Ensuring use of technology has purpose in education

Harmonizing to Schwartz ( 2008 ), "Teaching is a dynamic dealing between head, stuffs, results and ends. Teachers teach ; scholars learn - all within the context of a complex cognitive and socio-cultural environment that is germinating faster than at any other clip in the history of instruction " . Schwartz ( 2008 ) states that one of the grounds for this is the impact of technological progresss on the instruction system. The pupils of today live in a extremely technological universe. They are surrounded by appliances and bombarded by information. They use engineering for diversion, communicating and information. We as pedagogues have a responsibility to encompass engineering and utilize it to profit all stakeholders involved. But how can we guarantee that engineering is non used merely because we think it should but as something that enriches the experience of the scholar. How do we equilibrate the usage of engineering and the demands of the scholar? As Pedagogy Strategy ( 2005 ) states " Making engineerings available does non of itself consequence in changed instruction methods or in the degree of larning results. Effective usage of ICT in instruction requires appropriate teaching methods ". We have to guarantee that the usage of engineering has significance and intent.

There is a overplus of research on the construct of blended acquisition. Blended acquisition, harmonizing to Rodgers ( 2009 ) , is " executing a acquisition scheme that integrates multiple bringing modes ( both synchronal and asynchronous ) and, in making so, making the best possible larning solution for your mark audience " . Blended larning requires the scholar to be at the Centre of the procedure and guaranting that it is the right environment for the right scholar. In concern blended acquisition can be seen as the right combination at the lowest costs, this applied to education would be the right combination at the greatest acquisition result. Dzakiria et.al ( 2006 ) citing Driscoll 's work, sees blended acquisition as uniting web-based engineering to bring forth an 'optimal acquisition result ' . In concern you have to cognize your market, in instruction it is important that you know your scholar and a one size fits all doctrine does non work. Dzakiria et.al. ( 2006 ) argues that we need to see the pupils as the primary educational client, their positions and experiences, and the learning support mechanism for effectual acquisition results. It is indispensable that students own their acquisition, that they lead their acquisition and they are at the Centre of the procedure.

Technological progresss has resulted in the usage of blended acquisition schemes in concern, universities and schools. The potency of the usage of blended acquisition for e-assessment is mindblowing. JISC INFONET ( **** ) states that 'assessment is one of the most important countries of an educational system. It defines what pupils take to be of import, how they spend much of their academic clip and in many ways how they value themselves. ' Assessment is important to the scholar every bit long as it has a clear and defined intent. The usage of e-assessment can utilize the cardinal doctrine of blended acquisition and give the learner control over their acquisition and help their acquisition. E-assessment has advantages, JISC INFONET ( **** ) states that it allows instant feedback, allows clip for alteration, staff acquire immediate feedback and this can be linked to other on-line stuffs. Although there are concerns over the usage of E-assessment. E-assessment itself may salvage clip but the clip it takes to ab initio put up such an appraisal can non be underestimated. ***** can widen

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The development of personal acquisition environments ( PLEs ) has opened up the potency of the larning non merely being the Centre of the learning procedure but taking the larning themselves. The possible, particularly for school aged students could be great. Imagine an PLE which gives a record of a child online from the minute they walk into instruction to the clip they leave at 16 or 18. What if that record continues to university? What if that continues invariably as we embark on 'lifelong larning ' ? This will in bend have a enormous consequence on instruction and acquisition. Becta ( 2007 ) suggests that PLE 's 'offers a portal to the universe, through which scholars can research and make harmonizing to their ain involvements and waies, interacting at all times with their friends and community. ' Harmelen ( 2006 ) suggests that the development of PLE 's is motivated by the demands of the womb-to-tomb scholar and for a system that provides a standard interface, a response from the fact that the scholar 's e-system demands to be under the control of the scholar and the demands of the scholar themselves. Taraghi et. Al. ( 2010 ) negotiations of utilizing the MashUp rule which 'will let scholars to construct their ain acquisition environment ' . The potency of PLEs in instruction is radical. Downs ( 2009 ) , states that 'future larning environment which becomes non an institutional or corporate application, but besides a acquisition centre, where content is reused and remixed harmonizing to the pupil 's ain demands and involvements. It becomes, so, non a individual application, but a aggregation of interoperating applications - an environment instead than a system ' . Research is being undertaken to look at how PLE 's will turn to a scholars larning and the consequence and deductions on instruction. But Taraghi et. Al. ( 2010 ) points out that traditional Learning Management Systems ( LMS ) are non flexible plenty to supply an effectual PLE system. Taraghi et. Al. ( 2010 ) points out that, 'even current research can non indicate out what a extremely personalised larning environment should look like in item ' . Using a PLE to turn to womb-to-tomb acquisition would necessitate looking at the large image non one specific component of a scholar 's acquisition. In the past developments have been centred on specific phases in instruction but now we need to guarantee the scholar 's demands are addressed throughout their acquisition journey. Atwell ( 2007 ) provinces, 'if non continuous, larning is now seen as multi episodic, with persons passing occasional periods of formal instruction and developing throughout their on the job life. ' PLE 's will hold to turn to both the thoughts of uninterrupted acquisition and the periods of informal acquisition that a scholar brushs. Formal larning itself, harmonizing to Atwell ( 2007 ) histories for merely 20 per cent of a scholar 's acquisition. In the past educational engineering has paid little or no attending to informal larning a PLE could turn to this issue. PLE 's could be used for anyone who wants to organize their ain acquisition. Taraghi et.al. ( 2010 ) specify seven important facets for the displacement from LMS to PLE:

1. The function of the scholar
2. Personalisation
3. Content
4. Social engagement
5. Ownership
6. Educational and organizational civilization
7. Technological facets

PLE 's could convey together the huge sum of different engineering that a scholar uses under one umbrella. Making it distinguishable and personalised to that scholar, involve the engineerings they like to utilize and turn to their specific acquisition manners. The scholar could make up one's mind their penchants to how they study, present information etc. The scholar can make up one's mind on their ain content and analyze the countries they decide to assist with their acquisition. The scholar could in kernel develop a acquisition environment that addresses their specific demands at their current phase in instruction. Milligan quoted in BECTA ( 2007 ) believes PLE 's 'would give the scholar greater control over their learning experience ( pull offing their resources, the work they have produced, the activities they participate in ) and would represent their ain personal acquisition environment, which they could utilize to interact with institutional systems to entree content, appraisal, libraries and the similar ' .

Atwell ( 2007 ) states that PLE 's 'are non an application but instead a new attack to the usage of new engineerings for larning. There remain many issues to be resolved. But, at the terminal of the twenty-four hours, the statement for the usage of Personal Learning environments in non proficient but instead is philosophical, ethic and pedagogic. '

This wealth of grounds of larning would ensue in a e-portfolio which could potentially chart a scholar from the minute they enter the instruction system. There could potential be a wealth of touchable grounds which could be used as grounds for makings or as an illustration of what a possible employee may be capable of. Cohn and Hibbitts ( 2004 ) suggest that an e-portfolio 'stimulates our pupils to prosecute in brooding thought ' . What is apparent is the thought that we have to be careful that e-portfolios are closely linked to the thoughts of PLE 's. If we are doing personal acquisition environments which are alone to the scholar, we do non desire to so make an e-portfolio which is one size fits all, it besides has to be personalised to the scholar, integrate the scholars larning manners and penchants. Learning and appraisal are intertwined, therefore if we talk about bring forthing a PLE so the thought of an e-portfolio must organize a important component of such an environment. Gulbahar and Tinmaz ( 2006 ) suggests that the thought of an e-portfolio support pupils focused on the acquisition procedure instead than the terminal merchandise. They suggest that 'By the usage of e-portfolios, pupils have the opportunity to reflect upon their acquisition and instructors have the chance to supply elaborate feedback on pupils ' work. ' Research undertaken by Gulbarhar and Tinemaz ( 2006 ) suggested that utilizing an e-portfolio was favoured by all the pupils in their survey. They concluded that I gave the pupils a 'great opportunity for self betterment ' and it besides 'demonstrated a acquisition centres theoretical account for instructor campaigners. ' The pupils besides gained more cognition and associated it with existent life context.

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