Jim Turner, E- learner: e-learning and social networking handbook

The old methods for producing, publishing and verifying research are under pressure, and this will expand as new methods establish themselves. P11

The changing learner

The digital native model is now seen as to general, although the neuro plasticity research it stems from has strong foundations. The argument against ‘native’ model comes from Brown and Duguid (2000) access to information does not equate to knowledge . . .and prentsky type tunnel visions see one way ahead, if you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail

(Commenting on this, this hammer and nail analogy also describes the different theories used to explore social science)

Issues with course design

When discussing increasing student diversity, staff can’t use the traditional course design processes of building the course up from what they know of the student. Diversity in resources, methods activities, etc are offered as the solution to this problem.

Later quoting Wenger, raises other issues with conventional course design. ‘learning can’t be designed, only designed for’

Siemans ‘connectivism’ learning theory is explained. This is seen as a challenge to the previous 3 big theories of learning. Connectivism is founded on the student knowing when it is useful to learn, prior to any learning process taking place and that learning is not individual or even just about humans, networks can learn too.

Quoting Waller (2007) who forsees the death by podcast, blog and/or wiki. Similar to powerpoint, the over use and bad use of these tools can render them useless.

Commenting on this, this is a great way to engage staff in debating the difference between use and the tool. Death by powerpoint, is not solely caused by the tool itself. It’s the use, the learning design.