Conference:
ECER 2005
Format:
Paper
Session Information
Session 5, Issues in Leadership, Consultancy and Change
Papers
Time:
2005-09-08
13:00-14:30
Room:
Arts G108A
Chair:
Yngve Nordkvelle
Contribution
Educators today are working hard to develop capacities to integrate technology and learning, which emphasize areas including technology, pedagogy, human communication, and teaching strategies. Such efforts are now opening doors beyond the classroom to create virtual communities for life long learning and professional development. We see this in a variety of projects and programs that provide such things as online discussion groups and cross-cultural school development (Snyder, 2004 a; 2004b). One of the growing challenges with this expanded use of ICT is the emerging dimensionality of integrating technology into the daily fabric of life long learning. We are no longer talking just about course development to serve individual learning. Today, ICT is being used to connect people and organizations across cultures to promote, among other things, democracy through professional and educational development. This shift from the classroom to open learning spaces adds new dimensions to the development, use and integration of technology in education and professional development. The research on ICT and education has highlighted exemplary courses, as well as the challenges of developing online learning. Many pedagogical researchers espouse the importance of more community-oriented theories of teaching and learning (Harasim, 1989; Sorensen and Takle, 2002), while the methodologists focus on ways to structure online learning activities (Palloff and Pratt, 1999; Salmon 2000, Simpson, 1999). While these studies have helped to advance the development of technology and learning, most examine a single dimension in relation to online classroom learning, for example, pedagogy, teaching methods, or the technical use of communication tools. Fewer focus on the multi-dimensionality of online communities and the challenges for development and organizational change that accompany this growing life long learning environment. This presentation focuses on a multi-dimensional model of online learning communities that emerged from a three-year study of a cross-cultural professional development program for school leaders. The model has six dimensions including: Pedagogy, Instructional Design, Online Team Building, Organizational development, Social Networks, and Communication. Discussion will be given to the model and implications for the development of ICT in education.The study site included 60 educators from seven countries, and an initial teacher-leadership staff of 12 persons from three countries, and two universities (Snyder, 2002, 2003, 2004). The professional development program provided training in global school and leadership development to principals and school staff. The early stages of program development focused on several dimensions including, program content, learning community organization, and instructional design. Following this, pedagogical theory and models for group structure and facilitation were added. The second and third years were spent developing the online communication and social community. Each phase of the development emerged in response to the needs of the participants, program leaders, and project goals. The inter-relationship of these elements provided the basis for the multi-dimensional model of online learning environments that will be presented. It is anticipated that this presentation will stimulate discussion about the growing complexities and challenges of developing ICT in education, as well as the emerging opportunities for life long learning, organizational development, and cross-cultural partnerships.
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