'Technology For The Sake Of Learning' - A planning approach for integrating new technologies in tertiary learning environments. Geraldine Torrisi-Steele

Geraldine Torrisi-Steele, Lecturer, School of Information Technology, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, PMB 50 Gold Coast Mail Centre, Queensland 9726. g.torrisi@mailbox.gu.edu.au.

Abstract

New technologies posses no inherent property that guarantees their implementation in educational contexts will, without fail, result in improving the quality of the teaching and learning environment. New technologies may be used inappropriately or in ways that replicate traditional teacher centred approaches and thus may contribute little to improving the quality of the learning environment. The hype surrounding the emergence of new technologies together with institutional pressures and learner demands to implement technology oftentimes obscure the fact that "it is not the technology that is important, [rather] it is how it is used by the teacher to create new experiences for the learner" (Bennet, Priest & Macpherson, 1999, p.207).

This paper suggests that the potential of new technologies to support innovation towards more student-centred approaches in the learning environment will only be realised if the use of new technologies is prescribed within the context of the whole curriculum. Against this background an approach for planning for technology use in the teaching and learning environment is presented.

Introduction

Although there are many tertiary and distance education institutions moving towards virtual campuses there is a large number of institutions embracing new technologies in predominantly on-campus situations as part of flexible learning and other initiatives. New technology use in these environments is slowly emerging within the traditional lecture based tertiary education culture. Tertiary educators are confronted with new challenges in acquiring technical and pedagogical skills necessary to conduct effective teaching within the new context.

Whether or not technology should be used in educational contexts is no longer an issue. Focus must now be directed towards effective use of technology in order to construct learning environments that meet the needs of the current social context. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the inappropriate or ineffective use of technologies in learning environments. Technologies such as online learning are relatively new and thus educators may be not equipped with technical skills and pedagogical knowledge that will allow effective use of new technologies. Inadequate knowledge of the potential of new technologies together with the hype surrounding new technologies in the teaching and learning arena, may lead to the mistaken belief that simply translating teaching materials inherently results in improving the quality of the learning environment. Significant institutional and social pressures to adopt new technologies exacerbate superficial, inappropriate use of technologies in learning environments.

The key tenet underlying this paper is that the principal factor affecting the quality of the learning environment is not the technology rather the “the teacher’s pedagogical assumptions and conceptions” underlying its use (Jackson & Anagnostopoulou, 2000, p. 1). On this basis the potential positive impact of new technologies on the learning environment will only be realised if technology is integrated into the learning environment after careful analysis of the requirements of the total learning situation.

It is argued in this paper that new technologies be considered part of a toolset which can be used in formulating a pedagogical solution to the key problem of increasing the effectiveness of the teaching and learning environment. A planning approach that places primary focus on the teaching process rather than on technology and thus supports the appropriate use of new technologies in the learning environment is proposed. The planning approach is informed by student-centred philosophy and the notion of reflective practice. The planning approach presented in this paper has been developed on the basis of experience with professional development of tertiary educators engaging in development of online materials. The approach presented thus focuses attention to some issues for the development of professional development initiatives aimed at increasing effective technology use in educational settings.

Context

Educational institutions are investing considerable resources into formulating appropriate strategic and operational approaches in response to what has sometimes been referred to as the ‘technological imperative’ (Holt and Thompson, 1998). Institutional rationale for adopting new learning technologies is based, in varying degrees, on access, cost reduction and improving quality of the learning environment(Jackson & Anagnostopoulou, 2000)

From an economic perspective, the rationale for the focus on technology often stems from the notion the large-scale use of new technologies for teaching and learning will establish and maintain competitive advantages for institutions. For example, the global communication potential of the online medium offers numerous opportunities for universities to expand into overseas markets; the perception that ‘the use of new technologies for course delivery will in itself attract students’ and that online course delivery ‘may be seen as cheaper than traditional face-face and distance education’ (Bennet, Priest & Macpherson, 1999, p. 207).

The pressure on educators from outside, as well as from inside, their institutions to incorporate online technologies continues to grow. Social expectations are that graduates will be equipped with appropriate digital technology skills regardless of the discipline (Fox, 2000). It is being predicted by some (Holt & Thompson, 1995; Yetton, 1997) that unless new technologies are embraced in some way, some disciplines may no longer be competitive in three to five years’ time. However, bureaucracy and pressures for competitiveness may undermine the potential of new technologies to achieve positive changes to practice (Holt & Thompson, 1998). It is necessary to view sustainable competitive advantages as being beyond the use of technology alone.

From a pedagogical perspective, the advent of the new technologies such as online environments is heralded as an opportunity to innovate and improve on traditional teacher centred approaches and move to more effective student centred approaches (Relan & Gillani, 1997; Willis & Dickson, 1997; LeFoe, 1998). New technologies, such as the internet, readily lend themselves to developing learning systems that incorporate elements of effective learning including collaborative learning, learner control, time and place flexible learning and it is thus perceived that the technology revolution offers great potential in creating a revolution in pedagogy (Vargo, 1998).

Constructivism and new technologies

Traditionally, academic culture espouses a teacher-centred approach that to some degree creates student dependency. This transmission approach adequately met the demands of an industrial society in which educational institutions served to equip future workers with standard skills to fill routine jobs. Now, society is changing. Knowledge has become the capital worth investing in. (Mällinen, 2000). The goal of formal education has now become not the acquisition of facts and figures but rather provision of a basis for lifelong learning (Townsend et. al. 1999). It is only through an understanding of how learning occurs that educators can begin to structure learning experiences congruent with the goal of lifelong learning. The constructivist view of knowledge construction is currently commonly accepted as a framework for understanding how learning occurs (Mällinen, 2000).

In direct opposition to the traditional instructivist philosophy, constructivism espouses a learner-centred view of learners that are actively constructing rather than passively receiving knowledge. The learner rather than the teacher becomes the focus of the learning environment. (Tearle, Dillon & Davis, 1999). In contrast to traditional instructivist approaches which foster a degree of student dependency, the constructivist approach advocates curriculum design which shifts from being purely goal orientated, strictly structured and ordered knowledge transmission to a process focused on reconceptualisation of curriculum design as the development of ‘knowledge spaces’ which allow active exploration by the learner (Brown, 1997).

If the constructivist, learner-centred philosophy is adopted then consideration of learner characteristics (cultural aspects, prior knowledge and learning styles) becomes the critical factor in the development of effective and appropriate learning environments. Traditional approaches to tertiary teaching have focused on content and transmission of content. A learner-centred framework firmly maintains focus not on content alone but rather on how learners will interact with the content in the learning environment.

The constructivist view of teaching and learning is commonly accepted as the philosophy guiding innovation in the teaching and learning environment through the use of new technologies.

Technology use in educational contexts that is informed by the constructivist perspective directs attention to the appropriateness of the technology as part of a strategy designed to meet the needs of learners within the specific learning context.

The nature of online technologies is such that they can be easily implemented as tools for ‘information gathering, communication, and knowledge construction’ and thus lend themselves to the constructivist philosophy of ‘creation and maintenance of learning environments which scaffold the personal and social construction of knowledge’ (Richards & Nason, 1999). However, it is possible to introduce technologies such as online materials with minimal impact on the traditional teaching environment. New technologies may be used in ways that replicate traditional teacher centred approaches to learning and contribute little to improving the quality of student learning. The introduction of new technologies to the learning environment will only lead to innovation and improvement if the technologies are integrated into the total curriculum rather than merely added on and used in a superficial way.

The need for reflective practice

Although academics possess discipline knowledge, they often lack of awareness of teaching and learning results in the perpetuation of traditional teaching methods without reflection on the “appropriateness of such methods in bringing about high quality student learning” (Ballantyne, Bain & Packer, 1999 p 237). The need for university teachers to reflect on their practice cannot be understated (Ballantyne et al, 1999).

While new technologies may be used to enhance or modify existing strategies, there is also the need to develop new strategies that exploit the attributes of the new tools to their maximum potential and as such the effective integration of technology into the curriculum demands innovation on the part of the educator. Laurillard (1999, p. 21) observes that innovation demands “mechanisms, procedures and structures [that] create and sustain continual learning and adaptation with respect to the core activity of teaching”. Reflection on practice is of paramount importance if educators are to effectively exploit the potential of new technologies to help address the diverse and dynamic needs of learners in today’s society. Development of new strategies that appropriately integrate technology into the curriculum will only take place when the teacher has “re-examined his or her approach to teaching and learning.” (Tearle, Dillon & Davis, 1999, p. 10).

Integration of technology as an evolutionary process

The effective integration of technologies into educational contexts may be considered as a process of transformation rather than a simple translation of traditional approaches to another medium (Torrisi & Davis, 2000). Sandholtz, Ringstaff and Dwyer (1997) present a framework suggests that the full integration of technology accompanied by significant changes in teaching practice is the third and final stage (transformation) of a continuum of adoption of technology in the learning environment. This third stage of transformation is preceded by first stage of entry (awareness of possibilities) and the second of adaptation (low-level integration).

A planning approach for appropriate integration of technology into the curriculum

Against the background of the above discussion the following approach is suggested to guide the appropriate integration of technology in the learning environment to maximise its positive impact on the learning environment. The approach described below is a product of the author’s involvement in instructional design and professional development programs for tertiary educators developing flexible learning materials (with a focus on online delivery) for on-campus use. The approach proved to be highly successful in assisting educators to view online materials as an integrated component of the whole curriculum development.

The major goal of the described approach is to support the integration of new technologies with other instructional tools and strategies in the curriculum in ways that support a student centred approach and in so doing allowing technology use to be an integral part of “knowledge spaces” which “allow users to explore as they wish” (Brown, 1997).

Figure 1A suggested approach for the appropriate integration of technology into the learning environment. Environment attributes include human resources, financial resources and other infrastructure and institutional limitations. New technologies such as online technologies are considered one of the many ‘tools’ available for implementing the required strategy.

Consistent with learner-centred approaches the process begins with an analysis of learner characteristics and of learner needs in relation to the content that is to be ‘taught’. In defining the learner needs, the demands of the content must also be taken into account. “The content of student learning (what is taught) logically precedes the method of teaching content…without content there is no teaching method”(Jamieson, 1999, p.2).

On the basis of this analysis of the learner and the content, clearly defined objectives and corresponding outcomes are formulated.

The integration of the technology in the learning space now becomes a problem solving exercise for the educator with the key question being: ‘In the light of learner needs and content requirements, how are each of these the intended outcomes best achieved?’. In solving the problem, the educator must not neglect to take into account environmental attributes (e.g. location, available equipment, funding etc), which will constrain available strategy implementation options.

In formulating a teaching strategy to solve the problem, ‘tools’ to help implement the strategy must be chosen. Here then is the crux of the matter of integrating new technologies. New technologies such as multimedia and online technologies are considered’tools’ along with face-face contact, print and other options. Appropriate tool choices depend on an awareness of the attributes of each tool (Table 1) and then matching the requirements of the chosen strategy with the available ‘tools’ that best serve those requirements . Student-centred approaches and the seven principles of good practice (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996) described later underpin the strategy development

Tool	Advantages	Disadvantages
Textbook & other print materials	Portable, inexpensive, simple ‘low-tech’, easy to use, pre-organised quantities of information, accessible without special equipment, can be inexpensive, most educators familiar with this medium and have production expertise.	Become outdated, cannot update easily, static information presentation, no interaction possibilities
Video	Motivational, sound and images to convey information, readily available, easy to use, inexpensive.	Linear information presentation, multiple copies for student access at home can be problematic/expensive; Video production can be expensive and time consuming, requires VCR access and display mechanism.
Face-Face teaching	Can respond to needs of students dynamically, can be used to promote discussion, collaborative learning, enables clarification and analysis of information .	No flexibility for students in terms of attendance, access limited to on campus.
Multimedia CD ROM	Can convey information using video, audio, sound and text; Once produced, inexpensive to replicate for student access; Option for non-linear information presentation, so learners are able to explore at their own pace, forming their own pathways; High interactive learning potential.	Costly both in terms of time and money to produce; Production requires a high level of technical expertise; Sotware and content become outdated – cannot update easily without undergoing another development and production run.
World wide web – websites & related internet technologies	Increasingly supporting multimodal presentation - text, images, sound, video and higher levels of interactive possibilities; Access to up to date information; Potential for collaborative learning with learners in multiple location (e.g. chat, video conferencing); Potential for ‘anytime’, ‘anyplace’; Highly motivational; Updating of information relatively easy. Wealth of up to date information available along with non-linear nature, interactivity and multimodal presentation can support discovery orientated strategies.	Requires costly technical infrastructure (networks, workstations, video conferencing facilities). As technology capabilities increase so does complexity, and level of commitment required and the potential of ‘things not working’. Development of own online materials: - complex requiring expertise in areas such as coding, video digitisation; Can be costly and very time-consuming; Demands a high level of committment; Updating web materials can be difficult/frustrating if no technically competent to some degree; Sophistication of web materials available to students is limited by access factors such as bandwidth, modem capabilities. Not all educators are familiar with/comfortable with the new media technologies – steep learning curve both in technical understanding and implementation strategies; Lack of awareness of these issues is one of the greatest pitfalls in adopting new technologies.

Table 1 Some common tool choices for teaching and learning and their main advantages and disadvantages.

The strength of this approach is twofold. Firstly, the focus is clearly the needs of the learner and the learning situation, not the technology per se. If technology is implemented it is done so on the basis of a learner-centred ‘needs analysis’ of the whole learning situation. In this way, the manner in which technology is implemented is inextricably linked with the learner needs and the subject requirements and objectives. The approach does not exclude the use of more traditional approaches or tools such as print etc if they are deemed appropriate to the learning situation.

Secondly, the proposed approach does not necessarily demand the invention of new strategies to accommodate technology. The strategy that is finally implemented may be have been used previously; it may be an improvement on an existing strategy or an entirely new strategy. This encourages educators to draw on prior knowledge and experiences with university teaching and make connections between these experiences and the use of the technology (Bennet, Priest, & Macpherson, 1999). Furthermore, from this perspective focus is again directed to the requirements of the learning situation rather than on the technology itself. Consideration of technologies grounded in the search for appropriate tools that may be implemented to modify or replace existing strategies that, upon reflection, are judged to be ineffective.

Evidently, the process must not culminate with the implementation of the strategy. The final step is the most critical for the development of a dynamic learning environment that meets the changing needs of learner and society. Execution of the strategy must be followed by a careful analysis of congruency of intended and actual outcomes. The key question now becomes: Are the desired/anticipated outcomes congruent with actual outcomes? If they were then the strategy is a success. Any discrepancies however need to be considered in the light of reflection of the process – why did the discrepancies occur? In what ways might the strategy be changed or improved? Were the tool choices appropriate? The approach thus leads to a cycle of reflection followed by modified implementation followed again by reflection. Reflection on the process is not limited to assessment of whether outcomes were satisfactory, but rather encourages inspection of each stage of the planning process in order to identify shortcomings in either analysis or strategy.

Chickering and Ehrmann (1996) suggest that maximum positive impact of integrating new technologies into the tertiary curriculum can be achieved if technology is integrated on the basis of the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education developed Chickering and Gamson in 1987 which are:

It is suggested that strategy development, regardless of which tools are implemented, is guided by the above principles.

An example of approach application

Working as an educational designer the author has engaged with many tertiary educators involved in the development of online materials as part of institutional initiatives to promote technology integration into teaching and learning environments. The experience of working with an educator in the field of human services exemplifies an application of the above-described approach. Following is a brief discussion of how each major element of the described approach was addressed in the course of subject development. Figure 2.0 below summarises the main design decisions and highlights the integration of the various elements.

How can available tool options support desired learner outcomes and improve the learning environment for this group of learners in this discipline?

Figure 2.0 Summary of the main design decisions, highlighting the integration of the various elements.

Implications for professional development

It is recognised that one of the most serious obstacles to the full integration of technology in the curriculum is the lack of professional development (Fatemi, 1999). However, traditional training workshops removed from the immediate teaching context of the educator fail to be effective. There is a need for professional development that is closely linked to the curriculum goals and built-in evaluation. If appropriate technology use is to be a reality, then professional development must do “more than simply show teachers where in a curriculum they can squeeze in some technology. ...Instead, it helps them learn how to select digital content based on the needs and learning styles of their students, and infuse it into the curriculum rather than making it an end in itself.” (Fatemi, 1999, p. 1). The above-described approach meets this criterion.

The above approach was developed on the basis of strategies used by the author for professional development of tertiary educators involved in the development of online materials as part of flexible learning initiatives. Three key considerations are highlighted by the above-described approach for professional development initiatives aimed at increasing the use of new technologies in learning environments.

Firstly, professional development programs need to address the issue of teachers needing to develop technical knowledge and skills. Success of the proposed approach clearly depends on educators being able to make appropriate ‘tool choices’ on the basis of having sufficient knowledge of the attributes and potential of various tools. Furthermore, educators must be competent in the use of the technology if they are to succeed in executing the strategy. Educators may lack technical skills to effectively and confidently use new technologies. Tertiary educators who “want to adopt learning technologies in their classroom are often hindered by a lack of training.” (Bullock & Schomberg, 2000, p. 1). However, in order to maintain the focus on teaching practice rather than on technology alone, professional development initiatives focusing on the use of technology should be orientated towards “equipping academics with knowledge about the potential of the new technologies such as online within the context of the total curriculum rather than in isolation of the academic’s curriculum needs. “(Torrisi & Davis, 2000, p. 175)

Exemplary teachers adjust their teaching practice in response to the perceived needs of their students. Often this involves modifying sections of the content or introducing new teaching methods when problems in student understanding are identified (Ballantyne, Bain & Packer, 1999, p. 250).

From this perspective, the technology is integrated into the learning environment as part of a solution to identified problems or for improving the effectiveness of existing strategies. Reflective practice reinforces connections between educators’ existing practices and practices integrating new technologies (Bennet, Priest, & Macpherson, 1999). This is important not only in terms of fostering appropriate technology use but also in terms of overcoming resistance to the adoption of new technologies. The relevance of new technologies to the educators teaching practice is emphasised. If educators are to implement technology with true purpose and subsequently reshape their practice then the development of new strategies should emanate from the needs of educators themselves. Effective reflective practice serves to elicit and address needs for improvement in practice.

Thirdly, a focus on establishing connections with existing practices also serves as a useful stepping-stone towards the development of new practices that exploit the potential of new technologies for maximum positive impact on the learning environment. This is important from a professional development viewpoint in that, it accommodates the notion that the effective integration of technology into the learning environment is an evolutionary process of transformation (Sandholtz, Ringstaff & Dwyer, 1997; Torrisi & Davis, 2000). Although many of the skills which teaching staff have acquired in the past may be transferable to the new context, there is also the urgent need to develop in staff the skills and knowledge required to exploit potential teaching and learning advantages of the new mediums (Holt & Thompson, 1998). Towards this end, professional development initiatives may encourage educators to begin by implementing new technologies in less demanding ways and then as their knowledge and skill set grows they are encouraged to implement more complex technologies which demand increased commitment and skills to implement successfully. For example, Poindexter & He suggest

A rich course Web site, capable of remote multimedia delivery…might be your goal, but is not the best for the first step. Trying to do too much at once invites stress for both students and the professor…For better success at internet integration, start with [simpler] items at the top of the list, become comfortable at those levels and then move to more depth (1999, p. 85).

Conclusion

In the preceding discussion it has been argued that inappropriate use technologies in the teaching and learning environment may be minimised through an approach which does not focus primarily on technology but instead directs focus on learner needs, discipline requirements, learning outcomes and reflection on teaching practices. Reflection on teaching practice is crucial to the improvement of existing practice and the formulation of new practices that exploit the potential of new technologies for maximum positive impact on the learning environment. Implications of this approach for professional development and the importance of professional development itself have been highlighted.

Technology implemented as an integral component of teaching and learning strategies formulated to meet learner and discipline needs is most likely to successfully fulfil desired learning outcomes. This technology use will most likely be appropriate and when implemented with strategies guided by the seven principles of good practice (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996), offers maximum opportunities for enriching the learning environment. As Jackson and Anagnostopoulou observe:

“The route to improved learning by any means [is] a focus on the particular situated experience of particular learners in specific learning situations, informed by research” (2000, p. 1).

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