Technology in the Learning Environment - Using Technology to Enhance Instruction September 2003 Steinþór Þórðarson

This presentation 1.IT in adult education brief status report rearview mirror the future 2.IT to facilitate information literacy library service and teaching/training with technology Conclusion – If old (traditional) methods for teaching really work there is no reason to assume that the more recent ones will not

Information is not knowledge! Knowledge is not wisdom Wisdom is not truth Truth is not beauty Beauty is not love Love is not music Music is the best Frank Vincent Zappa

Have we ever taught without technology?

Technologies for sharing information: The Book – Printing from ca.1440 The Film – ca Radio – TV – WW2+ VCR – late 70’s PC’s – 1981 Multimedia – 1990+

Teaching and learning online: Is not a technological challange for neither teachers nor students –Technology is at our disposal and so is support/service –Literacy is a requirement The challange for the educator is: –Leading meaningful work to result in learning

And what tools have we got? Web based instruction Resource based learning –“Learning objects” model Asynchronous teaching/learning Hybrid learning Self paced learning

& company Just in time – targeted training EPSS – Electronic performance support systems

...so – is it any good?...well – people learn and earn degrees, develop their skills etc. When appropriate, learning outcomes are comparable to traditional approaches How good is the classroom anyway?

Technical barriers Two ongoing processes to lower thresholds –User interface design –Training – instruction Specific to target groups –Chronological age –CV – academic + work experience

Is the problem going to go away? Basic IT skills – primary and secondary school Generation x – Higher ed. institutes are reporting lowering thresholds. Technology is becoming less of a concern

The question at hand Can the library use learning (teaching) technologies to meet the needs of it’s customers?

General - Teaching Just in time EPSS – on demand Task specific - Training Why not? Modules on the web: –Narrated slides (PowerPoint) –Animated desktop (Camtasia) –FAQ database Web based (IT) courses: –e-moderating – leading meaningful work –e-tivities - WebQuest – learning experiences in IT environment (Course management software – WWW tools) Does the software company or book publisher provide any useful material?

What about the most basic stuff? Literacy and basic browsing skills are needed to make use of electronic library services. What about those at square one? –Is this frontier not covered? –In Iceland there are ample opportunities for people to aquire basic IT skills. Public and private schools offer courses in all shapes and sizes and labour unions offer grants.

Inhouse built or off the shelf? Either way – Keep it simple and cheap –Limited life-span. Any IT teaching/training material expires in near future –Content is king – don’t strive for broadcast quality in look and feel. “Homebrew” works –Guarantee relevance – To the point –Testdrive – is the material idiotproof?

Words of wisdom (which is not truth) When making your own material: –Comply with standards and make material that can be used with common browsers and viewers. –Keep your old stuff in formats you can edit. In revisions, like when upgrading your material to fit a new version of software the stuff from the older version makes a good starting point. Update the material instead of building from scratch

Words of wisdom (which is not truth) Form alliances internally –IT support staff –Teaching support staff –Experienced teachers Form alliances externally –Other institutes with similar needs –You can share graphics, manuscripts etc. even if partners use different languages

Goats in a film archive Two goats found their way in to the film archives at RUV (Icelandic national TV). Having eaten all the reels of Brekkukotsannáll (based on a story by Halldór Laxness) one asked the other how she liked the film. “Well – I think the book was even better” was the reply. Lesson: If the material is good - any medium will do. (However, the book may be a bit better ).

Thank you! Questions? Comments?