Digital Learning Environments: A multidisciplinary focus on 21st century learning

The Web at 25
Overall verdict:
The internet has been a plus for society and an
especially good thing for individual users
http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/02/27/the-web-at-25-in-the-u-s/

Digital Life in 2025 - the 2014 survey
http://www.elon.edu/e-web/imagining/surveys/2014_survey/default.xhtml

It is no longer far-fetched to envision a world
where all objects and devices are connected to
act in concert. NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition
creative commons licensed (BY-NC-SA) flickr photo by the waving cat: http://flickr.com/photos/thewavingcat/9510533164

We have a digital knowledge
ecosystem which demands a new
knowledge flow between content and connections.
creative commons licensed (BY-NC-SA) flickr photo by kassemmounhem: http://flickr.com/photos/122638947@N08/13889171653

REMIX
Technology, devices, data repositories,
information access & retrieval,
information sharing, networks and
communication.

“The current learning landscape is constantly changing in terms of what is
learned, the context in which learning takes place, and who is learning.”(Paas,
2011, p. 2)
The following aspects impact on the learner or his/her learning:
oEvolving needs of learners
oDeveloping knowledge building environments
oFocusing on personalisation
oEvolving spaces for learning
oEvolving learning devices or hardware
oEvolving pedagogy
Paas, F Van Merrienboer, J and Van Gog, T 2011, ‘Designing instruction for the contemporary learning landscape’, in K R Harris, S Graham
& T Urdan (eds.), APA Educational Psychology Handbook: Vol. 3. Application to Learning and
Teaching, Washington: American Psychological Association, pp. 335-357, viewed 14 May 2012, http://ro.uow.edu.au/edupapers/374/

“Information absorption is a
cultural and social process of
engaging with the constantly
changing world around us”. p47
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of
constant change (Vol. 219). Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.

Thinking in networks!
• connect and collaborate with others beyond a
constrained physical environment.
• knowledge created created through media, networks,
connections and collaborations.
• think critically and evaluate processes and emerging
ideas, and the ability to evaluate the validity and value
of information accessed is essential.
Starkey, L. (2011). Evaluating learning in the 21st century: A digital age learning matrix. Technology, Pedagogy and
Education, 20(1), 19-39.

The digital age student who can
think critically, learn through
connections, create knowledge
and understand concepts should
be able to actively participate in
a digitally enhanced society.

Digital information
ecology
creative commons licensed (BY) flickr photo by Marc_Smith: http://flickr.com/photos/marc_smith/4311427445

More content, streams of data,
topic structures, (theoretically)
better quality - all of these in
online environments
require an equivalent shift in
our online capabilities.

Davies, A., Fidler, D., & Gorbis, M. (2011). Future work skills 2020.
http://www.iftf.org/our-work/global-landscape/work/future-work-skills-2020/

Evolving Learning Landscape
Current thinking about 21st century skills, and the learning
experiences that support their development, are essential
starting points for capacity building. A list of the workforce
skills presented by Davies, et al (2011, pp. 8-12) include:
• Sense-making
• Social intelligence
• Novel and adaptive thinking
• Cross-cultural competency
• Computational thinking
• New-media literacy
• Transdisciplinarity
• Design mindset
• Cognitive load management
• Virtual collaboration
http://www.iftf.org/our-work/global-landscape/work/future-work-skills-2020/

Mackey, T P and Jacobson, T E 2011, ‘Reframing information literacy as a metaliteracy’, College & Research
Libraries, vol. 72, no. 1, pp. 62–78.
Sustainable learning involves
a pedagogic fusion between
environments, tools, formats
and meta-literacy capabilities.
(Mackey & Jacobson 2011)

Redecker C, Leis M, Leendertse M, Punie Y, Gijsbers G, Kirschner P, Stoyanov S & Hoogerveld B 2011, The future of
learning: preparing for change, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, JRC European Commission.
Establish lifelong and
life-wide learning as the
central paradigm for the
future. (Redecker et al, 2011, p.10).

2014 K-12 Horizon Report
Wicked challenge -
keep credentialed education relevant!
Significant challenges in technology adoption:
Creating authentic learning opportunities
Integrating personalised learning
Complex thinking and communication
Safety of student data
Competition from new models of education
Keeping formal education relevant
http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2014-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf

2014 Higher Ed Horizon Report
Wicked challenge -
keep credentialed education relevant!
Significant challenges in technology adoption:
Low digital fluency of faculty
Relative lack of rewards for teaching
Competition of new models of education
Scaling teaching innovations
Expanding access
Keeping education relevant
http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2014-nmc-horizon-report-he-EN-SC.pdf

Incorporating two disciplines:
information science and education
education informatics
Aquire, share, discuss, create, critique information
Collins, John W., and Sharon A. Weiner. 2010. Proposal for the creation of a subdiscipline: Education informatics. Teachers
College Record 112, no. 10: 2523–2536.
School of Informaton Studies: LEADING INFORMATION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH – EMPOWERING SOCIETY

Drawing from the information science discipline, Bawden (2008) provides the
key facets of digital literacy upon which the program is built:
• “Knowledge assembly,” building a “reliable information hoard”
from diverse sources;
• Retrieval skills, plus “critical thinking” for making informed
judgements about retrieved information, with wariness about the
validity and completeness of internet sources;
• Reading and understanding non-sequential and dynamic
material;
• Awareness of the value of traditional tools in conjunction with
networked media;
• Awareness of “people networks” as sources of advice and help;
• Using filters and agents to manage incoming information; and
• Being comfortable with publishing and communicating information
as well as accessing it.
Bawden, D. (2008). Chapter One: Origins and concepts of digital literacy. In Digital literacies: concepts, policies & practices
(pp. 17–32). Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.

Respond to the the underlying
epistemological gap
• Knowledge-based models are implicitly more ‘top
down’
• Praxis based - more ‘bottom up’……
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION STUDIES : LEADING INFORMATION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH – EMPOWERING SOCIETY

Agile approaches to connected
learning
embrace change
welcome innovation
meet the challenges of our global connected future
creative commons licensed (BY) flickr photo by AlicePopkorn: http://flickr.com/photos/alicepopkorn/225039522
5

21c Curriculum alignment = digital information ecology
creative commons licensed (BY-NC) flickr photo by Telstar Logistics: http://flickr.com/photos/telstar/4857942142

KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS
creative commons licensed (BY-NC-SA) flickr photo by murdocke23: http://flickr.com/photos/murdocke/4299568381

Master of Education
(Knowledge Networks
And Digital Innovation)
Commenced with 42 students
http://www.csu.edu.au/digital

Master of Education
(Knowledge Networks and Digital Innovation)
• Focussing on innovative and emerging educational trends to develop
expertise in global and community networked knowledge environments.
• Become an agile leader in digital formal and informal learning, with
expertise in navigating diverse information pathways, creative learning
environments, and socially connected global networks.
This degree program offers professional development for those working or seeking employment as:
leaders in curriculum
innovation in digital environments
digital project managers
social media leaders
information services managers and technology integrators
leaders in e-learning
strategic leaders in digital policy and education developments.

Master of Education
(Knowledge Networks and Digital Innovation)
Core Subjects:
INF530 Concepts and Practices for a Digital Age
INF537 Digital Futures Colloquium
Restricted Elective Subjects:
Students are required to successfully complete six (6) electives:
INF532 Knowledge Networking for Educators
ETL523 Digital Citizenship in Schools
ETL402 Literature in Education
INF533 Literature in Digital Environments
INF535 Information Flow and Advanced Search
INF536 Designing Spaces for Learning
INF541 Game Based Learning
INF506 Social Networking for Information Professionals
INF443 Digital Preservation
EER500 Introduction to Educational Research
ESC515 Classroom Technologies
Other Limited Entry subjects include:
ETL401 Introduction to Teacher Librarianship
ETL504 Teacher Librarian as Leader

The evidence is that technologies and
social media platforms are driving an
unprecedented re-organisation of the
learning environment.
cc licensed ( BY NC ) flickr photo by Ward.: http://flickr.com/photos/wards/521247814/
School of Information Studies Faculty of Education

Redecker C, et al. (2011). The future of learning: preparing for change, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, JRC European Commission. p.12.

Blueprint for participatory learning
Knowing the trends in knowledge
construction and participatory culture.
Knowing how to leverage social media
and new media channels of
communication.
Using a diversity of content materials.
creative commons licensed (BY-SA) flickr photo by Atos International: http://flickr.com/photos/atosorigin/11116578645

Blueprint for participatory learning
An immediacy in interactions within the
cohort to improve learning and
understanding in the formation of
knowledge
Embedded in a multi-disciplinary ecology
creative commons licensed (BY-SA) flickr photo by Atos International: http://flickr.com/photos/atosorigin/11116578645

Connected learning is a real-world
activity. We are together - and alone!
creative commons licensed (BY) flickr photo by miss karen: http://flickr.com/photos/misbehave/2352753067

Seek Follow
cc licensed flickr photo by assbach: http://flickr.com/photos/assbach/253218488/
Gather
Explore
Cultivating scholarly inquisitive mindsets

• Peer critiquing
• User-generated content
• Collective aggregation
• Community formation
• Digital personas
• Digital Citizenship
adding interactivity and connectivity to assessments!

Microlearning: hungry for knowledge nuggets
Micro-learning ticks all the teaching boxes: bite-sized
nuggets of content are easy to digest, understand and
remember. Often mobile-friendly, visual and sharable,
the short bursts of information leave you sufficiently
satisfied and likely to come back for more.
At the BI Norwegian School of Business, through a number of pilot programmes, they have
been adapting fragmented content to mobile devices, finding that the right mix of mobile
learning makes courses more engaging and also helps part-time students stay up-to-date.
http://www.online-educa.com/OEB_Newsportal/microlearning-hungry-for-knowledge-nuggets/

http://digital.csu.edu.au

The reflective journal is especially useful for assessing ILOs (intended
learning outcomes) in relation to the application of content knowledge,
professional judgment and reflection on past decisions and problem solving
with a view to improving them.
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university. Open university press.

Flipboard
Diigo
Youtube
Soundcloud
Google+
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
Evernote
RSS
Google Docs

Digital
flexibility
creative commons licensed (BY) flickr photo by mikebaird: http://flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/2678304391

Scholarly book review .....
A quite wide opportunity for following your own interests (in the assessments)
Collection: INF530 Concept & Prac tices in a Digital Age
http://amzn.com/w/37FSRQBVI5C5W

Multimodal essay .....
The collaborative nature of the subject was highlighted by the public sharing
via Twitter hashtag #INF530, and the bottom-up praxis was emphasised by a
willingness of students to post a link to their assessments, via their reflective
blog or relevant platform - even before the assessment was marked!

“I have experienced the participatory
culture that is at the foundation of 21st
century learning.”
“#INF530 has been invigorating, exciting, lots of hard work, overwhelming
at times, but above all fun. I have loved connecting with the cohort, it’s
been amazing. People have said to me “isn’t online study very impersonal
and isolating” but I couldn’t disagree more. I feel infinitely more connected
with my classmates than I ever did while studying in the traditional way.”

http://flip.it/vHvLR

What they did!
Presenting at conferences
Promoting the program
Publishing professional papers
Writing proposals and reports for the workplace
Gaining promotions!

The creation of a multi-disciplinary program, built on
a digital information ecology and student-focussed
praxis, has created both a curriculum and learning
approach that has facilitated understanding and
knowledge construction in more dynamic ways,
connecting experiences, reflective practices and
online participatory experiences that epitomise a
‘new culture of learning’.

heyjudeonline
Judy O’Connell
http://judyoconnell.com
Judy O’Connell

Digital Learning Environments: A multidisciplinary focus on 21st century learning