E-learning for the Academy: challenges and opportunities Margaret Haughey University of Alberta

Designing e-learning environments “Learning cannot be designed. Ultimately it belongs to the realm of experience and practice. It follows the negotiation of meaning; it moves on its own terms. It slips through the cracks; it creates its own cracks. Learning happens, design or no design” (p.225).... Etienne Wenger (1998). Communities of Practice. Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Learning cannot be designed: it can only be designed for (p. 229). Technologies support good design to enable learning.

Learning in the e-environment active learning resource-rich, supported environment group work/collaboration real-world problems/authentic on-going assessment

Learning together 1 Teacher’s concept/idea revising information about learners’ knowledge/experience assessing task providing feedback revising/reflecting Learner’s concept/idea revising knowledge based on new information performing task asking questions revising/reflecting

Learning together 2 Teacher setting learning parameters Monitoring group process Assessing learners’ experience Ensuring knowledge construction Providing feedback Learners choose problem Working in a team Assessing experience Choosing learning options Demonstrating/sharing learning

Teacher knowledge knowledge of –the content & structure of the discipline –the problems learners encounter –the learning process –the learners –the relationship of technologies to the learning process

Changing the Academy’s Learning Environment What are the key challenges?

HE Key Challenges access and infrastructure championing the change shifting the culture addressing faculty concerns supporting faculty development providing learning support

1. Access and Infrastructure Internet use continues to rise Costs continue to expand The digital divide among institutions Technology infrastructure plans Infrastructure = network, NOT

2. Championing the Change Leadership Mission statement Strategic plan Continuing funding/economies of scale Active senior management support

3. Shifting the Culture Focus on changes in policy & practice Develop critical mass of activity Support learners Explain the innovation Celebrate successes

How far have we come? Lack of clear commitment Lack of coordination Neglect of motivational issues Individual faculty choice Varied faculty development levels

4. Addressing Faculty Concerns Time Workload balance Ownership Rewards

5. Supporting Faculty Development Partners program Department level task forces Decentralised discipline related centres Student guides/helpers Pushed mailing lists

Less successful strategies High cost content development Lone ranger productions Computer conferences Print based manuals (to www) Individual faculty initiatives Large scale training programs ?www. contests ?Unfundable strategic plans

Principles for teacher learning active learning supportive environment real-world problem group/community ongoing assessment / reflection

6. Providing Learning Support Integrating support systems Pedagogical, technical, facilities, management, research services. Level of focus Diverse learning design teams Cutting edge initiatives

Designs for Learning Present options? Future possibilities?

1. Increasing Access to Information web pages course outlines assignments and dates FAQs & FGAs powerpoint lectures sample tests and answers additional references

2. Extending Interaction conferencing –discussion, presentation –role-play, debate, panel, expert opinion collective understanding –synchronous, asynchronous collaborative knowledge building –Knowledge Forum, Whiteboard

3. Using Learning Activities simulations tutorials mentoring hypertext critical analyses of materials

4. Learning Shells and Knowledge Objects pedagogical design with or without content reusable accessible, retrievable operable

Near Future Realities Greater diversification –Flexible learning –Differentiated staffing Encouraging innovation in teaching Collaboration across institutions Discipline-specific repositories

Tasks to Begin quality standards collaboration research rewards workload partnerships clarity about our choices

The way forward is not to look ahead, but to look around. (Brown & Duguid, 2000, p. 8) Forward-thinking people hold their heads sideways, (Harold Innes, ).