e-learning as a project of cultural change ian chowcat – project director

E-LEARNING AS A PROJECT OF CULTURAL

CHANGE Ian Chowcat – Project Director

This is South Yorkshire…..

£72m investment

38,000 learners

150 schools and libraries

450 SMEs

13,000 plus pieces of kit

21,000 individuals getting qualifications

1 VLE – shortly turning into a learning portal

“The focus has shifted to an interpretation of the project as a vehicle for cultural change using a significant IT implementation programme to facilitate it, rather than primarily an ICT programme”

SQW Year 2 Evaluation report

Cultural change = doing things differently – but why should people and organisations change?

If e-learning is a vehicle for changing the culture of

education, who (or what) is the driver?

Learner autonomy

Informal learning

Constructivism

E-learning as enabler

But if e-learning is of only instrumental value something else is driving cultural change.

Is the driver educational theory….or social change?

Avoid technological determinism….

…and social and educational utopianism

What matters is what people are doing with technology…

InteractCommunicateTransactionsFind

informationPlan and book

trips

Grab resources

Download media

Play gamesShare

….and how they are changing society - and themselves

Education should change because people are using it to change the way they work and

live

It’s about what we teach as well as how we teach…..

….digital natives need teachers

So, e-learning is about change:

o People and society not technology and educational theory

o Curriculum rather than pedagogy o The social and economic

relevance of education, not raising attainment

o Rich life chances in a digital world, not technophile utopianism