Beyond constructivism…? The Role of ICTs in future learning paradigms? Keynote address by Tom Brown Keynote address by Tom Brown

Constructivism has been the learning paradigm during the past few decades. However, ICT developments are impacting educational practice and we will, in the near future, experience shifts in learning paradigms. What will these new learning paradigms look like? Are we ready to adopt and adapt to new learning paradigms? What will the role of ICTs in these new learning paradigms be?

Part 1 Part 1: The role of ICTs in contemporary learning paradigms Part 1: The role of ICTs in contemporary learning paradigms

ICTs have been with us since early days

M-learning even in rural Africa

Because of the lack of infrastructure for ICT in rural areas in Africa (cabling for Internet and telecom), the growth of wireless infrastructure is enormous. Between 1997 and 2001, the number of mobile phone subscribers in Africa annually had a triple- digit growth rate. (Shapshak, 2002) In 1999 Tokyo had more telecom connections than Africa combined. In 2003 Africa had twice as much as Tokyo. (Gourley, 2004) Africa is leapfrogging from an unwired, non- existent e-learning infrastructure to a wireless e-learning infrastructure. E-learning even in rural Africa

For example: The University of Pretoria started using mobile phone support during 2002 in three paper-based distance education programmes because more than 99% of the “rural students” had mobile phones (still the case). The profile of these students: Majority live in rural areas 100% are full-time employees (teaching) 77.4% are English second language speakers 83.8% are between the age of 31 – % are women 0.4% have access to 99.4% have a mobile phone M-learning even in rural Africa

In general: Access to information and knowledge Connectivity to people and resources Communication and interaction Tools to improve effectiveness and efficiency In DE: Delivery of content Communication, collaborative learning and learning support Tools to improve effectiveness and efficiency of processes, products and activities (administrative, academic, study material development, etc) The role of ICTs

Approaches to the use of ICTs Content approach Communication approach Approaches to the use of ICTs for learning

Part 2 Part 2: Anticipating new innovations: understanding the S-curve Part 2: Anticipating new innovations: understanding the S-curve

Growth / Development Time The S-curve

Always new S-curves

“Catching up with the past” Slow / little development Being caught snoozing Possibility of lagging behind

Jumping to new S-curves Healthy progress Optimal development

Social constructivism Constructivism Will we catch the next S-curve? Learning facilitation ?

Part 3 Part 3: Paradigm shifts during the past few decades Part 3: Paradigm shifts during the past few decades

Previous paradigm shifts behaviourismconstructivism teachinglearning facilitation lecturer centredlearner centred content drivenoutcomes drivenknowledge reproductionproduction Previous learning paradigms

Recent paradigm shifts constructivismsocial constructivism knowledge productionmanagementinformation generationintegration communicationICTliteracy Current learning paradigms

Recent paradigm shifts constructivismsocial constructivism knowledge productionmanagementinformation generationintegration communicationICTliteracy Current learning paradigms NB for survival

Learning is the construction of new meanings (knowledge) by the learner him/herself Constructivism Current learning paradigms Social constructivism Learning is the result of active participation in a ‘community’ and new meanings are co- constructed by the learner and his/her ‘community’

“If we could find a way to support and tap the community mind we might have a whole new way to accelerate learning and to capture and structure knowledge assets in the making…” Brown (1999) Social constructivism Current learning paradigms

The role that communication and interaction plays in the learning process is a critical success factor in current learning paradigms. Information and communication technologies provide opportunities for the optimising of interaction and communication between lecturers and learners, among learners and among members of COPs. E- and m-learning enhances collaborative, co- operative and active learning. E- and m-learning therefore thrives within the contemporary social constructivist paradigm because of its richness in terms of communication and interaction, both synchronous and asynchronous. E-learning & social constructivism

Part 4: A view into the near future Part 4: A view into the near future Part 4

The European Union’s aims for 2010: From PC centered to ambient intelligence: personalised and for all users surrounding environment is the interface technology is almost invisible infinite bandwidth and full multimedia almost 100% online community Focus on maximizing the learning process and its impact Oliveira (2003) Example of EU plans

The European Union’s aims for 2010: Innovations in learning: personalised and adaptive learning dynamic mentoring systems integrating experienced based learning into the classroom research on new methods and new approaches to learning with ICT Oliveira (2003) Example of EU plans

The European Union’s aims for 2010: Learning resources: dynamically adapt learning resources to individual needs and preferences digital learning resources and professional learning for work platforms supporting collaborative learning Access: mobile learning and wireless interface technologies Oliveira (2003) Example of EU plans

“The mixing of distance learning with mobile telephony to produce mLearning will provide the future of learning.” Keegan (2003) m-learning

Supported inquiry (guided research) [my version: facilitated and supported inquiry] From courseware to performanceware ''Inquiry into authentic questions generated from student experiences is the central strategy for teaching'' Soloway (2003) Focus on: Collaboration and discourse Learning in context and task-sensitive ICT an integrated part of learning process Supported inquiry

Part 5: What will future learning paradigms look like? Part 5: What will future learning paradigms look like? Part 5

According to Gartner (2003) the new knowledge economy is merely in its emerging stages. The knowledge economy will only reach maturity from 2010 onwards. A doubling of the world’s knowledge: 1930  every 30 years 1980  every 7 years 2010  every 11 hours We already experience enormous challenges in coping with the current overflow of available information. It is difficult to imagine what it will be like when the knowledge economy is in its prime... Rise of the knowledge economy

? Paradigm shifts? knowledge adoption production information gathering generation constructivism social constructivism teaching learning facilitation Future learning paradigms

Beyond constructivism? ?

Paradigm shifts? knowledge knowledge knowledge adoption production navigation information information information gathering generation navigation constructivism social navigationism / constructivism evaluationism teaching learning coaching / facilitation mentoring Future learning paradigms

Teacher/ lecturer: teaching learning coaching / facilitation mentoring Instructional designer: design of design of learning design of instruction facilitation coaching & learning & navigation activities activities Instructional designer: reduction of re-/configuration configuration content of content of “navigation tools” Role changes

“I believe that the real literacy of tomorrow will have more to do with being able to be your own private, personal reference librarian, one that knows how to navigate through the incredible, confusing, complex information spaces and feel comfortable and located in doing that. So navigation will be a new form of literacy if not the main form of literacy for the 21st century.” Brown (1999) Future learning paradigms

Part 6 Part 6: The role of ICTs in future learning paradigms Part 6: The role of ICTs in future learning paradigms

In general: Access to information and knowledge Ambient connectivity to people and resources Communication and interaction Tools to improve effectiveness and efficiency Navigation tools to deal with the abundance of information and knowledge in the knowledge era In DE: NOT the delivery of content! Communication, collaborative learning and learning (navigationism) support Tools to improve effectiveness and efficiency Navigation tools to optimise DL activities The future role of ICTs

Approaches to the use of ICTs ‘Navigation’ approach Communication approach Approaches to the use of ICTs for future learning

Part 7 Part 7: Our challenges Part 7: Our challenges

What is on the next S-curve? Perhaps “navigationism”? Are we ready to jump to the next wave? Will we surf the next wave or be washed out on shore? Are we planning for / anticipating the future? Is technology driving learning or are we adapting and using technology to optimise learning? Are we slapping new technological tools onto old teaching methods or are we focusing on the innovative / transformative use of technology in new teaching and new learning paradigms? Will we catch the next S-curve?

Social constructivism Constructivism Will we catch the next S-curve? Coaching Navigationism Learning facilitation

Institutions should move away from providing content per se to learners. We should focus on how to enable learners to find, identify, manipulate and evaluate existing knowledge, to integrate this knowledge in their world of work and life, to solve problems and to communicate this knowledge to others. Lecturers should become the source of HOW to navigate in the ocean of available information and knowledge. We should become coaches within the knowledge economy. A navigationism paradigm

Our first challenge as educators… …is to design and develop appropriate learning environments, based on sound pedagogical / didactical principles that will ensure the optimisation of learning in new learning environments. Challenge 1

Our second challenge as ICT and educational technology experts… …is to keep abreast of developments in learning theory and to identify and anticipate shifts in learning paradigms to be able to adopt and adapt educational technologies that will ensure the optimisation of learning in the knowledge era. Challenge 2

Thank you

References Brown, J.S. (1999). Learning, Working & Playing in the Digital Age. Paper delivered at the 1999 Conference on Higher Education of the American Association for Higher Education, March 1999, Washington, USA. Gartner (2002). SMS bigger than in Europe. Taken from Nua Internet Surveys, November 11, Cited in TAD Consortium December 2002 Information Update No. 4, Telematics for African Development Consortium, Johannesburg, South Africa. Available: Gartner (2003). Emerging Technology Scenario. Paper delivered by Gartner analyst Nick Jones at the Gartner Symposium and ITxpo, 4 – 6 August 2003, Cape Town, South Africa. Gourley, B. (2004) The digital divide as a development issue. Keynote address delivered at the 2004 conference of the International Council for Open Learning and Distance Education (ICDE), February 2004, Hong Kong, China. Keegan, D. (2003). The future of learning: From eLearning to mLearning. Hagen: Fernstudienforchung, Germany. E-published version available: Moore, G.A. (1991). Crossing the chasm. Marketing and selling high tech products to mainstream customers. Harper Business, USA.

References (continued) Nyiri, K. (2002). Towards a philosophy of m-learning. Paper delivered at the IEEE international workshop on wireless and mobile technologies in education. August 29-30, 2002, Växjö University, Sweden. Quin, C. (2001). mLearning: Mobile, Wireless, In-Your-Pocket Learning. LiNE Zine [On-line], Fall Available: Shapshak, D. (2002). Unwiring Africa. DigAfrica 2001 [On-line], Digital Digest. Available: Soloway, E. (2003). Handheld computing: Right time, right place, right idea. Paper delivered at the IEEE international conference on advanced learning technologies (ICALT). July 2003, Athens, Greece. Oliveira, C. (2003). Towards a knowledge society. Keynote address delivered at the IEEE international conference on advanced learning technologies (ICALT). July 2003, Athens, Greece.

The University of Pretoria started using mobile phone support during 2002 in three paper-based distance education programmes of the Faculty of Education, namely: * BEd (Hons): Education Management * ACE: Education Management (ACE = Advanced Certificate in Education) * ACE: Special Needs Education This pilot project was launched based on the fact that more than 99% of the students enrolled for these three programmes (in 2002) had mobile phones. Pilot project – case study

The profile of these students (in 2002) was/is as follows: 100% are full-time employees (teaching) 77.4% are English second language speakers 22.6% are English first language speakers 83.8% are between the age of 31 – % are younger than % are women 97.3% are non-white 0.4% have access to 99.4% have a mobile phone Pilot project – case study

What does the mobile phone support entail? bulk SMS (pre-planned) to all students or students of a specific programme for general administrative support as well as motivational support customised group SMS to specific groups of students extracted from the data-base for specific administrative support customised small group or even individual SMS to specific students extracted from the data-base on an individual basis for specific administrative support Pilot project – case study

Purpose: Students do not visit their rural post offices very often and this leads to many returned packages If students know about a dispatch, they make an effort to fetch packages timely. Success: Significant drop in returned packages and accompanying costs SMS examples Dear Student. Your study material was posted to you today. Enquire in time, quote your tracking number: PE ZA, at your post office. UP

Purpose: Extension of assignment submission date due to a late dispatch of study material Encouragement to complete the assignment Success: Normal assignment submission statistics SMS examples If you have not submitted Assignment 2, due to late dispatch of study material, you may submit before 19 Sept. Do this urgently to help you pass your exam. UP

Purpose: Urgent notification of a venue change for a specific contact session Success: All the students arrived at the correct venue (as far as we know) SMS examples ACE Edu Management contact session block 1 from 7-9 July for modules EDM 401 EDO 401 ONLY, changed to Town Hall Main Street KOKSTAD. New letter posted. UP

Purpose: Encouragement for exam registration Notification of the deadline for exam registration Success: Increase in the number of exam registrations compared to previous exams SMS examples Dear Student. We have not received your registration for the Oct exam. Please fax registration form or letter not later than Thursday 31 July. UP

Purpose: Encouragement for contact session registration Notification of the deadline for contact session registration Success: 58% of the learners registered before the closing date vs the normal rate of below 40%. SMS examples April exam proved that students attending contact sessions are more successful. Please attend July contact session. Register per fax before or on Friday 6 July. UP

First bulk SMS dispatch report: total SMSs sent: 279 total delivered successfully: 214 (77%) total not delivered due to invalid mobile number: 5 total not delivered due to mobile phone network issues: 7 total not delivered due to message time-out: 53 (time-out was set at 5 hours, increased to 48 hours since then) Current success rate average: 92% Pilot project – case study

From a quality and financial point of view, the successes are also significant: Using print and the postal service to distribute the necessary information to students would have been more than 20 times the cost of the bulk SMSs. While the SMSs provide immediate and JIT (just- in-time) information, the posted information would have taken between 3 to 18 days (depending on the remoteness of the student) to reach all the students. Pilot project – case study

Current status of m-learning at UP: M-learning Task Team to co-ordinate m-learning initiatives (not only the use of mobile phones and SMS as discussed in this paper) Establishment of a SMS-portal integrated with the LMS (WebCT) Aims and objectives for administrative m-learning support Aims and objectives for academic m-learning support with a number of recommended applications to enhance learning quality. Pilot project – case study

Examples of other m-learning initiatives at UP: M-learning project in the Faculty of Engineering. Two semester courses (one fourth year and the other a postgraduate course). Students will be issued with Pocket PCs (PDAs) in 2004 (2nd semester). We are busy designing the learning environment (including course materials) to have a fully fletched wireless environment for those students to use the PDAs throughout the course. Project funded by Hewlett Packard. Pilot wireless classrooms Using SMSs within library and IT support Pilot project – case study

Prospects wrt m-learning for rural students: Strategic plans to identify and establish further possibilities for the use of mobile phones and SMS to support rural students. These plans include: * administrative information (reminders, urgent information, notifications, etc) [implemented] * access to examination and test marks via mobile service number [implemented] * communication and interaction with the university, tutors and faculty [not yet] * communication and interaction with peer learners and study groups [not yet] Future prospects at UP

Administrative support via SMS, MMS, WAP and EPSS, integrated with the Internet: downloading of material (sections of learning materials, assignments, letters, etc.) receive course schedules and calendars [not yet] administrative information (reminders, notifications, urgent information, etc) [implemented] access to institutions M-portal on the web [not yet] access to examination and test marks via mobile service number or M-portal [not yet] access to financial statements and registration data via mobile service number [not yet] daily tips [not yet] Future prospects at UP

Academic support for learners via SMS, MMS and WAP: browsing e-learning course material downloading study guides/manuals receive tutorial letters complete multiple choice assessment with immediate feedback send template based multimedia messages to institution (templates designed and provided by institution) generic feedback on assignments and examinations motivational messages and tutor services Future prospects at UP

Premises for m-learning in Africa - lessons learnt from the pilot study: M-learning is a supportive mode of education and not a primary mode of education. The most appropriate mobile device for learners in rural Africa is a mobile phone. Possibilities and latest developments in mobile technologies must be tested against practicality, usability and cost-effectiveness. The use of multimedia on mobile phones must be tested against the envisaged learning outcomes. The major focus of m-learning should be more on communication and interaction than on content. m-learning in Africa

The role of m-learning in the future of e-learning in Africa? M-learning has brought e-learning to the rural communities of Africa – to learners that we never imagined as e-learning learners just a few years ago. M-learning is the gateway to e-learning for most Africans as the rapidly growing wireless infrastructure fulfils the access needs more and more. Rural Africa is leapfrogging from an unwired, non- existent e-learning infrastructure to a wireless e- learning infrastructure. m-learning in Africa

The role of m-learning in the future of e-learning in Africa? M-learning in Africa is a reality that will continue to grow in form, stature and importance. M-learning will become the learning environment of choice, especially in rural areas where paper- based distance learning will remain a prominent mode of education for many years to come. m-learning in Africa