Education and Information Communication Technology
Vera Aalbers
Introduction and the Media debate
ICT facilitates the delivering and communication of information and comes in
various types.
3 questions are asked:
- How do ICT-tools support different processes in education?
- How are different components in education related to ICT?
- Do ICT-tools matter and are they interchangeable?
There are different types of ICT and therefore different perspectives on education
and ICT:
- Front vs. peer-to-peer technology
Is it a one-way information delivery or do students/teachers interact?
- Bound to school vs. not bound to school
Was this type of ICT designed for education or for other purposes? When
ICT was not designed for education in the first place, it can cause
challenging situations, but also surprising results.
- Formal vs. informal
A formal form of communication is e.g. via e-mail, an informal form is e.g.
via twitter or Facebook
- Stand-alone or networked?
Does the type of ICT stand on its own or is it connected with other types of
ICT/a network?
ICT can be used in different processes that are taking place in education:
- Organizational processes: how is education/a school organized?
Blended/flipped/distance learning
- Learning processes: how do the students learn?
Multimedia, games, simulations
- Supportive processes: support in both/a combination of the previous processes
Learning analytics, adaptive testing, social media
The TPACK model merges three dimensions
and shows how they react. Three types of
knowledge are mentioned: technological,
pedagogical and content knowledge. The
venn-diagram shows three combined types
of knowledge:
- Technological Pedagogical Knowledge
(TPK): how didactics change through ICT
- Technological Content Knowledge (TCK):
how content of a subject changes through
ICT
- Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK):
specific subject didactics required to shape
the subject and adapt it for instruction.
The combination of these three types of knowledge forms TPACK.
There has been done a lot of research on the question: does media influence
learning? Clark and Kozma both did research on this question and wrote
academic letters answering each other’s conclusions. Kozma wrote his paper
based on an earlier paper of Clark, which stated that media does not influence
,Education and Information Communication Technology
Vera Aalbers
learning. Kozma agreed that there had not been discovered convincing evidence
on the subject. In his opinion the question needs to be revised: will media
influence learning? Or in other words: in what ways can we use the capabilities of
media to influence learning for particular students, situations and tasks? Stimuli
and responses were imbedded in both research and practice, and according to
Kozma, notions and descriptions of the cognitive, affective or social processes
were missing.
In his paper, Kozma addressed two learning environments in which media played
a crucial role: with Tinker Tools students can manipulate a situation on a
computer screen about Newtonian mechanics. Compared to a control group, the
students using Tinker Tools scored significantly higher on their test. The Jasper
Woodbury Series, a series of real-world contexts for learning complex
mathematics problems on video. The students that used the series scored
significantly higher than the control group.
According to Kozma, learning is not only a response to the instructions “delivery”.
We must think about media in terms of their underlying structure and the causal
mechanics by which they might interact with cognitive and social processes.
Media’s capabilities/attributes include the following: technology is the physical,
mechanical or electronic capabilities of a medium that define its function, shape,
other features. Symbol systems describe the way information is communicated,
for example text, pictures, video, etc. Processing capabilities are the capabilities
of a medium to operate on the symbol systems. Media can effectively influence
learning if the attributes suit the situation, context and instruction. In conclusion,
in his paper Kozma wrote about how we can use media to influence learning.
Clark reacted to Kozma and other critics in a new paper. His main point was that
it is not media that influences learning, it’s the method that matters. In any
situation where it appears that (attributes of) media have influenced learning, we
need to ask whether there are other (attribute sets of) media that could yield
similar learning gains. If a treatment can be replaced with similar results, the
cause of the results is in some shared (and uncontrolled) properties of both
treatments. It is not the media, but the method that is the “active ingredient” in
learning. He does not state that media does not matter at all in learning
situations, he wrote that media and their attributes have important influences on
the cost or speed of learning. According to Clark, we need greater appreciation
for negative evidence and need to begin a research with a focus on the problem
and then search relevant literatures for theories that can support the
development of a variety of solutions to those problems.
Learning theories and Actors
Salinas, A model to integrate psychoeducational principles in the selection/use of
instructional technology.
The value of technology to improve classroom instruction and student
understanding needs to be proven and understood. Educators also lack a clear
understanding of the pedagogical principles that should underlie the
incorporation of new technologies. In order to successfully integrate technology
into education, there needs to be a paradigm shift in the educational model of
today’s classroom. It is necessary to shift from a lecturing model to a mastery
model that emphasizes cooperative and learner-centered instruction.
, Education and Information Communication Technology
Vera Aalbers
Learning needs to become both active and under control of the learner. The
learner-centered model is based on 14 principles, summarized: students are in
control of their own projects and graded assignments, they work at individual
pace, demonstrate their knowledge in unique ways, engage both in active
individual and group learning activities and refine their understanding by using
critical thinking skills, not
memorization.
The model shows the needs of the
learner, the role of the instructor and
the appropriate technology in
different situations. In different
situations, different levels of Bloom’s
Taxonomy are applied.
Optimal motivation for learning is
intrinsic, this is best directed to
mastery learning rather than a
competitive learning structure.
Three student-directed activities can be distinguished: individual exploration,
small group activities and whole class exercises.
In the research a pilot class was divided into six segments:
1. Computer aided frontal presentations
2. Independent on-line simulation
3. Small group discussion of simulation results
4. Independent and collaborative on-line research for debate
5. Classroom debate
6. Conclusions and discussion
This research is a small contribution into the road to a major paradigm shift. As in
any other paradigm shift in history, there are a number of obstacles to overcome.
The most difficult challenge is to develop a change in the teaching culture.
Moreover, the teacher has to be familiar and interact very closely with the
technology.
In order to successfully integrate technology and higher education, there have to
be changes in the way we view technology and the way we view the classroom.
We need to understand that tomorrow’s classroom, and the role of the teacher in
it, must be very different for what we are used to. Technology needs to be used a
fully integrated educational tool to achieve higher knowledge and skills.
Vera Aalbers
Introduction and the Media debate
ICT facilitates the delivering and communication of information and comes in
various types.
3 questions are asked:
- How do ICT-tools support different processes in education?
- How are different components in education related to ICT?
- Do ICT-tools matter and are they interchangeable?
There are different types of ICT and therefore different perspectives on education
and ICT:
- Front vs. peer-to-peer technology
Is it a one-way information delivery or do students/teachers interact?
- Bound to school vs. not bound to school
Was this type of ICT designed for education or for other purposes? When
ICT was not designed for education in the first place, it can cause
challenging situations, but also surprising results.
- Formal vs. informal
A formal form of communication is e.g. via e-mail, an informal form is e.g.
via twitter or Facebook
- Stand-alone or networked?
Does the type of ICT stand on its own or is it connected with other types of
ICT/a network?
ICT can be used in different processes that are taking place in education:
- Organizational processes: how is education/a school organized?
Blended/flipped/distance learning
- Learning processes: how do the students learn?
Multimedia, games, simulations
- Supportive processes: support in both/a combination of the previous processes
Learning analytics, adaptive testing, social media
The TPACK model merges three dimensions
and shows how they react. Three types of
knowledge are mentioned: technological,
pedagogical and content knowledge. The
venn-diagram shows three combined types
of knowledge:
- Technological Pedagogical Knowledge
(TPK): how didactics change through ICT
- Technological Content Knowledge (TCK):
how content of a subject changes through
ICT
- Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK):
specific subject didactics required to shape
the subject and adapt it for instruction.
The combination of these three types of knowledge forms TPACK.
There has been done a lot of research on the question: does media influence
learning? Clark and Kozma both did research on this question and wrote
academic letters answering each other’s conclusions. Kozma wrote his paper
based on an earlier paper of Clark, which stated that media does not influence
,Education and Information Communication Technology
Vera Aalbers
learning. Kozma agreed that there had not been discovered convincing evidence
on the subject. In his opinion the question needs to be revised: will media
influence learning? Or in other words: in what ways can we use the capabilities of
media to influence learning for particular students, situations and tasks? Stimuli
and responses were imbedded in both research and practice, and according to
Kozma, notions and descriptions of the cognitive, affective or social processes
were missing.
In his paper, Kozma addressed two learning environments in which media played
a crucial role: with Tinker Tools students can manipulate a situation on a
computer screen about Newtonian mechanics. Compared to a control group, the
students using Tinker Tools scored significantly higher on their test. The Jasper
Woodbury Series, a series of real-world contexts for learning complex
mathematics problems on video. The students that used the series scored
significantly higher than the control group.
According to Kozma, learning is not only a response to the instructions “delivery”.
We must think about media in terms of their underlying structure and the causal
mechanics by which they might interact with cognitive and social processes.
Media’s capabilities/attributes include the following: technology is the physical,
mechanical or electronic capabilities of a medium that define its function, shape,
other features. Symbol systems describe the way information is communicated,
for example text, pictures, video, etc. Processing capabilities are the capabilities
of a medium to operate on the symbol systems. Media can effectively influence
learning if the attributes suit the situation, context and instruction. In conclusion,
in his paper Kozma wrote about how we can use media to influence learning.
Clark reacted to Kozma and other critics in a new paper. His main point was that
it is not media that influences learning, it’s the method that matters. In any
situation where it appears that (attributes of) media have influenced learning, we
need to ask whether there are other (attribute sets of) media that could yield
similar learning gains. If a treatment can be replaced with similar results, the
cause of the results is in some shared (and uncontrolled) properties of both
treatments. It is not the media, but the method that is the “active ingredient” in
learning. He does not state that media does not matter at all in learning
situations, he wrote that media and their attributes have important influences on
the cost or speed of learning. According to Clark, we need greater appreciation
for negative evidence and need to begin a research with a focus on the problem
and then search relevant literatures for theories that can support the
development of a variety of solutions to those problems.
Learning theories and Actors
Salinas, A model to integrate psychoeducational principles in the selection/use of
instructional technology.
The value of technology to improve classroom instruction and student
understanding needs to be proven and understood. Educators also lack a clear
understanding of the pedagogical principles that should underlie the
incorporation of new technologies. In order to successfully integrate technology
into education, there needs to be a paradigm shift in the educational model of
today’s classroom. It is necessary to shift from a lecturing model to a mastery
model that emphasizes cooperative and learner-centered instruction.
, Education and Information Communication Technology
Vera Aalbers
Learning needs to become both active and under control of the learner. The
learner-centered model is based on 14 principles, summarized: students are in
control of their own projects and graded assignments, they work at individual
pace, demonstrate their knowledge in unique ways, engage both in active
individual and group learning activities and refine their understanding by using
critical thinking skills, not
memorization.
The model shows the needs of the
learner, the role of the instructor and
the appropriate technology in
different situations. In different
situations, different levels of Bloom’s
Taxonomy are applied.
Optimal motivation for learning is
intrinsic, this is best directed to
mastery learning rather than a
competitive learning structure.
Three student-directed activities can be distinguished: individual exploration,
small group activities and whole class exercises.
In the research a pilot class was divided into six segments:
1. Computer aided frontal presentations
2. Independent on-line simulation
3. Small group discussion of simulation results
4. Independent and collaborative on-line research for debate
5. Classroom debate
6. Conclusions and discussion
This research is a small contribution into the road to a major paradigm shift. As in
any other paradigm shift in history, there are a number of obstacles to overcome.
The most difficult challenge is to develop a change in the teaching culture.
Moreover, the teacher has to be familiar and interact very closely with the
technology.
In order to successfully integrate technology and higher education, there have to
be changes in the way we view technology and the way we view the classroom.
We need to understand that tomorrow’s classroom, and the role of the teacher in
it, must be very different for what we are used to. Technology needs to be used a
fully integrated educational tool to achieve higher knowledge and skills.
