moodle and the living curriculum

Moodle and the Living Curriculum

Unitec

History

>> UNITEC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Past

Distance & Flexible Education Capability Assessment

>> UNITEC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Key Characteristics

• complex conversations, curiosity or inquiry led and stimulating, focus on practice, social constructivism,

blended learning experiences, research-informed, discipline based and interdisciplinary, literacies for lifelong learning

and embedded assessment

Living Curriculum and eLearning Strategy

Principles of Teaching and Learningconversation, curiosity/ enquiry, collaboration, self-

efficacy, problem-solving, creativity and reflection

Living Curriculum

Phormium IMG_2942 by Brett Oliver

Key Themes

Conversations

Enquiry

Autonomy

Discipline

How does Moodle fit with the Living Curriculum?

How does Moodle fit with the Living Curriculum?

Trojan Horse (2) By GoGap

Affordances describe the properties or qualities which can potentially enable an action

Affordances may encourage certain actions/ behaviours

BUT

User perceptions (influenced by culture, context and dispositions) are most influential in determining how the

tool is used

Affordances in Realising a Living Curriculum

Chrysalis (Before) by Steven2005

Conversationshow learners engage with self and others to develop understandings

Ako as puawaitangaAko acknowledges that curriculum development derives from diverse forms of intercultural communication.

Conversations about enquiry, knowledge, practice, learning and teaching are significant for engagement between and among learners, teachers, practitioners, communities, scholars, and with self and texts. Conversation develops beyond chat or discussion and becomes true dialogue that involves analysis, synthesis, critical thinking and reflection. Effective conversations help to build inclusive relationships, involve questions as well as answer, and facilitate the expression of different points of view. Conversations are contextually situated, and both technology and relationships mediate and facilitate conversations.

Conversations and Ako as Puawaitanga

Excerpt from: Unitec, (n.d.) Ako: learning together [Brochure]. Unitec,

Auckland, New Zealand.

Enquiry and Ako as Wānanga

Enquiryhow learners go about asking and answering questions

Ako as wānanga. Wānanga informs the curriculum through critical enquiry. The relationship of the learner and the teacher is interdependent, and reciprocal for personal and communal good. In this context, the teacher is prepared to learn from the learner.

The process of enquiry is at the heart of the tertiary learning experience. It necessitates reflecting on the world within the perspective of a domain, formulating a question, locating information in response to the question, interpreting and testing ideas and information, generating and synthesising ideas, and presenting and reflecting on the process. Synthesis, reflection and evaluation will in turn generate questions for further exploration.



Autonomy and Ako as Mana

Autonomyhow learners increasingly develop their capability and confidence

Ako as mana. Mana binds the authority of learner and teacher with matauranga (knowledge). Integrity is developed through a process of poutama (scaffolded learning).

Individuals taking increasing charge of their own learning, which may be best achieved through a scaffolded and staged process of learning how to learn, planning, managing and reflecting on the process and products of learning.



Discipline and Ako as Kaupapa

Disciplinehow learners engage with the knowledge that underpins the discipline

Ako as kaupapa. Kaupapa is a process by which intellect internalises, distinguishes and creates new knowledge.

Defined as a community of practice which has a (contested and evolving) body of knowledge and theory, based on particular ways of knowing and practising, which is taught and applied and researched. A discipline has its own literacies and language. Members of the discipline (faculty, learners, practitioners, scholars, etc) identify with this community of practice and help to induct new members.



Affordances in Realising a Living Curriculum

Affordances describe the properties or qualities which can potentially enable an action

AND

Affordances may encourage certain actions/ behaviours

BUT

User perceptions (influenced by culture, context and dispositions) are most influential in

determining how the tool is used

Chrysalis (Before) by Steven2005

“…habits of mind ... that filter one's knowledge, skills, and beliefs and impact the action one takes in a classroom...” (Thornton, 2006)

“[Dispositions] are the source of the recognition (or misrecognition) of learning opportunities and provide strategy and motivation for the inevitable improvisation that is learning” (Carr et al., 2010)

Considering Teacher Dispositions

Teachers who engage with new innovations that significantly differ from their usual practices, and the cultural norms of their teaching environments are generally ill-equipped for success.

As learners successfully develop competencies they become more inclined to apply them and recognise the opportunities and reasons for doing so.


Claxton and Carr (2004) suggest “the environment may need to invite learners to participate, actively engage them and include their prior knowledge in conversations and interactions of joint attention, or provoke them to recognise opportunities that are unfamiliar and new” (cited in Carr et al., 2010)


“…teachers need to know the affordances and constraints of various technologies and how specific technologies might support their own teaching practices and curricular goals” (Zhao et al, 2002)

Supporting Teachers to Develop and Transfer Dispositions

Supporting Teachers to Develop and Transfer Dispositions

Tishman, Jay and Perkins (1993) suggest thinking dispositions are learned through a process of enculturation, and use four elements in teaching thinking dispositions: modelling, explanations, peer interactions and both formal and informal feedback.

Zhao et al. (2002) found three significant factors for success: technology proficiency, pedagogical compatibility, and social awareness

The affordances of an LMS can align closely with an institutional pedagogy, and can help encourage specific design-intended behaviours in teachers and learners.

However teacher perceptions influence how or whether the affordances are recognised.

The dispositions required can be learned and transferred.

Summary

Intentional strategies need to be employed to address teachers perceptions if they are to successfully transfer their teaching dispositions to the new context, knowledge and perceptions.

Literature suggests an iterative teacher training and support process which involves practical technology use, an interactive group context which encourages reflection and communication on the technologies and their pedagogical potential/ application.

Summary

Future Directions

DSP 147: Thank You! 2007-10-11By vernhart

Image Credits

Chrysalis (Before) by Steven2005 (http://farm1.staticflickr.com/100/295999531_ce0b1a6f06.jpg )Phormium IMG_2942 by Brett Oliver (http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1266/1246712235_85b2a26571.jpg)Building #1 by By cogdogblog (Alan Levine) (http://farm1.staticflickr.com/2/2472100_1f14617e42.jpg)Trojan Horse (2) By GoGap (http://farm1.staticflickr.com/104/253649673_4eed26ea98.jpg)DSP 147: Thank You! 2007-10-11By vernhart (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vernhart/1574355240/sizes/m/in/photostream/)

Presentation References

Full References can be found in Roder, T. & Rata-Skudder, N. (2012) Moodle and the Living Curriculum

Carr, M., Smith, A. B., Duncan, J., Jones, C., Lee, W., & Marshall, K. (2010). Learning in the Making: Disposition and Design in Early Education. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers

John, P., & Sutherland, R. (2005). Affordance, opportunity and the pedagogical implications of ICT. Educational Review, 57(4), 405-413.

McLoughlin, C., & Lee, M. J. W. (2007). Social software and participatory learning: Pedagogical choices with technology affordances in the Web 2.0 era. Paper presented at Ascilite: Singapore.

Roder, T., & Rata-Skudder, N. (2012, 14-15 September 2012). A community approach to staff development in eLearning. Paper presented at the 1st Moodle Research Conference, Heraklion, Crete-Greece.

Thornton, H. (2006). Dispositions in action: do dispositions make a difference in practice? Teacher Education Quarterly, 33(2).

Tishman, S., Jay, E., & Perkins, D. N. (1992). Teaching Thinking Dispositions: From Transmission to Enculturation. Harvard University, Cambridge. Retrieved from http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/article2.html

Unitec, (n.d.). Ako: learning together [Brochure]. Unitec, Auckland, New Zealand.Unitec, (2010). Mapping the Living Curriculum [Internal document]. Unitec, Auckland,

New Zealand.Zhao, Y., Pugh, K., Sheldon, S., & Byers, J. L. (2002). Conditions for Classroom Technology

Innovations. Teachers College Record, 104(3), 482-515.

moodle and the living curriculum

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