e-learning+in+Practice+-+Common+Features

=What are the common features of current e-learning practice, aka ICT integration, in Australia and New Zealand? =

‘The Pedagogy Strategy – Learning in an Online World’ (Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training Youth Affairs, 2004) in conjunction with the National Goals for Schooling in the 21st Century (Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs, 1999) have provided the vision and some specific pedagogical guidelines for the use of ICT in classrooms in Australian schools. In New Zealand, these guidelines and located in several documents published by the Ministry of Education -' 21st Century Learner: A glimpse of the Future' DVD (2007); 'Enabling the 21st Century Learner' (2006) and 'The New Zealand Curriculum' (2007).

In general, pedagogies used by most teachers in both Australia and New Zealand reflect learner-centred theories and this continues to apply to the use of ICT as it is integrated into this learning centred approach. The language underpinning the pedagogy in Australia according to Holkner, et al. is (2008) is constructivism, presenting itself as transformative learning. The MCEETYA (2004) believes that in both Australia and New Zealand the use of information technologies builds on and extends these learning centred approaches. The table below, which is in essence a snapshot of some of the ICT and pedagogy literature relevant to Australia and New Zealand schooling, also supports the idea that schooling in both countries is learner-centred. Generally the key features of a constructivist teaching style can be identified in the list and are then, one might assume, the key features of e-learning pedagogy.

A snapshot from relevant literature around 'ICT and Pedagogy' identifies the following commonalities and differences of practice in e-learning in Australia and New Zealand:

Local and global communities – part of transformative learning (Holkner, et al., 2008); Interaction and discussion (Bayne, 2007); Increased opportunities for participation and collaboration (Bayne, 2007); Move from local resources to global resources (Way & Webb, 2007); Co-operative and collaborative learning (Way & Webb, 2007) || Collaborative Learning (Wright, 2010); (Campbell, 2001) Shared Learning outside the confines of the classroom (New Zealand Ministry of Education, 2007); Social constructivism (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008); Enabling students to enter and explore new learning environments (New Zealand Ministry of Education, 2007) (Hargreaves, 2004) || Understand student’s individual learning styles (Leech, 2007); Learning styles and multiple intelligences (Way & Webb, 2007) Learning focused (Schibecia, et al., 2008); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Constructivist education philosophies (Way & Webb, 2007); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Greater responsibility for own learning (Way & Webb, 2007) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Personalised learning (Hammonds, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Students at the centre of the learning experience (Wright, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Social constructivism (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008) <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Student in charge of own learning (Hargreaves, 2004); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Social constructivism (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008); Direct own learning (Hammonds, 2010); // supportive learning environments // by offering resources that take account of differences (New Zealand Ministry of Education, 2007) || Provide scaffolds and skills to enhance learning – part of transformative learning (Holkner, et al., 2008); || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Teachers facilitate learning opportunities, using appropriate pedagogical approaches and e-learning. (Wright, 2010) (Hargreaves, 2004) (Campbell, 2001) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Thinking creatively (Cowie, Jones, Harlow, & Forret, 2010) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Uses higher order thinking skills (Eadie, 2001); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Thinking skills and higher order thinking (Way & Webb, 2007); || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Use meta-cognitive strategies – judge, analyse, synthesize, critique (Wright, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Thinking skills and higher-order thinking (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Develop a language and encourage thinking (Hammonds, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Thinking skills and higher-order thinking (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008); || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Reflection (Way & Webb, 2007) <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Critical thinking skills (Way & Webb, 2007) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Involves problem solving and problem solving practices – talking, posing questions, take risks, experiment, reflect and share ideas. (Wright, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Formative feedback (Hargreaves, 2004); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Social constructivism (Fletcher & Brooks, 2006); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Risk taking (Hammonds, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Thinking critically (Cowie, et al., 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Involves evaluative thinking – judgements. (Wright, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Locate, Identify and evaluate (Hargreaves, 2004); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Plan and reflect (Cowie, et al., 2010) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Incidental classroom use of ICT (student choice) (Schibecia, et al., 2008); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Technology as a tool – part of transformative learning (Holkner, et al., 2008); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Multi-modal delivery (Leech, 2007); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Integration of ICT (Bayne, 2007); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Multi-modal information (Way & Webb, 2007); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Integrated cross-curricula tasks (Way & Webb, 2007) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Integrating ICT effectively (Wright, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">deliberate and considered use of ICT (New Zealand Ministry of Education, 2006); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">ICT as an effective learning tool (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008); || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Exciting, real world problems into the classroom – part of transformative learning (Holkner, et al., 2008); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Rich tasks (Way & Webb, 2007); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Authenticity grounded in students experiences (Way & Webb, 2007); || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Authentic learning opportunities. (Wright, 2010) <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Real-life authenticity (Campbell, 2001); (Eadie, 2001); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Social constructivism (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Care about what we are doing, has meaning to us and is real and relevant (Hammonds, 2010); <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Power to capture curiosity (Hammonds, 2010) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Project based learning (Way & Webb, 2007); || Investigative and research (learning to learn) (Hargreaves, 2004); Inquiry learning (Hammonds, 2010) and (Cowie, et al., 2010); Explore and investigate (Cowie, et al., 2010) Inquiry based (Fletcher & Brooks, 2008); || <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">It is obvious that within this brief snapshot of available literature on 'ICT and Pedagogy' that when we talk about effective practice in e-learning, we are in fact talking about using ICT tools withing a Constructivist/ Learner centered pedagogy.
 * || Australian Education  ||  New Zealand Education  ||
 * Collaboration and Communication || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Constructivism (Schibecia, et al., 2008);
 * Personalisation || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Student-centred (Schibecia, et al., 2008);
 * Knowledge Creation and Management || Co-constructors of knowledge (Whitby, 2007) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Students as creators of information (Campbell, 2001) ||
 * Teacher Role || Teachers remain central to the learning process (Holkner, et al., 2008);
 * Creative || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Foster creativity (Leech, 2007) (Bayne, 2007) || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Fosters uniqueness and creativity (Hammonds, 2010);
 * Higher-Order Thinking || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Promoting Powerful Learning – theories of learning, brain research, learning to learn, meta-cognition, thinking strategies (Eadie, 2001);
 * Problem Solving and Critical Thinking || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Reflection and feedback – part of transformative learning (Holkner, et al., 2008);
 * Information and Communication Technology / e-learning || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">“Just in time’ learning; not ‘just in case’ (Eadie, 2001);
 * Authentic || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Real-life learning experiences (Eadie, 2001);
 * Inquiry Based || <span style="display: block; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Inquiry based- approach (Way & Webb, 2007);
 * Differences || Understand the unique needs of the school community. (Holkner, et al., 2008) || Enhance //opportunities to learn// by virtual experiences and tools that save them time (New Zealand Ministry of Education, 2007) ||


 * = <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**White Hat Question:**

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Facts || || <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Review the list above. How does your teaching and learning pedagogy fit in with the Learning centred/ constructivist approach?

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">In your experience would you agree or disagree with the literature that suggests most schools in NZ are following this approach when talking about e-learning?

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Justify your response. ||