Faculty of Education The University of Hong Kong

Learning Technologies & Science of Learning Professor Nancy Law Co-convener, Science of Learning Strategic Research Theme Deputy Director, Centre for Information Technology in Education Faculty of Education, HKU

How are you/your universities using technologies for teaching & learning?

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E-learning (technology mediated learning) What is the role of technology in supporting learning? Does HKU have an E-learning Policy? Does HKU have a Learning policy?

E-learning Strategy 2015 The Senate-endorsed E-learning Strategy 2015 describes our updated vision to support high-impact use of technology to enrich learning quality, and guides Faculties and Departments in judiciously setting priorities, experimenting with ideas, and formulating action plans for e- learning. It reaffirms our position to adopt a learner-centred approach which is supported by evidence of student learning experiences and science of learning ; and to support the development of technology-enriched models and approaches in order to maximize the impact and potential of HKU’s role in education. Goal Pedagogical approach Feedback

How do people learn? Is learning the same as education? Can people learn without being taught? What are the most important conditions for learning? What is learning?

LEARNING? What are we referring to when we use this word? Do we share the same understanding? What? How? Why? So what?

Learning—the what questions What counts as learning? What counts as evidence for learning? What is the “unit” that is doing the learning? What are the “objects” (purposes) of learning?

What have you learnt in the past few days?

What is the evidence that you have learnt new things? I can recite a new poem I now know why there are seasons I can now run very fast without falling over I can sing the alto part without losing the beat I know how to make a convincing argument

What is the evidence that you have learnt new things? My brain has grown more cells. There are now more neural connections between the left & right hemispheres of my brain. There are now more electrical signals sparking across the synapses in the right-hemisphere homologues of my brain when I hear someone speaking Spanish.

What is learning? A multilevel understanding At each level, there are – Observable behavioral, performance level changes – Structural changes at a lower level—link to performance not obvious – At lower level, there are “agents” or “entities” and interactions among them – Learning at the higher (performance) level is always preceded by structural and interconnection changes

How do people learn? …. learning at the behavioral level.

Biological basis of learning …. learning at the neurological level.

Learning as an organization?

How do we know learning has happened? Do we have measures of performance? What agents/entities are involved? What is the organizational structure? What communications? What kind of feedback mechanisms? What really count as the Summer Institute learning outcomes?

Education systems—education reform, ITE masterplans Learning at system level?

Learning across the HK society …. and beyond.

A Learning Example

Behavioral Changes

Immigration department Public health department Hospital authority General physicians Medical information database, connectivity and retrieval

What are the agents, structures & connections for learning in the …. Immigration department Public health department Hospital authority General physicians Medical information database, connectivity and retrieval Public media ……. … within & among these systems?

Pace of learning Location of learning Ways to study learning Society centuries Anthropology Education system Educational change, reform & innovation Groups & communities Decades Sociology & cultural studies Institutions years months Organizational learning Individual behavior days hours Psychology Brain Neuroscience seconds milliseconds

Pace of learning Location of learning Ways to study learning Society centuries Anthropology Education system Educational change, reform & innovation Groups & communities Decades Sociology & cultural studies Institutions years months Organizational learning Individual behavior days hours Psychology Brain Neuroscience seconds milliseconds Do you think this model of thinking about learning is applicable to your thoughts about issues related to learning in your own context and ways of addressing them?

What does it mean if these are learning issues? Curriculum Pedagogy Assessment Professional development Learning resources Staff appraisal Organizational structure Legislation

Key Trends Accelerating Technology Adoption in Higher Education Long-Term Impact Trends: >5 years Mid-Term Impact Trends: 3-5 years Short-term Impact Trends: 1-2 years Significant Challenges Impeding Technology Adoption in Higher Education Solvable challenges Difficult challenges Wicked challenges Important developments in educational technology Time-to-Adoption Horizon: 1 Year or Less Time-to-Adoption Horizon: 2-3 years Time-to-Adoption Horizon: 4-5 years

Questions? Thoughts to share?