Misplaced ICT

I'm firmly of the opinion that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in schools is misplaced and therefore misused. In essence, the way it is conventionally deployed negates much of the potential of ICT, and unless there is a dramatic reappraisal, we won't be witnessing much in the way of learning gains in schools. Here's my argument in two points:

My first argument is that ICT is almost always delivered in schools as if it were a subject to be studied. It is not a subject, and never has been. ICT represents a set of tools which should be embedded across every subject in the curriculum. As it stands, this will never be fully realised, because ICT is delivered as a discrete subject. Let's not confuse ICT with computing. Computing is a subject in its own right. You can do a computing degree at most universities. By contrast ICT is simply a set of very powerful tools that enable children to learn other things. Why waste valuable contact time teaching kids how to create PowerPoint slides, or how to write a webpage? They can be spending their time doing much more important things in the classroom, and many probably already know how to do the basics anyway.

My second argument is, why do schools spend so much of their resources creating ICT suites? This is quite clearly placing all your eggs in one basket, where only one class at a time can gain access to valuable if not essential resources. Computers are tools just as pencils or calculators are tools. But we don't set up pencil suites or special calculator rooms in schools, do we? I damn well hope not, anyway. As Craig Taylor so eloquently stated this week in his discussion on redesigning learning spaces:

"Lose the ICT suite. This only serves to isolate technology from current learning activities as opposed to embedding it within them. It also stands empty for the majority of the time, which is a waste of space and resources. IT access could still be gained by providing netbooks/laptops to each learner attending events. These can be kept in purpose built storage/charging trolleys. Coupled with a WiFi connection this will allow learners to connect to the outside world as opposed to relying solely on the knowledge that is being shared amongst the facilitator/delegates, a great example of social constructivism. A modern approach to learning which fits with a modern building."

I couldn't have put it better myself. Another problem with positioning ICT within one room is that children get themselves into the mindset that 'this is where we use the computer.' I would actually go farther than Craig (who speaks from a corporate training context) by arguing that children should be using handheld, wireless devices around the school, rather than lugging around laptops or netbooks. The vast amounts of money that have been invested in expensive ICT suites should be diverted to this kind of untethered learning instead. This way they are being prepared for learning on the move, in an increasingly mobile world. Craig makes a very valid observation in his post that the separation of ICT from all other learning spaces engenders a perception that ICT and learning are somehow separate. They should not be, of course. ICT should be embedded into all learning activities as is appropriate. This brings me back to my first argument about ICT not being a subject, but rather being a set of tools for learning. I hope you get the point.

Image source by ejk

Misplaced ICT by Steve Wheeler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Loss of control

I'm attending the International Network Conference (INC 2010) conference in Heidelberg today, so this is an opportune time to talk about its most famous son - Johannes Gutenberg.

When I first started teaching I thought my role was to transmit knowledge. I was caught up in the cycle of teaching-learning experiences I remembered from my own formative years. I was essentially perpetuating the kind of teaching style I had myself been exposed to. We teach as were were taught. It took me some time to realise that a) I could also learn from my students, b) that I wasn't the font of all knowledge and c) that there were other, more effective techniques available than simply lecturing. I developed a number of interactive and participatory resources where the students were given the control over the process, and I was forced to stand back and facilitate. It was uncomfortable for me to stand back and not intervene, to try to take control. But I had to do it, and in adopting this new style, I believe I became a more effective teacher.

Sitting here now, in the heartland of Germany, in the place where a literary revolution once took place, I am reflecting now on how teachers still try to maintain control in the classroom. Here are some of my thoughts on the notion of teacher control:

Once upon a time, the lead pencil was an expensive and rare tool. Not many people used it, because not many people had the skill to do so. Pencils were kept chained up in libraries where there was restricted access. The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg turned over the apple cart. What had been the preserve of the priviledged few - the nobility and clergy - was suddenly thrown open to the masses. The emergence of universal, mass produced and accessible text instigated a movement for mass literacy, and a communcation revolution ensued. The priviledged few lost control over literacy, and the world of learning had been blown wide open. Knowledge grew rapidly and as it did, so people began to learn how to question the status quo, and social movements gained momentum. The printing press was a disruptive technology - it changed forever our way of life.

Why do we still use ICT suites in schools? Do we have pencil suites? No - we used to have chained pencils before the advent of the Gutenberg press, but when everyone started to learning to read and write, chained pencils were massed produce, came down in price, and were accessible to everyone. The chained pencil was no more. People carried pencils around in their pockets. The same is now happening to computers - the personal computer is now handheld or laptop based, and they are being carried around by students wherever they go. There is a new literacy revolution going on. Students are using portable, wifi connected devices in the classroom (whether they are allowed to or not) and connecting in new ways that are alien to their teachers. Teachers are losing control of the small preserve they thought was safe. They hang on to the ICT suite because it is safe. They feel they can maintain control if all the technology is in one place, and is able to be booked for special sessions. Only thing is, ICT and computers are not special, anymore than the pencil is special. Both are merely tools that can be used to promote and support learning, and both must be freed up so that students can use them wherever and whenever they are.

The ICT suite locates computers and ICT in a setting that is restrictive and constrains creativity. It shows students that they have to go to a particular place and space to 'do computing'. It also constrains some teachers, who might spontaneously wish to bring a computer mediated activity to their session, and can't do so, because they need to 'book the ICT suite' in advance. I could go on, but I won't. I will simply say this: Teachers are losing control now just as the nobility and clergy did in Gutenberg's time. They just don't know it yet.

Image source

Loss of control by Steve Wheeler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at steve-wheeler.blogspot.com.

Txt in the city

I'm giving a keynote at an event being held at the University of Bath on May 19. It will be nice to go back to the city of Bath again so soon after my last keynote there on November 11. I enjoyed meeting the HEA podcasting special interest group and was well looked after. This conference will be the sixth in the series entitled 'Let's talk about txt', and apparently over 60 people have already signed up for the one day event. I wrote my title and abstract yesterday and sent it in to the organisers, Txttools. I hope it hits the mark:

Everything you always wanted to know about Txt but were afraid to ask

In this keynote presentation I will trace the history of written communication, and the emergence of communication technologies that have been used to convey our words. Taking a journey from cave wall paintings through the Gutenberg Printing Press to current handheld devices, I will argue that language is the first and most powerful human technology, and that all other technologies are merely extensions - vehicles to convey meaning from person to person.

In consideration of this position, txting can be seen as an evolving facet of interpersonal communication, and in its various forms (e.g. vernacular orthography, squeeze text, homophones, acronyms, respellings and rebuses) it has become the technological equivalent of spoken slang, and can therefore include or exclude. Through an examination of technology enhanced learning contexts and exploration of some examples of txt pedagogy, I will argue that if used appropriately, txt has powerful educational potential. Txt can motivate students to learn, and encourage creativity, and must therefore assume an ever increasing importance across all sectors of education.

U-Learning?

Many would agree that anytime, anyplace learning has been somewhat elusive. Sure, we have had organised distance education for almost two centuries, and mega-universities (i.e. large open universities with >100,000 students) are now globally established and universally respected. But although open learning courses can provide learners with an equivalent experience to campus based learning at home and at work, it's difficult to accept them as 'anytime anyplace'. Content may be accessible anytime (especially if it's paper based) but dialogue with tutors or mentors is not always available, and neither is peer group interaction, nor is access to other materials and services. And it can still be a problem to learn while on the move.

Over the last couple of years I have given several talks on ubiquitous computing - also known as pervasive computing - and how it might be used in a learning context. I will call this ubiquitous learning or 'U-learning'. U-learning will rely heavily on access to devices and tools that enable and support learning in any context, whether mobile or static, anywhere 24/7, and in a manner that is seamless and unobtrusive. It will also need to be 'intelligent' according to the strictest interpretation of the ubiquitous model, so that it can predict changing contexts and user needs as they occur. The key tools of U-learning will be mobile phones, laptops and other portable wireless devices.

Mobile phones have never been more popular and public wi-fi zones are proliferating, even though problems are emerging for example in the free wi-fi coffee shop model. Attempts are being made for the provision of public internet access too. The picture above was taken in my home town of Plymouth this week, outside one of the largest highstreet banks. It's one of a number of free internet stations that are popping up (I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has seen or used one of these stations), as local authorities realise how important internet access is for tourism and business, but of course it won't be enough to satisfy the demands of U-learning, and I can't imagine anyone wanting to stand using one for long. Clearly, this is just the start, and there are several problems to overcome before we can start to experience genuine U-learning.

It may seem prosaic, but one of the most trenchant barriers to u-learning happens to be limited battery life. How often have you used your handheld device, or mobile phone, and the battery has died at a crucial moment? Battery technology is becoming increasingly reliable, with longer life, but it's still a niggling problem. There have been many attempts to address it. One possible solution is public battery charging stations such as those appearing in Japan but waiting for the battery to charge doesn't sound like fun. Another is wireless energy transfer - a method of transmitting power so that batteries can be recharged without having to plug them in. Although prone to technical problems, wireless power transmission is now in prototype testing stage, yet it may be a while before we see affordable versions. When a robust solution to battery life is found, U-learning will be realised widely, and when it is, we will finally witness true anytime, anyplace learning. But what then will be the implications for the traditional institution?

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Charging... charging... (James Clay)