Mathematics is very important as it is the basis of almost every technology. Our information tech is very maths heavy from a theoretical and practical standpoint yet how many out there can deal with what is really meant by “digital”. How many have a facility with base 2 math, a fundamental in computing? What about Octal or Hexadecimal? Despite this there seems little interest in making a fluent interface for this part of our learning. By fluent I mean something that you can write the math as I feel that it needs to be as easy as typing on the computer.

Fluent interaction is possible with a pencil and paper but not on the screen (perhaps touch screens?) I mean too an interface that does not just simple arithmetic but algebra, calculus, cartesian geometry, statistics………. etc

This is also an issue for assessment as reasonable facility at maths cannot easily be tested by multiple choice questions but require a more free-form input to demonstrate competency at method, units checks and accuracy. Mathematics is not just an adjunct to allow us to calculate how much flour in a recipe or how many oranges for $10. It is another window to the world that lets the able practitioner link a range of physical concepts to their (often common) mathematical description. This encourages a facility in maths as it crosses discipline boundaries and provides a common language between practitioners. How do then do we teach and assess mathematics skill properly in an online world? (BTW I mean applied maths – pure maths is generally outside the VET purview!) Comments?

Following the ADDIES Model of e-Learning Instructional Design
Analysis⇒ Design ⇐⇒ Develop⇒ Implement⇒ Evaluate⇒ Sustain
the afternoon session centred on the process of designing a short e-learning course (on bullying in a large organisation) using a number of templates to analyse the design parameters (eg learning objectives, assessment type, instructional approach, visual style, graphics, multimedia inclusions), chunking sequence of learning and building a final storyboard and script for the proposed short course. In small groups we each played one of the roles in an e-learning project, ie. instructional designer, project manager, visual designer, writer and subject matter expert. The interaction between these skilled individuals ensures that the product developed satisfies the learning requirements however as is the case in many institutions these roles are often assigned to the one individual.

On a personal level I really enjoyed this very useful workshop concentrating on the process of how to deliver an e-Learning product from a very practical viewpoint once the learning objectives and assessment specifics had been determined. If anyone would like a copy of the handouts including the ADDIES Model of e-Learning Instructional Design I can send you a copy – I just have to check the distribution regulations.
I would have liked to have attended Stephan’s Audio Recording for Flexible Education Workshop using Audacity the week earlier but unfortunately got the dates mixed up – will have to wait till you run it again.

Of course we are currently under the threat of complete contestability for funding (see Patty 2011) and the question of private RTO’s gaining access to quality TAFE resources to save money usually spent on developing resources is a real issue. Often the cut rate private RTO’s are seen as demonstrating “best practice” by governments that want to opt for the cheap option.  How do we maintain TAFE’s position in the education sector when there is not a level playing field? 

The answer to that question also answers the first issue….will students still come?  They come because they want to get a quality product and employers choose our graduates because they know they are getting well-trained workers.  For the first time this year my students are able to do one of the theory subjects I teach completely online if they wish.  They can access all the notes, links, figures, powerpoints and podcasts of the lectures online through moodle.  So far only about 8 out of 90 or so students have taken up the online option and my classes are still bulging with students who want face-to-face interaction.  It will be interesting to see the outcome at the end of the semester.

Watching David Wiley speak about our responsibility as educators to share content also made me question my current practice of putting enrolment keys on my moodles.  I began to ask myself what would happen if I removed the enrolment key – just who am I trying to keep out?  I often think I would like to see how other teachers run their moodles (maybe I might get some ideas on how to improve my own) but in almost all instances I am locked out of their moodles by the enrolment keys.  Considering the only people who can access moodle are currently enrolled students and staff really brings into question the purpose of the enrolment key in what is essentially a closed community.  Where do you stand?  Do you think it is important to keep some individuals from having easy access?

CC licensed image by Terwilliger911

For this post I have been pondering the question posed in one of our recommended readings by Andrew Churches,  “What are the traits that would make for the ideal 21st teacher?”

I think one of the critical digital literacies networked educators require is that of a network curator. There are a number of forces which have converged over the past decade to bring us to this point

• The volume of information instantly available online has grown and keeps growing at a tremendous pace.
• The speed or velocity of change, the rate of change of change is increasing.
• The rise of the participatory web or what is often refereed to as  web 2.0 combined with the rise of social networking has intensified and enriched the range of sources of information and opinion.
• The ubiquity of connectivity, especially the mobile web means we are able to access the collective wisdom of the humanity along with our own personal networks instantly any where any time.
• Finding content on the network with search engines which return algorithmically generated lists is being increasingly displaced by content derived from social networks based on the trust you invest in the network membership.
• In a post expert centered world where gate keepers such as publishers and pier reviewed cliques once provided guidance for content the conversation has opened right up and the responsibility for assessing the quality, authenticity and relevance has increasingly fallen to individuals. This is especially so for educators who need to become guides to network content as much as they are sources of content.
• As Micah Sifry aptly puts it our tools for listening have not kept up with our tools for speaking or as Clay Shirky chariterises it “Filter Failure”

This was brought home to me this week as I simultaneously created a new Facebook account and was lucky enough to be invited to the beta of Google +. My inbox and phone notification went wild as new contact requests came in and replies to posts were flagged.  Social networking services such as Facebook, Google+, Twitter along with blogs and podcasting offer unprecedented sources of content for program resources, networking opportunities,  profession currency and opportunities for students to engage in wider professional conversations. The skills required to harness the power of networked knowledge sources are essential for a 21C educators and learners however they are not widely understood or mastered. Time starved  educators often  give up after the initial frustration of endeavoring to find quality sources and then managing the deluge.

How to drink from the fire hose? I think part of the problem is in the tools themselves, social networks encourage users to connect with as many people as possible, the network effect is the basis of their success, rooted in the social signals derived from our sociograph and interactions which drive their advertising revenue. The larger a network, the more useful it becomes to users, Facebook is the perfect example with over 700 million users, however this can also become it’s weakness as issues such as privacy, security, network noise ie. spam become prevalent. Users are like insects swarming around lights feeding off the collective energy and buzz that the intensification of social interaction generates. The swarm is fickle and will move on a quickly as it arrived witness the rise of Facebook and the demise if Myspace.

To be effective in viral networks 21c learners and educators need to gain proficiency at the following literacies

• Choose the right network for the right purpose. This will to some degree be determined by the community/s you wish to join and their pre existing preference for a networking platform. Some tools are purpose built for specific types of content ie. youtube for video and flickr for images but often this is simply where a community found itself and grew ie. Google groups
• Carefully choose who you follow,  and the networks you join, curation is the key to success, once the noise level intensifies it will detract from the value of your engagement.
• Segment your networks through the use of platforms or group  membership to contain and control your identity and voice to a given audience. Your students don’t want to see you family pics and musing on metaphysics in a combined stream.
• Contribute to networks, conversation is the lifeblood of networks and your contributions will send the right signals to members within the network to follow and connect with you. Respect and trust are vital in online networks.
• Lean how to cross post from one network to another using the sharing functionality built into platforms. Don’t flood a network with automatic feeds from another network.  Your Four Square check-ins and mayor-ships my not interest members of another network and will potentially be interpreted as noise.
• Networks  require constant attention and refinement. Viral social networks change rapidly and you need to be a constant gardener to maintain their value.
• Decide on a central hub for your presence, one you point to as your signature profile identity on each platform. Try to aggregate content from your public network contributions there so people can get a quick picture of who your are and make informed judgement about connecting with you.
• If necessary great a separate professional identity which is authentic and representative of your professional affiliations.
• Select an aggregation tool which works across all your networks ie. google reader, google flipboard
• Carefully manage automatic notification systems such as email, sms and mobile notifications as theses can clog existing systems. Your inbox is full enough as it is!
• Take time to understand the security and privacy issues associated with a given service and any third party apps and cross sharing which occurs. Your digital identity and your content is your and you want to keep it that way. Be careful about how you might be exposing your contact information through their connection with you ie. friends of fiends relationships

I have already spent too long on this post so I will wrap it up at this point but I would be interested in what others think and if they could share their strategies for surviving the river of information which races past us each second.

I’m interested to hear your impressions.

My experience is that in education including staff development choice comes only in accepting or complaining about what we have been spoonfed.
If we have moved to a knowledge society and away from an industrial one is workforce capability increasingly reliant on critical thinking, initiative, creative thinking and making choices (and being capable of thinking through the implications of potential choices).

Choice of course does not need to come without boundaries.
Where are those boundaries in a VET course? If we offer students a choice of how to present evidence for example, what are the implications for a student who chooses to present via visual portfolio and podcast rather than in written text?

I am a librarian and manager by profession – but this means that I have opportunity to run sessions with a variety of learners in TAFE – from CGVE students through to senior level staff. As such I have worked with a variety of learners and learning styles and have found that I have had to be flexible in my approach to presenting to groups. I particularly enjoyed the exercise yesterday where we created a profile for students, each group working in isolation, and then seeing the diversity within the “class” we had created. This was a good way to make me come to terms with the different needs and interests of learners.

Challenges I have faced in my presentations have often been in the various capabilities of learners in my groups to technology – from the computer savy CGVE student to the learner who has few computing skills and everything in between. I look forward to gaining extra skills in designing presentations that are inclusive of all these extremes.

A recording of the program overview and intro to the platforms for engagement is attached.

Following the discussions I’m thinking about:

• the implications for learners in courses where teachers are ‘novice’ and how well the TAA supports good teaching/ pedagogy – if we are committed to quality, flexible engagement should we put new staff through some form of staff development program to supplement the TAA?
• is it possible to adjust learning designs to acknowledge and utilise the strengths, interests, skills and connections of learners, or are we asking too much of teachers? If it is too great an ask then what does this mean for learners?
• where can we offer choice within programs to better meet the needs/interests of learners – mode of delivery? activity focus? instructional media? projects? assessment? how evidence is presented?

Keen to hear your thoughts.

[CC FlickR image by sridgwayWorkshop recording]

Coping with change in learning approaches, industry demands and technology can feel overwhelming. Perhaps if we close our eyes it’ll all pass over and we can return to our old ways of teacher-centred, lock step, time and exam based approaches? Through the program we’ll be supporting participants to connect, reflect and embrace the opportunities presented in an informed and considered manner.

[CC FlickR image by Pink Sherbert Photography]

Some of the questions we’ll be considering include:

• How flexible and student-centred are our learning designs in VET?
• How well do our programs align to the interests, needs and circumstances of contemporary VET learners?
• How can we cater to the diversity of learners?
• What are the benefits, opportunities and challenges/risks in embracing social media in education settings?
• With a mobile device in most pockets or bags, is there a future for static computer labs and traditional software

Some of the group will be posting from this group site and others in their personal blogs etc.

In the case of the latter we’ll pull a feed in to allow connections.

We look forward to many healthy and hearty debates over the coming months!