Verso

Is PowerPoint the ultimate compensation for a weak premotor cortex? And what are the ethical issues if how we teach affects the structure of the learner’s brain?

The distinction between andragogy and pedagogy provides useful insights into our learners. But to characterise pedagogy as embodying everything that is out-dated and reactionary in educational approaches is simplistic and erroneous in my opinion.

The tendency to remain motivated varies very widely between individuals, over time, and between contexts. The motivational stamina model attempts to identify some of the variables involved in learner motivation.

The definition of connectivism in terms of knowledge networks means it is limited in its ability to its ability to define learning in other than purely knowledge terms. Learning needs to be seen in a more holistic way than merely navigating patterns of knowledge.

Some e-learning specialists feel that Web 2.0 tools like wikis have no place in vocational education because of the risks of ‘faulty knowledge’. I don’t agree, but I do believe we need to identify the risks when we are planning, along with what we will do when ‘faulty knowledge’ is contributed. The potential benefits of exposing ‘faulty knowledge’ outweigh the risks, but we do need a well thought-out plan for dealing with it.

All too often, online learners are confronted with an intimidating list of items with little guidance as to how these relate to specific course outcomes or objectives. Learning management systems have limited features for scheduling learning activities. One clear way to communicate a clear structure of course activities is a table which maps weekly activities to outcomes and assessment.

The read-write matrix provides a model of analysing the roles of learners in working with documents in a Web 2.0 context. The complexity of Web 2.0 tools, however, has prompted me to explore ways of extending the model to provide more detail, including different forms of contribution and collaboration.

While the Moodle wiki has quite a few limitations, the ability to control access and the ways that learners can collaborate can be very useful. There is significant correlation with the read-write matrix, because the standard wiki module installed with Moodle offers various settings to control who has read access and who has write access.

The read-write matrix of web 2.0 tools for learning is a planning tool for teachers which maps various uses of blogs and wikis onto a two-dimensional matrix.

The truly collaborative wiki has the potential to change the power balance between teachers and learners and their respective roles: no longer is the teacher the sole source of authoritative knowledge. On the other hand, ‘wrong’ information can be detrimental and even dangerous, in vocational or academic education.