Expanding Learning

Opportunities through 21st

Century Approaches

Drs. Frank McDonald & Eileen O’Connor

Empire State College

October 2014

This presentation has

only the portion

presented by Dr.

Eileen O’Connor

Agenda

Address ways to use the communications and networking possible today

(across geography and practice) to create enriched learning

environments that challenge learners to think critically and broadly about

interdisciplinary topics.

Considerations will include instructional approaches that can encourage

the effective development:

(a.) of international communications with courses,

(b.) of learning communities among students, and

(c.) of practitioner integration within online formats

How are you bringing this ideas forward in your classes? What are the

challenges with these approaches?

Embedded assumption

Principles can apply to all learning scenarios

that use an e-tool for a component of the

design

100% online environments

Face to face instruction w/ some aspects that

are online or supported via the web

Blended courses

What are 21st century

skills? Many definitions

http://www.p21.org/our-work/p21-framework

Integrate the world

and the possibilities

today –

interdisciplinary;

innovation needed;

global outreach; new

ways of community

required

21st Century Perspectives

Content Practitioners Learners

F2F Online

Global

Why learn the content? – think beyond the

textbook or research-literature or even the

course-to-date

Who is served?

Why is this field

important?

What professionals are involved?

Create classes that

are authentic,

interactive &

communicative

environmentsLearning

Community

Design for rich interactions

Use feedback loops across

time and technologies

Create useful synchronous

communications

Create ownership; engage w/

practitioners

Create a community

of inquiry

Turn the classroom into

an interactive, learning

community; engage &

include professionals /

practitioners in the field

Professional community

Forums & communities of practice

Presentations / webinars to

the class

Guidance / review of work

Classroom community

Shared experiences / brainstorming

Discussion from experience

•Value prior learning

Value the learners

for their . . .

Prior knowledge

• Professional / experiential

• Transferred

• Needs to be integrated

Transformative learning

• Awake to new perspective

• Engage their past

Varying tech experience

• Use student “variations”

• Don’t underestimate adults

• Instructor needs open attitude

The box /

outside the box

– if you could do anything?

What

encourages

value and

motivation in

the learner?

Textbook & papers

Professional community

Peer interactions /

badging

Visits / field trips /

activities / conferences

Required, participatory environments

Personal ownership

(encourage both pride & application)

The REAL problems in

the field

Facilitate & frame with technology-

mediation & learning object creation

Interactions & communications

Visual / audio / video

Independence, authorship and

review

Simulations / virtual

Key ways that technologies are expanding

beyond just text – in content

Audio

• Experts presenting

• Tape & share later

Visual

• Static / Video

• Multiple intelligences

Schematics

• Models

• Abstractions

Mind Mapping

• Planning & communicating

• Assessment

Key ways that technologies are expanding beyond

just text – in organization & community

Asynchronous

• D-boards / voice thread

• Efficient – time independent

Synchronous

• F2F / Webinar / Virtual reality

• Community & sharing

Chronological

• Course embedded

• Emails / blog

Linked / interactive

• Student lounges

• Facebook for class