A Technology Enhanced Learning Environments (TELE) is an educational environment that makes use of technology to enhance learning.
In Module B we looked at four TELES, each with unique features and affordances, but at the same time there were similarities. The Jasper environment used anchored instruction to create an inquiry learning environment, with roots in situated cognition and problem based learning, and used technology to deliver data and position the problem that was to be solved. WISE used technology to map learning to logical steps of inquiry in an effort to make learning visible. MyWorld, with its roots in Worldbuilder (Edelson, 2001), fosters inquiry learning through an extensible tool which encouraged inquiry and fostered learning for use as opposed to learning for assessment. Chemland and GEM (Kahn, 2010) worked together in a cycle of generating interest and hypotheses, evaluation of hypothesis and then modification of the hypotheses, all enabled through applets which allowed inquiry learning to take place. Although some of the theoretical underpinnings differ, each TELE promoted inquiry based learning, and each TELE could be made use of in a constructivist classroom, but in each and every case, the teacher is directly involved in guiding and fostering the learning. In TELEs the teacher’s role changes, they are no longer the sole source of knowledge, they are one source of knowledge amongst many, but the teacher is still needed to correct misconceptions, to foster interest, to scaffold, and ensure deep learning is happening.
Planning and designing a TELE is a non-trivial exercise. Nardi (1996) explains the activity engaged in affects learning, while Scardamalia (2004) explains knowledge building affordances are key aspects of learning environments that foster knowledge creation, which is the integral part of the act of learning. The four learning environments we looked at showed a variety of affordances, from non-linear access in Jasper and WISE, cyclic usage in Chemland and MyWorld, built in sharing and collaboration in WISE, modification and personalization in MyWorld to on-line access in WISE and Chemland. The technology provides affordances, but then affects student’s learning as the activity engaged in is mediated by those affordances. As such, classroom teachers are not in a position to create their own TELE from scratch, rather they must look to technology that already exists for components which will fit their classroom and teaching and learning philosophy. Neither do teachers have the time or expertise to create resources such as Chemland and Worldbuilder. As such, I see combining together what Jasper, WISE, Chemland and MyWorld have to offer creating a rich and dynamic TELE. WISE can be used to organize and share lessons and units. Jasper’s deep problem solving approach combined with applets similar to those in Chemland can provide both motivation and hypothesis building situations as well as situate the learning, while the sheer amount of data that can be worked with in a program like MyWorld can be made use of to test student’s hypothesis, creating a combined T-GEM – LfU environment. The only major piece missing is enabling collaboration and communication, which numerous discussion threads have mentioned as important for a TELE. Shall I call this this MyWay?
What impact does this have in my situation? The teaching and learning happening in my classroom is already mediated by Google sites, which is WISE like in some ways, but missing the repository of carefully constructed lessons to build upon. I use a problem solving approach, albeit one that Jasper puts to shame. I make use of pre-constructed electronic resources when I can, but still rely too much on paper based and electronic, but paper-like material. I need to examine my practices to ensure I am catching misconceptions and that I am fostering deep learning and providing proper scaffolding.
Implications to science and math teachers in general are more profound. The practices of talking in front of the class in the hopes that knowledge delivery will occur need to give way to posing deep and complex problems, to talking to small groups or individuals, and to working with students to help them build their knowledge, all of which MyWay would enable!
I realize I did not include having students involved in real world activities of scientists (and mathematicians), and I think valuable learning comes from those situations as well. I need to examine how to integrate this into “MyWay”
Edelson, D.C. (2001). Learning-for-use: A framework for the design of technology-supported inquiry activities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 38(3), 355-385
Khan, S. (2010). New pedagogies for teaching with computer simulations. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(3), 215-232.
Nardi, B. (1996). Studying context: A comparison of activity theory, situated action models, and distributed cognition. In Nardi, B. (ed) Context and Consciousness. Cambridge, Ma:MIT Press
Scardamalia, M. (2004) CSILE/Knowledge Forum. In Education and technology: An encyclopedia (pp 183-192). Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO
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