The theme of the ELI 2008 Online Spring Focus Session is “Real-World and Technology-Rich: Learning By Doing, Learning in Context”.
I’ve spent the past hour or so watching a text-heavy slideshow scroll by, while the presenter spoke at length (at least she didn’t read from the slides), and we answered a couple of polls, one of which let me find out that most common stereotype for a scientist is an individual with crazy. The backchannel, as usual, was way more interesting than the actual discussion. And now, toward the end of the presentation, a whiteboard has come up where we can write in words that “reflect what we learned in the prior session”.
So where was the opportunity to “Learn by Doing” and “Learn in Context” for the participants?
Echoing the sentiment here – don’t you think it is a good parallel to what happens in practice – all the desired outcomes are shouting “rich immersive environment” and “doing something really different” but the organisers (like tutors) are nervous of stuff going wrong so go for “traditional plus technology” – online presentation is a small step away from comfort of face to face but not quite where it could be – so minimising the risk (but also minimising the opportunity). I can see totally why they would, been there myself, but this isn’t how change happens – makes me think of something I heard recently “you can’t cross a chasm in two small steps”
You hit the nail on the head! Playing safe is not how change happens, and it’s a little disappointing that an organization of ELI’s stature is not willing to take that risk and be example. I’m sure they have access to presenters who would be willing to try something different.
As an idea, what if this had played out as an ARG for a while and we used Connect to actually discuss the experience, or maybe even play the ARG together in that time frame (would have to be a really short ARG
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I’m still trying to grasp what I was supposed to have “learnt” in that session, “and what the “context” was. Knowledge sharing is important, and we need to hear from the experts and discover what they’ve learnt along the way. But if the theme is “Learning by Doing”, then I also want to experience that for myself. Information dump via a slideshow and live narrative just doesn’t flow with the theme of learning by doing. And is exactly the mode that is so well entrenched!
Does it come down to starting with PowerPoint. If you develop your ideas as a linear presentation it’s not surprise you find it hard to escape.
I think it comes from starting with “presentation” two small steps to “powerpoint” and the rest is history…quite literally
I agree. I try and tell my students to think of it as telling a story, or sharing their knowledge or passion for something with the audience. Anything but “presentation”
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