Day1 - A brief History of Online/Computer- Based Learning
1975-1985 | Behaviourist | Suppes develops Computer Managed Instruction programs.Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) focused on drill and practice,especially in math. Gagne develops method of task analysis. Instructionfocuses on leaners achieving a specific goal, following specific sets of instuctions. |
1983-1990 | Cognitivist, Piaget | Paske and colleagues develop Course Assembly System and Tutorial Environment. The goal was to mismatch help learners learn by matching their learning styles. Best feature were domain maps which allowed learners to choose their own path of learning and match learning style.
Seymour Papert designs LOGOs software. The goal was to allow children to develop personal mental maps and microworlds, thereby creating individual meaning.Difficult for educators to apply as a learning tool, used as a programming tool. |
1990-1995 | Modelling Piaget/Social Constructivism | Development of IQON. Focused on helping learners understand cause and effect relationships. A modelling tool where learners could alter variables to change the environment. Fairly abstract, difficult for learners to master. Varilab, another cause-effect modelling tool focusing on physics in the real world. Revealed need for tutor or teachers
Age of intelligent tutoring systems such as SCHOLAR, Why, the Guidoon, KANT, OLIA and DIALAB. Designed to teach content through computer generated dialogue and foster reflection and reasoning skills. Each program though had fairly limited ability to understand learner vocabulary and only a limited number of outcomes based on learner decisions was possible. Start of Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environments (CSILE). Provided a network forum to allow learners to interact. The Goal was to demonstrate how information and communications technology can be used in the classroom. Apple re-released it in 1995 as Knowledge Forum. |
1995-2005 | Social Consructivism | Knowledge Forum continues to evolve. It becomes a multimedia, collaborative, community-based space. Learners contribute theories, working models, plans, evidence, and reference materials. The focus is on distributed knowledge building. Also era for the beginning of dialogue based games, such as CLARISSA and CoLLeGE.Computer-based game learning takes off.
Email and online interaction with professors and peers also becomes possible. Forums and discussion groups take idea sharing beyond the classroom. The Internet becomes a source of information. All this leads to reconsidering the role of the educator. |
2005 - current | Social Constructivism Connectivism Online Collaboration Theory Communities of Practice Theories and Models of Online Learning, etc. |
Online Learning comes into its own as computer technologies develop to allow high levels of social interaction. Learning Management Systems such as Blackboard, Moodle and Desire2Learn come to the fore. Internet based learning and social media abound, facilitating collaboration, content remixing and reflection. The new data organizing features of the web through tools such as wikis, GoogleDocs, del.ico.ous add a self organizing capacity to the web through tagging and tracking use. Data can easily be searched, reconfigured and filtered into educational use.
Simulated environments such as SecondLife permit new levels of interaction and can be used to simulate reality and provide authentic activities and problem-solving. Advancements in technology facilitate mobile learning, using cell phones and tablet technology. People can now learn anywhere, from the train, to a coffee shop. Going forward sees the evolution of the Semantic Web. Technology will become more aware and be able to identify meaning from context and adapt to specific user needs. This will lead to further changes in learning. |
thought questions:
2. Discuss the evolution of technological tools as it relates to it's era and influencing pedagogy.
key words:
2. IQON
3. Learning Management Systems
4. Semantic Web
references:
Ravenscroft, A. (2001). Designing E-learning Interactions in the 21st Century: revisiting and rethinking the role of theory. European Journal of Education, 36(2).
Scardamalia, M. (2004). CSILE/Knowledge Forum®. In Education and technology: An
encyclopedia (pp. 183-192). Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.