From theory to practice Using theories to build

From theory to practice: Using theories to build frameworks and tookits Introduction to Learning Theory and Design for Learning 2 George Roberts Development Director Off-Campus e-Learning 23/06/2005

From theory to practice: Using theories to build frameworks and tookits Outline • • Theories and models Theory and practice: Grenfell’s model Explanation, justification, normalisation Flexible learning: theory and policy (Laurillard & Conole) Assimilation to theory Activity theory Actor network theory Conclusion: 9 models

How does theory work in practice? · What is theory? · What is a model?

How does theory work in practice? What is theory? · Explanation … things happen because… Do theories prove anything? Consider this: · “the socio-cultural perspective proves that schoolliteracy is valued differently in different communities”

What is a theory? Characteristics · Accounts for observations · explanatory · Accounts for previous theories · coherent · Predicts future observations · predictive · Falsifiable · refutable

What is a model? Structured reduction of complexity · Structure · visual (other? ) representation · Reduction · simplification: what’s in? what’s out? why? · Complexity

A Model UNReflective Common sense “folk theories” Justifying principles Empirical evidence/ knowledge Concrete Practice adapted from: Grenfell & Erben (2005), Philosophical Issues in Educational Research, University of Southampton, Course notes (ED 697) Practitioner’s pre- (a-) theoretical understanding Reflection 1 Fundamental disciplinary theories Reflection 2 Philosophical resources

Theory Explanation or Justification?

Nomothetic: Normalising rules Independent of the mode of engagement… Good Learning Good Teaching based on • reciprocity • authenticity • credibility • • Good Practice Good Design encourages • contact • co-operation • active learning • gives prompt feedback • emphasises time on task • has high expectations • respects diversity • • sets ground rules provides alternatives exemplifies models gives access to experience Permeability Variety Legibility Robustness Visual appropriateness Richness Personalisation

Another model: talking the world into flexibility

and another level Policy: the Big Picture • • Globalisation Liberalisation Participation Innovation the QAA Code is based on the key principle that collaborative and FDL provision, wherever and however organised, should widen learning opportunities • Education and training policy replaces industrial policy as the means by which governments seek to make regions economically competitiv

A 21 st century education system Learners Empowered Creativity & Innovation Flexible Provision Better Value for Learners Professional Workforce Objectives of Current Df. ES Strategies Raising Standards Improving quality Removing Barriers Preparing for employment skills Widening Participation early years Primary Secondary 14 -19 Skills Post-16 HE Contributions from e-Learning Personalised support, Online communities, Flexible Study Virtual Environments, Individualised Study, Collaborative Learning, Tools for Innovation, Quality at Scale Strategic Actions Leading Sustainable e-Learning, Supporting pedagogical innovation, Staff development, Unifying Learner support, Aligning assessment, Building a better market, Assuring tech and quality standards

Widening participation policies are focused in two conflicting directions: • emancipatory and empowering for the individual • stimulate the growth of autonomous, entrepreneurial, ITliterate, multi-skilled individuals capable of creating and taking advantage of the flexible opportunities inherent in a post fordist economy • ensuring a supply of appropriately skilled workers • create a compliant low-expectation labour force inured to the demands of flexibilisation in order to attract inward investment not on the basis of high skills available but on the basis of low costs

FDL Precepts are themselves flexible • Overall, the revision [to the QAA precepts] may be characterised as moving from the 'process-based' style of the earlier version to a more [flexible] 'outcome-based' approach. • The focus now is on ends rather than means. Institutions … will see that the basics remain in the content of the revised version but will, it is hoped, appreciate the flexibility now offered by the greater attention to outcomes. Flexibility has become an epi-phenomenon, part of the meta-curriculum

Covert [meta] Curricula The less obvious--but more important curriculum--is the covert curriculum, which is composed of the skills and characteristics the student develops as a result of successfully completing the overt curriculum. (Appleby) http: //www. psichi. org/pubs/article_59. asp Industrial era • Overt “ 3 Rs”: reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmatic • Covert punctuality, subordination, repetition Postmodern era • Overt flexibility, community, personalisation • Covert piecework, normalisation, surveillance see Roberts (2004) http: //www. shef. ac. uk/nlc 2004/Proceedings/Individual_Papers/Roberts. htm

Modelling flexibility: Blended learning (3 -C) hi collocation hi collaboration traditional laboratory lo computerisation hi collocation whiteboards in classrooms hi collaboration virtual field trips hi computerisation lo collocation CACL, online forums hi collaboration “Learning to teach online” hi computerisation hi collocation lo collaboration video link lecture hi computerisation lo collocation lo collaboration “traditional” OU DL lo computerisation lo collocation lo collaboration CBT training hi computerisation

What is flexibility Flexibility is • Contingent depends on contexts • Inherent part of systems • Relative v. inflexibility • Political power differentials

A theory of flexible learning Contingent • organised • managed • funded • bureaucratised • networked • genetic/mimetic: inherited Inherent • experienced (Prior Learning) • disciplined • nationalised, acculturated • capitalized: personal, social • theorised, taught & learned • latent, emergent & evolutionary Relative • zero sum • granular (objectified) • linear, continuous • preventable / unstoppable? • recreational (playful) Political • work-related: human capital • valued (high/low) & controlled • democratic … or not • global, standardised & assured • necessary?

Conole’s complex solid

The Borg Cube: assimilation to theory Posture evaluation Face orientation Stance Presentation

Three dimensions to designing for learning • presentation or “Stance” • evaluation or “Posture” • orientation or “Face”

Face: orientation four traditions positivism: knowledge is “out there”, categorical • • early 20 th century orthodoxy: basing philosophical, social scientific, linguistic and educational enquiry on the scientific (experimental) method objective-led (behaviourist) pedagogies of external motivations such as enquiry-based learning, physical simulation and experiment social perspective: knowledge emergent, social & constructed • • countervailing current orthodoxy, drawing on multiple strands: feminism, (post-) structuralism, Marxism, colonialism dominant approaches are exploratory learning and constructivism tacit communitarianism: common-sense normalisation • • business school method: adopts forms from social perspective and positivism in order to reproduce a culture through tacit codes knowledge engineering, and computational approaches such as organisational learning, and intelligent systems new critical: cognitive disconnect in L&T practice • • place learner and designer in contested space project and problem-based learning, grounded theory, applied and action research are characteristic

Stance: presenting awareness sequentially and hierarchically • first the channel or situation • technical support: will it run on the platform? • next the relationships between the people • pastoral support, efficacy and consolation • only lastly in terms of the topic, theme or ostensible subject • subject/domain learning support

Stance, another example Salmon’s 5 Stage Model: “e-Tivities” (fish ladder) 1 Access and motivation • Welcome and encourage • Set up systems and assure access 2 Online socialisation • • Familiarise and bridge cultural, social and learning environments Send and receive messages 3 Information exchange • • Facilitate task and support use of on-line content & activity Personalise software environment 4 Knowledge construction • • Facilitate process Conferencing 5 Personal/professional development • • Supporting and responding External links with people and resources

Posture: stakeholders evaluation • Recipient design • Referee design • Artefacts of learning design, i. e. learning activities and objects will be evaluated in a trilateral relationship • designer • learner • referee • validate, witness, participate in and influence design process

Activity theory offers tools to analyse the problems and possibilities of technology Tools Subject � Object Outcome Process � Rules Community Division of Work All the elements of the system are continuously changing. Subjects not only use tools, they also adapt them. They obey rules, and transform them. They divide work and innovate.

Activity Theory Object • the target of activity, which the actors want to influence or alter Rules • society- and community level laws, standards, norms, policies, strategies, ethical issues and individual level values and beliefs Community • the immediate environment, where the use of technology takes place Division of Labour • how different members of the community have divided responsibility in defining and influencing the object

Actor network theory: distributed cognition (Latour, Salomon) • • • coextensive networks comprise both social and technical parts the social and technical are inseparable Inscription: technology embodies beliefs Translation/negotiation • Problematisation • Interessment • Enrolment • Mobilisation Framing/stability

� Globalisation Liberalisation Participation Innovation

Thank you! George Roberts Development Director, Off-campus E-learning Oxford Brookes University groberts@brookes. ac. uk +44 (0) 1865 484871 +44 (0) 7711 698465 http: //www. brookes. ac. uk/virtual/ http: //www. alt. ac. uk/altc 2004/