Effectively Using Digital Tools to Enhance Self-Directed Learning and Critical Thinking

1. Effectively Using Digital Tools to Enhance Self-Directed Learning and Critical Thinking Dr. Nancy Hyland (nhyland@argosy.edu) Dr. Jeannine Kranzow (jkranzow@argosy.edu

2. Introduction Faculty and Student insights

3. Overview of the Technological Challenges Facing Higher Education

4. From Gartner’s 2008 top strategic technologies: • Green IT • Unified communications • Business process modeling • Virtualization • Web platform and "cloud computing" • Real world web • Social software

5. Purpose Discovering ways for faculty to empower student use of Information and Computing Technologies (ICT) to increase self-direction and critical thinking

6. Opportunity or Threat “The potential for ICT to enhance extend and change the role of the teacher can be perceived as an exciting opportunity or a confidence crushing threat” Loveless, 1998, p. 1272

7. Framework • Constructivism • Self-Directed Learning • Critical thinking

8. Technology • The gap (between what could be and what often seems to be the case). • Example: Angeli, Valanides, & Bonk (2003) Investigating Communication in Web Environments

9. Facilitator Role Quantity of Information does not equal critical thinking (Hall, 2005). *********************************** Facilitators can guide students and help them see ways in which ICTs can support self-directed learning (Lesley, 2008)

10. Self-Directed Learning • Online learning renewed interest in SDL Chou & Chen, 2008

11. Critical Thinking Facione & Facione, 2007 “…comes down to reflective decision-making and thoughtful problem-solving about what to do or believe” (p. 40).

12. Interdependent Model of Technology/SDL/Technology

13. Population/ Sample • 92 graduate Education Leadership students • Students = Majority female • Blended or in residence courses Fall 2010 • 8 faculty • Core and adjunct

14. Instrumentation & Procedures • Anonymous survey of students and faculty • First month of class

15. Findings 79% attribute technology tools to being a better student E-text and e-libraries • Potential for critical thinking and SDL behaviors

16. “BETTER” - defined (by students in the survey) as usage as opposed to higher level thinking • “Students use technology to organize themselves and make better presentations” • “It allows a student to become more professional and up-to-date.” • “Technology gives a larger tool chest to pull from”

17. Findings (When technology distracts) • 61% purchased hard copy of a digitally available text • Reasons: • Lack of training • Insufficient time prior to adoption

18. Importance of Trainings “The danger is that technology drives the pedagogy and that it encourages a ‘transmission’ approach…” (Unwin, 2007, p. 9) • Faculty findings similar to students • Training avoids: • Lack of engagement with material • Focus on managing the tool

19. Faculty Implications … what higher education institutions need is a climate: (1) that encourages attempts to improve learning and teaching, (2) where pedagogical and curriculum concerns drive technological developments rather than vice versa, (3) where the best about the old way of doing things is adapted to meet new requirements (Hannan, 2005, p.975)

20. Institutional Implications In order for these communities to be effective instruments in this process, institutional administration must adopt a culture which supports these efforts for faculty members to work alongside other professionals toward a common goal in a comfortable environment (Unwin, 2007; Lave & Wenger, 1991).

21. Student Implications & Role • Perceive e-libraries and e-texts as having potential for increasing skills such as analysis, evaluation, and synthesis: • Instead of simply: • Organizational efficiencies • Time management

22. Conclusion • Faculty can be theconduit between student, technology, and Self-Directed Learning if all conditions are present 1) pedagogy 2) technology PD and 3) appropriately designed curriculum (designed with specific technologies in mind)