Creativity
eLearning Papers 30 on Creative Classrooms and 21st Century Teachers published!
This issue spotlights new research and classroom practices that illustrate how new learning technologies have affected teachers' professional environments. 21st century learners has become a buzz-word in the field of educational research. This issues applies the term to teachers, seeking practical examples and prospective visions that examine what it means to be a teacher in today’s knowledge society.
The fast-paced evolution of technology is challenging for teachers, who often struggle with the demands of keeping up-to-date with their students’ digital lifestyles. Initiatives for the enhancement of ICT in education often address deployment of devices and tools in the classroom, without fully considering how they may affect and change the way people teach and learn.
This special issue asks: How do educational organisations change? And how does this transformation impact upon the role of teachers? By problematising and giving greater complexity to the issue in hand, the articles serve as a starting point for dialogue and debate.
eLearning Papers 30 that has been guest edited by Hans Laugesen, International Secretary and Senior Educational Policy Officer GL - The National Union of Upper Secondary Teachers, Denmark, Jim Devine, Former President, IADT (Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology), Ireland, and Tapio Koskinen, www.elearningpapers.eu, Director of the Editorial Board, includes the following articles:
In Depth articles
Innovating Teaching and Learning Practices: Key Elements for Developing Creative Classrooms in Europe
Keywords: creative classrooms, innovative pedagogical practices, ICT-enabled innovation for learning, systemic approach, educational change
By Stefania Bocconi, Research fellow at the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, Panagiotis Kampylis, Research fellow at the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies and Yves Punie, Senior scientist at the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies
Leveraging Trust to Support Online Learning Creativity – A Case Study
Keywords:assessment, new learning environments, learning interactions, e-participation
By Sonia Sousa and David Lamas, Tallinn University, Institute of Informatics
Academic Staff Development in the Area of Technology Enhanced Learning in UK HEIs
Tags
Keywords: staff development, technology enhanced learning, training, higher education
By Timos Almpanis, Learning Technologies, Southampton Solent University
From the Field articles
Training Teachers to Use Web 2.0 Tools
Keywords: professional development, Web 2.0 tools, open educational resources
By Sandra Vuk, August Šenoa Elementary School, Zagreb and Dubravka Petković Fažana Elementary School, Fažana
Enhancing Online Student Engagement
Keywords: distance education, student engagement, arts-based learning activities, higher education, learning technologies
By Beth Perry, Athabasca University, Katherine J. Janzen, Mount Royal University and Margaret Edwards, Athabasca University
Website – A Partnership between Parents, Students and Schools
Keywords: school website, cooperation, school-family relationships, primary school
By Sandra Vuk, August Šenoa Elementary School, Zagreb
To read eLearning Papers 30 on Creative Classrooms and 21st Century Teachers, click here
Mejorar la participación en línea de los estudiantes
La participación puede ser la etapa previa de una interacción significativa entre los estudiantes de una misma aula, así como entre estos últimos y los formadores. Es frecuente que los estudiantes desmotivados utilicen poco los materiales de curso. Por ello, los formadores que trabajan en línea pueden recurrir deliberadamente a actividades de aprendizaje que incrementen la participación de los estudiantes.
Las actividades de aprendizaje basadas en las artes pueden fomentar la participación social y académica de los estudiantes, al permitir que estos y los formadores sean más “reales” los unos para los otros en el medio del aprendizaje en línea. Como ejemplos de actividades de aprendizaje basadas en las artes que pueden fomentar la participación de los estudiantes cabe mencionar Photo Cascades, “My” Music Moments y Word Sculptures.
Aprovechar la confianza para apoyar la creatividad del aprendizaje en línea: Estudio de caso
Este artículo da cuenta del uso de datos en tiempo real para ayudar a los profesores en la evaluación y el seguimiento de la confianza de los estudiantes. El estudio descrito pretende entender cómo se puede aprovechar la confianza para apoyar la colaboración creativa del aprendizaje en línea.
El documento precisa esta interpretación desde la perspectiva del profesor y analiza los compromisos de confianza de los estudiantes en situaciones reales, en las que personas en distintos países colaboran (a distancia) y articulan sus tareas y habilidades de aprendizaje. La presente línea de investigación busca identificar vulnerabilidades del grupo para fortalecer la cooperación y la colaboración en el mismo.
Creemos que al encontrar la mejor manera de evaluar la confianza de los estudiantes y tener un seguimiento de la misma, los profesores pueden utilizar esta información para intervenir (cuando sea necesario) y proporcionar un apoyo positivo, reforzando de esta manera la autonomía de los estudiantes y la motivación de los mismos para participar creativamente en el desarrollo de habilidades e innovaciones cotidianas. Los principales resultados obtenidos hasta ahora muestran el grado de influencia del nivel de confianza en el comportamiento de los estudiantes.
Dichos resultados indican tres aspectos fundamentales de la observación de la confianza y su papel en el fomento de acciones positivas y de apoyo; estos incluyen observar: (1) la manera en que los estudiantes perciben las intenciones de los demás en ciertos contextos, (2) los cambios en los compromisos de los estudiantes en relación con una actividad específica (nivel de cooperación), y (3) la percepción que los estudiantes tienen del uso de los medios de comunicación con fines de aprendizaje (reacciones, intenciones de uso y uso real).
Prácticas innovadoras de enseñanza y aprendizaje: Elementos clave para desarrollar aulas creativas en Europa
El artículo se interesa sobre la mejor manera de innovar en las prácticas de enseñanza y aprendizaje a nivel del sistema, al proponer un enfoque bien articulado y una propuesta consolidada para la adopción de aulas creativas que presentan su naturaleza holística y sistémica, los resultados esperados de aprendizaje, así como sus dimensiones pedagógicas, tecnológicas y organizativas de innovación. Las aulas creativas están pensadas como entornos educativos innovadores que incorporan totalmente el potencial de las TIC para perfeccionar las prácticas de aprendizaje y de enseñanza en contextos formales, no formales e informales.
El concepto multidimensional propuesto para las aulas creativas se compone de ocho dimensiones clave, complementarias e interconectadas, y una serie de 28 parámetros de referencia (“componentes básicos”). En el centro de las aulas creativas se encuentra la idea de que las prácticas pedagógicas innovadoras solo surgen cuando los profesores utilizan las TIC con el objetivo de crear formas nuevas y mejoradas de actividades de aprendizaje abierto, colaborativo y significativo, en vez de conformarse con desarrollar las de la pedagogía tradicional, como las lecciones expositivas y el aprendizaje basado en tareas.
Se presenta el análisis preliminar de dos casos existentes de innovación en el aprendizaje impulsada por las TIC con el propósito de (i) mostrar la manera en que las dimensiones clave y los parámetros de referencia se implementan en contextos reales, configurando profundamente varios tipos de aula creativa, y (ii) describir el enfoque sistémico necesario para la implementación sostenible y la integración progresiva de las aulas creativas en toda Europa.
Empowering learners and teachers for a digital world
International conference to close ReAct - re-activating teachers and learners , a transnational European project within the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union, KA3 (ICT) which brings together a group of european projects to discuss experiences and results centred around the main axes of the work done in the reAct project. These are creativity and autonomy as facilitators of intrinsic motivation, and the challenges involved in integrating new approaches in traditional curricular contexts, which most innovative projects face.
reAct project International Conference 2012
The reAct project final conference, which brings this two year project to a close, will bring together a group of projects to discuss experiences and results centred around the main axes of the work done in the project. These are creativity and autonomy as facilitators of intrinsic motivation, and the challenges involved in integrating new approaches in traditional curricular contexts, which most innovative projects face. The conference will be a forum for these projects to share their perceptions around these axes and derive some conclusions.
The reAct Project - International Conference:
“Empowering teachers and learners for a digital world”
will be held in Valencia (Spain) on October 10, 2012.
ReAct, re-activating teachers and learners, is a transnational European project within the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union, KA3 (ICT). The project duration is from 01/01/2011 to 31/12/2012. The project website is at http://www.reactproject.eu
The percentage of youth who do not complete compulsory education is a significant social problem in Europe and one of the main challenges of professionals in training is promoting the intrinsic motivation of students. There is a huge disconnect between educational programs and what students expect to learn or see as relevant to their lives.
The goal of reAct is to develop a methodology based on enhancing the autonomy, creativity and collaboration of students and teachers through ICT tools including web 2.0, with a view to facilitating the development of learner motivation, and to explore how to integrate this innovation into existing educational programs.
The reAct project final conference, which brings this two year project to a close, will bring together a group of projects to discuss experiences and results centred around the main axes of the work done in the project. These are creativity and autonomy as facilitators of intrinsic motivation, and the challenges involved in integrating new approaches in traditional curricular contexts, which most innovative projects face. The conference will be a forum for these projects to share their perceptions around these axes and derive some conclusions.
The structure of the reAct International Conference includes two keynote speeches. The first of these by Wim Veen (University of Delft, NL) will focus on innovation in the classroom, the other will be by Lieve van den Brand (European Commission, responsible for educational policy design)will look at educational innovation from a policy perspective. These will be followed by three round tables on creativity, autonomy, and innovation. Finally a brief presentation of the conclusions of the discussions will be made.
The conference is to be webstreamed and the videos will be available later on in the project website http://www.reactproject.eu/conference_en/online-conference/
Up-Scaling Creative Classrooms in Europe
The SCALE CCR project aims to further define the concept of 'Creative Classrooms' (CCR) and to provide a better understanding of ICT-enabled innovation in Education and Training (E&T) that can be brought to scale, in a cost-effective way; the major focus will be on formal education settings, including informal ways of learning.
Educational stakeholders recognise the contribution of ICT to realising the targets set out in the Europe 2020 Strategy, in particular Objective 4 on "Creativity and Innovation" and the key targets regarding early school leaving, higher education, adult learning, up-skilling and modernisation of Education and Training , and more broadly, the role of ICT as a key enabler of innovation and creativity in E&T and for learning at large. However, educational policymakers need evidence and guidance on how to further support and mainstream ICT-enabled innovation for learning as it manifests itself in many creative initiatives across Europe.
SCALE CCR will identify and analyse such examples and clarify the nature of their innovative activities (cf. concept development), their aims (e.g. pedagogical, technological, and organisational innovation), outcomes, impacts, and implementation and dissemination strategies.
Objectives:
- Identify and classify "ICT-enabled innovation for learning" across a range of settings and participants;
- Develop 'Creative Classrooms' (CCR) concept and reference parameters for a pilot initiative in scaling CCR;
- Analyse the implementation strategies of a number of highly effective ICT-enabled innovation for learning at system level; and
- Propose concrete policy recommendations for the further development and mainstreaming of CCR in Europe.
Outcomes:
- A well-articulated vision and consolidated proposal for 'Creative Classrooms' which clarifies their holistic and systemic nature, their intended learning outcomes, and their pedagogical, technological, and organisational dimensions for innovation;
- An analysis of implementation strategies of existing ICT-enabled innovation for learning that have significant scale and/or impact at system level; and
- A set of policy recommendations for educational policymakers, stakeholders and practitioners for mainstreaming of ICT-enabled innovation for learning through the scaling of 'Creative Classrooms' in Europe.
Approach:
Work Package 1: Definition and classification of ICT-enabled innovation for learning
- Aim: Analyse ICT-enabled innovation for learning across a range of settings and participants
- Approach: Desk research and consultation with the ET2020 Thematic Working Group (TWG) on "ICT and Education"
Work package 2: Concept and Reference Parameters for a European-wide initiative on 'Creative Classrooms' (CCR)
- Aim: Clarify the nature and the key dimensions of Creative Classrooms, describing their success factors and enablers (reference parameters) for a European CCR initiative
- Approach: Review of previous IPTS studies and other relevant research works, and consultations with the TWG and key stakeholders
Work package 3: Identification and in-depth analysis of implementation strategies
- Aim: Study existing implementations of ICT-enabled innovation for learning at system level, detailing enablers and bottlenecks for up-scaling and mainstreaming
- Approach: In-depth analysis of cases in Europe and other world regions (e.g. Asia), and consultations with multiple stakeholders
Work package 4: Setting up a dialogue with broad multi-stakeholders
- Aim: Support DG EAC on setting up a dialogue with broad multi-stakeholders
- Approach: Stakeholder consultations
Work package 5: Recommendations
- Aim: Propose recommendations for mainstreaming ICT-enabled innovation for learning in Education and Training (E&T) through 'Creative Classrooms' in Europe
- Approach: Intensive stakeholder consultation (experts' interview, workshops, and online survey)
Teach, Learn and Quality
The main aim of the project is to improve the quality of vocational education and training within Europe by means of creative and motivating teaching and learning methods which are embedded in a quality system supported by industry and services.
Method
TL+Q focuses on actions that affect school management and class practice.
The produced didactic support and tools for quality assessment are tested, evaluated and validated during the project. All testing takes place in cooperation with the associated partners being, industrial enterprises and services, advisory bodies and in-service training institutions. Teachers, trainers and students are involved in this process.
Validation is achieved by the TL+Q industrial partners. Moreover, the validation process is monitored by official educational policy makers.
Project Outcome
Setting up a quality system in schools stimulates reflective skills and competences. Gradual but constant improvement of the school quality, results in a better educational performance and an enhanced employability.
By introducing creative and motivating methods, we plan to improve the students' attitudes and to stimulate their eagerness and readiness to keep learning for life. Teaching and learning will keep pace with the changes and demands of industry and services.
The TL+Q manuals will contain useful material such as tools for quality assessment, didactic support, preparation and implementation of in-company-classes.
The developed website will show the project ideas, objectives, resources and the progress overtime.
The manuals will contain evidence-based examples of good practice supported by video footage, transferable methodologies and testimonies of teachers and students. The manuals support schools and companies as well as students who take part in in-company-classes exchanges. The three manuals are downloadable for free from the website.