 A return to the pre-Internet era? Architecture of presentation Architecture of participation

A return to the pre-Internet era?

Architecture of presentation

Architecture of participation

History: The Internet Era - Web 2.0 Harnessing the potential of easy to use tools Facilitating collaboration, production Web 2.0 User-generated content Power of the crowd Data on an epic scale Architecture of participation Network effects Openness

Harnessing the potential of easy to use tools

Facilitating collaboration, production

Web 2.0

User-generated content

Power of the crowd

Data on an epic scale

Architecture of participation

Network effects

Openness

E-Learning Today

E-Learning 10 years ago

Education in the New Millenium

Current Tools & Technology

Current Tools & Technology CMS tools Content management and formatting Assignment submission Asynchronous discussion Synchronous chat Voice tools Internal e-mail Grade book Student management and tracking

CMS tools

Content management and formatting

Assignment submission

Asynchronous discussion

Synchronous chat

Voice tools

Internal e-mail

Grade book

Student management and tracking

Current Tools & Technology Dominant instructional design model information transmission supported by asynchronous online “discussion”

Dominant instructional design model

information transmission supported by asynchronous online “discussion”

Current Tools & Technology Social software

Social software

Blogs

Wikis

Social Bookmarking

Virtual Worlds

Virtual Worlds

…..casting

Synchronous Communication Tools Elluminate Live Instant messaging

Elluminate Live

Instant messaging

Current Tools & Technology But Are these tools changing the dominant instructional design paradigm? Online delivery remains primarily text-based, information delivery Constructivist, collaborative, online knowledge building community is rare Technology still largely being used to replicate earlier modes of teaching - the electronic classroom

But Are these tools changing the dominant instructional design paradigm?

Online delivery remains primarily text-based, information delivery

Constructivist, collaborative, online knowledge building community is rare

Technology still largely being used to replicate earlier modes of teaching - the electronic classroom

The Future

The Future Radical change or status quo? Technology is changing Learners are changing…we think

Radical change or status quo?

Technology is changing

Learners are changing…we think

Technology Changes Web 2.0 User-generated content Power of the crowd Data on an epic scale Architecture of participation Network effects Openness

Web 2.0

User-generated content

Power of the crowd

Data on an epic scale

Architecture of participation

Network effects

Openness

Learner Changes Net generation Born between 1982-1991 Never know life without the Internet Characteristics Digitally literate Connected Impatient Experiential

Net generation

Born between 1982-1991

Never know life without the Internet

Characteristics

Digitally literate

Connected

Impatient

Experiential

Learner Changes Characterstics of Net generation Social Team players Need for structure Visual and kinesthic Need for interactivity Community minded

Characterstics of Net generation

Social

Team players

Need for structure

Visual and kinesthic

Need for interactivity

Community minded

Learner Changes Net generation learners like: Challenges Opportunities to create and innovate Immediacy, feedback Clearly-defined tasks Technology Collaboration, teamwork Respected as equals Challenge assumptions

Net generation learners like:

Challenges

Opportunities to create and innovate

Immediacy, feedback

Clearly-defined tasks

Technology

Collaboration, teamwork

Respected as equals

Challenge assumptions

Learner Changes How accurate is this portrayal? Different social and technological context BCIT research

How accurate is this portrayal?

Different social and technological context

BCIT research

Learning 2.0 Focus on learning processes Focus on communication & interaction Co-developed with learners & instructors shaping the design Customized/personalized Cooperatively-activated Evolving Knowledge & understanding Learner paced

Focus on learning processes

Focus on communication & interaction

Co-developed with learners & instructors shaping the design

Customized/personalized

Cooperatively-activated

Evolving

Knowledge & understanding

Learner paced

Learning 2.0 Collaborative: one to many, many to many Contribute, tag and share Demonstrations and prototypes Negotiated and contracted Feedback rich

Collaborative: one to many, many to many

Contribute, tag and share

Demonstrations and prototypes

Negotiated and contracted

Feedback rich

Technology 2.0 Less reliance on enterprise solutions The web as platform Easy to use, free, often open, tools

Less reliance on enterprise solutions

The web as platform

Easy to use, free, often open, tools

Personal Learning Environments “ A facility for an individual to access, aggregate, configure and manipulate digital artifacts of their ongoing learning experiences.” - Ron Lubensky http://members.optusnet.com.au/rlubensky/2006/12/present-and-future-of-personal-learning.html

Need for Caution One size does NOT fit all BCIT TEK Initiative experience University, liberal arts perspective Formal vs. informal learning Credentials will continue to drive most formal learning

One size does NOT fit all

BCIT TEK Initiative experience

University, liberal arts perspective

Formal vs. informal learning

Credentials will continue to drive most formal learning

Concluding Comments Not much change in 10 years Change is inevitable Changing technology, changing learners Heterogeneity of learners Check assumptions Technology potential not always realized Need evidence-based understanding of the”new learner”

Not much change in 10 years

Change is inevitable

Changing technology, changing learners

Heterogeneity of learners

Check assumptions

Technology potential not always realized

Need evidence-based understanding of the”new learner”

References Bates, A.W. (2000). Managing Technological Change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Bereiter, C. & Scardamelia, M. Catching the Third Wave. Queen's Education Letter, Issue #2: Integrating ICT in Teaching and Learning Bullen, M. & Janes, D. (Eds.)(2007). Making the Transition to E-Learning: Strategies and Issues. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing. Oblinger, D.G. & Oblinger, J.L. (2005). Educating the Net Generation. Available at http://www.educause.edu/EducatingtheNetGeneration/ Sinclair, G., McClarin, M. & Griffin, M.J. (2006). E-Learning and Beyond. Discussion paper prepared as part of the Campus 2020 process for the Ministry of Advance Education. Zemsky , R. & Massy, W.F. (2004). Thwarted Innovation: What Happened to E-learning and Why. The Learning Alliance.

Bates, A.W. (2000). Managing Technological Change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bereiter, C. & Scardamelia, M. Catching the Third Wave. Queen's Education Letter, Issue #2: Integrating ICT in Teaching and Learning

Bullen, M. & Janes, D. (Eds.)(2007). Making the Transition to E-Learning: Strategies and Issues. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing.

Oblinger, D.G. & Oblinger, J.L. (2005). Educating the Net Generation. Available at http://www.educause.edu/EducatingtheNetGeneration/

Sinclair, G., McClarin, M. & Griffin, M.J. (2006). E-Learning and Beyond. Discussion paper prepared as part of the Campus 2020 process for the Ministry of Advance Education.

Zemsky , R. & Massy, W.F. (2004). Thwarted Innovation: What Happened to E-learning and Why. The Learning Alliance.

For Further Information Mark Bullen [email_address] http://www.markbullen.ca http://www.bcit.ca/ltc

Mark Bullen

[email_address]

http://www.markbullen.ca

http://www.bcit.ca/ltc