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Tony Bates Associates Ltd1
BDRA International Conference:LEARNING FUTURES
Leicester, U.K.9-11 January 2007
The implications ofWeb 2.0 for teaching
and learning in aknowledge-based
society© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 2
Overview
1. Introduction2. What is e-learning?3. Current pressures on universities4. Changing technology5. Developing a vision for teaching6. Conclusions
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 3
What is e-learning?
My definition:all computer and
Internet-basedactivities that supportteaching and learning- both on-campus and
at a distance
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 4
What is e-learning?(Bates, 2005)
face-to-
faceno e-learning fully e-learning
class-roomaids
mixedmode
(less face-to-face + e-learning)
dis-tanceedu-
cation
distributedlearningblended
learning
lap-toppro-
grams
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 5
Propor-tion ofcoursesusingeachtype ofe-learning
Class-roomaids
Lab/laptop
classes
Mixedmode
Fullydistance
68%
7%1%
24%
Current proportion of different types of e-learning in North America + Europe (2006)
Sources: WebCT, 2003 OECD, 2005
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 6
Making choices
For any program:Where on the continuum of e-learning
should this program be?Should this continuum reflect course
sections or students?Who should make this decision?
To answer these questions, we mustlook at the reasons for e-learning
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 7
Current pressures onuniversities
universities
changingeconomies
changinginstitutions
changingpedagogy
changingstudents
changingtechnology
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 8
Current pressures onuniversities
universities
changingeconomies
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 9
Different economies
Resource-based: agricultural, mining,fishing: land/sea-based, local
Industrial: manufacturing: urban, factories,hierarchical, economies of scale, specialistskills
Knowledge-based: financial, bio-technology, ICTs, telecoms,entertainment: ʻvirtualʼ, global, networked,multi-skilled
All three economies in parallel© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 10
Shifting economy
2005200019951987 1990
% share of Canadian industrial employment
Services
Goods
Source: Globe and Mail, 27 April 2006, B9
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 11
Skills of knowledge-based workers
• problem solving, critical thinking• communication skills• computing/Internet skills• independent learners• entrepreneurial, initiative• flexibility• team-work/networkingAS WELL AS subject expertise
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 12
Current pressures onuniversities
universities
changingpedagogy
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 13
Changing views of learning(epistemology)
How we know what is true, e.g.: Darwinvs Church
Objectivist: truth exists outside thehuman mind: scientific laws thatdescribe an unchanging reality
Constructivist: all knowledge isconstructed by humans: science iswhat scientists generally agree;knowledge is relative and personal
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 14
Impact on educational practice
Objectivist:• a body of knowledge to be learned,
defined by experts• knowledge transmission by experts• comprehension, memory, rote
learning• authoritative, correct, organized, clear,
not to be questioned• ʻrightʼ answers; efficient reasoning
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 15
Impact on educational practice
Constructivist:• observe, compare, question, reflect,
discuss, assimilate, e.g. heat• reflective, social and personal• questions, problems, discussion,
argument: learners more equal• quality of argument/thinking
assessed© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 16
Why the shift?
Knowledge explosion: too much tolearn by heart: smarter rather thanmore
Skills required in knowledge-basedbusinesses (and in life):
• critical thinking, creative thinking,problem-solving, communication,use of ICTs
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 17
Current pressures onuniversities
universities
changingstudents
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 18
Changing students:digital natives (Prensky, 2005)
Under 25 years of age: brought up withtechnology: computers, mobile phones
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 19
Current pressures onuniversities
universities
changingtechnology
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 20
Online learning 1995-2006
Main driver: Internet + learningplatforms:
• WebCT, Blackboard, Moodle,Virtual Campus
• integration of teaching andadministration
• proprietal vs open-source• institution/teacher-focused
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 21
What is Web 2.0?
Definition (Wikipedia):second generation of Internet-based
services—such as socialnetworking sites, wikis,
communication tools, andfolksonomies—that emphasize
online collaboration and sharingamong users.
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 22
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 23
MySpace
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 24
iTunes podcasts Higher Education
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iTunes Podcasts Educational Technology
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 26
Second Life
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Flickr
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YouTube
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New technologies: 2005 -
user-created content: blogs, YouTubesocial networking: MySpacemobile learning: phones, MP3svirtual worlds: Second Lifeemerging publication: wikis, e-Portfoliosmulti-player games: Lord of the Ringssimulations: MyPhysicsLab.comsynchronous: Skype, Elluminate
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 30
What is Web 2.0?
Educational implications• learners have powerful tools• learners create/add/adapt content• personal learning environments• power shift from teachers to
learners• ʻopenʼ access, content, services
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 31
What is Web 2.0?
Educational implications:• social networks; peer-to-peer (P2P)• institutional shift to service, speed,
and market response• issues of quality, IP and
accreditation• others?
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 32
Web 2.0 and learner control
Teacher control Learner control
Objectivist Constructivist
Blogs
E-portfolios
WikisDiscussionforums
RSS
Non-creditCredit Research
LMSs(e.g.Moodle)
Tests
flikr
MySpaceBooks Portals
Essays
Secondlife
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 33
How to mobilise Web 2.0 in onlineteaching
Within programmes:• group work• projects and cases• outside experts and content• field work• language teaching• multimedia assignments/e-portfolios• ………
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 34
Dangers of Web 2.0
ʻInstead of a dictatorship ofexperts, weʼll have adictatorship of idiotsʼ
Andrew Keen, ʻThe Cult of the Amateurʼ
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 35
Dangers of learner-centredWeb-based learning
• ʻdemocratizationʼ of learning: threatto expertise/authority/reliability?
• undermining of scientific thinking?• dependent learners: need for
structure/guidance (teachable)• didactic teaching sometimes best• trustworthiness and security
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 36
The educational benefits of Web 2.0
• lot of hype: much of Web 2.0 is socialnot educational
• BUT there is educational potential:meets many lifelong learning needs
• change in philosophy as well astechnology
• will lead to power shift to learners• needs more experimentation/
evaluation
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 37
Current pressures onuniversities
universities
changinginstitutions
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 38
The importance of academic departmentsin change and innovation
Two typical approaches to change:• top down: Vice-chancellors or
governments decide a strategythen try to implement it universities like graveyards;
autonomy of the faculty member• bottom up: early adopters; Lone
Rangers
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 39
The critical role of academic departments
Academic department
Administration
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 40
The importance of the academicdepartment/faculties
Academic departments/facultiesdetermine programs andcurriculum
Bridge between autonomy of facultyand institutional objectives
Place where consensus can be builtAcademic faculties/departments
determine the success of e-learning
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 41
Planning goal for academicfaculties/departments
Academic faculties/departments:Each program will develop avision and plan for teachingand learning, including the
appropriate use of e-learning
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 42
Departmental vision
e-learning a tool, not a panaceaneed to identify where it will bring
most benefitdepends on type of students, nature
of topicprogram teams to develop vision of
teaching/learning + role of e-learning that drives funding
© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 43
Determining the role of e-learning
what new markets can we serve?what new programs do we need?where does e-learning fit in the
facultyʼs programmes?how will e-learning change the way
we teach?what do we need to support e-
learning© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 44
The rationale for e-learning
E-learning supports the development ofskills needed in knowledge-basedsocieties, e.g. how to seek, organize, analyseand apply information
Using technology for learning preparesstudents for knowledge-based work
E-learning is particularly good forlifelong learning
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© Tony Bates Associates Ltd 45
Further information
Bates, A.W. (2005) Technology, e-Learning and Distance EducationLondon: Routledge
OECD (2005) E-learning in TertiaryEducation Paris: OECD
Bates, A. (2000) Managing TechnologicalChange San Francisco: John Wiley
Bates, A. & Poole, G. (2003) EffectiveTeaching with Technology in HigherEducation San Francisco: John Wiley