Inclusive Online Learning we.learn.it

Prof. Tim Unwin and Fargani Tambeayuk CTO

For South African “Educators” Johannesburg, 18th January 2015

The context of online learning and OER

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Strong and long tradition of e-learning in South Africa

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Technology and pedagogy

•  Pedagogy –  From didactic to constructivist –  Role of teacher changing from wise

knower to facilitator

•  Technology –  Internet and computers/tablets/phones –  Enables education to be democratised –  Closely allied with notion of 21st century

skills

•  Corporations driving changed educational practices in line with constructivist models

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Problem solving and critical thinking

•  Much use of ICT in education focuses on –  Content –  Collaborative networking

•  But not on –  Problem solving –  Critical thinking

•  We are in danger of creating a society of ‘replicants’ –  Emphasis on learn and regurgitate

throughout the education systems –  With an inability to think creatively –  And ICTs are contributing significantly to

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And so to we.learn.it

EU funded initiative to develop and share learning expeditions

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Centrally built around expeditions

But how novel really is this?

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EU funded project: innovative use of broadband for education

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Exploration and creativity rarely happen in isolation.

we.learn.it supports the development of collective learning expeditions involving:

young people – teachers –master explorers - guides

from different schools, regions, countries, personal experience and cultural backgrounds

we.learn.it Portal

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we.learn.it portal

•  Explorers Network: teachers, young people, schools, master explorers & guides

•  Crowdsource ideas •  Empower everyone in the

network to jointly propose and conduct learning expeditions

•  Share methods and technology

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Introduction

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Main stakeholders

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What the partners offer

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Expeditions

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What do you understand by “expeditions”?

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Enjoyable and intrinsically motivating

•  Empowers the learners •  Playful •  Purposeful •  Encourages visualizing and

making things tangible

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Experiential and adventurous

•  Out of the classroom, real-life problems and context

•  Learning by doing •  Applying what is learnt to real-life •  Enables accidental & unexpected

learning •  Encourages critical reflection •  Supports learning to be creative and

learning through being creative

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Collaborative

•  Between teachers, learners, schools, facilitators, experts, across regions and countries

•  Interdisciplinary •  Cross-curriculum •  Co-creation

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Toolkits

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Tutorials

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Encouraging participation from Commonwealth schools beyond Europe

Share it - we.learn.it

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But is this actually relevant to the needs of South African learners?

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How might it be made valuable?

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An invitation to be involved in shaping the future of we.learn.it

Europe learning from Africa: I’m not sure Europe is ready for it yet!

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