Basic Concepts in ICT

Distance Learning

     It is also known as e-learning, and consists of a system for formal teaching and learning that was/is designed in such a way that  electronic means of communication are used to deliver it.  Because distance learning is less expensive to support and is not constrained by geographic considerations, it offers opportunities in situations where traditional education has difficulty operating. Students with scheduling or distance problems can benefit, as can employees, because distance education can be more flexible in terms of time and can be delivered virtually anywhere.

     Popular distance learning technologies include: a) Voice-centered technology, such as CD or MP3 recordings or Webcasts; b) Video technology, such as instructional videos, DVDs, and interactive videoconferencing; and c) Computer-centered technology delivered over the Internet or corporate intranet.

   Studies indicate that distance learning can be as effective as the traditional format when the methods are appropriate to the teaching tasks, there is student-teacher interaction, and the teachers provide students with appropriate and timely feedback.

(http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/distance-learning-e-learning)

(Image taken from: http://jaro.in/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/distance-learning-750x400.jpg)

E-Learning

     In the early days, e-learning received a bad press, as many people thought bringing computers into the classroom would remove that human element that some learners need, but as time has progressed, technology has developed, and now we embrace smartphones and tablets in the classroom and office, as well as using a wealth of interactive designs that makes distance learning not only engaging for the users, but valuable as a lesson delivery medium.

   Building partnerships with quality training providers, and combining this with a dedicated experienced technical team and support staff, Virtual College provides the perfect blended learning environment, offering anyone the chance to take their online training to the next level.

(https://www.virtual-college.co.uk/help/what-is-e-learning)

Online Learning

     Online learning is a way of studying for an internationally recognised qualification without needing to attend classes on campus.  It is aimed at those who wish to study for a postgraduate qualification alongside work or other commitments.

(https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/updated-e-learning-definitions-2/)

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Virtual Learning

     At its heart virtual learning is about the learning that takes place outside of the school, or bringing what is outside of the school into the school. So, we are thinking about the online environment as a way of connecting students who may be located physically in a school with their learning that is somewhere else. 

     The benefits and impact of virtual learning:  There are many ways we can think about the benefits, or the impact, of virtual learning technologies and their use in schools. The first is obviously the area of online learning that I just referred to—where we see happening around the world, as well as in New Zealand, opportunities created to access learning from outside of the school that a student is participating in. 

     A good example of this in New Zealand is in the Virtual Learning Network (VLN), where, throughout the country, we have teachers who are teaching students in schools other than the school the teachers are physically located in, and students accessing the learning from teachers who are not located in the schools that they are attending. So, we are seeing opportunities created to address the drivers that are occurring, where we don’t have specialist teachers in many of our rural, or smaller, secondary schools. This is also occuring in some of the urban areas. Through virtual learning, therefore, we are creating opportunities for students to connect to the learning that is important for them.

(http://core-ed.org/legacy/thought-leadership/ten-trends/ten-trends-2013/virtual-learning)

Blended Learning (B-learning)

     The definition of blended learning is a formal education program in which a student learns:

• at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace;
• at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home;
• and the modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience.

     The majority of blended-learning programs resemble one of four models: Rotation, Flex, A La Carte, and Enriched Virtual. The Rotation model includes four sub-models: Station Rotation, Lab Rotation, Flipped Classroom, and Individual Rotation.

1. Rotation model — a course or subject in which students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the teacher’s discretion between learning modalities, at least one of which is online learning. Other modalities might include activities such as small-group or full-class instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, and pencil-and-paper assignments. The students learn mostly on the brick-and-mortar campus, except for any homework assignments:  a) Station Rotation — a course or subject in which students experience the Rotation model within a contained classroom or group of classrooms. The Station Rotation model differs from the Individual Rotation model because students rotate through all of the stations, not only those on their custom schedules; b) Lab Rotation — a course or subject in which students rotate to a computer lab for the online-learning station; c) Flipped Classroom — a course or subject in which students participate in online learning off-site in place of traditional homework and then attend the brick-and-mortar school for face-to-face, teacher-guided practice or projects. The primary delivery of content and instruction is online, which differentiates a Flipped Classroom from students who are merely doing homework practice online at night; and d) Individual Rotation — a course or subject in which each student has an individualized playlist and does not necessarily rotate to each available station or modality. An algorithm or teacher(s) sets individual student schedules.
2. Flex model — a course or subject in which online learning is the backbone of student learning, even if it directs students to offline activities at times. Students move on an individually customized, fluid schedule among learning modalities. The teacher of record is on-site, and students learn mostly on the brick-and-mortar campus, except for any homework assignments. The teacher of record or other adults provide face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as-needed basis through activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring. Some implementations have substantial face-to-face support, whereas others have minimal support. For example, some Flex models may have face-to-face certified teachers who supplement the online learning on a daily basis, whereas others may provide little face-to-face enrichment. Still others may have different staffing combinations. These variations are useful modifiers to describe a particular Flex model.
3. A La Carte model — a course that a student takes entirely online to accompany other experiences that the student is having at a brick-and-mortar school or learning center. The teacher of record for the A La Carte course is the online teacher. Students may take the A La Carte course either on the brick-and-mortar campus or off-site. This differs from full-time online learning because it is not a whole-school experience. Students take some courses A La Carte and others face-to-face at a brick-and-mortar campus.
4. Enriched Virtual model — a course or subject in which students have required face-to-face learning sessions with their teacher of record and then are free to complete their remaining coursework remote from the face-to-face teacher. Online learning is the backbone of student learning when the students are located remotely. The same person generally serves as both the online and face-to-face teacher. Many Enriched Virtual programs began as full-time online schools and then developed blended programs to provide students with brick-and-mortar school experiences. The Enriched Virtual model differs from the Flipped Classroom because in Enriched Virtual programs, students seldom meet face-to-face with their teachers every weekday. It differs from a fully online course because face-to-face learning sessions are more than optional office hours or social events; they are required.

Source: Michael B. Horn and Heather Staker, Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2014).

(https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-definitions-and-models/)

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Mobile Learning (M-learning)

     Mobile learning involves the use of mobile technology, either alone or in combination with other information and communication technology (ICT), to enable learning anytime and anywhere. Learning can unfold in a variety of ways: people can use mobile devices to access educational resources, connect with others, or create content, both inside and outside classrooms. Mobile learning also encompasses efforts to support broad educational goals such as the effective administration of school systems and improved communication between schools and families.

(http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/themes/icts/m4ed/)

Flipped Classroom

     The flipped classroom describes a reversal of traditional teaching where students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, usually via reading or lecture videos, and then class time is used to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge through strategies such as problem-solving, discussion or debates. (Vanderbilt University, Center for Teaching).

     The term flipped classroom was popularised by teachers Aaron Sams and Jon Bergman from Woodland Park High School, Colorado in 2007 in response to a realisation that class time would be best spent guiding knowledge and providing feedback rather than delivering direct instruction. Bergman and Sams (2012) reasoned that direct instruction could be delivered by recording video content for students to engage with before class (and any time) freeing up class time for activities that allow deeper exploration of content.

     The key purpose of the flipped classroom is to engage students in active learning where there is a greater focus on students' application of conceptual knowledge rather than factual recall.

     The flipped classroom has grown in popularity in higher education as a potential model to increase student engagement, leverage technology and provide greater opportunities for active learning in class.

(http://www.uq.edu.au/teach/flipped-classroom/what-is-fc.html)

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BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

     BYOD/Bring Your Own Device (or BYOT/Bring Your Own Technology) is commonly used to mean permitting employees or students to bring personally owned mobile devices (laptops, netbooks, tablets, smartphones, etc.) to their workplace or educational institution and to use those devices to access corporate, institutional and other information, applications and services.

     Companies or educational institutions often provide for visitors or contractors' "guest" access to a Wi-Fi network, which may be a separate network, providing access to no more than the public Internet. This type of access may be included in definitions of BYOD but this is a very limited type of BYOD and may exist in addition to more comprehensive models. School BYOD strategies may, and it can be argued should, go further than merely allowing students to use their own mobile devices in school and providing internet access for them. A more beneficial approach involves embedding the use of students' own devices into teaching and learning both within and outside the school.

     School BYOD strategies may require parents or guardians to purchase mobile devices for students to bring into school. This approach can help to make technology enhanced learning more affordable for schools and more sustainable in the long term. Supporters argue that parents often provide stationery and other equipment for use in school, so why not mobile devices. However, this can be controversial, especially if parents are inadequately consulted or have concerns about the cost and in countries where parents contributing to the cost of education is thought to undermine the principle of free education. A common approach is for schools to implement schemes which assist parents, or the students themselves, to purchase mobile devices at discounted prices and, in some cases, to pay for these in instalments.

     To make technical and pedagogical support more manageable, schools often apply restrictions; for example, only allowing students to bring in the types and models of mobile device that have been specifically authorised for use in school or purchased via the school. When schools dictate acceptable technical specifications for devices, or parents purchase BYOD devices via the school or an authorised supplier, schools are able to maintain a greater level of control and can ensure all students have the same, or similar, devices. This helps principals, teachers and technical support staff to feel more comfortable with, and therefore more accepting of, the culture change involved.

     All students having the same device has advantages including:

• Simplifying technical support.
• Reducing the amount of teaching staff training required.
• Enabling teachers to plan teaching with a wider range of resources (including apps, Internet resources, etc.) but have less complexity to manage during lessons.
• Avoiding creating a digital divide between those students whose families can afford the most expensive devices and their less privileged peers, particularly students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Of course, when introducing any BYOD approach it is necessary for schools or education authorities to make arrangements to ensure that students whose families are unable to pay are able to access the same technology.

(http://fcl.eun.org/byod-meaning)