new media and open and distance learning: new challenges for education in a knowledge society

New Media and Open and Distance Learning:

New Challenges for Education

in a Knowledge Society

Prof. Bernard CORNU (CNED, France)

Vilnius, 11 November 2006

Convergence:

information technologies

(process digital information)

and communication technologies

(transport digital information)

New technologies: Multimedia

New ways of communication:

- from communication one-to-one and one-to-all

to communication all-to-all

- from communication to collaboration

Information and Communication

Information and Communication Technologies(ICT) are not only a tool; they profoundly changeSocieties.

They change Knowledge itself, access to knowledge,learning, teaching.

They change the mission of school, the role of the Teacher.

Information and Communication

Information: Facts, comments, opinions,expressed through words, images, sounds...It can be stored, circulated...

Knowledge: The output of the reconstructionof information by a person, according tohis/her history and context.It depends on the person.

Information can be transmitted,Knowledge must be acquired, constructed.

Information and Knowledge

Information society:A society based on technological development, in which information is a good that one can exchange, buy, sell, store, transport, process. The society of the digital divide.

Knowledge society:A human society, taking into account wider social, ethical and political dimensions, in which knowledge should bring justice, solidarity, democracy, peace... A society in which knowledge could be a force for changing society. A society which should provide universal and equitable access to information (UNESCO).

Information and Knowledge

New Media change Knowledge

Open & Distance Learning• get free from some constraints (time, space)• new ways of collaborative work• new ways of interactive learning activities

New Media; Open & Distance Learning

From pyramid to network:complexification

A Networked Society

Network:

- Nodes (information, people, knowledge, …)and edges (links…)

- Complexity- The « world wide web »- Several paths from one

node to another- Interactive, evolutive- Sub-networks,

network of networks...- Circulate in a network

A Networked Society

• Changes in Communication:

From hierarchical communication tonetworked communication

• New kinds of hierarchies…

A Networked Society

Networking of Societies Networking of Societies have consequences have consequences (positive… and negative) on (positive… and negative) on economy, social life, economy, social life, leasure, politics, …, leasure, politics, …, education:education:-Knowledge (networks of Knowledge (networks of Knowledge)Knowledge)-Access to KnowledgeAccess to Knowledge-Educational systemsEducational systems-Teaching and learningTeaching and learning-Role of the Teacher, Role of the Teacher, teaching professionteaching profession

… … and leads to collective and leads to collective intelligenceintelligence

A Networked Society

Individual / collective intelligence and capacities

…the networked society needs and reinforces a collective intelligence.

Collective intelligence

Example: ants

• Building bridges• Transporting heavy loads• Finding the shortest way• Regulating the temperature

Stigmergy:indirect communicationthrough the environment


Individual and collective dimensions in teaching and learning• collaborative and collective work• collective learning• collective competences• collective memory• collective responsibility• collective achievement

Develop collective intelligence in the classroomDevelop Teachers’ collective intelligence

Develop environments and platforms for promoting collective intelligence

Intelligent systems management


Technological evolution => evolution of communication => pedagogical evolution

New pedagogies… improve learning? Who knows???

« School against ICT »: the development of ICT in Education does not fit with the school…

« Internet happens out of the school »…

The end of the monopole of schools as institutions for transmission and assesment of knowledge…

The School of tomorrow…

Will schools resist to change or will they adapt?

Will the market transform schools?

Will the school be centered on society or centered on knowledge?

Will networks make schools disappear?

Will ICT (and the lack of teachers) minimize the teacher’s role?

On which parameters can we act?School mission, attitudes and expectations towards

schools

Structuration and organization of educational systems

Teachers, the teaching profession


Knowledge and Complexity

1. Detecting error and illusion: Teach the weaknesses of knowledge: what is human knowledge?

2. Principles of pertinent knowledge: Consider the objects of knowledge in their context, in their complexity, in their whole.

3. Teaching the human condition: the unity and the complexity of human nature.

4. Earth identity: Teach the history of the planetary era, teach the solidarity between all the parts of the world.

5. Confronting uncertainties: Teach the uncertainties in physics, in biology, in history…

6. Understanding each other: Teach mutual understanding between human beings. And teach what misunderstanding is.

7. Ethics for the human genre: Teach the ethics of humanity preparing citizens of the world.

(Edgar Morin, Seven complex lessons in education for the future)


No longer only for those who cannot attend a school…

A core component of Education in a Knowledge Society (networks, collective intelligence)

Covers the whole range of Education: primary, secondary, higher, lifelong learning

Contributes to social values:

Knowledge as a public good

Education as a public service

Equity (access to knowledge)

Distance Education

Pedagogical stakes:

Collective intelligence and « new » pedagogies

Individual / collective

Time and space:

distance / presence

synchroneous / asynchroneous

New interactions (tutoring)

New relationship between the teacher and the learner

Resources, tools, and… services

Individualization, adaptation, modularization

Open and Distance Learning

Personal stakes:

Individualization / collaboration

« distance reinforces proximity »

Freedom for choice

objectives

pedagogy

pace, rythm

Lifelong learning; « continuum »

Social promotion

Professional qualification

Open and Distance Learning

1. Dealing with the interaction of individualization and collaboration

2. Dealing with the complementarity of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities

3. Dealing with the complementarity of distance and presence activities (« blended learning »)

4. Dealing with the complementarity of initial education and lifelong learning

4 challenges

New « key » competencies:

Use tools

Act autonomously

Interarct in groups

Common European Principles for Teacher Competences and Qualifications (2005):

Competences for working with others

… individually and collectively, building a « collective intelligence »

Competences for working with Knowledge, technology and information

… networked knowledge, complex knowledge, in the Knowledge Society

Competences for working with and in Society

… social, political, ethical responsibility

… and competences

(IFIP WCCE, Stellenbosch, South Africa, July 2005)

As educators, we want not only an Information Society, but a Knowledge Society, enabling all children and all people to access Knowledge and to benefit from being educated. Education is a key issue in the Knowledge Society, and Educators have a major mission. Particularly, it is the responsibility of all educators and decision-makers around the world to help developing countries take part in the developments of ICT in Education.

ICT in Education: « Make it work »The Stellenbosch Declaration

Six major areas will shape a beneficial use of ICT in Education:

1. Digital Solidarity

2. Learners and Lifelong Learning

3. Decision-making Strategies

4. Networking

5. Research

6. Teachers


1. DIGITAL SOLIDARITY

In the field of Education, ICT should help develop “Digital Solidarity”. This requires strong and joint actions of all stakeholders to guarantee the right of participation in the digital society for all students in the world. We recommend a Digital Solidarity Action, that will define as the most important aim for the next five years, that every child in the world has access to a digital information and communication infrastructure.

Digital Solidarity Fund / Digital Solidarity Agency



2. LEARNERS AND LIFELONG LEARNING

In the Knowledge Society, every learner is a lifelong learner. The content and the methods of initial education must take into account preparation for lifelong learning. ICT is a key tool for developing lifelong learning. The development of lifelong learning needs an integration of education into the real world - ICT should be used for this purpose. Lifelong learning must be encouraged in all countries, as a tool for reducing the Digital Divide.

3. DECISION-MAKING STRATEGIES

In order to help decision-makers and to make decisions meet the real needs, bridging research, practice, experimentation, innovation with decision-making is essential. Decision-makers should make better use of the experience of Practitioners and the findings of Researchers. In turn, Practitioners and Researchers should make their findings and results more visible and usable for the Decision-makers. Educators and researchers should help in elaborating a vision and making it explicit.


4. NETWORKING

The Knowledge Society is networked. Networks in Education offer many ways to access knowledge, offer many possibilities for networking people and developing collaborative work and enhancing the “collective intelligence”. There is a need to develop networks and to involve all countries, particularly developing countries, in the education networks. Help in making real this sentence of an African child: “I am a child of Africa and a citizen of the world”.


5. RESEARCH

The development of ICT-based education and training processes is a growing reality. There is therefore a need to continue research work on the development of these technologies and their applications. A certain realignment of research priorities is necessary: Bridging the gap between technology and pedagogy; development of solid theoretical frameworks; development of an understanding of the use and the effects of ICT in Education; finding an appropriate balance between fundamental, applied, and development research as well as between public research and research made by the private sector. The output of research should be made widely available, as open source, for improving practice, decision-making, and resources development.


6. TEACHERS

Being a teacher in the Knowledge Society requires new specific competencies: a teacher has to deal with new knowledge, new ways for accessing knowledge; with a networked world and with new types of co-operation and collaboration; with a society in which knowledge plays a crucial role; with lifelong learning. Teachers are the key agents in the education system. It is our common responsibility to help all countries to train and recruit teachers, and to involve all teachers in international networks. ICT changes teaching and learning, but technology is not the main issue. “Technology matters, but good teachers and good teaching, matter more”.


Commercialisation of Education:

Education is a profitable market…

“ Knowledge: a public good; Education: a public service”

Do we prepare consumers or citizens?

Knowledge Society… or Knowledge Economy?

Globalization

« A new kind of worlwide humanism is appearing. Humanism is becoming technically possible » (Michel SERRES)

Ethics and Digital Solidarity

Ethical competences

ICT and « Education for all »… access to Knowledge

Digital divide and divides in education

... The « knowledge divide » …

The Digital Solidarity Fund (2005)

Ethics and Digital Solidarity

Thank you…

[email protected]

new media and open and distance learning: new challenges for education in a knowledge society

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