DELIVERYMETHODOLOGIES

“Education is what’s left over after you’ve forgotten everything you learnt at school.”

(Einstein)

SO MANY CHOICES….

• Who’d be happy for me to stand up here for the next 90 minutes and just deliver a lecture?

• Think of a couple of things you have learned In your life…..what? where? who?

• Think of the best teacher you ever had. Write down three words that describe them.

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

ADDIE:

• Analysis

• Design

• Development

• Implementation

• Evaluation

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALLIt does little good to pit one theory against another or try to swaypeople toward an exclusive practice in one method.  This has failed,thankfully, decade after decade as real practitioners realize teaching andlearning is individualized and the needs of individuals may rely on the useof many theories.  This also leads to my belief that the search for a"unified theory" of learning that meets all contingencies is a fruitlesssearch.

In my opinion, the reality of good practice in teaching and learning is onethat lives on a continuum from complete teacher control to student anarchy.Depending on the subject, the age and maturity of the student, thestudent's ease or difficulty in learning based on both physiology andenvironment, the scaffolding of knowledge required, and the expectedoutcomes, that continuum shifts toward one end or the other.  For example,in working with a learning disabled child or adult, it is possible thatcertain behaviorist strategies are the most effective.  When facilitatinglearning in a subject that requires memorization, drill and practice may bethe most effective. Additionally, where one is on the continuum may shiftduring a single term of teaching.

Maggie McVay Lynch 18/7/06

• Sage on the Stage (drone on the throne)• Instructor centred

THE TRANSMISSION MODEL

• “….is founded on the premise that communicating content to students will result in learning.“ (Jonassen)

• Is this true? Does it work? • Many traditional approaches "contend that we can

predict with accuracy the behavior and learning outcomes of organisms as complex as human learners.“

• Can learning outcomes be prescribed and achieved? Is learning ultimately an individual thing where no two learners will benefit equally from an educational activity?

THE DICHOTOMY

• The real world v educational theory

• The opposing side of the coin from the Transmission model is best represented by the theory of Constructivism

CONSTRUCTIVISMRuth Geer (University of SA)

• Students learn best by interacting with others rather than working in isolation. Wittrock’s generative learning theory, now popularly termed constructivism (holds that) people learn best when working together. Through this collaboration students are motivated and encouraged to remain focused on the task. The resultant interactivity leads to knowledge - building which requires “articulation, expression, or representation of what is learned.” (Jonassen, 1999)

What does a constructivist course look like?

CHARACTERISTIC YES/NO?

Multiple perspectivesThis course starts with the assumption that participants are the experts. Each student’s

perspective is valid, as is the perspectives of the ‘experts’.

Student-directed goalsParticipants can choose to focus on any of a range of scenarios, and choose their own method of

assessment.

Teachers as coaches Facilitator is more a guide and assistant rather than the final arbiter and source of knowledge.

Metacognition Participants are required to plan an online event, conduct it, and evaluate the experience.

Participants also debrief email games and group discussions.

Learner controlThere is ample opportunity for participants to chart their own way through the course. They are offered choices of topic focus, who they want to work with, and how they are to be assessed.

Authentic activities & contexts Course is built around a number of scenarios based on real events.

Knowledge constructionParticipants learn from each other via group discussions on a range of scenarios, and compare

findings with those of acknowledged experts.

What does a constructivist course look like?

Knowledge collaboration Group tasks are built into the course and rely on decisions being reached collaboratively.

Previous knowledge constructionsParticipants are urged early on in the course to discover previous skills/experience of other

participants.

Problem solving Many of the scenarios pose problems that an emoderator needs to address.

ExplorationParticipants are urged to discover resources, negotiate course outcomes and methodology, and

explore participants’ skills and experience on course entry.

Apprenticeship learning Several relative newcomers to the online environment were assisted by more experienced onliners

Conceptual interrelatedness Principally done in group threaded discussions, but needs to be refined and improved upon.

Alternative viewpointsThe nature of emoderation means there are no right answers, and each participant brought a

different perspective to each scenario.

ScaffoldingOriginal version of the course lacked effective scaffolding. Subsequent versions of the course had

more structure built in.

Authentic assessmentParticipants were assessed solely on their own performance in group discussions, and hosting an

online event.

Primary sources of data Ideas of participants themselves were often the source of data for review and analysis.

Why does Interactivity Matter?

• Learning is a social experience

• Increases level of exploration; students more likely to engage with content and not just ‘consume’ it’

• Aids critical thinking, higher order thinking, problem solving (ie deep learning as opposed to surface learning)

Good in theory but…….

• Very hard in practice• Influence of transmission model• Curriculum, training package,

syllabus/time restraints – an interactive approach can take longer

• Students may need to be taught to interact, collaborate, and trust each other

The Role of Content

OR, Learners as co-designers?

REALITY:

I work almost exclusively with nationally endorsed units of competence – I am acutely aware of the need for any accredited course to lead participants to the elements that are required to be assessed. Also for any unit of competence to be allowed to be taught, the workgroup needs to show the auditor (me) that they have the resources to deliver and those resources include assessment tools and delivery materials. Therefore, if these delivery materials do not exist because the plan allows the learners to create them, they will not pass audit and not be allowed to deliver. (Jann Manda, TAFE SA, 18/7/06)

What are you teaching?• Knowledge refers to the cognitive domain.

To know = pure theoretical knowledge.Know how = the application of knowledge

• Attitudes refer to the affective domain that includes ‘learner’s’ values, beliefs, biases, emotions, and role expectations that may influence their disposition towards the learning environment.

• Skills are the actual abilities to put specific knowledge into practice (performance or competence). Show how = demonstrate the ability to use specific knowledge or adopt specific attitudesDo = demonstrate in his/her everyday work that he/she has integrated the objectives of the course or training session

http://www.euteach.com/euteach_home/euteach_curriculum/euteach_planning/euteach_guide.htm

Teaching KnowledgeThe following are suitable for teaching ‘knowledge’:

• Formal lecture (unidirectional monologue) • Mini lecture • Interactive lecture with student active breaks (bilateral

exchange) • Reading • Audio visual materials (CD ROM, video tapes, etc) • Case studies • Individual research (Internet, literature review etc) • Group discussion • Field work (observations, discussions, etc)

Teaching Attitude

• Group discussion • Exploration of personal attitudes • Focus groups • Exposure to views and values using real or

‘simulated’ situations, stories (anecdotes), videos, websites, role models

• Promotion of attitudes such as ‘openness’ and ‘introspection’ (reflection)

• Field work (observations, discussions, etc)

Teaching Skills

• Simulations (models, role plays) • Supervised practice • Making and examining videos • Guidelines for good practice (including

check lists and handouts) • Group discussion • Field work (observations, discussions,

etc)

What do employers want?People:• With poise• With problem solving skills• Who can negotiate conflict• Who show initiative• Who can communicate

That is, the so-called SOFT SKILLS

What teaching methodologies best promote these skills?

Who learns more? The person teaching a course or the person studying it?

LEARNERS AS CO - DESIGNERS…….

ASSESSMENT

• In some situations learners can be engaged in constructing the assessment process.

• Digital Story Telling

• Podcasts

BLENDED LEARNING

The eLearning Guild (2003) Blended Learning Best Practices Survey result was in favour of blended learning, with the obvious benefits to learners…. the overwhelming agreement (73.6%) was that it is more effective than classroom teaching on its own and that learners like it (68.6%).

BLENDED LEARNING/FLEXIBLE DELIVERY

• Materials (content) online or print based• Delivered on location (face to face) or

remotely• CMC (computer mediated

communication) tools: email, forums, chat, blogs, wikis

• Combination of face to face and online delivery

SOME BLENDED LEARNING MODELS:• Building and Construction (TAFE SA)• Property Services (TAFE SA)• MARC (Management and Research

Centre) – TAA• Schefenacker Vision Systems (OHSW)• GippsTAFE (Vic) – Medical Terminology• Mobile Learning – Induction > PDAs (All

Access Crewing; Qld)

Schefenacker Vision Systems

• OHSW

• Plant Tour

• Oral Assessment

(voice board)

THE NEW PUBLISHING MEDIA

• Digital Story Telling

• Blogs and Wikis

• Podcasts

> Powerful free tools for creating and distributing content

Networked Learning

Social Network Analysis and

The Entergy Story

http://knowledgetree.flexiblelearning.net.au/edition08/la_majchrzak.html

RHIZOMIC NATURE OF THE INTERNET

getting your

students back

from the Internet

wilderness is a

bit like

HERDING

CATS

ENGAGEMENT:

• Motivate them, inspire them, annoy them, make them laugh, make them angry, but for goodness sake don’t bore them! (Thiagi)

http://thiagi.com/

Michael Coghlane: michaelc@chariot.net.auhttp://users.chariot.net.au/~michaelc/