AUC Academic Conference 'From Virtual to Reality' The University of Queensland 1996

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Paper Title:

Transforming Teaching and
Learning with IT

Presenter:

Mark Perry, University of Auckland

Authors:

Cathy Gunn, CAL & IT Adviser
Mark Perry, Lecturer and Systems Manager
University of Auckland

(contact details)

Keywords: Integration Strategies, Computer Assisted Learning

Faculty area: Law

Abstract

Bringing CAL into the mainstream of tertiary teaching requires attention to more than development of good educational programs and provision of access to suitable hardware. As the state of technology progresses, these two issues, though never simple, have at least become realistic and quantifiable prospects. However, successful integration of CAL into courses also requires consideration of the pedagogical, social and cultural issues that characterize learning environments. Where these factors are not given due consideration, resources may be inefficiently used and lasting, poor impressions can easily be created.

Many claims have been made about how learning can be enhanced and students' and staff time more efficiently used where CAL is introduced. While there is usually ample evidence to support such claims, they should be looked at in the context they were observed in rather than adopted as general guidelines. This paper presents some practical examples from different academic disciplines where the integration of CAL has succeeded, and looks at how success was achieved and measured. From these examples, some conclusions may be drawn about important factors that should be considered but are often ignored, in situations where innovative CAL resources are being developed and / or introduced.

Potential vs reality

In the early days of computer assisted learning, (CAL), limitations of the underlying learning models and lack of student access to computers were largely to blame for limited educational success. By the start of the 1990s, it had become apparent that, despite increased availability of high specification desktop computers and good quality educational software for many subjects, the recognized potential of CAL was still not being fully achieved. A number of research studies were designed to investigate why the projected learning efficiency and effectiveness benefits were not being realized, despite major advances in these supporting technologies, (see eg Ellis, 1992; Hammond, Gardner et al. 1992; Geoghegan 1994), The findings of this research identified the major problems as being the lack of attention paid to the pedagogical, social and political aspects of integrating CAL into mainstream educational practice. It was noted that, although institutional policy statements appeared to be in favour of moves towards open, flexible and computer aided learning, most tertiary institutions were failing to actively support academics who wished to introduce innovative CAL resources into courses, (Hammond, Gardner et al. 1992). This lack of support took many forms, including :

In view of this, it is little wonder that relatively few academics considered that serious commitment to adoption of this new technology represented productive use of their time.

Another major problem is the low status (read "and salary!"), of many technical staff involved in educational software development in comparison to their counterparts in the commercial world. As instructional designers and multimedia developers, these individuals are expected to understand, and even sometimes to perform the functions of an academic. Often they are required to be equally well qualified, as well as proficient in graphic design, programming, needs analysis and systems design. While the status of these positions remains ambiguous, it will be hard to recruit and keep good staff in educational multimedia development positions. The problem in this respect may lie in the lack of awareness among management of the significant functions these new positions fulfil.

In a purely educational sense, a further limitation to integration of CAL was identified in the way programs are presented to students, The problem is illustrated with the comment,

"only occasionally is there a clear correspondence between an exam item and a piece of CAL". (Draper, Brown et al. 1996).

While it is not suggested that exams should be the sole test of knowledge of the course content, they are, not surprisingly, a well known motivational force for students. The immediate implication is that CAL is not always perceived as offering direct support for learning and achievement in the context of established courses The wider implication is that programs which are simply made available for use as optional extras or are only loosely related to course content and objectives are not very likely to prove successful. Educational research of a more general nature long ago identified the low levels of motivation inherent in this approach. Further problems arise where there is no compelling reason to use CAL, and little introductory support is provided for adoption of new ways of learning, (Gunn, 1995). Where resources such as CAL are part of a whole new technology which learners may not yet be fully familiar or confident with, it is even less likely that notable successes will be achieved with this "laissez faire" approach.

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Strategies for change

Despite a number of integration-related problems, there is strong evidence to support claims about the potential of CAL to enhance teaching and learning which adheres to the traditional 'transmission' model, (Swan & Mitrani 1993). Equally, if not more importantly, there are clear indications of a new model of the teaching-learning relationship evolving from the capabilities of modern technology and current beliefs about what constitutes effective learning in higher education, (Sorge et al. 1994). Although visible progress towards achievement of significant change is slow to appear in some quarters, there are also notable successes which clearly point to the future direction of CAL technology in rapidly expanding higher education systems. In addition to the institutional factors outlined above, a real deterrent to progress may be the lack of awareness and commitment among tertiary teachers to a technology which promises to revolutionize their professional lives.

A new model of learning

Regardless of whether a transmission or a constructivist strategy is applied, the educational model that can be promoted by CAL is characterized by learner autonomy, student centred learning and is process rather than content centred, (Ellington 1995). It is proposed that this model promotes deeper, more effective learning than the reproductive strategies that result from some existing teaching practice. Given the significant difference between this and the more traditional teacher centred model, it can reasonably be expected that considerable support is needed to help students and staff cope with the transition. A lack of support for this rates among the strong influences on the slow pace of development and change, and underlies the argument for a 'bottom up' approach to the process.

Support and integration

The issues of support and integration have been approached from a number of different angles. Looking at some notable successes, it is possible to draw general conclusions about what represents an appropriate strategy. Two institutions, The University of Otago and Queensland University of Technology, are considered exemplars of successful integration strategies. From very modest beginnings, both have created widely accessible and applicable programmes of computer based education. The chosen strategies involved developments driven by the introduction of simple applications which did not aim to replace teachers or attempt to cater for all needs of students of the subject. Instead, CAL programs were designed to address a narrow and clearly defined aspect of the learning process in areas where the content is stable and the number of students may be large. The overall conception was that CAL should be used as a form of tutorial rather than a primary delivery mechanism for content material or a replacement for lectures. Contrary to this approach are some examples from among the 76 UK TLTP (Teaching and Learning Technology Program) projects. Most of these projects aimed at development of generally applicable programmes which would stand alone as deliverers of content and be useful to institutions outside the development environment. Various publications identify the difficulties associated with this strategy. The 'not invented here' syndrome is rife, staff in other institutions are not familiar enough or willing enough to change the way they teach to accommodate someone else's ideas of how their subject should be delivered and so the end result has been a poor success rate for a significant number of the projects. While it is not intended to suggest that TLTP achieved few major successes, widespread integration does appear to be problematic in some cases.

The main strategy for success seems to be to start by addressing small and specific areas of learning and to aim for generalisation later if initial experience suggests this is an appropriate development. It may also be significant that staff in institutions adopting the 'bottom up' approach become more technologically aware and literate as a result of being closer to the design and development process. Actually seeing the implementation process through which conceptions of how technology can support teaching and learning become reality helps to promote realistic expectations of what can be achieved.

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Course design and CAL

Strategies to integrate CAL into courses, should concentrate on learning outcomes as the main objective. Increased student access to computers, higher specification machines and more student hours in front of a screen regardless of the activity that takes place there are not generally the most productive driving forces. With this in mind, an instructional strategy including the integrated use of CAL is required. This includes :

In fact, the proposed integration strategy does not differ in principle from course design involving more traditional resources. However, the characteristics of learning with CAL are often quite different and so is the underlying model of the teaching - learning process.

Models of learning for computer based education

Dan Ellis from QUT describes some different conceptual models for the use of CAL, (Ellis, 1994). One strategy defines CAL as a "learning catalysis", and describes this as the use of CAL as a catalyst to enhance the interaction between student and learning resources, In this model, students use CAL to provide guidance and structured experience that aids the use of other resources such as texts, tutorials, peers and lectures.

In addition to this attractive and simple model, is the concept of CAL as a teacher through Socratic dialogue, and as a workhorse which carries the burden of large class management in basic level, general subjects, such as mathematics, statistics, economics, accounting, chemistry etc. Yet another model sees the computer as a tool for knowledge processing, communication and presentation. This model offers greatest efficiencies in terms of access to remote sources of information and collaborative work in non-contact situations.

Cases of successful integration

Examples of successful implementation of each of these models can be found in the literature. Some characteristics relate to the particular model while others may be regarded as general to the integration of all types of CAL. The first among these principles being to provide compelling reasons for both staff and students to adopt the new technology. This requires provision of adequate support for the use of CAL as well as clear objectives for doing so. An example of such reasons is described in the following scenario.

A lecturer in human anatomy was experiencing increasing difficulty with management of large classes and limited access to facilities necessary for practical laboratory classes. It was suggested that a workable solution might be to replace some of the practical work with CAL tutorials. This could not only provide more opportunity for students to access study resources, it could also alleviate the high demand on the lecturer's time by promoting greater autonomy and peer support through collaborative working with computer based tutorials. The CAL tutorials were closely linked to course requirements and it was made clear that all the material covered was important and might feature in terms tests and end of year exams. The tutorial design was based on the principles of active learning and encouraged students to refer to recommended texts and lecture notes. Finally, the tutorials were scheduled during normal class times. Results of a subsequent evaluation study showed that both staff and students had been able to use their time more efficiently because of the introduction of CAL. The classroom, laboratory and CAL sessions were found to promote complementary aspects of learning. As a result, it was concluded that the overall quality of learning outcomes was improved. Motivation levels also appeared to be increased, and a test for transfer suggested that learning with computer based tutorials transferred well to practical situations. Full details of this case study have been reported elsewhere, (Gunn & Maxwell, 1996). This scenario implements both the Socratic dialogue and the learning catalysis models and demonstrates how benefits can be achieved through integration of simple CAL tutorials with appropriately designed, paper based exercises driving the interaction.

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A second example involves the use of multimedia, case based study aids for legal education, (Perry & Gunn, 1995). Access to WWW resources including relevant statutes and cases was available directly from within the CAL program. In this case, the CAL used a Socratic dialogue model which required students to find supporting evidence for their decisions. This was embedded within a simulated courtroom environment and students had to take the place of a judge presiding over cases. The CAL was again introduced as an integral part of the course and scheduled for use during class time. Students not only found it a more interesting way to learn than the normal 'chalk and talk' delivery, it also gave them a broader perspective on the subject because they were able to engage in self directed exploration of relevant information and to examine incorrect decisions as well as correct ones. The initial objective of introducing this program had been to reduce the constant need for employment of a large number of hard-to-find, qualified tutors to support students taking compulsory law papers. Although the program has not yet been fully developed due to lack of funds, the evaluation suggested that this objective could realistically be met.

Conclusions

There are many examples of the successful integration of CAL into courses, but the two described above include a number of the major pedagogical factors that need to be addressed, ie :

In addition to these pedagogical considerations, factors related to the wider context of the learning environment often prove to be important. For example, it may be the case that the target group of learners already work in an environment where autonomy and self direction are common practice, On the other hand, it may be necessary to provide support for such changes in classroom culture. An ongoing problem that plagues many institutions is limited access to hardware and it is not fair to expect students to use compulsory resources that are not easily available to them. Adequate planning can avoid this situation, which is improving all the time. Another factor that continues to block the effective integration of CAL is the lack of appropriate staff development. Until now, CAL has tended to remain in the domain of those who became committed early on and whose working knowledge of the technology allowed them to reap the benefits while their contemporaries remain at the stage of using computers purely as administration tools. However, the staff development aspect itself is frequently blocked by a lack of institutional support and until this situation is changed, developments may remain isolated and poorly co ordinated. More and more universities are establishing staff advisory positions and educational media development centres of some description. Although it is not in the nature of large, traditional institutions such as universities to change radically in a short space of time, if we are prepared to be patient, these smaller developments look set to add up to the information revolution we have all been promised. This adequately reflects the preferred approach to integration of CAL into tertiary education, from small beginnings to great achievements.

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Bibliography

Draper, S. W., M. I. Brown, et al. (1996 in press). "Integrative Evaluation : An Emerging Role for Classroom Studies of CAL." Computers and Education , CAL '95 Special Edition.

Ellis, D. (1994). Learning Catalysis and Other Concepts in Computer Based Education. APITITE 94.

Ellington, H. (1995). "Educational Innovation - Where Are We Now? A Critical Review of Recent Developments." Innovation and Learning in Education : The International Journal for the Reflective Practitioner 1(1): 15-20.

Geoghegan, W. (1994). What Ever Happened to Instructional Technology, IBM Consulting.

Gunn, C. (1995). Beyond Usability : Evaluating Educational Effectiveness of CBL. Improving Student Learning Through Assessment and Evaluation :, Oxford, England, Oxford Centre for Staff Development.

Gunn, C. and L. Maxwell (1996, in press). "CAL in Human Anatomy." Journal of Computer Assisted Learning

Hammond, N., N. Gardner, et al. (1992). "Blocks to the Effective Use of Information Technology in Higher Education." Computers and Education 18(1-3): 155-162.

Perry, M. and C. Gunn (1995). The Virtual Court : A Computer Assisted Legal Instruction Program. The Second Australasian Conference on Computer Assisted Learning, Sydney University of Technology.

Sorge, D. H., J. D. Russell, et al. (1994). Implementing Multimedia Based Learning : Today and Tomorrow. Multimedia Computing : Preparing for the 21st century. Reisman S. Harrisburg and London, Idea Group Publishing.

Swan, K. and M. Mitrani (1993). "The Changing Nature of Teaching and Learning in Computer Based Classrooms." Journal of Research on Computing in Education 26(1): 41-54.

Contact Details

Cathy Gunn,
CAL & IT Adviser,
Centre for Professional Development,
Private Bag 92019,
University of Auckland,
Auckland, New Zealand

Tel 64 9 373 7577 ext 8354
Fax 64 373 7474

Email ca.gunn@auckland.ac.nz

Mark Perry
Lecturer and Systems Manager
Faculty of Law
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019,
Auckland, New Zealand

Tel 64 9 373 7599 ext 5632

Email mark@law.auckland.ac.nz

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