Digital Democracy in Higher Education: Bridging the Gap
Susana Juniu, Ed. D.Montclair State University
SITE International ConferenceMarch 1-6, 2004
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Web-Course Meeting WebpageWeb-Course Meeting Webpage
PowerpointPresentation
Online Chatting
Electronic BookLibrary
Self-Assessment
PowerpointPresentation
Online Chatting
Electronic BookLibrary
Self-Assessment
2002 - The Project
Equipment
iPAQ 3850
PC Expansion Pack
Memory Card
Wireless card
Modem Card
Keyboard
Bag
Data Projector
Wireless Access Point
Equipment
iPAQ 3850
PC Expansion Pack
Memory Card
Wireless card
Modem Card
Keyboard
Bag
Data Projector
Wireless Access Point
Imaging the iPAQs
Create folders and subfolders
Imaging the iPAQs
Create folders and subfolders
2002 - The Project
The process Inquiry - Challenge
Studying the Facts and Looking for Solutions
Putting Thoughts into Action
Traditional New uses
lectures, computer based instruction, and instruction about computers.
authentic, student centered, collaborative and result in the assimilation of information.
Uses of Technology
Productivity Tools Cognitive Tools
ToolsProductivit
yTools
Cognitive“Mindtools”
(critical thinking devices) Results in
EXCEL SPSS
ACCESS
SpreadsheetStatistical Computation Data Storage
Conducts queries to answer problem of investigationSort and Regroup data and perform calculationsCompare and contrast categories of dataLook for relationships between categoriesMake projections from given dataMake hypotheses based on the data
Learning by Reflecting
INSPIRATIONOutlinesFlow Charts
BrainstormingConcept Maps
POWERPOINT
iMOVIE
Presentation of facts
The user designs and constructs a product to share with peers
Learning by Constructing
and Visualizing
Learning from Computers vs Learning with
Computers
The use of technology should shift, from the traditional role of "technology-as-teacher to technology-as-partner" (Jonassen, 2000).
Reasoned Center
Ambiguous
PedagoguesInformationTechnology
Concerns on new technology to use, how powerful and fast are
these tools
SkepticalSuspicious
TrueBelieversPromote
Concerns on what technology makes sense in schools
and move from traditional to participatory
Concerns on seeing evidence that technology is helping
students learn
FacultyUser
Source: Mitchman, 1990; Milliron & Miles, 2000
Challenge Challenge
PedagoguesInformationTechnology
Concern about new technology, how powerful and fast are these
tools
SkepticalSuspicious
TrueBelieversPromote
Concern about what technology makes sense in schools
and move from a traditional to a participatory classroom
Concern about seeing evidence that technology is helping
students learn
FacultyUser
Source: Mitchman, 1990; Milliron & Miles, 2000
Challenge Challenge
School AdministrationPolicy Makers
Challenge
Reasoned Center
Ambiguous
These structures work in isolation and not jointly to support each other's
efforts
Fragmentation of Knowledge
Faculty Users
Pedagogues
InformationTechnology
School Administrators
Democratic Community of Learning
Democratic Community of Learning Challenge:
The challenge frames the discussion based on issues, concerns, inquiries, and problems
Dialogue Sharing experiences, explore, and discuss issues
about technology in the classroom Analyzing issues Searching and identifying solutions
Actions Putting the thoughts into action
Ongoing Educational Development based on Project-based learning models
Empowerment: Briding the Gap
Ongoing Educational Development
“Knowledge can not be transferred”
Dewey, 1916
Create a learning environment that: Promotes learning by doing Facilitates problem-solving activities The faculty, pedagogues, and IT will work in
teams to explore real-world problems and to identify solutions to their inquiries
Developing partnership of partnership of learninglearning to determine pedagogical (pedagogues) uses of emerging technologies (technical support) in the classroom (faculty user)
The purpose is to
link theory with experience
to generate intellectual content and suitable applications for the
classroom
Team Work
The combination of doing and learning and the value of a team work have the potential to bring changes within the individual and the educational system. Most importantly it
facilitates an understanding of each other’s role in the process of education.
To teach is to move from being a spectator to being an active participant in the democratic process of making decisions, arguing, and discussing ideas (Freire)
[Educators are models to students, and to be models of change they need to experience changes themselves and be active participants in the educational process]
The Role of Technology
Technology does not cause change Technology supports change What can change?
The nature of learning, and The role of the teacher
Goals of Education
Acquisition and retention of knowledge and skills An understanding of one’s acquired knowledge and
skills An active use of one’s acquired knowledge and skills
(Transfer of learning) Help students learn to solve complex problems and Accomplish complex tasks
Source: Moursound, D. (1999). Project-based learning using information technology. Eugene, OR: Iste Publications.