Praxis

[ CD-rom ] [ School Networks ] [ Distance Cooperation ]
[ Metaphors for Learning ] [ Web Courses ]

The situation we are in does in many ways carry the characteristics of a transient period. The technology is changing rapidly and a lot of the interesting thinking and doing in education is described as experiments, often with a rather radical distance to the dominant traditional praxis.

I have suggested that one of the most important frameworks from the Piaget period is no longer valid: We cannot construct closed, protected microworlds and we cannot take as granted that no one escapes or finds other sources for information, and knowledge. On the other hand it is obvious that the challenges we have discussed, massive access to information, knowledge vs. information, the lack of context etc., is leading to a lot of thinking about alternative structures. Much of the praxis that we see to day may be considered as attempts to regain control.

CD-rom

CD-rom is a media for archiving and distributing piles of data limited to about 650 Mb, and nothing else. CD-rom is however in some contexts becoming some kind of pedagogical unit. There are pedagogues who speak of "CD-rom as a method". In itself a meaningless statement. What can be suspected is that this is an evaluation of a CD-rom as a reasonably great amount of structured, or less structured, data for "free search". One may consider this as an attempt to regain control over chaos.

We see a lot of 650 Mb units for educational use which are some kind of mixture between effects, data and more or less random media clips. The usability, beyond entertainment or mere browsing, is difficult to grasp.

School Networks

We see the emergence of a lot of what is often referred to as school networks, although they are web sites which are meant to be resource centres for pupils and teachers in a local or national school society. The sites publish a lot of different things, from technical "how to" material to news form the ministry, and tips for teaching and even news that is considered relevant for students homework. This is probably a necessary and useful development, but there are a few things to watch out for.

Firstly the common experience that it is a lot easier to establish a web site than it is to maintain it. The resources needed to maintain a good website is usually underestimated. Specially the web sites which are based on contributions from the readers are vulnerable in this respect. There are quite many examples of sources for information that is drying up after a fresh and promising start.

Secondly there is a danger that the content will be bad copies of material that is in the schools already. There is easily a clash of cultures if we try to use the new media to present existing material in traditional form.

Distance Cooperation

A very promising development is the establishment of cooperative projects between schools, often across geographical, cultural and language borders. A scheme that seems to be usual is the treatment of a common theme based on contribution from the participants. Measurements of pollution is an example. The compilation of reports based on distributed observations or measurements prepares the ground for important learning.

It is necessary to agree on explicit contexts to make sure that the results are comparable. This opens up for a valuable reflection of the value and reliability of sources of information.

Participants in this kind of cooperative projects will through personal relations disclose other sides of other cultures than those filtered through the problem oriented press.

The strength of this approach is that the technology is used as a tool in a planned pedagogical process. The technology in itself is neither the target of education nor the anonymous source of information.

Metaphors for Learning

A key issue in designing technology based learning material has been metaphors for communication, motivation and learning. There is a considerable danger for some shortcuts in the design of metaphors on the technology we see at the moment. The metaphors which was necessary and useful in closed microworlds may be out of order in an open distributed technology.

A project is described shortly this way: The objective is to create contact and mutual understanding across borders in Europe by discussing actual political and cultural questions. The metaphor is is a virtual parliament where everybody can meet and participate. The parliament has a structure with agendas, voting etc. The project has students at European teacher colleges as a target group. See The Demeter Parliament [16].

To me this project represents a paradox. I can easily understand and appreciate the intentions. It is an illustration and even a training in formal democratic decision making processes. The main problem is that the technology is used to simulate a process that the technology can be used to implement in reality. As a teacher student I would probably have problems to motivate myself to play democracy with this metaphor in stead of taking up real issues with students in other countries. It would be a far more interesting challenge to implement actions and attempt to influence real decisions. The learning effect would a little different, but probably greater and more valuable.

This example may serve as an illustration of two different methodical perspectives. On one hand we may have an easily accessible illustration of a phenomena, with or with out active participation. On the other hand we may have an interesting action based version of a project oriented approach.

Web Courses

The production of web based learning material is growing at a fast rate, specially in higher education. Universities, colleges and private commercial operators produce courses of different types and quality. This development is interesting at it will probably lead to rather fundamental changes in the organisation of higher education. The competition in this market will become very hard.

It is difficult to point at common factors or to make classification of the available products, the differences both in approach and in quality is large. It is however possible to discuss a few principles and look at e few key issues.

Sequential lessons

Although the phrase "open and distributed learning" is used frequently, many of the available courses are built as traditional sequential series of lessons, typically one each week. The only change from the traditional mail based courses is the technology with which the students and the teacher communicate. It may seem a paradox that the students possibility to work in her own pace is ignored. The arguments for this structure is partly of administrative nature. Advocates for this approach argues that the students appreciate this "pacing" of their work.

Student activity

It is still a fact that most of the web based courses are designed for teaching, not learning. The emphasis is on the course, the administrative overhead and the material, not at the students work. We are repeating old behaviour, conveying information, on new technology. The technology should lend itself to another approach with the students activities in the centre.

This paradox is probably the greatest challenge we are facing when it comes to web based learning. It will be of crucial importance to succeed in stimulating student centred activities, beyond the traditional mandatory assignments. If we do not succeed in this we will not succeed in what is probably the most important objective: To prepare students for a continuous learning process.

The qualities of the surroundings

Universities and colleges has an objective beyond the mere education in a subject. The institutions are expected to contribute to a certain socialisation and shall be the carriers of traditions, and what follows from that like ethics and a critical approach to knowledge. It is also a fact that a lot of the actual education takes place outside the courses. Students learn from each other and so to speak from the walls. This is the established institutions foremost quality as educating institutions. It is in light of this quite a paradox when universities and colleges strive to establish complete basic educations based on the web only.