INTEGRATING PEDAGOGY, COGNITION AND TECHNOLOGY IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

1. INTEGRATING PEDAGOGY, COGNITION AND TECHNOLOGY IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

2. INTEGRATING PEDAGOGY, COGNITION AND TECHNOLOGY IN DISTANCE EDUCATION DISTANCE EDUCATION CONFERENCE Opportunities and risks of distance education PILSEN, CZECH REPUBLIC 23– 25 June 2010 Presented by Lynette Naidoo lnaidoo@unisa.ac.za University of South Africa (Unisa) Department of Communication Science

3. Programme • INTRODUCTION AND AIM • THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK • TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORK Critical pedagogy • Re-fashioning distance education • CONCLUSION • RECOMMENDATIONS

4. Introduction and aim E-learning as it impacts the tripartite relationship of pedagogy, cognition and technology E-learning must be firmly rooted in epistemological frameworks to be effective in the learning experience The pedagogy should continue to transform and evolve as technologies change

5. The problem … Low throughput rate at higher/distance education institutions Statistics of the graduation rate in South Africa in 2008: distance education institutions = 9.9% contact institutions = 21% Need for development of interventions and pedagogies - unique to the distance education system to enhance the learning process

6. The question … “How does e-learning accommodate knowledge building?”

7. The method … Theoretical examination of cognition, pedagogy and technology - review of the literature Investigation of models of distance education Minimum criteria for transformative and constructivist learning environments In-depth interviews conducted with Open and Distance Learning (ODL) experts at the University of South Africa (Unisa)

8. Distance learning – learning conducted by someone removed in time and space from the students - “transactional distance” Pedagogy vs Andragogy vs Heutagogy Technology – e-learning Knowledge building Cognition – mental process of knowing Key concepts defined …

9. Assumption E-learning is a process that facilitates and opens avenues for effective teaching Its potential to bridge the transactional distance among all stakeholders in distance learning

10. Significance The contribution that it will make towards developing an integrated pedagogical model for higher/distance education

11. The study in context … The research conducted used Unisa, a higher/distance education institution in South Africa (go Bafana Bafana) which uses ODL as its mode of teaching and learning, as context for this study

12. Founded in 1873 Services approximately 300 000 students Fifth largest mega ODL education institution in the world Uses the myUnisa platform as its Learning Management System For academic collaboration and study-related interaction myUnisa is an online platform for learning, which is used in conjunction with various other forms of learning About Unisa

13. Paulo Freire’s dialogic process of communication Participatory, dialogic and reciprocal communication Education - a dialogue Theoretical framework

14. Conscientisation Active reflection and reflective action – praxis Bringing the individual to critical reflection Thinking which perceives reality as a process and a transformation, rather than as a static entity – relates to minimum criteria for transformative and constructivist learning environment Theoretical framework cont…

15. Discussion

16. Criteria for transformative, constructivist learning environments • Interactive • Active • Engaged • Contextual • Authentic • Social and personal

17. Critical pedagogy Views education as a broad form of knowledge which demands critical educators and not just subject experts in the learning process

19. Critical pedagogy: critical educators Critical educators - changing nature of the components of the educational context The critical pedagogist - change is a result of constant interaction between every component of the context Engagement and action

20. Critical pedagogy: role of academic/lecturer Critical pedagogy challenges conventional views of the relationship between student and teacher Academics as transformative intellectuals versus Traditional pedagogical approaches

21. Memorisation = anti-dialogical; versus The educator who experiences the act of knowing together with his/her students Critical pedagogy: role of the lecturer cont...

22. Critical pedagogy: cont... Teaching strategies – beyond giving students a list of books or articles to read and analyse.

23. Bloom’s taxonomy Classification of learning objectives within education Relevance of this taxonomy - skills in the cognitive domain Knowledge, comprehension and critical thinking Developing the curriculum Outcomes Incorporate the six levels in the taxonomy, with knowledge, comprehension and application being lower order skills and analysis, synthesis and evaluation at the higher level These cognitive skills may be developed by incorporating the relevant distance education pedagogy

24. Cognition • Lecturer’s responsibility • Adopt appropriate pedagogical frameworks • Relevant cognitive skills in the distance education learner .... the research conducted refers to e-learning as the catalyst in accomplishing such development

25. Re-fashioning higher/distance education Most educators agree that learners place more belief in knowledge they have discovered on their own than in knowledge presented by others; yet these teachers fail to trust students to learn anything that is not explicitly stated by the teacher. Stahl (2000:111)

26. Behaviourism versus constructivism Behaviourist versus a constructivist approach in instructional design The educator often becomes so focused on the desired outcome

27. Diffusion model The educator will be failing to support learning that leads to the development of higher level cognitive skills and long-term change

28. Information diffusion versus Knowledge building • 21st century higher/distance education • Building knowledge • Adding and preserving knowledge • Role of e-learning

29. Instruction should be planned Clear vision of what students will do with the content presented Students should interact with the instructional content Activities - promote and support open-ended, self-directed learning Not for memorisation Use as a tool Planned and sequenced activities (requires carefully planned design, feedback and dialogue, and faith in students’ capabilities when given adequate guidance) Content

30. Technology Technology is a tool By itself it cannot teach anything The human element

31. Technology cont... A cohesive approach to education To support changes in cognition, affect and behaviour – Bloom’s taxonomy Cognitively challenging tasks Address the affective issues that stimulate learner recognition of the need for change Provide opportunities for action Motivational aspects should also be included in instruction

32. Cognition Create a conducive learning environment in the distance mode – a community of learners Dialogical relationship

33. Dialogical relationship Take an epistemological cycle as a totality Rather than splitting it - one stage for acquiring existing knowledge then creation of new knowledge

34. Synchronous/Asynchronous learning environments Establish a social environment though synchronous and/or asynchronous means through video conferencing, satellite broadcasting and discussion forums

35. Students’ questioning of viewpoints and theories Critical analysis and debate Support rich learning experiences Group sharing Supports individual responsibility Distributed learning Synchronous/Asynchronous learning environments cont...

36. Active learning - primary mode of instruction - not as a supplement to the lecture Such learning will lead to permanent high level cognitive development Engagement theory High level cognition

37. Technology and pedagogy • A review of the literature shows that e-learning is positively impacting distance education • Opportunities and limitations of each technology-supported delivery should be critically analysed - appropriate pedagogical techniques

38. Technology and pedagogy cont... Use and understanding of technology in teaching Gap between pedagogy and technology If the primary focus of the lecturer is on pedagogy And technology is seen as another mode of delivery designed to enhance the teaching and learning experience Then technology and pedagogy will be seen as existing separately, with one having minimal impact on the other

39. Tripartite relationship Technology and pedagogy - mutually supportive and interdependent Construct new meaning about teaching in distance education Bridge the gap between pedagogy, technology and eventually cognition

40. Conclusions Learning should be integrated with technology in distance education in order to accelerate student performance Results from the literature review corroborate with the in-depth interviews Link with knowledge building Learning strategy should be appropriate to the university’s local needs and resources Technology changes rapidly A learning strategy - learner-centredness and engaged learning

41. Conclusions cont... Meaningful dialogue may be initiated through relevant and appropriate pedagogies in distance education.

42. Conclusions cont... Good teaching is not simply introducing and adding technology to the existing teaching and content domain Rather, the representation of new concepts The development of sensitivity to the dynamic, transactional relationship between pedagogy, technology and cognition

43. Conclusions cont... Lecturer’s role - partner in learning Probes and challenges learners reflective, critical thinkers Framework proposed – learning that is reciprocal between students and peers, and students and the lecturer

44. Conclusions cont... The research conducted concludes on the premise that e-learning enhances the process of learning and helps in achieving higher level cognitive objectives

45. Conclusions cont... Development of an epistemological framework Integrative Incorporating current as well as future trends and realities Process driven Consistent with the current and future state of society and education with a strong theoretical underpinning

46. Recommendations Further empirical research studies to determine the barriers that impede meaningful engagement Further research to determine the extent of knowledge-building components that are built into curricula

47. PEDAGOGY – ANDRAGOGY—HEUTAGOGYA THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL RETHINK STRONGLY RECOMMEND... STRONGLY RECOMMEND...

48. Finally… The learning process is a form of re-inventing, re-creating and re-writing Immersion Transform the learning environment in a pedagogically responsible and appropriate manner with the assistance of e-learning – tripartite relationship

49. Thank you