Connecting communities

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Creating an Online Learning Ecology in Support of Mathematical Literacy Teachers	The introduction of Mathematical Literacy (ML) as a compulsory subject for all learners in the South African Further Education and Training (FET) band who do not take Mathematics, created several challenges for teachers of this new subject. ML teachers struggle with a variety of issues ranging from lack of adequate training, diverse textbook interpretations, differing philosophical views on the importance of context versus content, negative parent and learner perceptions, assessment, diverse multilingual and multicultural settings and a lack of resources, to name but a few. This paper will give a short background of some of the issues, as well as report on the difficult journey through technology in the quest to establish an online ecology of learning for mathematical literacy teachers.
Digital Learning Ecosystems: Authoring, Collaboration, Immersion and Mobility	The dissemination of digital technology in the past decades has made digital media part of children’s everyday life and can be used to support learning activities inside and outside schools in formal and informal situations. The design of such tools should consider learners’ access to technology in these different contexts. We propose a Digital Learning Ecosystem Model, which similarly to nature ecosystems consists of species, populations and communities interacting with each other and with the environment. The proposed model supports the analysis of four important learning tools’ aspects: authoring, collaboration, immersion and mobility. The model was applied to recently developed learning tools and pointed out their characteristics and how they can be extended.
Dynamic Approach in the Application of ICT Models in the provision of Flexible Learning for Distance Education (Peer Reviewed)	Unisa, the mega dedicated ODL institution in Southern Africa, its mandate is to empower and afford the employed, unemployed and less privileged learners the essential skills they wish to possess in their lifelong learning careers. Lately, Unisa experiences great amount of pressure – with delivery, client satisfaction and global competition as the main questions to answer following its recent merger. In its quest for qualitative educational delivery, new Unisa sees its ICT models (myUnisa & DVC), as its vital flexible tools for attainment of blended learning. Therefore it is the purpose of this research to establish to what extent has new Unisa achieved its targets as flexible delivery institution through use of its models. Does the application of ICTs facilitate and enhance learning at Unisa in line with teaching and learning, as intended? If not the case, what could be the problems and their solutions.
Mobile Learning at Makerere University	The rapid technological development in mobile phones coupled with their rapid diffusion into all walks of life has instigated various sectors to exploit them for various purposes aimed at enhancing organizational efficiency and flexibility. The communication, business, financial, banking and education sectors have developed and continue to develop applications for mobile phones. Our research sought to evaluate an initiative introduced at Makerere University’s Department of Distance Education (Mobile Research Supervision Initiative – MRSI), for guiding (using mobile phones) distance learners who were completing their final year field research projects. The study adopted a mixed methods research approach, employing a self administered semi-structured questionnaire/survey, in-depth interviews and document review methods for data collection. Results from the evaluation have indicated that the mobile phone can: i) facilitate the creation of a virtual community of practice amongst research students and their supervisors, ii) increase research project paper completion rate and hence students’ throughput, iii) create a customer care feeling amongst students, and iv) breed intimacy amongst the alumni and their institution. The results of this study could be used to inform the development of mobile learning policy and pedagogy for developing countries.
TEACHING '2.0'	This presentation explores the branding of ‘web 2.0’ enacted by the O’ Reilly Media Group on various preexisting web-based technologies in 2003. What is ‘web 2.0’? More precisely, what is ‘2.0’, and what are its values? Is it a case of a simple commodification that allows for a buy-in by individuals? Or is it more accurate to speak of new technological values that are shaping the world even as we shape them through the use of web 2.0 technologies? This presentation explores the values, the communities, the implications for teaching and learning, the technologies and the practices themselves involved in constructing the ideals of ‘web 2.0’. Its specific area of interest is understanding web 2.0 within the context of a classroom, and that classroom within the context of present-day Africa. The method of this presentation is to explore these themes as three phases of knowledge production and situation; ‘two’, ‘point’ and ‘zero’. ‘Two’ speaks to the communicative and dialogical (of dialogue) elements that necessarily contribute to the unique culture of web 2.0. ‘Point’ speaks to both purpose (and in its broader context ‘agency’) and the crystal-structuring of human intelligence that allows for our species to learn from the past. ‘Zero’ speaks to the commodification of cultural exchange that remains latent within the ‘web 2.0’ cultural paradigm. In the closing stages this presentation comes to rely heavily on the idea of ‘emergence’; a biological concept that speaks to evolutionary forces as convergent (i.e. evolution tends to come to the same solution, an eye for example, time and again by different paths) and creative (i.e. these biological solutions tend to create unprecedented and unpredictable new branches for evolution). The concept of emergence becomes a conceptual tool for examining the relationship between human and technology. This relationship is skillfully summed up by media theorist Marshall McLuhan who reminds us, ‘First we build our machines. Then they build us’.
The Global Internet Video Classroom Project	The Global Internet Video Classroom Project connects Chicago Civil Rights activists of the 60s with Cape Town Anti-Apartheid Struggle activists of the 60s in a classroom setting where learners from Cape Town and Chicago can engage these activists in conversation about their motivation, principles, and strategies. The project merges education and technology to provide a connection between the generations. The primary component is a curriculum design based on best practices in classroom management and learning, while the secondary technology component is the efficient utilization of technology tools to maximize learning. A version of the project was successfully designed and piloted in a live, video exchange with South Africa at Elmhurst College in 2007 that will run again in 2008. In a comparative classroom study of the Civil Rights and Anti-Apartheid movements, guest activist speakers from the older generation in Cape Town and Chicago interacted with young people via live video. Project quality produced an exciting enhancement of the classroom environment and college curriculum as evidenced by strong student and staff evaluations and assessment, some of which indicated a life-changing experience.
The Virtual Journey in Real Life: exploring the implications of an innovative online degree course (Peer Reviewed)	In July 2003, ULTRALAB - an innovation and technology research unit at Anglia Ruskin University, set up a radically new undergraduate degree course to enable those who had missed the opportunity for study at Higher Education level and were now in the workplace, to learn whilst they worked through online learning communities of inquiry, in order to gain degree status which benefited both the individual and the place of work. The aim of this paper is to explore the implications of this innovative online degree, on the future of degree delivery worldwide. In a time of continual organisational and technological change, the paper sets out to demonstrate how the ‘Ultraversity Degree Model’ can create opportunities for the learners and the workplace to progress in unison through process tools acquisition in inquiry based online learning communities. This reflective account draws upon a variety of literature associated with online learning, workplace learning and learning processes. It demonstrates the key facets, which make this degree innovative and discusses how the lessons learnt from running such a degree can have important implications on the delivery of other degree courses, especially where geographical barriers are insurmountable and participants cannot leave the security of employment.
Wikilessons, wikiquizzes and wikiwebquests in OSS and OER environment	This presentation describes a project where the focus is developing efficient tools and templates for teacher education students in Iceland and teachers with non technical backgrounds to participate and contribute to collaborative project producing wiki based learning objects for students. The project aimed at measuring the efficiency of various wikitools for creating lessons, quizzes and webquests by conducting questionaires, interviews and analysing the revision history of wikipages. Online collaboration in wikis and commons-based peer production calls for new skills for teachers. Open source collaborative tools such as Mediawiki can be used in teacher education to mentor students to work in OER environments using items from wikipedia and wikimedia commons as reusable learning objects in wikilessons and test wiki as mentoring tool. (note to participants: This presentation has been rescheduled to the "connecting communities" phase from 14-16 July)
Workshop: Creativity in New Learning - Putting Learning First	In an effort to get lecturers to make use of content management systems at tertiary institutions they are often told to use specific tools that are available. The focus is often on the use of the technology and not on how these tools can improve the students learning experience. The focus should be on the use of technology to add value to the learning experience and not on how much of the technology can be used. We are living in a world where today, there are so many new, innovative tools available online to facilitate learning that each tool that we use should be carefully selected and only be used if needed. We focus on the tools and we should rather focus on the learning. We need to find a balance between Learning 1.0 and Learning 2.0. In this session we will discuss the differences between learning 1.0 and Learning 2.0. You will get to know the tools that are available and how you can use them to improve the learning experience. You will also learn how to move your focus from using the technology, to using technology to enhance learning.
Wots ur ASLR? Adolescent girls’ use of cellphones in Cape Town	This exploratory study explores girls’ use of cellphones in Cape Town, South Africa, with a particular focus on their use of the popular cellphone based instant messaging software, MXit. Through qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with Grade 11 and Grade 12 teenagers, three main themes emerged: 1) the use of MXit in the development of personal relationships via social networking, 2) the use of MXit and the cellphone in the construction of personal identity, and 3) the potential use of MXit for education. Further sub-themes included the use of MXit for peer support, the ‘softening’ of time and the flexibility of social networking, the cellphone as an object or valued commodity, gender performativity, the use of photographs and video, race and identity, and the use of the cellphone in the classroom. The study shows that emerging trends with regard to cellphone use by young people in South Africa are very similar to international trends. This might suggest that youth use cellphones to navigate and make sense of various aspects of their lives, including peer and parental relations, self-representation and identity formation. Existing research on mobile youth culture focuses almost exclusively on general cellphone use and text messaging. This study raises the possibilities for IM to serve similar functions with regard to youth identity construction.
“Him & Her”: Gender differentials in ICT uptake (Peer Reviewed)	Observed gender differences in the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) constitute a form of digital divide. Differences between male and female ICT users are of increasing interest world wide as the digital divide evolves. This gendered digital divide is more prominent in the developing world and Africa provides a very obvious illustration. The result is an inequitable distribution of benefits that come with the use of ICT. The objective of this paper is to review literature on the gendered digital divide. This paper draws on arguments advanced in feminist standpoint theory and gender symbolism to consider how gender symbolism contributes to a better understanding of differences in ICT use in University education. This includes how understandings and experiences of ICT, influence the decision to use / not use ICT.