The paradigm shift in teacher The paradigm shift in teacher and learner autonomyand learner autonomy

Vance StevensThe Petroleum Institute

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Presented at BrazTESOLSao Paulo, Brazil, July 22, 2010

http://braz2010vance.pbworks.com/

Making a difference Making a difference through changethrough change

WHY it’s importantWHAT it’s aboutHOW can it be

accomplishedThis presentation is online at

http://braz2010vance.pbworks.com/PLN

Why it’s importantWhy it’s importantWould you agree that … ? 20th century educational precepts are rooted in

industrial era 21st century knowledge worker skill requirements

are radically different from before Education systems should teach new skills across

the curriculum

Who’s going to do that?? (guess) … Therefore ..

Teachers are responsible for improving their skills in order to model new and crucial skills across the curriculum

WHAT WHAT are some of theseare some of these

Important 21Important 21stst century skills century skills and concepts?and concepts?

Here are a few of these Here are a few of these skills?skills?

Web 2.0Social Networking

Stand upif you've heard of these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

RSS and feed readers Bloggingo both for multiliteracy skills o and as illustration of RSS

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar/comfortable with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Podcasts ◦ harvesting them, as further

examples of application of RSS; ◦ also producing them, as vital

resources in ongoing learning and professional development)

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Microblogging (e.g. Twitter)

PLNs(personal learning networks)

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Digital storytellingApplications of multimedia

to new literaciesMultiliteracies

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Distributed learning networks

Communities (of practice) Connectivism

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Aggregation ◦ folksonomic

classification systems ◦as opposed to

taxonomic ones

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Informal learningJust-in-time learningPush/pull technologies

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Synchronous communication tools◦ Instant messaging◦ Skype◦ Online presentation venues

incorporating interactive whiteboard Voice video

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

2121stst Century Skill Sets Century Skill Sets

Asynchronous collaboration tools

◦ Blogs and Wikis◦ Voicethread◦ Slideshare◦ Google docs

Sit back down if you’re notfamiliar with these

10 Paradigm Shifts10 Paradigm ShiftsHOW do teachers have to change

in order to adopt and assimilate 21st century skills and successfully prepare students for jobs that haven’t been invented yet?

HOW can teachers themselves learn to successfully make them and their students behave like 21st century knowledge workers?

Re-learning how to learnRe-learning how to learnAre teachers factory workers or

knowledge workers?◦Factory workers train to carry out

assembly line tasks knowledge required is repetitive, not

generative

◦Knowledge workers need to constantly re-create knowledge access and contribute to knowledge

resident in networks

Paradigm Shift #1Paradigm Shift #1regarding PEDAGOGYregarding PEDAGOGY

Educators must shift from didactic models of “teaching” avoid reliance on lecture modes (where students “sit and get”)

to constructivist ones emphasizing “learning” over “teaching”

◦ re-think means by which knowledge is shared ◦ move off center stage to become a “guide on

the side” returning only to model and demonstrate

Paradigm Shift #2Paradigm Shift #2regarding NETWORKINGregarding NETWORKING

Educators must move from regarding learning as an isolated activity

to connectivist models along the lines of communities of practice and personal/distributed learning networks

Paradigm Shift #3Paradigm Shift #3regarding LITERACYregarding LITERACY

Move from its last-century dominance by print media

toward multiliteracies approaches• that better accommodate how people

articulate and communicate •when a plethora of digital tools and

connectivities are available.

Paradigm Shift #4Paradigm Shift #4regarding HEURISTICSregarding HEURISTICS

Productive models of organizing learning from top-down client/server relationships

between repositories and seekers of information

to peer to peer ones, where those with knowledge and those seeking it treat each other equally,

◦ frequently reverses roles of seekers and providers of knowledge and content.

Paradigm Shift #5Paradigm Shift #5regarding FORMALITYregarding FORMALITY

from power-centric models with traditionally defined roles, driven by set activities with predictable outcomes, with fear of being exposed as not “knowing”

to more informal models with encouragement of exploration and discovery by all involved in the learning process. ◦ increased chances that F.U.N. (Frivolous

Unanticipated Nonsense) will enter that process

Paradigm Shift #6Paradigm Shift #6regarding TRANSFERregarding TRANSFER

ability to see that something you do in "informal" parts of your life can be utilized in more "formal" aspects;

◦ for example, seeing that the way Facebook or mobile telephones are used to organize and connect your personal world

◦ can transfer into how learning can be facilitated in your professional life, both as a teacher and lifelong learner.

Paradigm Shift #7Paradigm Shift #7regarding DIRECTIONALITYregarding DIRECTIONALITY

Directionality of knowledge transfer trending from “push” systems, like email, where content providers (including spammers, advertisers, and office wags pushing cute attachments) control what comes your way; to “pull” systems e.g. those using tagging and RSS to aggregate what recipients request to see, on demand.

Paradigm Shift #8Paradigm Shift #8regarding OWNERSHIPregarding OWNERSHIP

trending from proprietary models prevalent toward the end of last century (e.g. Microsoft Windows and Office; Blackboard LMS, Sound Forge, Camtasia)

to open source models (Linux, Open Office, Moodle), greater availability of freeware (Audacity, Camstudio and uTIPu), and ascendancy of OERs (open educational resources).

Paradigm Shift #9Paradigm Shift #9regarding SHARINGregarding SHARING

From viewing copyright as something that limits the use of intellectual property

To something along lines of Creative Commons model, •which allows content to be shared

and remixed within parameters that credit its creators and specify fair use.

Paradigm Shift #10Paradigm Shift #10regarding CLASSIFICATIONregarding CLASSIFICATION

Classification of learning objects, websites, bookmarks, photos and music, and filing of email moving from fixed and pre-ordained taxonomic models to folksonomic ones, where multiple users simply tag objects on the fly to invent organic, flexible systems of retrieval (folksonomies) that would otherwise be chaotically stored in “the cloud,” unmanageably irretrievable in a taxonomic system.

Catalyzing changeCatalyzing changeMaking the shift happen is a matter of

putting the ingredients together The catalysts:

• The Internet• Paradigm shift

Chemical ingredients:• Tools: Web 2.0•Models experienced in the process• Participants•A space to meet

ModelingModeling

What am I modeling now A didactic style of information transfer

BUTWhat I OFTEN model at such talks I give the presentation live online I use my PLN to invite online participants I follow the chat, the backchannelThese are synchronous techniques

Modeling asynchronous Modeling asynchronous learninglearning

Text of my presentation online I've created an ePortal for it:

http://braz2010vance.pbworks.com/PLN This models

• Creating portals for ePorfolios• Creating content vs consuming it• Slides online with Slideshare.net• Slides available via creative commons• If recorded, will be podcast

What else could we be What else could we be modelingmodeling

If we were ALL online now, what else could we be modeling? With wireless, and laptops or 3G phones

• You can Google for greater understanding•We can run polls (poll everywhere)•We can backchannel in Twitter

We could learn how to apply these tools with students: Edmodo or Yammer, Poll Anywhere

Etienne Wenger: Etienne Wenger: How did you know you were How did you know you were in a in a community of community of practicepractice??

Cristina Costa: Cristina Costa: When I saw my practice When I saw my practice had changedhad changed

Learners engage in moving Learners engage in moving from from consumers to creators of consumers to creators of contentcontent

Create conditions to promote change by easing students and teachers into working with unfamiliar technologies Awareness: Consumers of content Contribution: Comment, remix Creation: Post original content

Awareness: Consumers of Awareness: Consumers of contentcontent

Awareness of what is 'out there.' Like learning a language, awareness of basic communications. Hello. What is your name? What is a blog? What is a tag? How can I subscribe to a podcast?

Identify and read good blogs Subscribe, download, listen to podcasts Find free training materials and videos Listen to TED talks, etc. etc.

Contribution: comment, remixContribution: comment, remixOnce you've found the conversations, you

can enter into them, absorb their culture, become comfortable and familiarComment on blog posts

Skype into webcasts Join in live presentations Enroll in listserves Tag content with intent to

retrieving / sharing it Create mashups (moving to next step)

Creation of contentCreation of contentContribute to the culture, to content

available to the community and network. Recycle what you learn, add value, create blog posts, reflect on learning, suggest insights to others, share with community.

Create blogs and wikis Create e-Portfolios Link to numerous objects in portfolio Link to / reflect / develop spaces for PLN Digital storytelling

Creating curriculum for changeCreating curriculum for changeHere are some things I've been creating recently and posting onlineMaterials designed to teach students 21st century computer literaciesShared at: http://issuu.com/vances/docs/social_networking_2009_lessons1-3

Courses to train teachers in multiliteracies and connectivismMashup: Designing curriculum for students which will concurrently train teachers

Thank you for listeningThere is more

about this presentation here: http://braz2010vance.pbworks.com/PLN

And at Vance's bloghttp://adVancEducation.blogspot.com