New Media and Open and Distance Learning: New Challenges for Education in a Knowledge Society

1. New Media and Open and Distance Learning: New Challenges for Education in a Knowledge Society Prof. Bernard CORNU (CNED, France) Vilnius, 11 November 2006

2. Information and Communication Convergence: information technologies (process digital information) and communication technologies (transport digital information) New technologies: Multimedia New ways of communication: - from communication one-to-one and one-to-all to communication all-to-all - from communication to collaboration

3. Information and Communication Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are not only a tool; they profoundly change Societies. They change Knowledge itself, access to knowledge, learning, teaching. They change the mission of school, the role of the Teacher.

4. Information and Knowledge Information:Facts, comments, opinions, expressed through words, images, sounds... It can be stored, circulated... Knowledge: The output of the reconstruction of information by a person, according to his/her history and context. It depends on the person. Information can be transmitted, Knowledge must be acquired, constructed.

5. Information and Knowledge Information society: A society based on technological development, in which information is a good that one can exchange, buy, sell, store, transport, process. The society of the digital divide. Knowledge society: A human society, taking into account wider social, ethical and political dimensions, in which knowledge should bring justice, solidarity, democracy, peace... A society in which knowledge could be a force for changing society. A society which should provide universal and equitable access to information (UNESCO).

6. New Media; Open & Distance Learning New Media change Knowledge Open & Distance Learning • get free from some constraints (time, space) • new ways of collaborative work • new ways of interactive learning activities

7. A Networked Society From pyramid to network: complexification

8. A Networked Society Network: • Nodes (information, people, knowledge, …) and edges (links…) - Complexity • The « world wide web » • Several paths from one node to another • Interactive, evolutive • Sub-networks, network of networks... - Circulate in a network

9. A Networked Society • Changes in Communication: From hierarchical communication to networked communication • New kinds of hierarchies…

10. A Networked Society Networking of Societies have consequences (positive… and negative) on economy, social life, leasure, politics, …, education: • Knowledge (networks of Knowledge) • Access to Knowledge • Educational systems • Teaching and learning • Role of the Teacher, teaching profession … and leads to collective intelligence

11. Collective intelligence Individual / collective intelligence and capacities …the networked society needs and reinforces a collective intelligence.

12. Collective intelligence Example: ants • Building bridges • Transporting heavy loads • Finding the shortest way • Regulating the temperature Stigmergy: indirect communication through the environment

13. Collective intelligence Individual and collective dimensions in teaching and learning • collaborative and collective work • collective learning • collective competences • collective memory • collective responsibility • collective achievement Develop collective intelligence in the classroom Develop Teachers’ collective intelligence Develop environments and platforms for promoting collective intelligence Intelligent systems management

14. The School of tomorrow… Technological evolution => evolution of communication => pedagogical evolution New pedagogies… improve learning? Who knows??? « School against ICT »: the development of ICT in Education does not fit with the school… « Internet happens out of the school »… The end of the monopole of schools as institutions for transmission and assesment of knowledge…

15. The School of tomorrow… Will schools resist to change or will they adapt? Will the market transform schools? Will the school be centered on society or centered on knowledge? Will networks make schools disappear? Will ICT (and the lack of teachers) minimize the teacher’s role? On which parameters can we act? School mission, attitudes and expectations towards schools Structuration and organization of educational systems Teachers, the teaching profession

16. The School of tomorrow… Knowledge and Complexity 1. Detecting error and illusion: Teach the weaknesses of knowledge: what is human knowledge? 2. Principles of pertinent knowledge: Consider the objects of knowledge in their context, in their complexity, in their whole. 3. Teaching the human condition: the unity and the complexity of human nature. 4. Earth identity: Teach the history of the planetary era, teach the solidarity between all the parts of the world. 5. Confronting uncertainties: Teach the uncertainties in physics, in biology, in history… 6. Understanding each other: Teach mutual understanding between human beings. And teach what misunderstanding is. 7. Ethics for the human genre: Teach the ethics of humanity preparing citizens of the world. (Edgar Morin, Seven complex lessons in education for the future)

17. Distance Education No longer only for those who cannot attend a school… A core component of Education in a Knowledge Society (networks, collective intelligence) Covers the whole range of Education: primary, secondary, higher, lifelong learning Contributes to social values: Knowledge as a public good Education as a public service Equity (access to knowledge)

18. Open and Distance Learning Pedagogical stakes: Collective intelligence and « new » pedagogies Individual / collective Time and space: distance / presence synchroneous / asynchroneous New interactions (tutoring) New relationship between the teacher and the learner Resources, tools, and… services Individualization, adaptation, modularization

19. Open and Distance Learning Personal stakes: Individualization / collaboration « distance reinforces proximity » Freedom for choice objectives pedagogy pace, rythm Lifelong learning; « continuum » Social promotion Professional qualification

20. 4 challenges • Dealing with the interaction of individualization and collaboration • Dealing with the complementarity of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities • Dealing with the complementarity of distance and presence activities (« blended learning ») • Dealing with the complementarity of initial education and lifelong learning

21. … and competences New « key » competencies: Use tools Act autonomously Interarct in groups Common European Principles for Teacher Competences and Qualifications (2005): Competences for working with others … individually and collectively, building a « collective intelligence » Competences for working with Knowledge, technology and information … networked knowledge, complex knowledge, in the Knowledge Society Competences for working with and in Society … social, political, ethical responsibility

22. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration (IFIP WCCE, Stellenbosch, South Africa, July 2005) As educators, we want not only an Information Society, but a Knowledge Society, enabling all children and all people to access Knowledge and to benefit from being educated. Education is a key issue in the Knowledge Society, and Educators have a major mission. Particularly, it is the responsibility of all educators and decision-makers around the world to help developing countries take part in the developments of ICT in Education.

23. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration Six major areas will shape a beneficial use of ICT in Education: • Digital Solidarity • Learners and Lifelong Learning • Decision-making Strategies • Networking • Research • Teachers

24. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration 1. DIGITAL SOLIDARITY In the field of Education, ICT should help develop “Digital Solidarity”. This requires strong and joint actions of all stakeholders to guarantee the right of participation in the digital society for all students in the world. We recommend a Digital Solidarity Action, that will define as the most important aim for the next five years, that every child in the world has access to a digital information and communication infrastructure. Digital Solidarity Fund / Digital Solidarity Agency

25. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration 2. LEARNERS AND LIFELONG LEARNING In the Knowledge Society, every learner is a lifelong learner. The content and the methods of initial education must take into account preparation for lifelong learning. ICT is a key tool for developing lifelong learning. The development of lifelong learning needs an integration of education into the real world - ICT should be used for this purpose. Lifelong learning must be encouraged in all countries, as a tool for reducing the Digital Divide.

26. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration 3. DECISION-MAKING STRATEGIES In order to help decision-makers and to make decisions meet the real needs, bridging research, practice, experimentation, innovation with decision-making is essential. Decision-makers should make better use of the experience of Practitioners and the findings of Researchers. In turn, Practitioners and Researchers should make their findings and results more visible and usable for the Decision-makers. Educators and researchers should help in elaborating a vision and making it explicit.

27. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration 4. NETWORKING The Knowledge Society is networked. Networks in Education offer many ways to access knowledge, offer many possibilities for networking people and developing collaborative work and enhancing the “collective intelligence”. There is a need to develop networks and to involve all countries, particularly developing countries, in the education networks. Help in making real this sentence of an African child: “I am a child of Africa and a citizen of the world”.

28. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration 5. RESEARCH The development of ICT-based education and training processes is a growing reality. There is therefore a need to continue research work on the development of these technologies and their applications. A certain realignment of research priorities is necessary: Bridging the gap between technology and pedagogy; development of solid theoretical frameworks; development of an understanding of the use and the effects of ICT in Education; finding an appropriate balance between fundamental, applied, and development research as well as between public research and research made by the private sector. The output of research should be made widely available, as open source, for improving practice, decision-making, and resources development.

29. ICT in Education: « Make it work » The Stellenbosch Declaration 6. TEACHERS Being a teacher in the Knowledge Society requires new specific competencies: a teacher has to deal with new knowledge, new ways for accessing knowledge; with a networked world and with new types of co-operation and collaboration; with a society in which knowledge plays a crucial role; with lifelong learning. Teachers are the key agents in the education system. It is our common responsibility to help all countries to train and recruit teachers, and to involve all teachers in international networks. ICT changes teaching and learning, but technology is not the main issue. “Technology matters, but good teachers and good teaching, matter more”.

30. Ethics and Digital Solidarity Commercialisation of Education: Education is a profitable market… “ Knowledge: a public good; Education: a public service” Do we prepare consumers or citizens? Knowledge Society… or Knowledge Economy? Globalization « A new kind of worlwide humanism is appearing. Humanism is becoming technically possible » (Michel SERRES)

31. Ethics and Digital Solidarity Ethical competences ICT and « Education for all »… access to Knowledge Digital divide and divides in education ... The « knowledge divide » … The Digital Solidarity Fund (2005)

32. Thank you… bernard.cornu@cned.fr