Technology and Education Futures
| Module title | Technology and Education Futures |
|---|---|
| Module code | EFPM294 |
| Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Judith Kleine Staarman (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 80 |
|---|
Module description
In this module you will explore the trajectory and possible future implications of digital technology for education. You will engage with some of the key concepts in learning and technology, such as creativity, ubiquity and digital literacies; and will use these ideas to critically consider emerging educational practice and new technologies and pedagogy. Using a variety of digital tools, face-to-face seminars and/or online activities, and drawing on a range of literature from educational technology, e-learning and psychology, you will not only develop your critical understanding of issues around technology in education, you will also discuss, debate and theorise with other students what digital futures of education may look like.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Through an exploration and discussion of theoretical, professional and practical applications of new technology in education, the module aims to develop your critical understanding of how technology may shape the ways in which we think about teaching and learning, both now and in the future. There is a strong focus on the social nature of learning with new technology, digital literacies and creative practices with technology and you will familiarize yourself with a range of digital approaches for education, including social media, Augmented Reality and digital literacies. You will be strongly encouraged to reflect on and link back your ideas to your own practice and experiences.
Specifically the module will enable you to:
- develop a conceptual, critical and experiential understanding of the social and creative nature of learning with new technology;
- identify possible affordances of technological tools for teaching and learning;
- identify and interpret educational theory and research and relate this to educational practice and educational futures with new technology;
- identify and interpret evidence and discuss this in the context of academic and professional reading work independently and with originality;
- develop a critical understanding of ethical issues involved in teaching and learning with new technology
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate a systematic understanding of theoretical perspectives and practical concerns in the area of educational technology;
- 2. demonstrate a critical understanding of the nature of learning processes around new technology, with a specific focus on social and digital aspects of teaching and learning and around possible educational futures;
- 3. demonstrate an ability to critically reflect on the affordances of technological tools for teaching and learning;
- 4. demonstrate an ability to synthesise relevant theoretical perspectives and arguments in current debates about core dilemmas in educational technology;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. identify systematically and evaluate insightfully current research and advanced scholarship relevant to the field of educational technology, creativity and thinking;
- 6. explore critically the multiple lenses through which educational technology can be interpreted and developed;
- 7. evaluate and critique ideas and concepts encountered within the specialism in the light of different theoretical approaches;
- 8. apply theoretical insights, through critical reflection, to your study of the specialism;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. demonstrate the ability to identify and critically discuss current issues in educational technology;
- 10. demonstrate the ability to construct organised, structured, critically reflective and analytic writing;
- 11. demonstrate the ability to manage time and engagement in the context of masters level study that has a high level of independent study;
- 12. demonstrate the ability to take the initiative in contributing collaboratively in interactive learning contexts; and
- 13. demonstrate communication skills both oral and written and in on-line contexts.
Syllabus plan
The precise structure of the module varies year by year, but in general, we will focus on some of the key concepts of digital education, such as computer-supported collaborative learning, communities of inquiry, affordance theory, augmented reality and blended learning. We will engage with these ideas through engagement with a range of digital tools appropriate for the module.
In our sessions, we will reflect on some of the core issues around the role of technology in education, such as the promise of openness versus the threat of surveillance, the role of trust in a networked age, the loss of literature versus new digital literacies and creativity and education futures. There will be further opportunity to discuss experiences and ideas with fellow students through digital media.
We will aim to incorporate practical experiences into the module, either through workshops or virtual activities. These may include work with educational games, AR technology and other interactive technology, in order to further enhance your understanding of the links between digital technology, practice and pedagogy.
Throughout the module, you will participate in online activities, and online materials and digital tools will be made available for all students. You will be required to develop a digital portfolio, which will enable you to present your developing ideas to peers and to critically reflect on the module content and your own professional practice and the wider literature.
Contributions to online discussions and a reflection on your own learning will also form part of the work that will be assessed. There will be a variety of activities throughout the module, in which you will be asked to reflect, discuss and debate with other students.
This module is organised for both full and part-time students and the modes of delivery might differ for each of these groups.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 270 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 30 | The teaching sessions will take on a variety of forms, including 30 hours of face to face and/or online seminars (1-3 hours) and online sessions via a range of collaboration tools (e.g. ELE) |
| Guided Independent Study | 120 | Engagement with specific online materials, videos, preparations for academic tutorials, preparing for seminar activities, responding to seminar, online activities and collaborative group tasks |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 | Preparation for assignments |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Set readings |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 1,000 words | 1-8, 9, 11, 13 | Written tutor feedback |
| Critical reflection and discussion | Throughout the module (500 words) | 2-3, 7, 9, 11-12 | Written and oral peer feedback and oral tutor feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital portfolio | 70 | 5,000 words | 1-13 | Written summative feedback |
| Video blog (vlog) | 20 | 10 minutes (1,000 words) | 2-3, 6-7, 11, 13 | Written summative feedback |
| Reflective summary of contributions to online discussions | 10 | 500 words | 2-3, 6-13 | Written summative feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital portfolio | Digital portfolio (5,000 words) | 1-13 | 6 weeks |
| Video blog (vlog) | Video blog (10 minutes /1,000 words) | 2-3, 6, 7, 11, 13 | 6 weeks |
| Reflective summary of contributions to online discussions | Essay (500 words) | 2-3, 6-13 | 6 weeks |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Craft, A. (2011), Creativity and Educational Futures. Stoke on Trent: Trentham Books
Craft (2012) Childhood in a digital age: creative challenges for educational futures. London Review of Education. Vol. 10, No. 2, July 2012, 173–190
Facer, K., Craft, A., Jewitt, C., Mauger, S., Sandford, R., Sharples, M. (2011). Building Agency in the Face of Uncertainty. Outcome of ESRC Seminar Series on Educational Futures http://richardsandford.net/edfutures/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Building-Agency-in-the-Face-of-Uncertainty-Thinking-Tool.pdf
Gee, J. P., & Hayes, E. R. (2011). Language and learning in the digital age. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Gillen, J. & Barton, D. (2010). Digital literacies. https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/33471/1/DigitalLiteracies.pdf
Inayatullah, S. (2015). What works: Case studies in the practice of foresight. Taipei: Tamkang University Press.
Inayatullah, S. (2008). Mapping Educational Futures. In Bussey, M., Inayatullah, S., Milosevic, I. (eds). (2008). Alternative Educational Futures: pedagogies for emergent worlds. Rotterdam/Taipei: Sense Publishers
Pegrum, M. (2019) Mobile lenses on Learning: Languages and Literacies on the move. Singapore, Springer.
Selwyn, N. (2019). Should robots replace teachers? : AI and the future of education. Cambridge, Polity Press
Shaffer, D. W. (2007) How computer games help children to learn. New York: Palgrave/MacMillan
Steinkuehler, C., Squire, K. & Barab, S. (Eds) (2012). Games, learning, and society : learning and meaning in the digital age. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Wegerif, R. (2012) Dialogic: Education for the Internet Age. London, Routledge
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 2018 |
| Last revision date | 03/09/2020 |
