Portfolio Assignment:
A Review of Distributed & Open Learning Initiatives
Upon course completion, I have learned many key ideas about the integration of technology, inclusive learning styles and how education is vastly evolving and constantly changing. In a vision I see for the future of the educational system, I have included some key ideas below; the ongoing alterations that will continue over the course of the next 30 – 60 years will in the best effort and will include perspectives and ideas from all members of society and we will hopefully see a bottom up approach.
∴ Education & Society are Constantly Evolving:
Things have moved rapidly in the face of technology since the turn of the century over 20 years ago; society has been altered in ways of which we can never turn back from. People’s lives depend of the out-turn of newer and newer technology, in fact many of these innovations are life saving. With the exploitation of cheap overseas labour it is affordable for even the youngest members of society to hold a smart phone. The reality is that much of our socialization revolves around social media platforms and how we use technology. In this quickly developing world, one thing has not entirely caught up with these redesigning times: our education system. Traditional teaching methods ie: lecture based + note taking are still lingering in society at the University level and for those who have found a way to keep it fresh and alive, however; many are scrapping these pedagogies for more interactive or technology based practices.
∴ Embracing Digital Technology with Open Arms, even if it Poses Challenges:
The benefits of digital learning seems to frequently be something that decision makers are running away from, though instead, educators are asking them to embrace the idea that technology will create more success in the classroom. What people seem to forget is that as educators, is that we can control what tech is integrated into our learning sessions. This means that technology doesn’t have to play an overwhelming part in children’s education, but it can play a supplementary role. It does not have to “take over” for teachers but it can help to quell many challenges that educators face in terms of learning disabilities in the classroom. Technology can help to create more engagement, improve knowledge retention, encourages a personalized learning experience which has shown to successfully promote improved learning outcomes, further it allows for student-student collaboration while learning useful technology focused skills (Crosslin, 2018). Furthermore, with technology in the hands of our educators, we have become both the creators of knowledge and content; whether it be text, graphic, audio, video+ film or computing, there is some kind of digital integration that is benefitting the educational community (Crosslin, 2018). It would be hard to promote the integration of tech in the classroom without mentioning that there will be challenges (and there most definitely will be). Shaping the future of education with technology will always include financial and budget inquiries as well as questions of how to keep children safe online. As someone who will be in the classroom from 2022 until the 2060’s, many of these growing concerns will be problems that I face; additionally, with the ever changing face of technology there will be great deal of development throughout that time frame. Technological innovations will always be part of the brink of education, and we will have to evolve as educators over time in order to see the greatest learning potential.
∴ Battling Concerns of Equity
Aforementioned in my previous article, there is a phrase that I have vowed to live and teach by, “equality doesn’t mean that everyone gets the same thing, it means that everyone’s needs are met.” For some inside and out of the educational system, this is still an ongoing battle. There seem to be many that are not on board with the equity vs equality difference; in a learning environment, when students needs are not met, this is the difference between being successful and having your potential hindered. Technology in the classroom to some people is like the relationship between one’s iPhone or glasses. There is a desperate need to start recognizing that tech in a learning environment is a necessity to meet learning outcomes for some students. The more that technology advances and is integrated into educational environments, the more wide spread the availability will become. The rights for learning disabled peoples to have their education ‘barrier-free’ is on the basis of equal opportunity, and the educational system will continue to ensure over time that there is inclusive educational options for learners that find themselves impaired in the classroom (Jokinen, 2018).
∴ What Constitues Meaningful Learning + Effective Practices:
These ideas of the future of education and what it means to fully integrate evolving technology all extend well beyond the scope of formal learning; what it does involve is asking questions about the foundation of our learning goals and outcomes. Though there around boundless expectations in our classrooms now and there will be only more as time passes, there are some effective practices that are essential in classroom operation (Crosslin, 2018):
- Active engagement
- Fluid Content & Material + Moderate Amounts of Information
- Simple, Straight-Forward Organization + Clear Communication
- Connecting Content to Participants
- Well Written Goals and Objectives for Learning Outcomes + Student Expectations
- Promptly Responding to Questions and Concerns
Addressing all of the above elements in the classroom create comprehensible classroom expectations that can conform to any age or time period. It should always be the goals of our educators to transform the learning experience to encourage the greatest amount of potential from each individual. Another aspect from Crosslin’s article (2018) is the idea of humanizing the learning experience; what kind of teaching presence will be needed for the future of education? Indeed one that understands the benefits of evolving technology, but a persona that integrates aspects of traditional methods coupled with those new and developing. Moreover, exercising our responsibility as educators, and our commitment to accountability when it comes to generating and producing inclusive content that will enhance the educational system (Jokinen, 2018). For the good of the educational system and for those who will pass through it, it cannot be the same in 2040 as it exists today. In addition, it is clear that many of our educators who are currently evolving are demonstrating the effectiveness of a collaborative role within the classroom, the changing role of the educator is a strong signal of what is yet to come. The classroom has for a long time been centred around the voice of the instructor, and now student ideas are becoming louder and they are leading their own education, this will be something that must and will continue to grow.
∴ How can we Support Educators in Developing an Educational System that will Stand the Test of Time?
In addition to the foundations of our educational system, there are always questions floating when it comes to addressing the support for our educators in their mission for designing sustainable online learning resources. Designs are less sustainable if we design them for only a select majority. If we create content and we intend for it to be “inclusive” we cannot ‘tack on’ additional provisions as after-thought ideas. Supporting education is supporting the innovation of organically incorporating ideas that think first of a group as an entirety of individuals, not as a majority of learners. Supporting the design of education and teachers alike will be that in the future, there will be success in creating inclusive, engaging content that will promote and support the prosperity of students will all learning abilities. Corporate actors should play small, surreptitious role in educational ventures, young minds and educators should be influencing the the decisions and frame work of the system itself. There is nothing wrong with the continuation of corporate contributions into the future of the educational system, however it should be with limited influence (Selwyn, 2019).
∴ Flexible Learning in Times of a Pandemic: COVID-19
In a time when more uncertainty is upon us than ever, our educators have banned together to illustrate what diverse and flexible learning looks like. As a real world example of flexible learning I would like to offer a personal experience of what this looks like from students perspectives. In this time of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are all facing challenges; educators have taught us that we do not need to face them alone. Online Learning Resources are being utilized to their greatest potential as the rest of a semester has quickly become available online; OER’s are meant to be flexible systems that are ready to be adapted to students needs when these circumstances arise. During this quick evolution of teaching, the key is cooperation between all parties, and this experiment has turned out quite successful in the eyes of flexible learning outcomes.
∴ How do Openly Distributed and Flexible Learning Outcomes fit into this Future?
– In this digital age, it is in the best interest of everyone to utilize digital content that will assist in the challenges of varying student needs; over time, technology has become a rich resource that has offered more communication and collaboration among teachers and educators alike. With these tools such as assistant technology, online platforms, online learning resources and flexible / accessible learning, education is moving in the right direction, as long as it keeps moving. We must keep in mind questions of advancement, who are we designing for? Who are our most vulnerable in our learning community? Who do our designs hurt? Who do they benefit? How can we experiment and keep options and alternatives fresh, and constantly redesign our curriculum to suit all individuals as time continues to pass and change. Big shifts will continue to happen, and will have occurred by the time 2040 rolls around; these changes will require hurdles and backlash as we continue to develop learning criteria that encompasses all perspectives and learning types.
Throughout this course we have been looking at all of these key aspects; these are my ideas of how they fit into the future of education at any and all levels of learning. Many of these key ideas of come from our readings and my own personal experiences. Many of these key points are controversial and many may not fit perfectly into the mould of the educational system that exists today. A majority of our readings that we dissected through Hypothes.is have asked if we are willing to challenge the terrain of the modern day education system, because well, it lacks the characteristics of modern day concerns. Yes, I believe that our educational system needs to be challenged with a remodel, a reposition and a repair. Learning environments are ready to be shaped by the teachers of tomorrow and the leaners of today.
References:
Allan, J. (2010). The sociology of disability and the struggle for inclusive education. British Journal of Sociology of Education,31(5), 603-619.
Crosslin, M. (2018). Effective Practices in Distributed and Open Learning.
Haar, J., Hall, G., Schoepp, P., & Smith, D. (2002). How Teachers Teach to Students with Different Learning Styles. The Clearing House, 75(3), 142-145.
Jokinen, M. (2018). Inclusive Education—A Sustainable Approach? American Annals of the Deaf, 163(1), 70-77.
Selwyn, N., Hillman, T., Eynon, R., Ferreira, G., Knox, J., Macgilchrist, F., & Sancho-Gil, J. M. (2019). What’s next for Ed-Tech? Critical hopes and concerns for the 2020s. Learning, Media and Technology, 1–6
Weishart, J. (2014). Transcending Equality Versus Adequacy. Stanford Law Review, 66(3), 477-544.
Leave a Reply