From Chalkboard to Web Site: The Shifting Semiosis of Learning A Presentation by Joan Vinall-Cox, Ph.D. Candidate OISE/UT

Agenda Current Practices Snapshots of the Present Landscape Writing Tools Classrooms and Pedagogy Perspectives and Possibilities

Current Practices

Snapshots of the Present Landscape

Writing Tools

Classrooms and Pedagogy

Perspectives and Possibilities

Current Practices Who has been on a computer already today? When you compose, where do you start? Paper or screen? And 10 years ago? Do you have anything up on the web? A site you created? A blog? Do you use a computer in planning your classes?

Who has been on a computer already today?

When you compose, where do you start?

Paper or screen?

And 10 years ago?

Do you have anything up on the web?

A site you created?

A blog?

Do you use a computer in planning your classes?

Snapshots of the Landscape 1 Word-processing Any aspects of word-processing that affect the process of writing? Spellchecker Cut & Paste Outline View Styles Academic papers Use of word-processing shortcuts? Tables of Contents, Lists of Figures? Use of software supports Inspiration EndNote

Word-processing

Any aspects of word-processing that affect the process of writing?

Spellchecker

Cut & Paste

Outline View

Styles

Academic papers

Use of word-processing shortcuts?

Tables of Contents, Lists of Figures?

Use of software supports

Inspiration

EndNote

Snapshots of the Landscape 2

Snapshots of the Landscape 3

Snapshots of the Landscape 4

Snapshots of the Landscape 5 http://shiftingsemiosis.blogspot.com/ http://learntoteach.blogspot.com/

http://shiftingsemiosis.blogspot.com/

http://learntoteach.blogspot.com/

Snapshot of the Landscape 6 http://www.writinginstructor.com/hypertexts/mason/

http://www.writinginstructor.com/hypertexts/mason/

Writing Tools - Public Incising in stone Traces - serifs Hand instruments and parchment etc. Text with art - Religious texts Slow production & limited readership Gutenberg & the printing press Multiple reproduction Privileged authors Development and growth of audience

Incising in stone

Traces - serifs

Hand instruments and parchment etc.

Text with art - Religious texts

Slow production & limited readership

Gutenberg & the printing press

Multiple reproduction

Privileged authors

Development and growth of audience

Writing Tools - Unpublished Cursive handwriting - 16th century Developed in Italy same era as printing press Typewriter - 19th century Business Resembled printed materials looked “official” Computers & word-processing - late 20th century Fonts, colours, etc.

Cursive handwriting - 16th century

Developed in Italy

same era as printing press

Typewriter - 19th century

Business

Resembled printed materials

looked “official”

Computers & word-processing - late 20th century

Fonts, colours, etc.

Phenomenological Practices A New Communications Landscape To be acquired Kinesthetic skills Mousing keyboarding Conceptual frameworks Design & Patterns Tipping points Experimenting - e.g. right-clicking

A New Communications Landscape

To be acquired

Kinesthetic skills

Mousing

keyboarding

Conceptual frameworks

Design & Patterns

Tipping points

Experimenting - e.g. right-clicking

New Patterns & Problems My writing Email breaks Google breaks Editing skills Some students in class, writing Also taking breaks Email, messaging, games Also searching Plagiarism problems Editing weaknesses Spellchecker Grammar checker Little revision - according to current research

My writing

Email breaks

Google breaks

Editing skills

Some students in class, writing

Also taking breaks

Email, messaging, games

Also searching

Plagiarism problems

Editing weaknesses

Spellchecker

Grammar checker

Little revision - according to current research

Privileging Differences Different writing skills Support for unconventional spellers Support for those who get bored with small details - Table of Contents / EndNote Different process approaches supported Outline View for already organized Cut & Paste for stream-of-consciousness Frequent revision supported Ease of changing & reprinting Word & layout/design skills more important than penmanship

Different writing skills

Support for unconventional spellers

Support for those who get bored with small details - Table of Contents / EndNote

Different process approaches supported

Outline View for already organized

Cut & Paste for stream-of-consciousness

Frequent revision supported

Ease of changing & reprinting

Word & layout/design skills more important than penmanship

Classrooms & Pedagogy http://www.eva-eu.org/samples1.html Sheridan College mobile classroom Data projector - lecture, visual information

http://www.eva-eu.org/samples1.html

Sheridan College mobile classroom

Data projector - lecture, visual information

Puddle Tables & Teaching Process Learning Group work Networked Send work to each other, or teacher Show work on the screen Upload to course web site

Process Learning

Group work

Networked

Send work to each other, or teacher

Show work on the screen

Upload to course web site

Sheridan’s Experience 6000 on laptops in 5 years / almost half the students May 1998 - computer program - 55 Programs choose to opt-in Criteria based on suitability for future profession and faculty commitment, not on technical orientation - e.g. Interior Design IT - committed to support Developed scalable processes for distribution etc. Very supportive of teachers & students

6000 on laptops in 5 years / almost half the students

May 1998 - computer program - 55

Programs choose to opt-in

Criteria based on suitability for future profession and faculty commitment, not on technical orientation - e.g. Interior Design

IT - committed to support

Developed scalable processes for distribution etc.

Very supportive of teachers & students

Sheridan’s Experience, continued Laptops issued to teachers Leader - from computer faculty, very pragmatically inventive Found and developed grassroots support Learning community - DELTA 3 PD Show & Share, Make It So Excitement & beautiful classrooms Tech Tutors - knowledgeable students for set up and first few classes each term

Laptops issued to teachers

Leader - from computer faculty, very pragmatically inventive

Found and developed grassroots support

Learning community - DELTA 3 PD

Show & Share, Make It So

Excitement & beautiful classrooms

Tech Tutors - knowledgeable students for set up and first few classes each term

Sheridan’s Experience, continued 2004 course management software So enamored, I used it even with non-mobile courses One space for all class-associated information and records Available 24/7 with a networked computer

2004 course management software

So enamored, I used it even with non-mobile courses

One space for all class-associated information and records

Available 24/7 with a networked computer

Sheridan’s Experience, continued Two Committees! - Mutual Respect DELTA 3 PD Teachers, with & without computer knowledge and pedagogical know-how Planning 3 PD days a year Creating courses on aspects of teaching with laptops, web-use, etc. Sharing - a true learning community! WebCT Steering Teachers and IT staff Working out practicalities together

Two Committees! - Mutual Respect

DELTA 3 PD

Teachers, with & without computer knowledge and pedagogical know-how

Planning 3 PD days a year

Creating courses on aspects of teaching with laptops, web-use, etc.

Sharing - a true learning community!

WebCT Steering

Teachers and IT staff

Working out practicalities together

Sheridan’s Experience, continued I’m an advocate - but some teachers I respect don’t like the laptop initiative My Position After initial technophobia, I discovered how much I could easily do with computers E.g. Netscape’s Composer Classroom power of visual aspect Students can produce much more professional-appearing work Ease of communicating with students

I’m an advocate - but some teachers I respect don’t like the laptop initiative

My Position

After initial technophobia, I discovered how much I could easily do with computers

E.g. Netscape’s Composer

Classroom power of visual aspect

Students can produce much more professional-appearing work

Ease of communicating with students

Sheridan’s Experience, continued Problems Students can easily distract themselves in class Testing and cheating - both easier Some students resent the cost Don’t see the value of the software Don’t think the tax refund is significant enough Want to keep the laptop But many students “bond” with their computers & appreciate the fuller learning

Problems

Students can easily distract themselves in class

Testing and cheating - both easier

Some students resent the cost

Don’t see the value of the software

Don’t think the tax refund is significant enough

Want to keep the laptop

But many students “bond” with their computers & appreciate the fuller learning

Perspectives Computers - the thinking tool for both learning and future work (as well as entertainment.) Software for many, many purposes Complex need to learn how to think with/through software Computers and the web central to our culture - unavoidable

Computers - the thinking tool

for both learning and future work

(as well as entertainment.)

Software for many, many purposes

Complex

need to learn how to think with/through software

Computers and the web central to our culture - unavoidable

Possibilities Increasingly computers “user-friendly,” Helps to find a learning community to help you “get it.” Free tutorials sometimes available on web. Course management software still in a pioneer state, Pedagogical knowledge about how to use the web for courses - pioneer state too. Teachers need to partner with their students learn what they already do with computers and the web incorporate those aspects into our teaching

Increasingly computers “user-friendly,”

Helps to find a learning community to help you “get it.”

Free tutorials sometimes available on web.

Course management software still in a pioneer state,

Pedagogical knowledge about how to use the web for courses - pioneer state too.

Teachers need to partner with their students

learn what they already do with computers and the web

incorporate those aspects into our teaching

From Chalkboard to Website 1957 - the beginnings of ARPANET 1979 - WordStar word-processing begins 1980s - the Internet Usenet newsgroups and electronic mail 1991 - World Wide Web 1998 - Sheridan’s Mobile Initiative 2004 - Pioneers in a New Age - CADE/IT Education on and through the web A new age in rhetoric, writing & semiotics!

1957 - the beginnings of ARPANET

1979 - WordStar

word-processing begins

1980s - the Internet

Usenet newsgroups and electronic mail

1991 - World Wide Web

1998 - Sheridan’s Mobile Initiative

2004 - Pioneers in a New Age - CADE/IT

Education on and through the web

A new age in

rhetoric, writing & semiotics!

The Shifting Semiosis of Learning For more information about Sheridan’s learning adventure, circa 2004 - http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/ http://www.sheridaninstitute.ca/delta3/main.html http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/~vinall/Journal/journal1.htm And about my learning adventures - http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/~vinall/Essays_on_School.htm

For more information about Sheridan’s learning adventure, circa 2004 -

http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/

http://www.sheridaninstitute.ca/delta3/main.html

http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/~vinall/Journal/journal1.htm

And about my learning adventures -

http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/~vinall/Essays_on_School.htm

Thanks for your attention, Joan Vinall-Cox