1st July 2013

 Heutagogy Learning Approach

Heutagogy, based on the Greek for ‘self’, is the study of self determined learning. In a traditional pedagogic approach the teacher would lead the learning, planning and delivering the content. At the other end of the spectrum is heutagogy where learning is student led and learners act as agents of their own learning. Sitting in the middle of these approaches is andragogy which can be thought of as the adult equivalent of pedagogy and is notably seen in further/higher education. Canning 2010 uses the model below to demonstrate the progression from pedagogy to heutagogy.  

     

Fig 1. Heutagogical approach can be viewed as a progression from pedagogy to andragogy then to heutagogy (based on Canning, 2010, p.63.

The characteristics of heutagogy include a non linear process where the learner selects their own learning path, uses self efficacy, self reflection and double loop learning.  Students are deemed to be capable of managing their own learning through the use of active and proactive processes although tutor facilitation is still very much in place.   

Hase and Kenyon (2001) suggest that Heutagogy is appropriate to the needs of learners in the 21^st century due to the rapid rate of change in society and the information explosion. Building on this suggestion, Blaschke (2012) suggests that renewed interest in heutagogy is partly due to the ubiquitousness of web 2.0 and the affordances provided by the technology. Blaschke (2012) expands on this suggesting that distance courses support a heutagogical approach by supporting learner generated resources, in defining the learner path, profile and autonomy of learners.

In considering the demographic of distance taught learners it certainly appears that there are a variety of existing and likely new and emerging technologies, for example, social media, collaborative and synchronous tools, which can be used to facilitate self determined learning. 

A critique of heutagogy by M McAuliffe et al (2009) proposes that there are two main limitations in implementing andragogy and heutagogy theories which are the requirements of both internal and external stakeholders, such as accrediting bodies and requirements to assess all students learning.  They argue that as a result of these limitations there is a reversion to pedagogic teaching.  

Relevance

• Modern learning approach
• Applicable in distance education practice and delivery
• Of interest due to the affordances provided by & ubiquitousness of web 2.0 technologies
• Concepts of self determined learning/self efficacy/double loop learning/reflective practice/learner capability, competency and autonomy

References/further reading

Wikipedia, 2013. Heutagogy. [online] (30 June 2013) Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heutagogy [Accessed 06 June 2013].  

Hase and Kenyon, 2001. From Andragogy to Heutagogy. [online] Available at:  http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/~steve/pr/Heutagogy.html [Accessed 06 June 2013]. 

Blaschke, 2012. Heutagogy and lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and self-determined learning. [online] Available at: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1076 [Accessed 06 June 2013].

M McAuliffe et al, 2009. Does pedagogy still rule? [online] Available at: http://www.engineersmedia.com.au/journals/aaee/pdf/AJEE_15_1_McAuliffe%20F2.pdf [Accessed 06 June 2013].

Canning, N, 2010. Playing with heutagogy: Exploring strategies to empower mature learners in higher education. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 34(1), 59-71. [online] Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03098770903477102 [Accessed 01 July 2013].  

Higher York eLearning Conference

This was my first trip to York St. John and it was great to be given a chance to see what was happening in their eLearning world. St. John is a relatively small institution so taking a glimpse in to their practices was interesting as they are able to do things that a larger institution would, perhaps, find difficult. The sessions were all together interesting but a bit too long for one to keep completely attentive towards the end however, the last session I went to was somewhat refreshing as it engaged the group by having a more practical element. This was Brett Wilkie & Andreas Liefeith's Employment of audio video feedback within an educational setting. Pretty self-explanatory. There is no denying this was a very simple idea however, I would like to explain to why I thought it was great: 

The Concept:

The assessment is filmed, the assessor has a microphone, the assesse also has a microphone. As the assessment goes on, the assessor gives real-time feedback that is recorded with the film and is given to the student as their feedback. Simple. right? Well, yes, it is probably one the most simple concepts you are going to find at an eLearning conference, but the results it gave seemed nothing but positive.

Initial Feelings

The group were spectacle to say the least. Two people left the session within five minutes which, while I would have probable cried, didn't seem to deter the presenters. After the concept was explained, many people within the group weren't taken, perhaps it just seemed too easy to be effective or that it wouldn't work with their students. It took the presenters much persuading to get the group even slightly enthused to give the challenge they had set us a go: 

The Challenge

One person is sat, blindfolded, and has to throw beanbags (there are only three) into a hoop 3 meters away.

We were given three tasks
1.) Plan what we were going to do
2.) Present what we had decided
3.) Put this into practice

All aspects of this was all filmed and commentated on like a real assessment. Presonally I don't think have an assessor their put me off in anyway. I didn't present our ideas but I think having someone mumbling in the back-ground while I was doing a presentation may have put me off slightly but, then again, if your used to being assessed that way, it may not have.

Conclusions

The presenters really had a job convincing people about how useful their system is and, they did an incredible job of combatting all those concerns, some of the questions that came up:

How can you give adequate feedback?

The feedback is immediate and is linked with what the student is doing straight away. If anything this enhances their feedback as there is no chance for them to forget anything as they aren't reflecting on it. If they need to run over or they have additional comments they can keep the camera running, so nothing is cut short or rushed.

Doesn't it put the student off and affect their performance because they are aware of being marked?

Any examination stressful and nerve wracking for a student. They are also always aware of when they are being marked. In the presenter's experience they haven't had any one react badly simply because of the camera or the microphone.

Is it just novelty?
Initially, perhaps, but the stats show that the amount the student views it does increase. Surely the novelty wears off after the first time the video is seen, then it is simply the feedback that students are accessing the video for.

My consensus

It's not ground-breaking, but, it's a simple way of getting great feedback to students whilst giving it context and saving the tutor much time. The only time it takes after the actual assessment is, any additional comments the tutor wants to record (so, minutes) and ten minutes to upload and send the video to the student. This cuts down dramatically on the time it takes for tutors to give feedback, perhaps, improving the quality of it.

This only works for certain types of assessment, translating most successfully into a practical assignment e.g. a coaching practical for a sports science student. It would also require the tutor to become comfortable and confident in commentating on what a student is doing. The benefits of this is that the student knows exactly what the tutor is talking about, they student can assess themselves also, there is no confusion in terms of not understanding what part of their performance the tutor is commenting on.

I do really struggle to see any draw backs, it does only work in certain situations but that's not necessarily a bad thing, why does all feedback have to be in the same format? Why can't it be in a way that is most useful for the type of assessment? I did mainly theory based modules in my degree however the ones I did do would have benefitted greatly from audio/visual feedback. The tutor does have to be completely happy with it though, if they felt, in anyway, uncomfortable with the equipment/ commentating etc. the quality of feedback would suffer.

By the end of the session I think most of the sceptics had been turned, perhaps people just couldn't grasp the fact that something so simple could be so effective, maybe they thought that there just had to be negative side to it as well. Overall it was fantastic to see just a plain old simple idea that works on so many levels.

Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory

Experiential Learning Theory (ELT)

• Popularized by David A. Kolb in his book ‘Experiential Learning’ in 1984.
• Promoted the idea that people learn through experience and discovery.
• Focuses on the learning of the individual.
• Experiential Learning can be achieved without the need of a teacher.
• The process of meaning making to the person’s direct experience. 

A

Concrete Experience - doing/having an experience
‘ [The]Key to learning...is active involvement. In Kolb's model one cannot learn by simply watching or reading about it, to learn effectively the individual, team or organisation must actually do.’ B

Reflective Observation- reviewing/reflecting on the experience
‘Taking time-out from "doing" and stepping back from the task and reviewing what has been done and experienced. At this stage lots of questions are asked and communication channels are opened to others members of the team.’ C

Abstract Conceptualisation - concluding/learning from the experience
‘The process of making sense of what has happened... [This] involves interpreting the events and understanding the relationships between them... They may draw upon theory from textbooks for framing and explaining events, models they are familiar with, ideas from colleagues, previous observations, or any other knowledge that they have developed.’ D

Active Experimentation - planning/trying out what you have learned
‘How they are going to put what they have learnt into practice. Planning enables taking the new understanding and translates it into predictions as to what will happen next or what actions should be taken to refine or revise the way a task is to be handled. For learning to be useful most people need to place it in a context that is relevant to them. If one cannot see how the learning is useful to one's life then it is likely to be forgotten very quickly.’ E


Kolb stated that gaining knowledge is a natural phenomenon therefore, to gain knowledge from an experience, certain skills are needed. The learner must:

• Want to be actively involved in what they are experiencing.
• Possess the ability to reflect on that experience.
• Have analytical abilities so that they can conceptualize the experience.
• Be able to make decisions and solve problems in order to implement what they have gained from the experience.

Examples:

Learning to ride a bike
‘Following this example, in the ‘concrete experience’ stage, the learner physically experiences the bike in the ‘here-and-now.’ This experience forms ‘the basis for observation and reflection’ and he/she has the opportunity to consider what is working or failing (reflective observation), and think about ways to improve on the next attempt made at riding it (abstract conceptualization). Every new attempt to ride is informed by a cyclical pattern of previous experience, thought and reflection (active experimentation).F

Going to the Zoo
The learner will learn in a different way if they are observing animal interaction first hand than if they read or heard about someone else’s experiences.

Similarly, ‘in business school, internship and job-shadowing opportunities in a student’s field of interest are elevated as examples of valuable experiential learning which contribute significantly to the student’s overall understanding of the real-time environment’ G

Zone of proximal development

Lev Vygotsky – Zone of proximal development

The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is defined as ‘… the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers.’ (Vygotsky, 1978 p86)

Initially the ZPD concept was developed as an argument against the use of standardized tests to gauge the intelligence level of a student.

 Coetzee, D (2012), Wikipedia. [online] Available at < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zone_of_proximal_development.svg> [Accessed 26 November 2012]

Vygotsky contends that if a learner can complete a task independently and unassisted then learning is not occurring. In practice this means that we learn best when we start from what is already known and are assisted with scaffolding to work to the unknown.

Vygotsky believed during the learning process children first learn by imitating adults. In the beginning, children are unable to complete a particular task without assistance. Over time, this child may be able to complete more complex tasks with adult assistance. The distinction between these two examples above is coined the ZPD.

The ZPD of a child isn’t stagnant, it continuously changes as he or she conquers increasingly difficult work over time. Focusing more on education, ZPD can be useful to educators because it should remind them how students can be expanded to reach goals with adult direction and support.

The implications on the way we structure our teaching or professional learning are that initially modelling occurs, the strategy is explained, the learner is assisted by a more skilled leader to use the strategy, and then the learner uses the strategy independently. The learning then moves to the next phase of development.

Another important aspect of Vygotsky’s theory is that social interaction is the basis for cognitive growth. Accordingly, the communication that transpires in a social setting with more knowledgeable or proficient people (parents, teachers, peers, others) assists children in building an understanding of the concept.

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/zone-of-proximal-development.html

Relevance

·         Being digital

·         Scaffolding learning

·         Learning expertise

·         Lurking

·         Social constructivism

References/further reading

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

More …

Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences - Howard Gardner

Every month an eLearning team member researches a learning theory to present to the rest of the team. This gives us valuable knowledge that can enhance your learning and teaching as well as can influence the way in which we support you with technology.

Howard Gardner is Professor of cognition and education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Gardner’s cognitive theory works on the basis that individuals are capable of seven forms of intelligence as opposed to having a single ability. In short the theory holds that we learn and process information in different ways and one may demonstrate particularly strong intelligences in one area but also exhibit a range of other intelligences. The impetus is to use multiple intelligences as a framework. By having an awareness of differing learning approaches, teachers can adapt their learning design to accommodate the range of needs of the learners. Another perspective of this theory is that one who excels in musical activities can be just as intelligent as one who excels in logical mathematical areas. Each intelligence is independent and of equal importance.

The intelligences and their meanings are summarised below:

Intelligence	Meaning
Linguistic	Words and language
Logical-mathematical	Logic and numbers
Musical	Music, sound, rhythm
Spatial	Images and space
Body-kinesthetic	Body movement control
Intrapersonal (insight)	Self-awareness
Interpersonal (social skills)	Other people’s feelings

Fig 1. Table to explain the meaning behind the intelligences Source: Business Balls 2013

Gardner has continued to develop the multiple intelligences model and you will find more recent literature which refers to additional intelligences; naturalistic, spiritual, existential and moral.

Naturalistic	Natural environment
Spiritual/existential	Religion and ultimate issues
Moral	Ethics, humanity, value of life

Fig 2. Table to summarise the meaning behind current intelligences: Business Balls 2013

Gardner’s theory appears to recognise the existence of a combination of and concurrent intelligences rather than putting people into a one fit description. (Gardner 2006, p.22) states that “Inasmuch as nearly every cultural role requires several intelligences, it becomes important to consider individuals as a collection of aptitudes rather than as having a singular problem-solving faculty that can be measured directly through pencil-and-paper tests. “

Gardner’s statement infers that his theory goes beyond thinking of multiple intelligences as purely a learning styles framework but considers its relevance to assessment. This theory certainly raises interesting considerations for educators in relation to assessment.

As an extension to this brief summary and consideration of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory it would be interesting to consider some critiques of this approach and how it works in a digital context. On a personal level I am open to Gardner’s theory although I can see that it could be construed as subjective and hard to measure.

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences – a Digital Perspective

Fig 3. Mindmap Representation of Multiple Intelligences and learning technologies: EFL Classroom 2013

Further reading:

Gardner, H (2006) Multiple intelligences: New Horizons in theory & practice. [Online] Cambridge: Perseus Books. Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com[Accessed 28/02/2013].

Harvard Graduate School of Education. Project Zero. [Online] Available from: http://pzweb.harvard.edu/PIs/HG.htm[Accessed 04/01/2013].

Smith, Mark K. (2002, 2008) Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences', the encyclopedia of informal education. [Online] Available from: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm[Accessed 04/01/2013].

Wikipedia. Theory of Multiple Intelligences. [Online] Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences. [Accessed 27/02/2013].

Weiss, R.P., 2000. Howard Gardner Talks about Technology. Business and Economics Management [e-journal] Vol 54, Issue 9, Available from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/227002689?accountid=11528[Accessed28/02/2013].

Businessballs.com.Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. [Online] Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm[Accessed 04/01/2013].

EFL Classroom. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and ICT Resources. [Online] http://community.eflclassroom.com/photo/howard-gardner-s-multiple-intelligences-and-ict-resources[Accessed 27/02/2013].

Image Attribution

Here at the eLearning team, issues to with copyright and licensing are something that we come across often and is something we are interested in.

You may have come across this logo on the website which means all the work we produce for the website is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. This means that anyone is free to:


to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work
to make derivative works
to make commercial use of the work

There are many different types of Creative Commons licence that you can use to give people different rights when using your work. Creative Commons is used by a wide range of different users ranging from Google and Wikipedia to FlickR and Nine Inch Nails. The use of Creative Commons within in FlickR is particularly interesting to us as we are currently in the infancy of a project regarding image attribution across the University.

You wouldn't dream of using an article, essay or journal in a piece of work without referencing it, so why is it any different for images? Our Technology of the Month for May is Xpert. A tool designed by Nottingham University and funded by Jisc. It allows a user to attach a band with the attribution to the bottom of an image. Often people don't realise the importance of referencing images particularly when using them in PowerPoint or presentations. We want to challenge this by creating a quick and simple way for staff to effectively attribute their images which displays good practise to students and staff alike.

Welcome

Hello!! Welcome to the eLearning@Hull blog!

Here you will find regular updates on what we, the eLearning Team, are finding new and exciting in the world of digitally enhanced learning.