INTRODUCTION
The topic of my learning experiences is How to Navigate as an Adult in a Digital World.
The theme is for adult learners to learn, understand and apply their existing knowledge to have skills in the modern-day world, with current technologies, and with a solid understanding of this new age. It is also designed to acclimatize adults to new ideas, new ways of doing things, and above all, new ways of thinking.
Whilst knowing everything out there, right at this moment would be impossible, the concept is to get adults used to technologies, understand what they can do with them, and show them how it is possible to use them to their benefit. The learning experiences are designed to show them, slowly at first, to help them understand the shift from paper and old methods, to electronic and new methods, but most importantly – how this can benefit them as an adult /adult learner.
The theme for the learning experiences presented here is based on my context – predominately adult learners.
FRAMEWORKS
I will be basing these lesson plans on the TPACK framework and using the framework in the lesson plans and ideas themselves.
The TPACK framework consists of:
Content Knowledge (CK)
Pedagogy (PK) and
Technology (TK)
When these overlap and intersect with each other, it creates new kinds of knowledge. These are:
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
Technological Content Knowledge (TCK)
Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) and where they all combine,
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
I feel for this assignment, my Content Knowledge (CK) will be based upon my knowledge of adult learners, how they think, learn, and how they feel about the problems learning with technology in this digital age. It is also based upon the content learnt in each lesson (being comfortable doing a task, learning the skill (web searching).
The technology (TK) will come in through the lessons as the technology that will assist the learners to learn this new way of doing things. Each lesson is based using different types of technology, some old and some new, to assist the students in their learning.
The Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) I will be focusing upon is androgogy, traditionally associated with adult learners, and also looking at heutagogy, a new way of learning, especially for these adult learners. This is displayed in the created tasks, that they work in a way to promote thinking for themselves and creating their own learning ideas and path.
Whilst androgogy (independent, autonomous, self-directing learning) has always been associated with adult learning, and learning independently, the purpose of these lessons is also to try to foster a more heutogogical learning environment – where the student can choose their own learning path.
This is especially important for adult learners, where they are not generally in an environment to learn technological skills as younger learners are. They don’t generally attend school, and their friends aren’t showing them all the latest apps for their phones. In this way, once completing this course, adult learners will need to be more responsible for their continued learning – and this course is designed to help them do just that.
My own pedagogical framework will also form the basis of this assignment. My framework is located at http://myedel20002.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/week-5.html and involves everything being connected.
The learning phase that I will be basing my lessons upon is the Four Phases of Learning
· Preparation: Arousing Interest
· Presentation: Encountering the New Knowledge or Skills
· Practice: Integrating the New Knowledge or Skills
· Performance: Applying the New Knowledge and Skills
I feel that this phase arrangement best suits my style of learners and the lessons they will be taught.
The lessons presented here are simply an excerpt of a much longer course with more lessons – the lessons presented are simply a snapshot of the tasks the students will learn over a period of time.
LESSON ONE
The task will be in the Preparation: Arousing Interest and Presentation: Encountering the New Knowledge or Skills phases in the phases of learning.
It starts by arousing interest in the subject, and what we are planning to do. It will give the students a clear understanding of what will be involved in the lesson (and course overall), helps them to understand what we will be doing, how we will be doing that, and what they should be getting out of the lesson (and course) by the end of it.
It then shows them somewhat of the new knowledge and skills they are likely to get – but this continues on in lesson two.
Task
Introduce the topic and ideas – clearly explain that we are looking at learning with new technologies, and how the old ways we have done things can be improved upon, if only we give it a chance.
The tasks involved in this first lesson will be to demonstrate the benefits of learning, while easing them in to the use of the new technology.
Task 1 – Each student individually writes a short message on a sticky note with their name, where they are from and their interests on it. They then stick this to the board. The teacher can then point at a note, and each person can then introduce themselves to each other.
Once this has finished, the teacher converts this to virtual sticky notes with http://en.linoit.com/ - setting up a class sticky note area. The students get a chance to see this technology in action, step by step, to give them a feel for what a virtual sticky note classroom might look like.
Task 2 – Get the students to brainstorm an idea. What technology makes life easier? Break in to groups and get them to write it down. They will present their ideas to the class. This gets the students to speak, listen and collaborate with one another. It gets them thinking about technology and how they use it in their life.
After they present, the class does a group brainstorming activity, to combine and cement their ideas of technology. The teacher then puts this mindmap in bubbl.us (showing the class how to use this technology) to show them how they can represent their mind map in a more visual way, and also in a way that can be easily shared with others.
Task 3 – Students are each given a pair of scissors, glue and a notebook. They are then directed to a pile of newspapers/magazines/other paper-based reference materials. They are then directed to cut out articles or pictures that are relevant (they must select a topic – eg computers, gaming etc for the collection) to create a one-paged document on that topic. Once completed, they will then show each other in groups. As a class, they then create an online collection, on a web-based site, Scoop.it! The teacher then goes through with the students some basics of the site and how this collection can be easily created, additions made and edited with some basic tools online.
Task 4 – Set up. Students are set up with the technologies shown (under the teachers’ guidance, step by step as a class. All questions, concerns or comments are dealt with by the teacher, but with other students giving answers and feedback where they can.
Task 5 – Free time. The students then have time to play with the technologies. They can work in areas already set up with the preceding tasks, or set up new pages/groups/boards to work with, however they feel comfortable using the technology.
End of lesson – students are encouraged to work with the technology in their own time, as they choose. The more they use it, the more comfortable they will feel. They are invited to show their work in the next lesson, if they choose to do so, however, any work in the class will need to be “classroom material” and not inappropriate (swearing, sexual themes, or violence are not appropriate).
The teacher/student roles are conventional – the teacher sets up the task, the teacher shows them the technology and the teacher guides them in the right direction. The students perform the tasks and learn directly from the teacher.
The students also work in other ways – brainstorming to get their minds working and thinking differently, and working in groups to work collaboratively. They also introduce themselves via sticky notes/ http://en.linoit.com/ to promote an understanding of each other.
Outcomes of this lesson is simply to introduce the students to new technology and new ways of doing things, in a way that they can see that their existing ways of doing things can only be improved upon by doing online. It also gives them a comfortable working base from which to start, as the tasks being asked of them are familiar and ones they would be fairly comfortable doing.
Free time also gives them a chance to play with the technology for themselves, and to practice using it in an unrestricted and fun way.
The lesson is face to face in order to give students a comfortable, familiar feel, making them happy to start to learn about technology, but giving them the reassurance of other students working with them, and also ones they can relate to.
The higher-order tasks involve the brainstorming, to get their minds working, active and thinking, and also the collaboration in the group work – getting them to interact with others and thinking and appreciating their views on technology.
LESSON TWO
Lesson two will be working in two phases - Presentation: Encountering the New Knowledge or Skills and Practice: Integrating the new knowledge or skills. It builds upon what the students already know about technology, and move forward.
Introduction – Quick going over the previous lesson. Any students that did extra work since the previous lesson can share if they choose. The teacher provides a sum-up of what they have already done, and what they are going to move to.
Task 1 – Create your own Scoop.it! collection. This is to be shared as a class. Each student gets their own topic that they choose. They then have a few minutes to search, create and share their topic with the class. Students are reminded to keep topics as such that are of a classroom-friendly topic - no collections that promote illegal ideologies (murder, violence) or collections that bully, slander or hurt others (racial-intolerance, gender-offensive topics). Students are reminded that everything done online, every comment, idea, or how to written, is searchable and can be used in legal proceedings against them. So it is best to keep it clean online!
Task 2 – A private wikipedia site is set up for the class. The teacher will set up a page, with all students watching on how it is done. The teacher will divide students in to groups (with different levels of learners), and then get the students to set up their own group page, with their own ideas on learning and their own learning path. They students will work in groups to accomplish the task, dealing with design, information and concept ideas. The students will only ask for help from the teacher if they require direction, they are encouraged to work as a group to set them up themselves.
Students are reminded with this task to only add pictures, documents or quotes from others if they are directly referenced to that person or company, have permission, or are using images that are free to use. Students are directed to sites such as Creative Commons for more information regarding copyright and using works of others.
Task 3 – Facebook. Most students will be set up with facebook already, or have seen it before. A private learning site is set up. The students’ task is to set themselves up with a profile to be shared with the class. It contains their information, but more importantly, their ideas on technology. Students are able to ask the teacher questions, but other students are encouraged to answer the questions if they know, or think they know the answer.
Task 4 – Learning with the tools. Students are encouraged to look at each others’ facebook pages, wikipedia sites and start forming ideas on what technology means to them, and how it can be useful in their everyday lives. They can continue this after the class at home if they wish – and then they are welcome to share their experiences with the class upon their return.
The student outcomes here are to start to understand and use technology. They are expected now to have a basic understanding, and are able to start using the technologies, particularly in a group situation.
The roles of the student and teacher are changing: rather than just be focused on the teacher, and their guidance, the students are getting a chance to learn from each other – they can ask questions of each other, and learn from this. With groups with different levels of learners and backgrounds, there is a real opportunity for students to learn in ways they can really understand and relate to.
This style of learning really allows for collaboration – working together to create wiki pages, but also for learning from one another and their experiences. It also gives the students a chance to dictate their topics, ideas and what direction their learning will take – giving them a more self-paced style of learning that embraces adrogogy.
The learning here takes place in a face-to-face context, however, the learning is also starting to shift to online. The information is now being stored online, in wikis, profiles and more. The shift is now moving to a online format, and getting the students ready and comfortable with this.
LESSON THREE
Lesson 3 will be a culmination of the skills that they have learnt throughout the course – they include the collaborative work, individual work, and working on their own path and direction for learning. It is in the Performance: Applying the New Knowledge and Skills phase to really cement the learning that they have previously done, and to show their abilities and the content that they have learnt so far.
Task 1 – Research technologies that have already been covered in the course, and explore new ones available on mobile devices – iPhone, iPad, android devices… This task is to be worked on in groups of 2 or 3 (preferably two, but depends on what equipment students have or have access to).
Task 2 – Find a way to locate someone… using only technology. Using any online search, program or app, try to find each person from the class. You can find them in facebook, Scoop.it!, within google search (do they have a search returned in google for an award they won, newspaper article or document they published?). List each of the students you found, and how you did.
Task 3 – The students, as a class, need to create a presentation. This can be in any format they choose, but must use the different technologies they have used throughout the course. As a group, they will then need to break in to smaller groups, and as a smaller group, work on the different parts of the task. They have complete flexibility in this sense – the students are responsible for creating, directing, organizing, collaborating and presenting the finished product.
The teacher can help with technical questions, or help to guide them in the right direction as they search for what they are looking to do. The teacher may not tell the students what to do or how – it is up to them to decide.
The students are reminded to consider works they include must be clearly used with permission, attributed to the editor or copyright free. Other considerations may also be colour/font size and choice (is it visible to those without great vision), accessibility to demonstrate it, and to make sure it adheres to guidelines that everyone in a classroom environment would feel comfortable with.
The purpose of this level of learning is to really give students a chance to get in to learning – and to use the software to do so! They will work creatively to reach their goal, but also with one another to get there. By the end of the lesson, students will have a really sound idea of a lot of different technologies, and will have used many of them in creating their presentation. It will also give them something that they can look at, as a class, to see that they have used technology to create something wonderful. This, in turn, will help them feel more confident and at ease with technology, and giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
The student outcomes of this lesson is to demonstrate their understanding, knowledge and ability to create something from the knowledge they have gained. The outcome is to show the student how much they have learnt, and also, to help them to understand the talents they now have.
The teacher acts now as a facilitator, moving away from a regular teacher-student relationship. The tasks, particularly 2 and 3, are facilitated only by the teacher, and give the students the chance to map their own path, to create as they see fit, and to collaborate with one another using their new-found skills. It also promotes interaction and learning with others once the class has finished – now they know how easy it can be with technology!
Higher order tasks in this example include having to work collaboratively, working out the creative direction to take, forming their own group with subtasks and assigning them out within these groups. It will give the students much to think about and plenty to do with their creativity!
CONCLUSION
The tasks chosen give an idea of the different types of technology that is available, from social software, to social curation and collaborative brainstorming. It is designed to help them set themselves up in this new digital world. It gives them a rounded education on many different technologies, whilst at the same time, collaborating, learning from each other, and working with one another towards a similar end, but with a slightly different path and goal to reach.
There are considerations to equip the students with the skills at each step along the way, to get them up to speed and to keep learning!
REFERENCES
Dashe & Thomson (2011) The Four Phases of Learning http://www.dashe.com/blog/performance-support/four-phases-of-learning/
M Koehler (2012) http://www.tpack.org/
TECHNOLOGY REFERENCES
Virtual Sticky Notes - http://en.linoit.com/
Mindmapping/Brainstorming - https://bubbl.us/
Wikipedia - http://wikipedia.org
Facebook – www.facebook.com
Skype – www.skype.com
