"
Author:
Odd Eriksen, assistant professor and project co-ordinator -
science of education and ICT in teacher training
Department of Education,
University
E-mail:odd.eriksen@hiof.no
The paper is based on a case study of a project which is part of a
national development program for education of teachers in Norway: “ICT as a factor of change within general teacher training
at Ostfold University College, Faculty of
education" We are exploring how modern communication technology can
support and increase the student activity, lead them to constructing their own
knowledge and facilitate a more flexible system of practical training that
gives the students tangible experiences with the profession they are heading
for. We have been experiencing interesting changes in the social climate on
campus and this paper will present our perspectives on how the combination
between the building of human relations and implementing of ICT
is essential as a foundation for active learning. The project also gives useful
experiences in relation to the co-operation between educational institutions on
different levels and Telenor Ltd. ,
the leading company in
1
Introduction:
The new challenges
from the students
The cultural changes in the way people organise their lives in the
families, our struggle for understanding and controlling the massive pressure
from the new media-and information & technology-based society have created
students who wants to be engaged,
questions our professional authority and have to be activated in creating their own knowledge.
The life in Norwegian families has changed in relation to roles, activities and
values, from the traditional, authoritarian and asymmetric “housewife-family”
in the 1950-s to the democratic and “negotiation”-based institution of the
1990-s. (Sommer-96).
The world of the children and the world of the adults have grown
together, and the teachers have to deal with students who are used to be
included in the process of making decisions on most of the important issues in
their family life. These students have little respect for the professional
authority that we used to take for granted 30 years ago. We also see that
children and young people are active and competent in the important areas of
information and communication technology (ICT). They
use the media and the new digital communication tools naturally and with great
success. And this process is outside the control of teachers and parents. This
is a serious problem, because in this way we leave an important issue in the
process of socialisation to people who are technological “followers” more than
responsible adults engaged in bringing up the children to be constructive
members of the society.
Seymour Papert (1998) says that this
generation gap will create an internal pressure in the school system and lead
to a new pedagogical revolution. At the same time we have to consider how the
speed of change in our society implies that we are at the time educating the
students for jobs and professions that doesn’t exist
now. The students are challenging the teachers by being active on their own
initiative and because they have access to vital information uncontrolled by
the teachers. They are not easily controlled by rules and regulations and will
often demand our attention in a learning situation based on variation,
excitement and their active participation in both planning and
constructing the process of knowledge building. They are also focusing
more on the social processes in their life as students and see their education
as an important part of the process of being socially integrated, and not only
as an instrument to get access to the world of future professional careers.
Our institutions of education must deal with this by developing and
modernising the pedagogical thinking and professional competence of the
teachers. The teachers have to develop skills as co-ordinators of active
communities of practice and learning and at the same time be able to integrate
the use of ICT as a natural part of the process of
learning. We cannot be comfortable with a situation where the students of 2004
are met with the pedagogical methods of teaching based on the schools of the
1950-s. The students need to be able to leave our system of education with
their ability to learn still activated. We have to prepare them for a world and
future of change and professional careers which will demand a continuing
reconstruction of knowledge and the competence of critical analyse and active
use of the massive and
overwhelming web-based flow of information. Our schools and universities have to emphasise
the developing of the students skills and in using the
new digital tools and to cultivate their competences for life-long learning.
These changes in children’s environmental conditions and the
technological challenges have already led to great reforms in compulsory school
in
This case study focus on our experiences with active use of technology
in a wireless and flexible learning environment, new methods of assessment
involving ICT and the students digital portfolios,
multi-disciplinary project work, communication and learning in a collaborative
learning space and the positive social impact and cultural changes we have made
possible during the last three years.
2
Methods:
Description
of the project “ICT as a factor of change within
general teacher training at Ostfold University College
The main objectives of this project was the changing and modernising of
the content in our study programmes, the developing of new teaching methods and
how we are organising the process of learning. These changes are related to a
focus on building the bridge between the study work at the College and the students experiences in their practical training. In this we
are strengthening the relations between the students and the teachers and
between the students and the schools where they do their practical training.
The main factor of change that facilitates these achievements are the
integration of ICT in the learning environment by
introducing wireless access to the Internet both on campus and in the practical
training and developing a support system and cooperation with companies that
can provide the teachers and students with modern and reliable lap-tops. This
is the foundation for the organising of flexible learning and that the students
are developing digital competence as active users of ICT
in their own learning process and as modern teachers in their future
professional work.
The project has developed a co-operative network that comprises the
general teacher training at OUC, the tele-communicating company Telenor
Ltd., HP-Compaq Norway Ltd. and 32 elementary schools in
§
350 students in a three year program
§
70 teachers engaged in the
practical training of our students (on 32 elementary schools in the
§
32 faculty teachers at the
College, organised in three multidisciplinary teams
§
2 consultants engaged in
technical support service + 4 students
in the students ”Oracle Service”
§
The students and teachers
have their own lap tops and have wireless access to the Internet and the local
area network. The students are buying their own equipment and our institution
supplies infra structure, software and the developing of digital competence
We are using the following hardware/software:
§
Laptop: From Compaq
Armada 110, Compaq EVO N1020v to Compaq
nx9000
§
GSM: Nokia
Cardphone with high speed transmission of data and speech
§
WLAN PC-card, webcams,
scanners etc.
§
Web-based mail-program - IMP
§
Web-based learning space – including WebBoard – as
support for face-to-face teaching/learning
The students are organised in basis groups (4-5 students). Each group is
connected to a compulsory school class and a teacher or team of teachers. The
students are in contact with the class group all through the study year (both
directly and via the Internet) in a flexible practice system that makes the
life of the network school its starting point. The faculty teachers represent
the subjects of Norwegian language, mathematics, educational science, religion,
nature-social science and environment, drama, arts & crafts and music, but
they are organised in a multidisciplinary team.
The theoretical studies are now characterised by close connections to
the practical training and our teaching methods focus more on student activity
and problem based learning. The term alternates between periods with single
subjects and multidisciplinary project work. ICT is
an integrated tool in the students´ and teachers´ daily work, and also a
channel for communication and guidance. At the same time we strengthen the
contact between the students and the college. The teachers are tutoring two
basic groups each and are responsible for necessary contact functions towards
these groups´ practical training schools.
This is changing the focus in the subject-related teaching in the
direction of relating content and project work more to the relevance of the students future work as teachers. We are seeking to combine
good and solid traditional teaching with practice oriented student activity and
self-regulated learning. We are developing a pedagogical framework that
emphasises human relations strongly and at the same time implements ICT as support for both learning and the building a positive,
social environment on campus.
The transformation of the teacher training from an academic and isolated
pedagogical institution into an open, active and flexible learning organisation
based on a profession oriented focus and modern teaching methods is the result
of an analyse of the skills and competence the teachers of tomorrow need to
develop in relation to knowledge, social and cultural identity and ICT. This is also related to the new role as teachers we
are anticipating to be of great importance in an active and modern school
system.
3
Experiences from ICT-based education of
teachers at Ostfold University College
3.1. The role of
the teacher in a modern, student active school must be part of the perspectives
of the education of teachers
Methods of teaching and the student activity in the learning process are
closely related to our use of tools and the relations between the
people who are co-operating in communities of practice and learning. We need to
understand the impact of tools and technology on the total arena where the
learning process are situated. Technology can be supportive of traditional
teaching methods and in this way be easily accepted and integrated by the
teachers. We can see this in the effective and undisputed acceptance of the copy
machine by the Norwegian teachers during the late 1980-s. This technology
supported the “talking teacher” and gave him a stronger grip in control of the
information that the students use to create knowledge. But we did not address
the pedagogical consequences on the process of learning to read and write. What
is the consequence of a learning situation where the process of learning to
read and write is fragmented and the small children have to deal with an
increasing amount of half-fabricated sheets of copies and where real books and
workbooks are replaced by a floating system of loose paper? This question was
never asked.
The important thing in the traditional way of educating people is that
the teacher is the main channel of information into the learning situation.
This leads to the classic teaching model with the “talking teacher” and the
“listening learner”. It is the last years explosion of digital media and ICT that brings a change into our perspective on how the
teacher should work, and at the same time gives both the students and teachers
the tools and ways of accessing information that really supports active
learning.
In this situation we can base our teaching on the fact that the students
have access to information and digital material that are outside the teacher’s
control. This is the main factor in the actual changing of the role of the
teachers in the modern school. The teacher is increasingly important as a
supporting factor in the students building of knowledge. The teacher now needs
to focus on helping the students to structure the information, do critical
analyses, relate the information to problem solving work in collaborative,
social situations and helping them build a total understanding of the important
issues from fragments of information.
3.2. ICT as a tool for active learning
The teachers need to have a constructive and positive attitude towards
new technology. They have to develop skills in using relevant software in their
teaching as well as teaching the students how to use ICT
as a support for active learning. This implies flexible ways of organising the ICT-resources in schools and securing the students access
to the machines and software when and where they need to use them in a natural
learning process. Most teachers will soon
have to give and receive information about the students work and the activities
at school also in a digital learning environment. They have to be able to
co-operate and communicate on learning issues with the students and the parents
by e-mail, SMS, MSN or inside digital learning
management systems. The teachers have to get a grip on how to use the Internet
in a pedagogical context. This means working with production of web structures
as sources of information for the students. The students need to have the teachers
as partners and guides on their way into the information jungle on the Internet
to avoid getting lost in cyberspace. This is a call for visible teachers with
pedagogical agendas on the digital arena.
The bridge to the student’s digital competence is related to the
teachers developing knowledge and acceptance of the cultural and communicative
activities that young people are taking part of on the Internet, and their use
of technology as a resource for entertainment and communication. The students are
an important factor in the building of the digital competent school. We also
have a great responsibility for those who are left behind in the digital
revolution due to socio-economic factors in their background and this is
dependant of our ability to act constructive and positive in developing student
active methods of learning, integrating ICT in these
processes and strengthening the relations between teachers and students.
The big challenge for the faculty teachers has been adjusting to a
situation which implies the need for flexible learning and changing of both
content and teaching methods. The focus on the teachers as “mentors” for the
small student groups (basis groups) means that the teachers must develop
competence in student counselling as well as in integrated use of ICT in their field of work. They have to use web-based
material to create a flexible learning situation for the students and make use
of student active methods as project work and practice based problem solving.
These activities are introducing the students for the arena of practice based
work in the form of research and development-projects related to their schools
of practical training. The students have
to exchange their role as passive “pupils” with a more active and profession
oriented role. They must adjust to the principle of teamwork in the basis
groups as a preparation for the cooperation in similar networks as professional
teachers, and they have to develop ICT-competence in
relation to learning and teaching. They have to adjust to a situation where
information is not something you get, but something you have to find. This
means a greater individual responsibility for organising the study work and the
learning process within active communities of practice and learning.
These changes have also led to the development of new forms of
evaluation and assessment. The exams and assignments are the most important
factors in the shaping of the students priorities, and they need to reflect the
student’s efforts to build their ICT- based competence
as teachers. The process of evaluation must help the students to organise their
work systematically and lead to activities being distributed throughout the
year. The implementing of new forms of assessment now includes digital
portfolio in mathematics, pedagogy, Norwegian language and Nature, Society
& Environment.
The students are storing their work digitally during the year, and as
part of the final exams, they have to present their most important work. These
assignments can consist of short texts, websites, PowerPoint presentations,
video/photo/drawings related to web presentations of their project work. It is
important to integrate the students work on issues in the subject work with the
multimedia tools they are using in the ICT-based
activities. This makes the process of assessment more a part of the learning
process.
The cooperation between our institution
and the schools where the students get their practical training has
directed more focus on the teachers’ competence on active learning strategies
and the integration of ICT in their work as teachers
in the classroom. The organisation of the practical training is now integrated
in the web based information system (e-mail, WebBoard, web info). To facilitate
both the students digital activities during the practical training and the
teachers access to the digital learning space, we have developed a network of
people engaged in the distribution of ICT
(infrastructure and software) to the schools in the
4
Discussion:
The
combination between the building of human relations and the implementing of ICT is essential as a foundation for active learning
The digital community of practice and learning comprises two important
perspectives:
-
It is the association between informal, social communication
and systematic collaboration in problem solving activities that is the
foundation for the development of human relations inside the community of
practice.
-
Human relations base on face-to-face communication and
cooperation are the foundation for learning.
The digitalisation of learning can support these processes:
A community of practice arises through the
coordinated use of technologies to arrive
at mutually intelligible resolutions to shared
problematic experience
(Roschelle 1995)
The students activities in relation to the use of lap tops, wireless
access to the Internet and their development of ICT-based
pedagogical competence is an integrated part of the education of teachers at
our institution. This is also related to the perspective of how technology can
support the building of social and professional relations in the education.
People
who use tools actively rather than just acquire them, by contrast, build
increasingly rich implicit understanding of the world in which they use the tool and
of
the tools themselves. (Brown a.o. 1989)
4.1
The
cultural changes – a more open and communicative environment – stronger
relations between the students, faculty teachers and teachers organised in the
practical training
The flexible and digitalised learning is based
on some important factors:
-
The students are dealing with a variation of different methods for
teaching and learning
-
Digital communication and cooperation supports face-to-face contact
-
There is many different channels for communication between students and
teachers, both digital and analogue
-
The infrastructure is wireless and supports activity related to social
situations and learning independent of time and place
-
Learning is organised on the Internet as well as in the classroom
-
The results of learning activities are based on the students work and
efforts not on their presence
-
Learning as a social practice is related to active problem solving in the
theoretical studies and on the students reflecting on their experiences in the
practical training
-
The student are engaged in the planning of the courses and the practical
training
-
The most important result we have documented
so far is related to cultural changes. The project seem
to have improved the relations between the students and the faculty teachers.
This is based on surveys related to the students views
on how the quality in the study programmes are developing. These surveys have
been distributed each year for the last decade. In 1999 (the last year before
the ICT-project) 56% of the students said that the
faculty teachers seem very little interested and engaged in their progress as
students, and only 7% described the teachers as a positive factor. After only
one year in the ICT-based project (2001) 52 % of the
students say that the teachers seem to be very interested and engaged in their
progress as students, and only 18% described the teachers as uninterested and
passive. (Wennevold 2000)
The teachers taking care of the practical
training say the students now are more responsible and active in their practical
training (Survey in des.-2000 and in 2003):
Figur 1: The teachers´
assessment of the practical training
The same teachers assessing the students work as student teachers This is a very positive feedback
from the cooperating schools concerning our student’s participation in the
practical training:
.:
Figur 2: The students performance
in the practical training as seen by the teacher
The faculty teachers at OUC
say the students now are more motivated, ask more questions and attend the
lectures on a more regular basis than before (Survey in the spring of 2002).
And this relates well to the way the students comments on their own experiences
in the ICT-based project:
–
80% are satisfied or better
with the cooperation in their basis groups and with the
tutoring from the
teachers at OUC
–
They use ICT
every day, and the main activities are: Writing reports, seeking info on
the Internet and
checking e-mail and webboard
–
They see the lectures as a
positive factor in their study work
–
They use ICT
to get information about the study
–
They are satisfied with the
technological support
–
90% of the students are satisfied
or better with being a student in the project
When testing the students relating to ICT-skills we find that there competence is similar to the
results we find in the courses called “ICT for
teachers” which is part of the further education program at our institution. It
is also an important achievement that there is established a functional
infrastructure and an effective support system that can deal with up to 400 lap
tops connected to a local area network as well as the Internet. This has given
our institution new competence on how to cooperate with the private companies in the ICT business, especially in the fields of repair and
service agreements and license for software and applications.
Other results worth mentioning are:
-
We have improved the cooperation between the faculty teachers in the
multi-disciplinary teams
-
We have created new ways of evaluating the students, including their ICT competence
-
We have increased the student activity in our learning space through
practice-oriented project work and digital portfolio
-
We have contributed to more focus on the profession of teachers in our
study programmes.
-
Our project has contributed to the changing of the education of teachers
on a national scale
4.2
The
concept of digital “bildung”
Words for the concept of culturization as part
of a liberal education can be found as ‘Bildung’ in
German, ‘bildning’ in Swedish, or ‘dannelse’ in Danish and Norwegian. When directly
translated, the term refers to the formation or shaping of an individual (into
‘an educated person’). Bildung as a
pedagogical concept implies that students must develop personally somehow –
mature – through their education, not just learn some specific vocational
skills. However, over time various Bildung
ideals – i.e. the ideal according to which the student should be formed
– have been expressed (Madsen et al. 1993).
We need to focus on the more general objectives in our education of
teachers, and to address the question raised about how the implementation of ICT in the communities of practice and learning are
interfering with these. Is it possible to talk about “digital bildung” as a general concept, or do we have to consider
digital competence as one among other factors in the process of bildung?
There is a direct link between the students and teachers active
collaboration and social communication in face-to-face situations and the
positive effects of ICT as a tool in their
construction of knowledge. The use of e-mail, web conferences, websites, MSN
and SMS in learning and social situations are closely
related to a foundation of personal relations between the people involved.
The most important part of our project has been to build and strengthen
the personal relations between faculty teachers, students and teachers and
pupils in the collaborating elementary schools. The following elements are means
to obtain this:
-
Meetings every week
including faculty teachers and students – information and discussion
-
Organising the
students in basis groups and having all the faculty teachers tutoring these groups
-
Integrating
practice-related project work as a mutual responsibility for the College and
the elementary schools
-
Emphasizing social events as important for building relations in the
group: Field trips, parties, celebrations and ceremonies, presentations of
project work and “summer camp”
-
Establishing communities of practice and learning which includes faculty
teachers, students and the teachers in the collaborating elementary schools
-
Open office doors – positive and constructive attitudes towards student
initiatives
-
This gives as focal point the co-existence of
digital communication in a highly technology-based education and face-to-face
activities and relations. The digital activities are linked to practice based
work in the physical classroom. The learning process and developing of
cooperative relations comes first and the digital activity will support and
refine these processes. We are moving from working physically with art and then
moving the art into the digital world of multimedia. Or we are moving from
practice based project work in the classroom to digital documentation in the
students’ web-based portfolio.
The main objective of the education of
teachers is to meet the increasing pressure from the social and technological
changes. We have to deal with the need for developing a new role as teachers –
where the future teacher is
technologically competent, has a good grip on the different subjects, possesses
the social skills needed for active building of relations and the managing constructive teamwork in active communities
of practice and learning. “Bildung” is probably not a digital concept, but depends on
the face-to-face encounters we have with people who are important in our lives
and is a process where we contributes to each others cultural and personal
enhancement.
The project “ICT
as a factor of change within general teacher training at
.
References
Brown,J.S., Collins, A. and Duguid, S. (1989): Situated cognition and the
culture of learning
Madsen, V.B.;
Jensen, K. & Meldstad, M.: 1993, Universitet, samfund
og dannelse, Forlaget Sociologi, København
Papert, Seymour, ”Child
Power: Keys to the new learning of the digital century” – foredrag ved
Roschelle, J. (1995): What should
collaborative technology be?A
perspective from Dewey and situated learning
Sommer, Dion, ”Moderne oppdragelse og
forhandlingsfamilien” – artikkel i debattserien ”Barnehagefolk” – 1996
Wennevold, S. (2000): Studiemiljø og læring – en sammenlikning av to kull med førsteårsstudenter ved allmennlærerutdanningenved
Høgskolen i Østfold. Rapport.
(More information about Mobile and wireless
teacher education - ICT as a factor of change within
general teacher training at Østfold University
College, Faculty of education)