Advances in E-learning-Experiences and Methodologies
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A Heideggerian View on E-Learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on the cases. Obviously, at this level ICT can also<br />
enhance classroom teach<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Examples are:<br />
• The Technology Enhanced Active Learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
(TEAL) project at the Massachusetts Institute<br />
of Technology (MIT), where students<br />
learn physics mov<strong>in</strong>g seamlessly between<br />
non traditional lecture, h<strong>and</strong>s-on experiments,<br />
<strong>and</strong> discussion. Classrooms consist of<br />
13 tables with 9 students per table. Most of<br />
the student work <strong>in</strong>volves build<strong>in</strong>g, runn<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
<strong>and</strong> experiment<strong>in</strong>g with simulation models<br />
<strong>and</strong> then solv<strong>in</strong>g problems. No traditional<br />
lecture takes place; rather, professors <strong>and</strong><br />
their teach<strong>in</strong>g assistants walk around from<br />
table to table, see what <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g issues are<br />
unfold<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> occasionally <strong>in</strong>terrupt the<br />
entire class to discuss someth<strong>in</strong>g that a particular<br />
table is encounter<strong>in</strong>g (Brown, 2005).<br />
In particular, TEAL provides impressive<br />
media-rich visualizations <strong>and</strong> simulations<br />
delivered via laptops <strong>and</strong> the Internet that<br />
allows students to “see” what is otherwise<br />
impossible to see: electromagnetism, electrostatics,<br />
<strong>and</strong> so forth. By do<strong>in</strong>g this, the<br />
whole TEAL system throws students <strong>in</strong> the<br />
context of research <strong>in</strong> physics; also, every<br />
session start by concrete examples <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>volved<br />
practice.<br />
• A CD-ROM designed <strong>in</strong> a school of the<br />
Chamber of Commerce <strong>and</strong> Industry of<br />
Paris, which help students <strong>in</strong> prepar<strong>in</strong>g their<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess English exam. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the exam the<br />
students must read an article from the bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
press (Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Week, The Economist,<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ancial Times, Fortune, etc.) <strong>and</strong> then<br />
summarise the text <strong>in</strong> a discussion with<br />
the professor. Only 10 m<strong>in</strong>utes are allowed<br />
to the student to read <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong> the<br />
article <strong>and</strong> prepare the discussion that lasts<br />
for other 10 m<strong>in</strong>utes. The CD-ROM conta<strong>in</strong>s<br />
a r<strong>and</strong>om selection of ad hoc articles <strong>and</strong> has<br />
a dictionary that allow for rapid consultation<br />
of the most difficult words. An important<br />
feature is that the article disappears from the<br />
screen after 10 m<strong>in</strong>utes. In other words, the<br />
programme throws the student <strong>in</strong> the same<br />
situation the student will be <strong>in</strong> dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
exam <strong>and</strong> helps to prepare the discussion;<br />
also it gives the students a vast repertoire of<br />
cases on the topic to be learned. Technology<br />
is “easy to use,” “ready at h<strong>and</strong>.”<br />
• The Practicum <strong>in</strong> Law at the Open University<br />
of Catalonia is an onl<strong>in</strong>e simulation of the<br />
practical tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g that students must run <strong>in</strong><br />
law firms. The students access a simulated<br />
office (with tables, chairs, computers, telephones,<br />
law books, <strong>and</strong> a virtual boss) where<br />
there is some work to do. The virtual boss<br />
asks someth<strong>in</strong>g of the student by lett<strong>in</strong>g<br />
messages on the virtual table which, after<br />
click<strong>in</strong>g on, the student can read. All of<br />
the documentation necessary to do what is<br />
requested is available. The student must do<br />
the requested work, fill the documents, <strong>and</strong><br />
send them to the boss (<strong>in</strong> fact, a professor)<br />
who will comment <strong>and</strong> suggest actions to<br />
take. The process cont<strong>in</strong>ues until the work is<br />
completely done. Aga<strong>in</strong>, the system throws<br />
the learner <strong>in</strong> the situation where the learner<br />
must know <strong>and</strong>, <strong>in</strong> the context of the practice,<br />
must master, always start<strong>in</strong>g by local <strong>and</strong><br />
concrete examples.<br />
At level “Competent,” if one wants to learn a<br />
motor skill, it is necessary to enter a face-to-face<br />
apprenticeship. At this level, master<strong>in</strong>g karate<br />
needs a significant experience <strong>in</strong> fight<strong>in</strong>g because<br />
it is <strong>in</strong> fights (<strong>and</strong> not <strong>in</strong> exercises) where one will<br />
be confronted to breakdowns (caused by the opponent).<br />
Furthermore, the same applies when learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a dance <strong>and</strong> a collective sport: ICT can only<br />
help to record the learner movements <strong>and</strong> separate<br />
it <strong>in</strong>to its elements <strong>in</strong> order to analyse errors, as it<br />
is done with high performance athletes.<br />
In learn<strong>in</strong>g a cognitive skill at this level,<br />
ICT can still support significant enhancements,