For LRNT 523, for the Learning & Technology program at Royal Roads University, we were asked to create a video role-playing a debate focusing on a myth or debate in the field. We chose to tackle the notion that “technology will replace teachers.” We both believe the possibility is remote, but nevertheless, that the exercise helps elucidate the relative value of both technology and the role of teachers. Continue reading “Technology Will Replace Teachers”
John Dewey: a Man Ahead of His Time, a Man of His Time
In 1991, writing in the Wall Street Journal, Robert Cwiklik declared in a headline: “Dewey Wins!: If the ‘New’ Teaching Methods Pushed by High-Tech Gurus Sound Familiar, It Isn’t Surprising.” The title of his article was a reference to the famous headline in the Chicago Daily Tribune, which incorrectly announced on November 3, 1948, “Dewey Defeats Truman,” the day after Harry S. Truman won the election for president in an upset victory over Thomas E. Dewey. Though intended to be playful, Cwiklik’s play on words is intended as an announcement of some similar historical significance. That is, the widespread adoption of John Dewey’s philosophy, whose ideas on education appear to have been years ahead of their time. Continue reading “John Dewey: a Man Ahead of His Time, a Man of His Time”
D. Randy Garrison: EdTech Pioneer
I chose Randy Garrison because he’s a pioneer in the field. Garrison is now professor emeritus at the University of Calgary and was director of university’s Teaching and Learning Centre. Beginning nearly 30 years ago, when the Internet was merely in its infancy, Garrison, was already creating a framework for online and blended education (UToday, 2009). Garrison is the author of many books, articles and papers, having published extensively on distance education (Parry, 2010). His recent books are: E-Learning in the 21st Century: A Community of Inquiry Framework for Research and Practice (3rd Edition) (2017). Thinking Collaboratively: Learning in a Community of Inquiry (2016); Teaching in blended learning environments: Creating and sustaining communities of inquiry (2013); Educational Communities of Inquiry: Theoretical Framework, Research and Practice (2013); E-Learning in the 21st century (2nd Ed.) (2011); An Introduction to Distance Education: Understanding Teaching and Learning in a New Era (2010); and Blended Learning in Higher Education (2008). His current research focus is on the Communities of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework, which has been the leading theory guiding research and practice in the field (UToday, 2009). As discovered by Bozkurt et al. (2015), Garrison was the most cited author in journals of the field of distance education research, between 2009 and 2013 (Bozkurt et al., 2015, p. 353). In 2009, Garrison received the award for most outstanding achievement in online learning by an individual at the Sloan-C Annual International Conference in Orlando, Florida.
The Great Media Debate: Is it Still Relevant?
For Activity 7, we formed a team as Christy Boyce, Brandon Carson, Andrea Livingstone, David Livingstone and Michael Murray. We were tasked with reading about the ‘great media debate’ in the field of learning and technology through reading the claims of Clark (1994) and Kozma (1994) as they debate whether or not media influences learning. Our second task was to find four articles that were in stark contrast to either Clark or Kozma’s views in the media debate. Continue reading “The Great Media Debate: Is it Still Relevant?”