Technology in the Learning Environment - Using Technology to Enhance Instruction

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Technology in the Learning Environment - Using
Technology to Enhance Instruction

• September 2003
• Steinþór Þórðarson

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This presentation

• IT in adult education
• brief status report
• rearview mirror
• the future
• IT to facilitate information literacy
• library service and teaching/training with
  technology

Conclusion If old (traditional) methods for
teaching really work there is no reason to assume
that the more recent ones will not
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Information is not knowledge!

• Knowledge is not wisdom
• Wisdom is not truth
• Truth is not beauty
• Beauty is not love
• Love is not music
• Music is the best
• Frank Vincent Zappa 1940-1993

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Have we ever taught without technology?
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Have we ever taught without technology?
Technologies for sharing information The Book
Printing from ca.1440 The Film ca. 1895 Radio
1900 TV WW2 VCR late 70s PCs
1981 Multimedia 1990
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Teaching and learning online

• Is not a technological challange for neither
  teachers nor students
• Technology is at our disposal and so is
  support/service
• Literacy is a requirement
• The challange for the educator is
• Leading meaningful work to result in learning

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And what tools have we got?

• Web based instruction
• Resource based learning
• Learning objects model
• Asynchronous teaching/learning
• Hybrid learning
• Self paced learning

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company

• Just in time targeted training
• EPSS Electronic performance support systems

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...so is it any good?

• ...well people learn and earn degrees, develop
  their skills etc.
• When appropriate, learning outcomes are
  comparable to traditional approaches
• How good is the classroom anyway?

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Technical barriers

• Two ongoing processes to lower thresholds
• User interface design
• Training instruction
• Specific to target groups
• Chronological age
• CV academic work experience

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Is the problem going to go away?

• Basic IT skills primary and secondary school
• Generation x generation _at_
• Higher ed. institutes are reporting lowering
  thresholds. Technology is becoming less of a
  concern

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The question at hand

• Can the library use learning (teaching)
  technologies to meet the needs of its customers?

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Why not?

• Modules on the web
• Narrated slides (PowerPoint)
• Animated desktop (Camtasia)
• FAQ database
• Web based (IT) courses
• e-moderating leading meaningful work
• e-tivities - WebQuest learning experiences in
  IT environment (Course management software WWW
  tools)
• Does the software company or book publisher
  provide any useful material?

Just in time EPSS on demand Task specific -
Training
General - Teaching
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What about the most basic stuff?

• Literacy and basic browsing skills are needed to
  make use of electronic library services. What
  about those at square one?
• Is this frontier not covered?
• In Iceland there are ample opportunities for
  people to aquire basic IT skills. Public and
  private schools offer courses in all shapes and
  sizes and labour unions offer grants.

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Inhouse built or off the shelf?

• Either way Keep it simple and cheap
• Limited life-span. Any IT teaching/training
  material expires in near future
• Content is king dont strive for broadcast
  quality in look and feel. Homebrew works
• Guarantee relevance To the point
• Testdrive is the material idiotproof?

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Words of wisdom (which is not truth)

• When making your own material
• Comply with standards and make material that can
  be used with common browsers and viewers.
• Keep your old stuff in formats you can edit.
• In revisions, like when upgrading your material
  to fit a new version of software the stuff from
  the older version makes a good starting point.
  Update the material instead of building from
  scratch

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Words of wisdom (which is not truth)

• Form alliances internally
• IT support staff
• Teaching support staff
• Experienced teachers
• Form alliances externally
• Other institutes with similar needs
• You can share graphics, manuscripts etc. even if
  partners use different languages

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Goats in a film archive
Two goats found their way in to the film archives
at RUV (Icelandic national TV). Having eaten all
the reels of Brekkukotsannáll (based on a story
by Halldór Laxness) one asked the other how she
liked the film. Well I think the book was even
better was the reply. Lesson If the material
is good - any medium will do. (However, the book
may be a bit better ?).
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Thank you!

• Questions?
• Comments?
• steithor_at_hi.is