ALT-C Keynote
Keynote as anticipated was very good there should be an audio version of it on ALT website as some point.
Diana started taking about how the shape of education is changing the fact that today’s learners are digital; they are able to pick up technology with little problem. They are connected in constant way via mp3, mobiles, PDAs. They are immediate they don’t want to wait for snail mail they don’t event want to wait for emails but like instant communication like instant messenger. They are also very social connecting online using services such as myspace, bebo.
She then went on discussing what these learners’ preferences are in terms of learning styles such as they like peer-to-peer, visual.
Diana also discussed the types of learning the implicit learning aka learning without effort. Informal learning for example learning from home, among peers such as learning from TV documentaries. Then the final learning type which is formal leaning aka sitting in a classroom.
She also discussed about how new generation of technology learners have far more choice mp3 players, TIVO style TV. They can choose when, where and how they want to watch TV for example.
Next she talked about that fact that libraries are changing they are not the first information sources in some cases they are last and that web is new information source.
By this point we were all feeling old I expect but she asked question Is It Age Or IT and she asked us how do we take notes long hand or using word processor, how many windows open on laptop (well 6 windiws and 7 in firefox is what I have open), can we not multitask when on phone we must be doing something else (playing with cord).
She then talked about Collaboration by design and how environment has direct involvement on how learning happens. Using handheld devices to do environment studies, using internet to get live data from censors and robots in real world.
Then she rounded off with principles to get it working in your institute.
How do you get all this to work together and move institute forward.
1) Identify principles
2) Involve students
3) Consider options
4) Redefine space
5) Align technology with pedagogy using and integrating technology are different.
This is a ever so cut down run of keynote when it comes online I recommend you download it was extremely useful
Also posted at http://www.edugeek.net/altc
Filed under: Conferences, Education, altc2006, technology