Design Rationale

Learning Theory in the Digital Age

Video Presentation with Design Rationale

The reasoning for my video is to promote the benefits of E-learning to fellow teachers in the Business and Finance Faculty, SWSi TAFE, the context is VET.  The concept behind the clip is to introduce facilitators to e‑learning using Web 2.0 technology. My intention is to demonstrate the link between soft skills in VET pedagogy and aligning them with e-learning theories. 

The motivation for my video is how we, as facilitators, can help learners develop soft skills for the 21^st Century workplace, and at the same time, identifying the tools we can use to transform the learning.  I believe this approach is more beneficial as I was identifying the facilitator’s real life experience and how they can apply these ideas to their current teaching.  It outlines the changing role of the teacher to a learner-focussed approach.  I will address the ideas presented throughout the video and link them to principles of constructivist and connectivist.  

Why Video?

The use of video was the prescribed technology to be used for the presentation.  The benefits of using video as a promotion tool is to support facilitator’s understanding of how to transform learning using Web 2.0 technologies.  The information was created in PowerPoint which was then saved as a movie using the inbuilt “save as movie” feature.  The music style chosen is upbeat to grab their attention from the start.

The Title – “Preparing our Learners for their tomorrow”

I wanted a title that would have facilitator’s reflecting from the beginning on current teaching practices and how we are preparing our learners to enter the current workplace.  In essence, this approach is cognitive constructivism (Harisim) as teachers reflect on what it is they know of adult pedagogy; independent, self-directed and self-motivated.

Required skills for the 21^st Century

The next few slides present current positions vacant with key words such as; team leader, team player, working together, communication skills, willing to learn, exceptional organisation skill, additional studies and career goals.  All these skills in some form link to constructivist and connectivist principles of e-learning; autonomy, connectedness, diversity, past experiences and openness.

Transforming Teaching

Flipped classroom is introduced here.  A description is provided which describes flipped learning and the transformation of a class lecture (behaviourism) to an activity based, learner-centred approach.  The image shows the role of the teacher shifting from the fountain of knowledge to the facilitator of learning.  By providing the learners with the learning resources out of class, they are given the opportunity to view, construct their knowledge and connect with their peers if needed either through forums, web conference, etc. 

Working in Teams – Collaboration/Socialising

Adult education has for many years focussed on learners working in teams.  Here I have introduced the positive points of having them working in teams using web 2.0 technologies to problem solve and collaborate to reach a goal.  A brief commentary is provided outlining the benefits of sharing, collaborating, anywhere/anytime learning, creating and managing.  It brings to the fore how this technology has transformed the learning from teacher-centred to a learner-centred approach, while keeping in line with constructing knowledge independently and sharing and connecting with their peers.

Gathering – Constructing – Bookmarking

Some of the required skills in our context are: information technology skills to store and retrieve relevant workplace information and data, analyse data and problem solving.  By showing the importance of bookmarking, it gives facilitators an overview of how this tool can be used to not only mark a web page for future reference, but also how this technology can be used to annotate points of reference for future referral and note-taking on web pages.  Learning is transformed as learners are able to share this information with their peers in groups. Constructing and connecting is evident as sources of information are bookmarked and content is highlighted as points of interest or importance.

Connecting

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are all connecting technologies.  My aim here was to describe how we can use these tools to give learners the opportunity to connect with people who are specialist in the field of their study.  Transformation of learning takes place here as learners can reach outside of the class into across the globe.  Connections are also being made which will stay with the learners as they enter the workplace.  These connections can be called upon if the now worker is looking for information to problem solve, gather information or acquiring knowledge.

Creating – Curating – Storytelling

The outcome of the learning journey.  What would is commonly known to most of our facilitators as the assessment event.  I outlined here how there are many tools available that could transform the outcome from a report or test, to a collection of artefacts, or reflections in a blog, scoop.it, flickr.  Learners will also contribute to the learning experience of others by commenting and/or critiquing on their artefacts.  This slide identifies the principal of constructing and connecting.

The remaining slides again prompts the facilitator on how we can use these tools to effectively prepare our learners for the 21^st century workplace.

Conclusion

Many of my colleagues are finding it difficult to move away from the teacher-centred approach.  This could be fear of the unknown, not willing to change and not understanding the needs of our learners.  As business is our context, it is becoming more apparent these soft skills should be included in our delivery methods.  The principle’s of constructing, connecting, collaborating, creating and socialising is core to our context.  Therefore, my aim in this video is to encourage teachers to use web 2.0 technologies to transform the learning experience.