Learning in immersive worlds

Having just finished my second assignment I thought I would share an interesting report that I used while I was writing it. In my assignment I looked at the educational benefits of using gaming as a tool to teach information literacy (and the other literacies as well). Some of the most interesting reading came from a JISC funded report called Learning in immersive worlds by Sara de Freitas. The report is designed to "inform practitioners who are considering using games and simulations in their practice." (p. 3) and both reviews the literature and looks at case studies. My particular interest was MMORPGs (massivley multiplayer online role playing games). De Freitas' report came up with a number of conclusions:

• games need to be embedded into practice to ensure effective learning


• More research is needed to provide empirical evidence for how game-based learning can be used most effectively


• more effective supporting materials are needed to support practitioners wishing to use game-based learning approaches


• new developments including the serious games movement are informing the development of games for learning


• there is a great potential and need for tutors and practitioners to become involved with games development for learning


• there is a need for more opportunities for staff development to support tutors wishing to adopt game-based learning in their practice


• there is the potential for learners to become more empowered with game-based learning. (p.7)

De Freitas, S. (2006). Learning in immersive worlds: A review of game-based learning. Bristol: JISC. Retrieved from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/elearninginnovation/gamingreport_v3.pdf

This report and other research I read made me think that I wished I had allowed my kids more freedom when playing online games when they were younger. A lecturer was asking me the other day if they should be allowing their kids to play online games, and I had to say a definite "yes." I think one of my holiday projects will be to become involved in playing a MMORPG - a bit of fun profesional development. If anyone out there knows a good game for an aging (bit keen!) librarian to become involved with, please let me know.

Pre-service teachers and e-learning

I have just picked up a new book Digital literacies: Social Learning and classroom practices (Carrington & Robinson, 2009) which seems to highlight a problem that has been sloshing around in my head for a while, especially as I have just been conducting user groups with our students in relation to a new Library web presence. One of the things that has struck me is the larger number of mature students we have in education. These are the teachers which are going to be going into classrooms in the next few years. A number of them have made it clear that they are uncomfortable with computer technology, although many are willing enough to "give it a go."

Still, I have a feeling that this is probably not enough to bring about the kinds of changes that the e-learning environment will require. Robinson and Mackey (as cited in Carrington & Robinson, 2009) concluded that "somewhat worryingly, in the UK at least, we found that many pre-service teachers have a very functional view of the place of new media and the way that such media might play a part in education." (p. 132). Since Krumsvik (as cited in Carrington & Robinson, 2009) suggests that what knowledge is, how it is accessed and constructed, is fundamentally altered within digital environments (p.132) then a big problem is highlighted. It seems as if the mindset of many pre-service teachers has not changed to allow them to utilise new technologies in a pedagogically sound and effective way. I am sure there are factors other than minset which impinge on this, but this is a pretty important one and maybe this helps to account for the fact that the use of new technologies has not gained as much traction in education as expected.

Kerin (Carrington & Robinson, 2009) also examines the concept of multiliteracies pedagogy, which was used as the analytical framework for her study. Having been occupied for quite a while with information literacy, it makes me wonder now whether we should be thinking more globally around multiliteracies, of which information literacy might be just one aspect. I think that I will investigate this link a little further and try and track down more readings in the area. This might provide a good theoretical framework for my report.

Kerin, R. (2009). Digital portraits: Teacher education and multiliteracies pedsgogy. In V. Carrington & M. Robinson (Eds.) Digital literacies: Social learning and classroom practices. London: Sage Publications.

Libraries of the future

While I was working on some other work-related issues, I found this video from JISC about "The libraries of the future." It is clear that technology is having a mjor impact on the way libraries deliver services to their patrons - academic libraries are not immune from this. This clip gives a good idea of the issues around emerging technologies which will impact on libraries.

Some thoughts on government e-learning policy

I got a bit interested in this as I was researching for my first assignment. As I was reading the policy documents for e-learning in the tertiary sector, it struck me that they sounded all fine and dandy, but I wasn't sure how they were translated into practice. It seemed like there was a huge amount of work and thinking that needed to be done between the rhetoric and what was happening at the IWB-face. I am interested in the fact that despite a large number of government initiatives and a huge amount of dollars spent by schools, that there is still a relatively limited approach by classroom teachers to the use of e-learning. It was with great interest that I then read the article by Selwyn (2008). The links he makes between e-learning policy and economic imperatives is clear even when reading the latest government offering Digital strategy 2.0 (2008). The Minister for Communications and Information Technology notes " This Strategy goes beyond looking at the factors that enable digital development. Our vision of the future is that New Zealanders should be leaders in the digital world and use digital technologies, skills and opportunities to contribute to a prosperous, sustainable and vibrant society. No country has more to gain from the ‘death of distance’ than New Zealand. Digital Strategy 2.0 maps out the steps towards this vision." It is notable that the document is sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Development. It all sounds a lot like the initiatives that have gone before and with the same flawed rationale.
Selwyn contends that there are 3 options for making grass-roots action reflect policy - the development of "directive, disruptive and even punitive e-learning policies"; changing the goals of e-learning policy from economic considerations to educational ones (now there's a thought!); allow the development of policy to come from the grass-roots rather than top-down. It is clear that while educational policy comes so heavily laden with political and economic agendas no real progress will be made in educational terms.


Selwyn, D. (2008). Business as usual? Exploring the continuing (in)significance of e-learning policy drive. Computers in New Zealand Schools, 20(3), 22-34

Ministry of Economic Development. (2008). Digital strategy 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz/upload/Documents/Digital%20Strategy%202.0%20FINAL.pdf

Cross-overs

I have just been reflecting how pervasive all this e-learning stuff is. I am currently involved in a project through my work to re-examine our library website. One of the first things we have sat down and looked at is new learning technologies and how that might impact on some of the decisions we make regarding the website and the philosophy behind it. I was delighted to find the Becta website (through this course) with its multitude of reports. One of the areas I found most interesting was their key trends. There were close alignments with the Horizon report 2009. So far it seems like mobile computing, web 2.0 and social software (or the personal web), consumerisation of IT, green IT, and cloud computing seem to be leading the way. The speed with which technology is moving certainly make it interesting when trying to design web-based systems with users in mind. One of the questions that has come up for us is how can we ensure that some of the data that we want students to access, is surfaced in places like Google? Is this giving in (given that we spend so much time trying to drive students away from Google), or simply being realistic?
My view is that it is time for us librarians to move away from trying to get students to access information the way we want them to, and to move to a philosophy which puts us where students can find us best - whether it is via our own home page, or something else. It is interesting times and there are plenty of big discussions to be had.

Mobile learning

I have been reading a lot lately about mobile learning in the tetiary context. It is clear that m-learning is still in it's infancy and that there are a number of factors from technical through to pedagogical that make it tricky. Having said that it is really interesting to note future trends as predicted by the Horizon Report and the ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) . Both documents note the potential of m-learning and see a growing place for it in education. There is no doubt that there are innovators out there offering new ways of using the mobile phone in particular. In time, both the physical limitations of the phone and other factors such as teacher reticence will be overcome and the mobile phone will join the suite of other technologies available for teaching and learning.

I tried to upload this YouTube video on M-learning that I thought provided an interesting overview, but for some reason beyond me, it would not upload. Anyway here is the link to it - enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XU0cVNZDG4

My first reading

I have just finished reading Holems and Garner's article - the first of the course for me. I think it is worth recording a number of things of interest that "occurred" to me while I was reading this (and some of this is just by association).

Firstly, I wonder about "online access to learning resources, anywhere, anytime." Obviously that is an ideal but we are far from that yet - I know that infrastructure alone plays a huge part - what if you live in rural NZ and can only access dial-up (if that?) How about ethic minorities? Some sectors of NZ society have little access to a computer for a start, and very little comprehension of the basic how tos of computers.

Secondly, I very much liked the idea of communal constructivism - that circular movement of teaching and learning that will in time blur the relationships (and power strucutres) between teachers and learners.

Some other ideas that the article sparked in me as I was reading it were:

• how will mobile devices affect learning?


• in the tertiary context what is the likely impact of electronic books? Its relatively known for electronic journals, but books are a bit different.


• the creation of digital content will be open to everyone - look at the fanatstic "Living Heritage" project available for schools and students in NZ to record their own histories and issues


• what impact will gaming scenarios, such as Second Life, have on teaching and learning in an academic environment?

Maybe with a bit of luck, I may be able to investigate some of these fascinating topics over the next few weeks.

The start...

I am hoping to use this blog to record my views and experiences as I progress through this e-learning paper. If it is anything like the paper I have just completed on information literacy, I know there will be big changes in my perceptions and ideas from now until the end of the course.

I am looking forward to working with the others in the group, many of whom work in different settings to mine.

At this point in time my views on e-learning are coloured only by my own experience as a flexible learning student. I am looking forward to reading what the research says, and using that research to reflect my interest in e-learning in the tertiary environment. At this stage I think I am interested in e-learning in relation to information literacy, and the link between the two of them.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has a similar interest!