Creating Learning Environments that Engage Today’s Learners Glenda Morgan, e-Learning Strategist, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Carie Page, Assistant Director Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development, EDUCAUSE

A SOLUTION-DRIVEN AGENDA Overview of the Challenges Project 2009: Defining the Challenges 2010: Exploring the Challenges Defining Learning Environments From spaces to environments Brainstorming Carousel How do we work together to create new learning environments on campus? Strategies for faculty, students, and administrators Get Involved! First, I thought I’d share a bit about what’s on the agenda for today. As you probably noticed in the program, today’s session is a “Discussion Session,” which means it’s not the type of session where you sit in the back row, huddled over a laptop, and let the content wash over you. It’s designed to be an interactive session. So much of the content will be coming from you. We’re going to provide an overview of the Challenges project, to give a bit of context about where this topic originated and then a brief overview of today’s topic. Then, it’s over to you as we all participate in a brainstorming carousel around the topic of learning environments on campus.

WHERE THE PROJECT BEGAN COMMUNITY So first, why talk about learning environments on campus? Well, this topic wasn’t actually selected by us. It was selected by members of the EDUCAUSE teaching and learning community as part of the Top Teaching and Learning Challenges project. This messy graphic shows all the pieces of the project but the most important piece might be that single word (CLICK): Community.

THE TOP TEACHING AND LEARNING CHALLENGES, 2009 An opportunity for members to set the agenda. A chance to determine the big issues weighing on member minds. A model for community engagement. An experiment in collective knowledge building. Because the Challenges project is all about community. EDUCAUSE wanted to find a way for members to set the association’s agenda. Rather than pushing out information about what they determined to be “hot topics,” they wanted to create an opportunity to solicit feedback from members about what big topics were weighing on their minds. And then, once those topics were named, to solicit community content around them. To really test this Web 2.0 concept of “collective knowledge building,” knowing that some of the most useful comment might reside in members.

IDENTIFYING THE ISSUES Focus Groups Online Survey Live Sessions To find out, EDUCAUSE held brainstorming sessions with focus groups and launched an online survey. At conferences and meetings, members participated in live brainstorming sessions.

THE LIST Creating learning environments that promote active learning, critical thinking, collaborative learning, and knowledge creation. Developing 21st century literacies among students, faculty, and staff. Reaching and engaging today's learner. Encouraging faculty adoption and innovation in teaching and learning with IT. Advancing innovation in teaching and learning with IT in an era of budget cuts. Then, based on that community feedback, EDUCAUSE released the list of the top five challenges in teaching and learning with technology last year. The list isn’t terribly surprising. Most of these are things we’ve been dealing with on our campuses for years. And their big issues. Issues that require creativity and innovation.

GENERATING SOLUTIONS Community wikis http://www.educause.edu/wiki/tlchallenges09 Wikis include resources, expert lists, and community snapshots. From wikis, the community has collaborated on articles and Solutions in Action webcasts. To accomplish that, the community has collaborated on wikis for each of the challenges, each housing snapshots of campus solutions and other resources.

GENERATING SOLUTIONS Solutions in Action webcasts Series of virtual “lightning rounds” to share and steal new ideas. Key projects are also highlighted on the wikis. Last year, and again this summer, the community will be tuning in for “Solutions in Action webcasts,” free online webcasts which feature a lightning round of solutions to the big challenges.

GENERATING SOLUTIONS Vibrant Ning social network for sharing news and blogging trends. (http://tlchallenges09.ning.com) Discovery tools on learning environments and local discussions around the Challenges. Discussion sessions at all Regionals. And, all this community energy is organized in a Ning social network, where members blog about the challenges, work together to create content, and plan for solutions-centered events. One of those events is today’s discussion session. So let’s get into the heart of it….

DEFINING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ”… the idea of a learning environment is not new. What is new is the concept of a technology-enabled learning environment that can remove the artificial constraints and boundaries around the processes of learning—that can "open up" learning. Unlike a classroom or a learning space, this newly conceived learning environment is dynamic, not static—it evolves over time. Moreover, the learning environment is built around the notion of connectivity: to other learning environments, to a global conversation, to the world's knowledge resources, to learners both formally and informally….” - Opening Up Learning: From Spaces to Environments http://www.tiny.cc/learningenviro

DEFINING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS Learning environments are not synonymous with learning spaces. They are not tethered to time or place. A learning environment might be virtual or physical; it might include class time or informal time. The boundaries might be set by the faculty member or developed by the student as a personal learning environment.  Key components include:                   The place where learning occurs: physical, virtual, transient The people: faculty, librarians, students, peers, outside expertise and knowledge networks                 Learning principles     Learning resources               Technology

DEFINING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS What are the goals of a Learning Environment, be it virtual, personal, or physical? Develops higher critical thinking skills Encourages problem solving Creates authentic learning Allows for reflections Creates inclusiveness, diversity and multiculturalism Allows for appropriate assessment Encourages collaborative learning and knowledge creation Others? What are your suggestions?

DEFINING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS Why a move from learning spaces to environments? Today’s technologies allow us to create and sustain environments that bridge time, space, and geography. Today’s students are increasingly thriving in worlds not defined by time or space. Today’s economy will require students who can think creatively, critically, and collaboratively.

TODAY'S FORMAT Rapid-brainstorming carousel. Three stations: faculty, students, administrators. Each group will brainstorm for 7 minutes, then rotate. Each group will move to the next carousel, brainstorm, and rotate. Will continue until each group brainstorms at each station. Report out: 15 minutes

GET THE CONVERSATION GOING: Station A: What can we do to help faculty consider and create new learning environments? Station B: How can we prepare students to be collaborative and creative? Station C: How can we make the case to administrators to invest time in faculty development and resource development around learning environments?

FIND YOUR PLACE Join the Community Jump in the Ning Network today! (http://tlchallenges09.ning.com) Volunteer for a Role Challenges Blogger Highlight news across higher education, innovative campus solutions, and your own experiences coping with the challenges. Twitterati Search for and Tweet resources and ideas related to the top challenges. Solutions in Action Speaker Sign up to share your work during one of this summer's Solutions in Action webcasts. Community Content Agent Serve as a content researcher on the wikis and through community-generated resources. Email: cpage@educause.edu. Now that the session has ended, you’re already part of the Challenges network simply by adding your voice to the conversation. But there are other ways to get involved.You can sign up to blog or moderate discussions on the Ning network. You can volunteer to speak at a summer Solutions in Action webcasts. If you’re interested in learning and doing more, we encourage you to join the Ning network for updates or to email Carie Page to find your place .

THANK YOU