Where’s my Slide Rule??? The changing landscape of technology in higher education

Giuseppe (Joe) Nucifora

Student No. 12067237

OLTC20006 Learning In A Digital Age

Assignment 2: Rejoinder/Response

Where’s My Slide Rule???

The changing landscape of technology

In higher education

Further to our previous staff meeting and recent staff meeting it appears that there were some concerns regarding digital learning and teaching. The notion that ‘chalk and talk’ represents the only tried and true way of teaching and that technology is but a passing fad – and its introduction results in undue pressure on staff to change - require an objective response.

Rather than discuss the intricacies and higher-level technical detail of Virtual Reality (VR) – my area of expertise – it seemed more relevant and useful to discuss with my colleague the broader contextual view of the affordances of technology in teaching.  For this reason, my more generalized responses to the three main objections are discussed below.

Chalk and Talk – Old school Teaching

For centuries the method of teaching has not changed much in regards that students go to school to be ready for the real world. The teacher talks and the students will listen to instructions and take notes. The teaching process highlights the hypothetical part of knowledge and it is expected to process and memorize the learning material not necessarily understanding the pedagogy. The student is then tested and graded on what they can remember.

Back when I went to school, I found it difficult to understand any pedagogy of the lesson. I did not like to read or even try to make any sense of what I needed the information for. I tried to read and memorize what was given for homework and tested next day. If the marks were below average a punishment was set in the form of writing your 2 times timetable 20 times, or possibly a slap on the wrist. There were many disadvantages a student had in development of their learning. Students could not ask the teacher to go over the lesson as the teacher had no time. Homework became difficult due to cognitive overload. The lesson plan was for students to listen, ‘do as I do’, read and remember, followed by a test.

A New Model

As teachers, some 50 years later, we need to reflect and adopt better learning experiences and practices for the student through strategically planned curriculum to include student participation in research, group activities, real world skills, and critical thinking. It is possible to mix old school learning in front of the classroom with new methods of learning and accepting that all students have different levels and styles of learning. As an example, some students learn visually - by looking at images, kinaesthetically - by engaging in physical activity, hands-on, tactile learning, or textually - by basically reading the printed material.

The world is accelerating rapidly with information and technology. Online technology is changing both distance and on-campus education. In this present day most if not all students would have a form of a digital device such as a laptop or mobile phone and are well and truly conversant with how to source information and communicate on social media. There is no doubt that both academics and students, whether on-campus or online, and whether readily accepting or not, are, as noted by Willems (2015), “inevitably, inescapably and inextricably bound up” in this technological revolution of teaching and learning (Norton, Sonnemann, & McGannon, 2013, p. 15).

It is simply not practically achievable to effectively customize learning materials to accommodate every individual student’s learning style – it would take time, energy and resources. It would be more effective to facilitate well defined teaching strategies with the use of technology, so the teacher can utilise additional time monitoring and intervening where necessary.

A systematic and integrated approach to staff development, that focuses on the professional learning of teachers and establishes the classroom as an important centre for teacher development, is central to successful school improvement.

(Hopkins, Harris, Singleton and Watts, 2000, p. 1)

As noted by Hargreaves (2003), teachers can build on their professional development with their academic colleagues through self-motivated analysis, measured and timely support, networking and collaborative working.

Teachers - experienced older teachers and younger novices - working in a group to build on academic development, engender innovation and improvement, whilst building on the importance of teacher collaboration rather than each teacher going out on individual courses, will establish a common language which enables the education provider to identify teaching and learning strategies that suit the teachers and the students (David Hargreaves 2003).  With the use of technology such as Moodle it is possible to deliver 2-hour weekly lectures online with all the course readings, visuals and links for the course.  Group online forums can be set up for the students to discuss and collaborate with theirs peers as well as the teacher, who can oversee and encourage topic discussions. Students can journal what they have learnt from each weekly lecture by means of an online blog. Formative assessment to gauge student progress and level of understanding can be conducted at specified times and marked in Moodle without the teacher using paperwork. The teacher can give feedback on assessments to the student online, with ongoing feedback on their journal, as well as answering any questions at any time of the day, without logistical issues such as arranging mutually suitable consultation appointments.

As for Summative assessments students do not have to sit for assessments on campus. Technology has made it possible, with carefully planned criteria, to present assessments online at the end of the trimester before or on a specified closing date. As students have their own learning styles, they are able to work on their assessments at their own pace any time during the trimester. Final assessments should be documented with criteria on display in Moodle. Allowing no upper word limits will give students more choices to express themselves in their own way, in their final assessments.

How it Works and Why it Works

As part of my ongoing academic development I continually self-reflect and look for ways to improve my teaching practice.

Another aspect of academic development takes the form of discussions with my colleagues to develop ideas on teaching methods and learning strategies. Recently, we tested what we considered an important change for students’ preparation of how the course is conducted throughout the trimester. It should be noted that lessons are face-to-face on campus. These generally comprise a 1½ hour lesson with hands-on practical work, followed by 1½ hours where students apply their skills individually or in groups, with the teacher present to review and give feedback for anyone needing help.

Initially course documents were printed and handed to the students on the first day when course overview and assessments were discussed. This created some problems in that students did not read the course weekly lessons or read in preparation for the next week’s lesson. They relied on the teacher to talk about the lesson content, view in-class audio visuals and group practical work during the lesson. The students generally did not take notes. It was apparent that at least 75% of the class relied on the teacher’s lecture and printed material. Very few students would prepare for the next lesson or take part in group discussions which had to be conducted by the teacher, hence most failed to understand the lesson in theory and could not solve real world practice scenarios. Weekly reviews with formative questions became a guessing game. This created a problem for the students who performed, as their progress was being jeopardized by the slower non-learners.

So, a simple but major improvement, utilising technology, was seen immediately when we created a student folder in Google Drive.  All course reading material, videos, and templates were made available to the students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for them to access and review when necessary. All students were thus provided with the same information and given education emails and student access to Microsoft 365, providing teacher/student communication, either one-to-one or in groups.

Another Approach – the Flipped Classroom

The Flipped Class: Myth vs. Reality Posted on March 5th, 2013 by Joyce Aarsvold

https://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2013/03/05/the-flipped-class-myth-vs-reality/

‘It is today we must create the world of the future.’ Eleanor Roosevelt

Bergmann and Sams (2012) express the notion of flipping the classrooms as a frame of mind “… redirecting attention away from the teacher and putting attention on the learner and the learning.” Both acknowledge that “every teacher who has chosen to flip does so differently.” Bergmann clearly states that there is not one method of flipping the class and that teachers would employ their own methods differently.

Bergmann’s defines flipped learning as follows: 1) assigns the obligation of learning to the student; 2) each student will create their own learning styles; 3) a resource to communicate and collaborate with students and teachers; 4) combining specific instructions with constructivist learning; 5) enables more time for teachers to discover greater opportunities and pedagogy with the students; 6) the classroom is no longer a place where the teacher’s role is to be the ‘sage on the stage’, but rather to provide guidance, direction and mentorship; 7) lesson content is documented for review; 8) students are involved in their learning with continual practice and developing real world skills and knowledge.

“The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires.” William Arthur Ward

At the beginning of each class a review of the previous lesson was conducted. This is integrated with a 10-15-minute period of videos and practical workshop. As a result, students would come to class a little more prepared, with students participating more actively through questions and responses. Formative questions and answers improved, and group discussions were more meaningful. Final Assessment preparation begins from the very first lesson so students can start to gather information during class and ask questions as the trimester progresses. Students’ learning styles are not all alike and allowing them to communicate with each other via email, social media and in class has shown positive outcomes with the freedom to express their opinions without criticism and discrimination due to religion or race.

Students who struggled with the lessons or did not understand part of the lesson were able to get a different perspective from their peers while at all times the teacher could oversee, assist and give advice. The class showed a vast improvement of 95% participation with involvement in group discussions and practical workshops. Formative assessment became a game as to who could answer more quickly, and the cohort were willing to help each other either in explaining the outcome or providing hands-on help. In the final assessment it was overwhelming to see that the cohort had improved their engagement greatly compared to previously. As teachers we found it was so easy to setup a simple and effective course library (Google Drive) for students to access 24/7 with the use of technological tools readily available to us.

Conclusion

It is natural for human beings – whether teachers or not – to want to remain in our respective comfort zones. However, each of us has a different understanding and definition of what teaching means. What it is that drives us to where, and what we are, as educators. If teaching becomes merely an unchangeable routine, then we are stuck in the past with old ways of teaching and old ways of thinking. We all change with time, especially when we look back to when we were young and compare that with the present day. Technological advancements shape and reshape our knowledge in terms of the way we think and achieve our goals.

Technology has had a significant impact on the way we teach and the way students learn... Flexible learning has received considerable attention in the educational literature. Twenty years ago, flexible learning meant using multiple whiteboard marker colours or occasionally providing students with a photocopied hand out. Lectures were about lecturers talking and students listening. Students took notes! If you did not attend a lecture you knew you might miss out on something important. None of this is relevant today.

                                                                                                                (Massingham & Herrington, 2006, p. 85)

Technology has played an important part in helping those who imagine, invent, and create models for the future. In order for such models to be created and developed, we need to keep open our minds and our thinking to adapt to a technologically evolving, ever-changing pedagogical future.  What we regard as massive technological change today, will appear to be miniscule in comparison to what we are going to experience in that future.

Kodak, Gestetner, Slide Rules, Teletexts, Carbon Paper, Overhead Projectors, Dial Telephones, even Fax Machines, have become redundant - within just the past few short decades. We still need what these modes and machines did in the past, however, the methodologies of achieving those things have been irrevocably changed and replaced by far more advanced and superior technology – and will continue to do so.

Similarly, whilst the pedagogical principles and priorities of teaching remain as constant as ever, the methodologies and mechanics of implementing those principles and priorities will not.

  

REFERENCES:

Aarsvold, J., (2013). https://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2013/03/05/the-flipped-class-myth-vs-reality/

Entefy, (2017) Old school no more: AI disrupts the classroom. Video resource. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dARy5uwYMk (27/01/2019)

Hargreaves, D., (2003). Education Epidemic Transforming secondary schools through innovation networks file:///D:/CQU/Term%204/educationepidemic.pdf

Hopkins, D., Harris, A., Singleton, C. and Watts, R. (2000). Creating the conditions for teaching and learning. David Fulton. ISBN: 1853466891

Massingham, P., & Herrington, T. (2006). Does attendance matter? An examination of student attitudes, participation, performance and attendance. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 3(2). Retrieved 29/01/2019 http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol3/iss2/3

Next School, (2016). 6 Problems with our School System. Video resource. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okpg-lVWLbE (27/01/2019)

Norton, A., Sonnemann, J. & McGannon, C. (2013). The online evolution: When technology meets tradition in higher education. Grattan Institute Report No. 2013-3, April 2013. Retrieved from http://grattan.edu.au/report/the-online-evolution-whentechnology-meets-tradition-in-higher-education

Siemens, G. (2014). Learning in the digital age. Video resource. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6W6iSrIiBU  (20/01/2019)

Ward, W. (1968) Thoughts of a Christian Optimist. (1st edition) Droke House

Willems, C. (2015). The Gourmet Sausage Factory: Keeping it Human. Journal of Learning Design, 8(1), pp. 79-94. Retrieved from https://eprints.qut.edu.au/82206/ (26/01/2019)