Information and learning technologies: Trends, Opportunities, Challenges PDF

Information and Learning Technologies

Trends
Opportunities
Challenges

MTCU -LBS e-Channel Stakeholder Engagement Session June 8, 2010

Introduction

• E-Channel is more than delivery of online learning
to adults
• E-Channel is about meeting the challenges of the
work place, life-long learning, and civic participation
• E-Channel is about harnessing the opportunities
presented by existing 21st century technologies
for adult learners and instructors


Introduction

• Integrating 21st technologies into literacy and
employment training programs provides
opportunities for growth, but also many challenges
that can only be met with a comprehensive
approach in a consolidated environment
• Ontario has been a proactive change agent and
National leader in the integration of technology for
over two decades


History

• 1988 - CoSy and AlphaCom
• 1996/99 – AlphaRoute development, research, piloting
• 1998 - Tools for a New Beginning – Online learning for
technology enhanced program delivery
• 2001/02 - AlphaRoute distance pilot w/ Contact North
• 2003/06 - Flexible Learning Pilot – Developing and testing
online delivery models
• 2007 - E-Channel – Province-wide online and distance
learning opportunities
• 2010 - Employment Ontario – Integrated service delivery
and stakeholder engagement

Here and Now

• Various common trends are evident in the research
on online and distance learning for education, the
workplace, and civic participation.


Here and Now

• Information and Learning Technologies
(including Social Media)
• provide opportunities to existing adult learning systems
and learners
• present challenges to existing adult learning systems
and learners
• Addressing both requires managed change to the existing
systems and needs to involve a variety of stakeholders from
education and employment fields


Opportunities and Challenges

• Infrastructure - always available and accessible resources
• Teaching - connected professional development
and instruction
• Learning - flexible, focused, and personalized training
for adults
• Assessment - using data to drive continuous
improvement
• Productivity - planning and managing cost-effective
quality systems

Infrastructure

• Comprehensive systems providing all stakeholders with
the appropriate resources when and where needed
• People, processes, policies, and sustainable models are
the backbone of a comprehensive infrastructure


Infrastructure

• Broadband connectivity, server management, software
availability, management systems, and administration tools
• Learning, training and professional development resources
are always available for adult learners and instructors


Teaching

• Practitioners are connected in networks enabled by ILTs
for the development of instructional materials and
professional development
• Learning data assists practitioners to create and assess
engaging learning experiences meeting various
learner needs


Teaching

• Learner support can be provided in many ways and
learners can be assisted in becoming increasingly more
self-directed
• Instructors need time and resources to become change
agents and champions in the increasing integration
of technologies


Learning

• Leverage existing 21st century technology to create
engaging, relevant, and personalized learning experiences
that mirror learners' reality at work, for further learning,
and for their communities
• Adults need to acquire competencies and expertise such
as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and
communications in connection with ILTs woven into all
content areas


Learning

• Adults need to master the use of ILTs required to pursue
further learning opportunities and quickly adapt to
technological changes in the workplace


Assessment

• A 21st century model of education requires better ways
to measure what matters, diagnose strengths and
weaknesses in a program
• Assessment powered by technology can result in
improvements to learner performance on an ongoing basis
• Multiple stakeholders can be involved in the process of
designing, conducting, using assessment


Assessment

• Assessment data can be used to drive continuous
improvement by making data available to the right people
at the right time and in the right form
• Support for ILT tools and training to help manage the
assessment process, analyze date, and take appropriate
action is needed


Productivity

• Leverage existing 21st century technology to provide
decision-makers and various stakeholders with an
accurate, reliable, and complete view of the performance
of the system
• Use technology to plan, manage, monitor, and report to
various stakeholders
• Use technology to improve productivity and manage costs
for service delivery


Productivity

• Rethink basic assumptions about program delivery, e.g.
time-based measures of educational attainment, learning
organized by disciplines, curriculum-based learning,
instructor-student relationships, peer support, etc.


Questions/Discussion


References

Bates, T. 2009. Trends and Developments in e-learning. Sudbury, ON. Contact North
http://intranet.contactnorth.ca/en/data/files/download/All%20Staff%20%200910%20
FY/2009_September_30_Trends_Developments_eLearning.pdf

Best , L. et al. 2009. Bridging Distance: Promising Practices in Online Learning in
the Canadian Literacy Community. Barrie, ON. Community Literacy Ontario
http://www.nald.ca/gettingonline/goresources/bridgingdistance/bridgingdistance.pdf

Bynner, John, Reder, Steve, Parsons, Samantha, Strawn, Clare. 2008. The Digital
Divide: Computer Use, Basic Skills
and employment . U.K. London. NRDC
http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=149


References

Bynner, John, Reder, Steve, Parsons, Samantha, Strawn, Clare. 2010 The Three Divides:
the digital divide and its relation to basic skills and employment in Portland, USA and
London, England. U.K. London. NRDC
http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=164

Fahy, P.J. & Twiss, D. 2010. Adult literacy practitioners’ uses of and
experiences with online technologies for professional development. Journal
of Applied Research on Learning, 3, Article 2, pp. 1-18.
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/JARL/Jarl-Vol3Article2.pdf

Folinsbee, S. 2008. Online Learning for Adults: Factors that Contribute to Success
A Literature Review. Sudbury, ON., College Sector Committee for Adult Upgrading
http://www.collegeupgradingon.ca/ace/litreview/cover.htm


References

Getting Online Project. 2008. Getting online: A research report on online
learning for Canadian literacy practitioners
www.nald.ca/gettingonline

McCain, M. 2009. The Power of Technology to Transform Adult Learning. New York, NY.
Council for Advancement of Adult Learning
http://www.caalusa.org/POWER_OF_TECH.pdf

Silver-Pacuilla, H. 2008. Investigating the Language and Literacy skills required
for independent online learning. Washington, D.C. The National Institute for Literacy
http://www.nifl.gov/publications/pdf/NIFLOnlineLearningReport.pdf


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