I was at the opening of JISC conference yesterday evening, where a panel debated many of the issues we have been discussing at EDDG. Lots of issues were raised and debated including the role of social networking sites, students expectations of technology, and their increasing attitude that they should be creators of their own learning . Issues around democratisation of knowledge were debated at length, with a recognition that students have a more cavalier attitude towards information, and who owns it.
Professor Jeff Howard, from Edinburgh University raised an interesting issue around the desire of a small group of staff wanting to utilise the latest technology versus the desire of students for predictability in their learning.
All, at the conference did agree, that the use of technology was supplemantary to classroom teaching, but the interesting point was raised that many students get more 1:1 attention by lecturing staff through email etc. than real time interactions in universities. Not sure that's true , so much for FE but it's an interesting point.
Attending the conference has already been interesting on a personal level. I'm sitting their with my notebook and pen, whilst others have these really smart electronic notebooks and laptops. I thought they were all quickly highighting the main issues of the debate, to share with their colleagues etc. but a quick bit of spying revealed people looking at their emails, on social networking sites, and one playing a game ! Still, I want one .
I think it would be great to have a similiar debate around the use of technologies in education, on a college wide basis. Maybe we could invite some external and internal 'experts' to be on panel and have a real debate about the role of technology with FE. Let me know what you think.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Sounds very interesting Karen. I think that students do get quite a bit of one-to-one because of technology. Many students email me and I often respond with a personalised and in-depth email: a a little bundle of learning all for them. It does take time and you feel you are repeating the same things - which is why communicating through a site (wiki, blog ..) is good. The discussion is more public and lots of students will "lurk", read these online exchanges between tutor and fellow students, and go "oh yeh, I get it now."
By the way I like your idea about some kind of a group. We should also think about having more conversations with students in terms of their technology preferences. This is one area where students are ahead of many of us in - we can turn that around and use them as a resource.
Post a Comment