Autonomy in the Digital Age

31/10/12

Legitimate Peripheral Participation

Legitimate peripheral participation is . . . an analytic viewpoint on learning, a way of understanding learning. We hope to make it clear that learning through legitimate peripheral participation takes place no matter which educational form provides a context for learning, or whether there is any intentional educational form at all. Indeed, this viewpoint makes a fundamental distinction between learning and intentional instruction. (Lave & Wenger , 2000)

Learning in the Digital Age

With the dawning of the knowledge era, the field of education
becomes more challenging. (Amelia, 2009)

Society has transformed from product-based careers, where the

workers work individually, to technological and informationbased careers, where the workers need to work collaboratively and cooperatively (Johnson & Johnson, 1996) The rapid development of the educational system has caused significant changes in the roles of the students in the classroom Students are given more opportunities to control and chart the paths of their own learning autonomous learning

Learning in the Digital Age

Learning as a network teacher and students are nodes The connection of the nodes will result in new knowledge and skill being made. Each student node is self governing (autonomous) [
Emerging globalized online spaces provide new opportunities for language learning to occur autonomously as part of learners everyday literacy practices. (Benson & Chik, 2010)

Learning in the Digital Age

Paradigm shift : from authority based lecture mode to discovery based Students become more involved on their own learning : making decisions, charting own learning paths Feeling a sense of ownership & commitment, learning becomes more meaningful and better classroom performance. ( St Louis, 2005)

Four-Factor Model of Autonomy

Experience

Factors affecting epistemic states

Scope and range of autonomous behaviour

Engagement

Empowerment

Capacity to act on epistemic states

A Model of Autonomy Stephen Downes http://www.downes.ca/post/54222

Effects of autonomous behaviour

Effect

Thinking question

What does the term learner autonomy mean to you?

Some terms
Self-learning. When a learner is aware of his needs and the ways to achieve these needs. Learners who have insights into their learning styles and strategies. Students are left on their own to sort things out. Students stop depending on the teacher

Characteristics of autonomous learner in a digital environment having the capacity to control / supervise learning knowing own learning styles & strategies. motivated. good guessers risk takers able to choose materials, methods & tasks taking active approach to tasks not afraid of failures

Autonomy and Technology

Three necessary conditions for autonomous learning using technology: a. accessible & reliable technology b. sufficient computer literacy c. good interaction and support from peers (Toyoda, 2001)

Autonomy & Technology

There is no lack of interesting and relevant materials, but it might still be a challenge for the teacher to structure the task in such a way that the chosen material leads to information sharing for interaction. It is the careful balance between structure and choice that allows learners to become autonomous (Alm, 2006, pp. 33 34)

Autonomy & Technology

Examples Asynchronous Activities: Blogs Discussion Boards Student Work Websites Wikis Synchronous Activities: Chat Video Conferencing

Roles of Learners

Positive Negative

Roles of Learners

Positive Knowledge Generators

Collaborators
Initiator & Wrapper Social network builders

Roles of Learners

Negative Lurkers

Dominants
Flamers

Knowledge Generators
-

Able to construct the knowledge from the learning process and adapt it according to their own needs ;utilise the new knowledge in the everyday lives - The role of a knowledge generator is divided into two categories: i. Frequently answering the questions from the instructor ii. Frequently sharing the information through the contribution of articles, illustrations or notes in the forum

Collaborators
-

Able to work with their peers in the digital learning community to achieve the learning outcomes Need to be able to provide and receive feedback as well as to evaluate their own learning progress

Initiators & Wrappers

-

Initiator : starts the discussions Wrapper : summarises / closes the discussion Students need to be both initiator and wrappers to ensure a successful networked learning environment

Social Network Builders

a.

Using the online interaction to build an effective social environment.

Able to navigate the web effectively in search for new knowledge

Problem solvers/ Mediators

a.

The go-between who attempts to solve differences or conflicts in the community..

The problem solver helps by providing suggestions or solutions to the predicaments faced by his/her peers.

Lurkers
a.

Learners who do not contribute to the learning community 3 types of lurkers :

- freeloaders : use other peoples effort without contributing anything

b.

Lurkers
-

Sponges : Those who require more

time to adapt to the networked learning environment. These students lurk in the beginning, and when they are more confident, they start contributing.

Students who lurk due to technical access problems or lack of computing skills.

Reasons for lurking (Preece , 2000)

Lack of confidence - Difficulties in accessing the network - Lack of understanding of the concept of a learning community - Low motivation levels. - Interest in obtaining knowledge without online interaction. - Attitude problems
-

Flamers

Learners who are frustrated with the situation and illustrate their frustrations through harsh words or by bullying other learners Write comments that offend their peers and the instructor . Could disrupt the effectiveness of the collaborative learning environment.

Dominant

Takes over more than 50% of the discussion Do not necessarily have the most knowledge Two types : - personal dominance :learners dominate the discussion with issues unrelated to the learning process - Academic dominance highly knowledgeable who tend to dominate the discussion by providing information without allowing others to participate

Autonomy & Technology

Social presence is vital to develop an effective and collaborative n-learning community. Social presence refers to the way students express their thoughts and ideas in a social context, through social cues (Anderson, 2000; Rourke, 2001)
Autonomy does not mean learning in isolation. In a networked environment , learners need to be autonomous but able to work collaboratively in achieving the learning outcomes

Autonomy & Technology

Autonomy leads to good learning strategies which will lead to successful learning community and network building Use technology to create own activities, participate actively in the learning process, setting own goals, choosing materials, designing as well as evaluating the knowledge and the learning process Technology : medium to foster learner autonomy, not as the means to an end. Teacher is still needed as a guide

References
Gunn, C (2010) Promoting Learner Autonomy in the ESL Classroom: Can Using Technology Help? http://shct.hct.ac.ae/events/openlectureseries3/documents/AutonomyandtheWeb.pdf Benson, P., & Chik, A. (2010). New literacies and autonomy in foreign language learning. In M. J. Luzon, M. N. Ruiz-Madrid, & M. L. Villanueva (Eds.), Digital genres, new literacies and autonomy in language learning (pp. 6380). Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars. Preece, J. (2000) Online Communities: Designing Usability, Supporting Sociability. John Wiley: Sussex Salmon, G. (2000) E-Moderating: the Key to Teaching and Learning Online. Kogan Page: London.