Thinking Skills and Creativity in the Internet Age
| Module title | Thinking Skills and Creativity in the Internet Age |
|---|---|
| Module code | EFPM916 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Judith Kleine Staarman (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 25 |
|---|
Module description
In this module you will critically explore the role of digital technology in education and education futures with the aim of developing a critical and holistic understanding of 21st century education.
We will draw on current social perspectives on education, that foreground the importance of dialogue, thinking skills and creativity in our networked lives. We will consider some of the key issues that impact education, such as datafication, inclusion and trust, while also exploring some of the ways in which education is changing because of the advent of technology, for instance through the lens of digital and data literacies, the role of AI in education and the possible role of neuroscience for education.
Lastly, we will look towards the future by exploring futures thinking and sustainable digital futures for education.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The main aims of the module are:
- To introduce you to social perspectives of learning with new technologies and to develop your understanding of the way in which technology, creativity and thinking skills can be integrated in education
- To explore key issues around educational technology, such as digital literacies, sustainability and inclusion
- To introduce you to a range of theories, methodologies and research that are central to understanding the role of technology for education and education futures
- To enable you to critically explore the connections and tensions that may exist between theories and practices, and also between the needs and aims of different stakeholders in education technology (teachers, learners, policy makers, commercial companies, etc)
- To encourage you to critically consider the ways in which technologies may shape the ways in which you understand education and pedagogy, and vice versa – both now and in the future.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate a sound understanding of theories and methodologies which have underpinned the study of technology in education.
- 2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the significance of technology, thinking skills and creativity in education and pedagogy
- 3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the different ways in which new technologies impact education, learning and pedagogy
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Demonstrate the ability to critically examine issues around technologies in education and to draw sound conclusions based on relevant and related theories, research and practice.
- 5. Synthesise and analyse ideas and research findings in relation to technology, creativity and thinking skills in education in order to reflect on, question and inform your own educational practice and future
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Present and communicate ideas clearly, reflectively and creatively, in oral, written and multimodal formats
- 7. Synthesise and organise ideas to present an argument
- 8. Undertake both directed and independent study to recognise, justify and analyse key ideas in the literature
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover at least some of the following topics:
Theories for connected learning
Creativity and digital futures
Digital literacies
Data-literate schools
Critical thinking in a digital world
Digital technology and inclusion
The role of AI in education
Networked technologies: global dialogues or echo chambers
Neuroscience in education
Sustainable digital futures
You will be provided with opportunities to discuss ideas with peers, both through online media and face-to-face in seminars throughout the module.
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 | 30 hours of teaching sessions (comprising of lectures, workshops and seminars), including on campus teaching and/or asynchronous online teaching for relevant topics. |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 | Preparation for assignments |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Set readings |
| Guided Independent Study | 120 | Engagement with specific online materials, videos, preparing for seminar activities, responding to seminar |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written reflection | 500 words | 2-8 | Written 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theorised essay and critique | 50 | 2,500 words | 1-8 | Written |
| Digital educational artefact and reflection | 50 | 2,000 equivalent + 500 words reflection | 1-8 | Written |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theorised essay and critique | Theorised essay and critique (2500 words) | 1-8 | 6 weeks |
| Digital educational artefact and reflection | Digital educational artefact and reflection (2,500 words) | 1-8 | 6 weeks |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Alexander, R. (2018). Developing dialogic teaching: genesis, process, trial. Research Papers in Education, 33(5). pp. 561-598
Beghetto, R. A., & Kaufman, J. C. (2007). Toward a broader conception of creativity: A case for 'mini-c' creativity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 1(2), 73-79 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/26aa/096578798a27c093bae0a66ceb701a543931.pdf
Brown, John Seely and Douglas Thomas. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change. World Future Review (World Future Society), Vol. 3(2), p115-117
CASTELLS, Manuel (2000). The Rise of the Network Society. Blackwell.
Craft, A. (2005). Creativity in schools: tensions and dilemmas. Abingdon: Routledge Falmer.
Gormley, K. (2020) Neoliberalism and the discursive construction of ‘creativity’, Critical Studies in Education, 61:3, 313-328, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2018.1459762
Higgins, S. (2015) 'A recent history of teaching thinking.', in The Routledge international handbook of research on teaching thinking. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 19-28. The Routledge international handbook series.
Kirschner, P. & Stoyanov, S. (2018). Educating Youth for Nonexistent/Not Yet Existing Professions. Educational Policy. Pp. 1-41.
Kleine Staarman, J. & Ametller, J. (2019). Pedagogical link-making with digital technology in science classrooms: new perspectives on connected learning. In The Routledge International Handbook of Research on Dialogic Education. Mercer, N., Wegerif R., Major, L. (Eds). London: Routledge
Lee, C. and Soep, E. (2016). None But Ourselves Can Free Our Minds: Critical Computational Literacy as a Pedagogy of Resistance. Equity & Excellence in Education 49.
Littleton, K. and Mercer, N. (2013). Interthinking: Putting talk to work. Abingdon: Routledge.
Mercer, N., Hennessy, S., & Warwick, P. (2019). Dialogue, Thinking Together and Digital Technology in the Classroom: Some Educational Implications of a Continuing Line of Inquiry. International Journal of Educational Researchhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2017.08.007
Pithers, R. T., & Soden, R. (2000). Critical thinking in education: a review. Educational Research, 42:3, 237-249. DOI: 10.1080/001318800440579
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/articles/connectivism.htmWegerif, R.B. (2011). Towards a dialogic theory of how children learn to think. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 6(3), 179-190.
Swart, J. (2021). Experiencing Algorithms: How Young People Understand, Feel About, and Engage With Algorithmic News Selection on Social Media. Social Media + Society, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211008828
Wegerif, R. (2013). Dialogic: Education for the Internet Age. London and New York: Routledge.
Wegerif, R, Kaufman, J. C. & Li , L., (2015). Routledge International Handbook of Research on Teaching Thinking. Routledge.
Wing, J. M. (2006). Computational Thinking. Communications of the ACM, 24(3), 33.
| 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 | 25/05/2018 |
| Last revision date | 21/04/2023 |
