Course : Academic Writing
Instructor : M. Verheggen, MSc
Student : Els Wegerif
Student number : 2033992
Program & group : PM ‘ EST Group 1
Tittle review : Contribution of new technologies to a heutagogical approach to student learning
Number of words : 1691
Sudmission date : 28-10-2017
Contribution of new technologies to a heutagogical approach to student learning
A literature review
1. Introduction
The professional world is rapidly changing, influenced by different factors, including development of technologies. These developments require not only adjustment of professionals but also adaption of the current education to prepare students for jobs that do not even exist during their study phase.
To prepare students for this complex professional world, a paradigm shift in education is essential. Education on students’ knowledge solely is no longer sufficient, hence developing of competencies and capabilities are essential to stand firm in the future professional world surrounded by the newest technologies.
By making students more capable and competent to handle changes and engage them in this education, the shift from pedagogy to heutagogy, through andragogy, already occurred in the past years. Heutagogy applies a holistic approach to developing learner capabilities, with learning as an active and proactive process, and learners serving as ‘the major agent in their own learning, which occurs as a result of personal experiences’ (Hase & Kenyon, 2007, p.112).
Furthermore, to preparing students to the complex and rapidly changing professional world, it is crucial to involve the latest technology in teaching. As Canning (2010) explains, the technological development will support students’ ‘self-directedness, a capability that is essential in preparing lifelong learners for the complexities of today’s workforce’ (as cited by by Blascke, 2014, p. 2) To further refine the positive effects of new technologies in a heutagogy, the following research question will be discussed in this review:
‘To what extend are new technologies contributing to the heutagogical approach to student learning?’
The paper contains two parts. In the first part of the paper, the paradigm shift from pedagogy to heutagogy through andragogy is explained. The outcomes of self-determined learning for students in capabilities and competencies are described in this part. The second part of the paper focusses on new technologies applied to educational approach. The part ends with the positive effects of new technologies in a heutagogical approach. This will show the importance of the paradigm shift in education in order to prepare learners for their future professional world, where not only knowledge but also competencies and capabilities combined with new technologies are required.
2. Heutagogical approach to education
2.1 The paradigm shift from pedagogy to heutagogy explained
The paradigm shift in pedagogy moved education for a long period of time, and has been studied increasingly. The reconceptualization of pedagogy is described by Garnet (2010) as ‘moving from pedagogy (teacher directed learning) to andragogy (student centred learning) and finally toward heutagogy (student directed learning)’ (as cited in Cochrane & Narayan, 2013, p.2). The focus in educations shifts from teacher to student. A characteristic progress in the shift from pedagogy to heutagogy is the contribution to maturing of learners and therefor becoming more self-directed in the learning environment. (Canning, 2010). And so, the maturing and autonomy skills of students will prepare them for the complex, innovative professional world.
Because of applying the heutagogical approach, the learning environment is no longer teacher directed but student directed, the role of the teacher is correspondingly reconceptualised. The teacher becomes supporter and facilitator of learners, to let them develop their self-directedness (Abraham & Komattil, 2017). As confirmed by Hase (2009), in heutagogy, ‘the learner sets the learning course, designing and developing the map of learning from curriculum to assessment’ (as cited by Blaschke, 2012, p. 61). Thus, by referring to the self in self-directed learning, it is the learner who manages his own development (Bullock, 2013). Students become more responsible for their own learning and learning outcomes.
2.2 Desired outcomes of heutagogical approach in education
The paradigm shift in education leads accordingly to shift in learning outcomes. The focus of learning outcomes formerly lies on competences but currently implies capabilities as well. Capabilities are capacities of learners used to perform new and uncertain situations (Hase, 2011; Sturmbers & Farmer, 2009), such as students’ future workplace. As Sturmberg and Farmer (2009) are explaining, preparing students for the complex new professional field, involves capability development in the curriculum rather than competence development solely. To further describe, some examples of those capabilities are: ‘knowing how to learn, working well with others, creativity, critical thinking, empathy, self-confidence’ (Blascke, 2014, p.3). Additionally, the learners’ development on meta-cognitive knowledge, which can be described as the knowledge of demands, is an outstanding example of a capability deriving from heutagogical approach (Vallance & Towndrow, 2016).
Further explained, the capability of meta cognitive knowledge will help learners in their meta-learning. ‘Meta-learning is learning how to learn’ (Valance & Towndrow, 2016, p.6) together with others to eventually apply this learning in real life context and contribute to society. Blaschke (2014) points out the awareness of the individual learning process and the cognitive developments as most relevant results of meta-cognitive learning in educational approach. Since capabilities as meta-cognitive knowledge focus on ongoing development of learners, the results will progress even after courses at school.
‘
These capabilities are also known as twenty-first century skills, learners develop themselves as lifelong learners. As cited by Ashton & Newman (2006), ‘lifelong learners are concerned with continually developing themselves and others by updating their skills’. To continually develop and update the skills of twenty-first learners, technology is a crucial transformer (Traxler, 2010). Social media tools are one of those technologies that enables learners to direct their own learning and develop the learner as independent life-long learner (Rahimi, Van den Berg, & Veen, as cited in Blaschke, 2014). Thus, new technologies will play an increasing role in shaping lifelong learners in heutagogy.
3. Technology in education
3.1 Focus on different kinds of new technologies
As mentioned earlier, new technologies are developing expeditiously and already are applied in current education. Valance & Towndrow (2016) identified different types of technologies applied in education and categorized them as follow: ‘management systems (e.g. Blackboard, Moodle), social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) stand-alone applications (e.g. Microsoft Office) and dedicated hardware for education (e.g. Interactive Whiteboards)’. The different types of technologies improve not only the curriculum but correspondingly the management and design of education. The use of technologies in education is increasing and social media tools are reviewed to be the leading new technology used in learning environments (Blascke, 2014).
Social media tools are one of the most common new technologies applied in both pedagogy and heutagogy. Social media provide a ‘mobile ecology’ (p. 153) where students and teacher benefit from the advantages of new technologies (Narayan & Herrington, 2014). It empowers students to create, communicate and collaborate efficient and effectively (Cochrane & Bateman, 2010) by creating groups and work together on the same project at the same time. As described by Kukulska-Hulme (2010), these new technologies are identified as catalysts for the paradigm shift in pedagogy. Some examples of those social media tools that could facilitate this are Google Communities, Google Docs, Evernote and Skype. Social media tools, as example of new technologies, contribute to the learning of students by enabling them to manage their own learning.
3.2 New technologies effectively applied in heutagogical approach
The managing and determining of own learning is previously described as a heutagogical approach to learning. The new technologies are reviewed to positively affect this self-determined learning. Kenyon & Hase (as cited by Ashton & Newman, 2006) even state that the paradigm shift in education occurred as a result of new technologies by increasing availability of information. The positive effects of new technologies on heutagogy are explained. First of all, the accessibility of new information, enables learners to discover, collect and share this information and therefor strength their self-determined learning activities (Blascke, 2012). By adapting the context, new technologies make it even possible to direct the learning in a value manner for real world challenges (Narayan & Herrington, 2014). In heutagogical approach, the positive effects of using new technologies are increasing support for self-determined learning activities.
A second advantage of using new technologies in determination of its own learning, the learner’s engagement increases. Current students become more familiar with new technologies by using them in private life increasingly and become digitally competent. Abraham and Komattil (2017) state that the advantages of social media tools such as ‘connectivity, interaction and information abundance’ (p.297) makes this new technology it a suitable medium for a heutagogical approach of student learning. The engagement of students in their own learning through new technologies, takes place at different levels. Blaschke (2014) determines three learner engagement levels: ‘student ‘ student, student ‘ instructor and student ‘ content’ (p. 2). All three levels will increase with the active use of social media tools. And so, by increasing students’ engagement, learning becomes more interesting and thus more effective.
Along with increase support of self- determined learning activities and increased engagement, new technologies in heutagogical approach stimulates the development of meta-cognitive skills. These skills, such as ‘reflection, critical thinking, construction of knowledge and understanding of one’s individual learning process’ develop effectively by using social media (Blascke, 2014, p. 2). This mostly caused by the increasing available technological tools that makes the development of those meta-cognitive skills easier and therefor attractive. Since the meta-cognitive skill is one of the essential skills for twenty-first learning, the encouragement through use of new technologies is a significant advantage (Bullock, 2013; Vallance & Towndrow, 2016). The developed meta-cognitive skills will accordingly prepare student for their further workplace.
4. Conclusion
The paradigm shift in education leads from pedagogy through andragogy to heutagogy. The heutagogical approach to student learning enables learners to determine their learning needs and learning activities for themselves. The increasing availability of new technologies affects this self-determined learning in education increasingly. The advantages of applying new technologies in a heutagogical approach to student learning are reviewed in this paper and show positive relations between new technologies and effective learning.
Yet, the positive results of this review must be further discovered over time in extensive research. Since the new technologies are developing rapidly, a continuous research on effective use in learning environment is required. Accordingly, not only new technologies but also education and the professional world are changing simultaneously and therefor require extending adjustments over time in order to prepare students for their professional life.
‘
5. References
Abraham, R. R., & Komattil, R. (2017). Heutagogic approach to developing capable learners. Medical teacher, 39 (3), 295-299. doi:10.1080/0142159X.2017.1270433
Ashton, J. & Newman, L. (2006). An unfinished symphony: 21st century teacher education using knowledge creating heutagogies. British Journal of Educational Technology, 37: 825’840. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00662.x
Blaschke, L. M. (2012). Heutagogy and lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and self-determined learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 13 (1), 56-71. Retrieved from: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1076/2087
Blaschke, L. M. (2014). Using social media to engage and develop the online learner in self-determined learning. Research in Learning Technology. 2014; 22. doi:10.3402/rlt.v22.21635.
Bullock, S. M. (2013). Using digital technologies to support self-directed learning for preservice teacher education. Curriculum Journal, 24 (1), 103-120. doi:10.1080/09585176.2012.744695
Canning, N. (2010). Playing with heutagogy: Exploring strategies to empower mature learners in higher education. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 34 (1), 59-71. doi: 10.1080/03098770903477102
Cochrane, T., & Bateman, R. (2010). Smartphones give you wings: Pedagogical affordances of mobile Web 2.0. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26 (1), 1-14. doi:10.14742/ajet.1098
Cochrane, T., & Narayan, V. (2013). Redesigning professional development: reconceptualising teaching using social learning technologies. Research in Learning Technology, 21(1), 19226. doi:10.3402/rlt.v21i0.19226
Hase, S. & Kenyon, C. (2007). Heutagogy: A child of complexity theory. Complicity: An International Journal of Complexity and Education, 4 (1), 111-119. Retrieved from: https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/complicity/index.php/complicity/article/view/8766/7086
Hase, S. (2009). Heutagogy and e-learning in the workplace: Some challenges and opportunities. Impact: Journal of Applied Research in Workplace E-learning, 1(1), 43-52. doi:10.5043/impact.13
Hase, S. (2011). Learner defined curriculum: Heutagogy and action learning in vocational training. Southern Institute of Technology Journal of Applied Research, 1-10. Retrieved from: https://academia.edu/download/36933192/Heutagogy_and_AR.pdf
Kukulska-Hulme, A. (2010) Mobile learning as a catalyst for change. Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, vol. 25, pp. 181-185. doi:10.1080/02680513.2010.511945
Narayan, V., & Herrington, J. (2014). Towards a theoretical mobile heutagogy framework. In B. Hegarty, J. McDonald, & S.-K. Loke (Eds.), Rhetoric and Reality: Critical perspectives on educational technology. Proceedings ascilite Dunedin 2014 (pp. 150-160). Retrieved from: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/26680/
Sturmberg, J. P., & Farmer, L. (2009). Educating capable doctors’A portfolio approach. Linking learning and assessment. Medical teacher, 31(3), e85-e89. doi: 10.1080/01421590802512912
Traxler, J. (2010). Will student devices deliver innovation, inclusion and transformation? Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology (RCET), 6(1), 3-15. Retrieved from: http://rcetj.org/index.php/rcetj/article/viewFile/56/177
Vallance, M., & Towndrow, P. A. (2016). Pedagogic transformation, student-directed design and computational thinking. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 11(3), 218-234. doi: 10.1080/1554480X.2016.1182437