The document discusses current problems and future prospects in e-teaching. It notes problematic assumptions that digital natives know how to study online and want to, and that students can study autonomously. It argues that teachers are central to knowledge construction and that their digital literacy is often basic. Reluctance to use IT comes from issues like workload and lack of support. Future prospects include improving computer literacy for teachers and students, developing materials through expert centers, and redefining teaching roles and workloads to better support e-teaching.

1. EE--Teaching: CTeaching: Currenturrent ProblemsProblems
and Future Prospectsand Future Prospects
Sarah Guri-Rosenblit
eLearn Center
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
7th June, 2013
The Open University of Israel

2. Structure of PresentationStructure of Presentation
• Problematic assumptions
• Centrality of teachers
• Reluctance of academic faculty to utilize
the digital technologies
• How can we encourage the efficient and
effective use of the digital technologies in
learning/teaching systems?

3. Problematic assumptionsProblematic assumptions
• Digital natives know how to study
through the digital media (?)
• Digital natives want to study through
the digital media (?)
• Most students are able to navigate
their studies autonomously (?)

4. ETS (Educational Testing ServiceETS (Educational Testing Service((
Your students can text message and download
music files, but can they problem solve and think
critically in a digital environment?
Today’s students are a part of a technology-savvy
generation, but they are often still at loss when it
comes to using their critical thinking and problem
solving skills in a digital environment, a skill
identified as Information and Communication
Technology Literacy.

5. Problematic assumptionsProblematic assumptions
• Students should be in the center of
the learning/teaching process (?)
• The role of teachers in the digital age
is to be mainly guides on the side (?)
• It is important to transfer all (or most)
of the learning activities to an online
environment (?)

6. Centrality of TeachersCentrality of Teachers
• There is a huge difference between
access to information and knowledge
construction
• Knowledge construction is always
guided by teachers/experts/tutors
• Most learners are unable to conduct
their studies autonomously

7. Centrality of TeachersCentrality of Teachers
(cont(cont…(…(
• Online teaching differs meaningfully
from traditional teaching
• The computer literacy of most
teachers is basic and lacking
• The roles and goals of technologies in
teaching/learning processes is vaguely
defined

8. Reluctance of academicReluctance of academic
faculty to use ITfaculty to use IT
• Distributed teaching responsibility
• Need to adjust to team work (other
colleagues, professional and technical
staff)
• Work overload
• Lack of ongoing support systems
• Lack of appropriate compensation

9. Future Prospects: How toFuture Prospects: How to
enhance the IT efficientenhance the IT efficient
use?use?• Computer literacy training for
teachers/professors
• Computer literacy training for
students
• Developing study materials by
professional and expert centers

10. Future Prospects: How toFuture Prospects: How to
enhance the IT efficient use?enhance the IT efficient use?
(cont…)(cont…)• Establishing ongoing support systems
• Utilizing OER and MOOCs (after QA
screening)
• Redefining teaching workload
• Clear definition of subjects/skills that
should be taught in an online setting

11. Major ImplicationsMajor Implications
• e-Teaching is an essential coequal of
e-Learning
• Technological literacy is currently
lacking, both by students and teachers
• In order for technology to provide
efficient and effective answers – clear
questions (for its use) and roles
should be defined

13. Thanks for your attention!Thanks for your attention!