How do we prepare vocational teachers for the demands of the digital world

HOW DO WE PREPARE VOCATIONAL TEACHERS FOR THE DEMANDS OF THE DIGITAL WORLD?

-From Paper Prototype to Teacher Training

D.Sc. Päivi Aarreniemi-Jokipelto

Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences,

School of Vocational Teacher Education, Finland

OUTLINE

Background

Paper prototype

Students

Learning management systems

Integrated vs distributed learning model

Prior competence assessment and recognition

Guidance and counselling

Collaborative learning space

Reflective space

Discussion and conclusion1.7.2016Päivi Aarreniemi-Jokipelto

[email protected]

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BACKGROUND

A vocational teacher training programme designed by utilizing a design science approach from 2007-2016.

a testbed for digital learning and mobile learning solutions; afterwards, which were utilized in other teacher training programmes and global educational services provided for universities and vocational institutions abroad.

has aimed to meet the challenges of the working world and digitalization of society.

The paper illustrates the changes made in the programme in terms of the learning management system, pedagogical methods, tools and practises.

1.7.2016Päivi Aarreniemi-Jokipelto [email protected]

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DESIGN SCIENCE

A design scientist attempts to engineer innovative educational environments and simultaneously conducts experimental studies of those innovations (Brown, 1992). The experimental studies in this study have been carried out in a web-based teacher education programme since 2007.

A step-by-step teacher training programme responding to the needs of working life and our students’ expectations


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PAPER PROTOTYPE 5 key features, 2006 -2007

1. A learner-centred approach in which students worked actively within their own learning processes

2. Be based on collaboration between students

3. It would not be possible to send assignments for assessment over email. Instead, to become familiar with e-learning opportunities, social media and cyberspace.

4. Students with basic information communication skills should be able to study in the programme.

5. In addition to online sections, we decided to include eight contact days.


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THE USE OF LMS, EMAILS AND INTERNET IN THE STUDENTS’ OWN TEACHING, 2008, 245/280


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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Never Occasionally Twice a week Weekly Daily

Learningenvironment

Email

Internet

DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES IN YOUR TEACHING?


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0

50

100

150

200

250

Social networking RSS feeds Blogs Wikis Bookmarks Virtualworlds

Never

Occasionally

Twice a week

Weekly

Daily


8

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

APPLICANTS AND ACCEPTED STUDENTS FROM 2008 - 2016

Applicants Accepted

STUDENTS

Most hold a Master’s or Doctoral degree

The average age for students is 40 years

Most of them have family and work duties

They usually hold jobs as teachers in vocational schools, but some of them work for other educational institutions (i.e., universities, basic education schools), companies or organizations.

The students are dispersed throughout Finland, but the majority lives in the capital city area.

A small number of students live abroad1.7.2016Päivi Aarreniemi-Jokipelto

[email protected]

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MOODLE 2010


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Reasons to abandon Moodle

• Technical problems

• A desire to create novel, more

learner-centred models, which

was not possible on Moodle

• Unattractive

NING, 2010 - 2012


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• Ning served as a place for learning

materials, assignment instructions,

guidance letters and

communication.

• Several social media services

were integrated into Ning.

2010

Our objective was to create more engaging visual learning environments & replace text-format materials with audio, images, videos and a combination of different formats.

Guidance letters e-zine (Glogster, Knovio, and Voicethread)

Feedback

Students active users of social media


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FROM INTEGRATED LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO DISTRIBUTED LEARNING MODEL The LMS exemplifies using an integrated model in

digital learning. Integrating all learning resources and activities into a learning environment, it provides easy access to learners.

By comparison, the distributed model is a mash-up, combining user-selected tools and networks on one administrative interface (Syvänen, Muukkonen, Sihvonen, 2009). According to the model, students can build their personal learning environments (PLE)…


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Owner of learning

environment

School,

educational

institution,

university

Teacher, facilitator Student

Number of tools few, limited several few – several

Disadvantages teacher does not

have the desired

tools and

functionalities

students can be

confused if all

teachers use different

tools

teacher has to work

with and learn

several tools

Examples of tools

used in learning

Moodle, Blackboard,

Connect Pro

Google Sites, Google

Drive, Google+

Community/Hangout,

Blogger, Movenote

Google Sites, Google

Drive, Google+

Community/Hangout,

Blogger, Movenote

Advantages All teachers use the

same tools

Learning environment

includes the needed

functionalities from

the learning point of

view

Students have access

to personal learning

environments even

after graduation

Students have the

freedom to use tools

based on their own

desires

Supports lifelong

learning

Access after

graduation

No No Yes

Structure of

learning

environment

Integrated model Between integrated

or distributed model

Distributed model

LEARNING SPACES


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Learning environment

Trello

Google+ Community

Google Sites

Google Drive

Whatsup

Peer group

• Co-operationco-creation

• Sharing

• Peer support

• Motivation

PLE

• Learning journal/ diary

• Portfolio

Students choose the tools

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING FOR THE LEARNING PROCESS


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Place of employment

Facilitator

LEARNER

Team members

Guidance counselling

Personalized learning

Peer guidance and Collaborative

learning

Authentic learning

PRIOR COMPETENCE ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION


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Work

environment

VAT

Wo

rkin

g

con

text

Fa

cili

tati

ng

con

text

Prior competencesLearning in real

working situations

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Assessment and

recognition of prior

competences

CURRICULUM

Competence

requirements

The curriculum

describes the teachers’

competence

requirements; beyond

these guidelines, each

student are encouraged

to define his/her

learning objectives, the

learning activities to

achieve these learning

objectives and the

assessment criteria.

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

Each student has at least three annual guidance meetings with the facilitator. The student can request as many guidance meetings as they like.

Each student must keep an online learning diary and an online portfolio, both of which are used to guide the learning process.

The facilitator also observes students teaching at work and guides the learning process there.

Peer group members play a guidance role, an important part of the process.


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19

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

3,5

4

4,5

5

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

PERSONAL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING SPACE

Peer groups consisting of three to five members

Each group creates own collaborative learning space.

A collaborative learning space refers to a cyberspace allowing a peer group to interact, generate ideas, share knowledge and experiences, construct knowledge, provide social support, motivate each other and provide peer assessment.

Feedback: increased motivation, peer support exceptionally strong. Many students have stated that without peer support, it would be impossible to graduate in a year.


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REFLECTIVE SPACE

4. Produce a comprehensive learning story to be podcasted

1. Reflection of individual experiences of learning process

2. Students present their reflections to peers of the same team

3. Reflective dialogue with set of prepared questions

Students used

laptops to

create the

Audioboo

podcast

Organizations and Networks of the Vocational Teacher module

1. Literature research paper

2. Organizational and network analysis

3. Joint debriefing in an organization and network forum

Teachers used

iPhones to

create the

podcasts

in Audioboo

RELECTIVE SPACE


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DISCUSSION AND CONSLUSION

There is a need for this type of teacher training programme:

The number of applicants has risen by 173 percent over the last two years

the overall rating for the programme has been approximately 4,25 on a scale of 1 to 5. Feedback on guidance and counselling and in other categories has also been very positive.


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DISCUSSION AND CONSLUSION

We have moved away from the integrated model to the distributed model, a transformation that better supports the learner-centred approach we had in mind.

The most important models of the programme are the recognition of prior competences, the personalized learning paths and the collaborative learning space models. These aspects of our programme have provided more flexibility to students while meeting the requirements of our current digitalized society.


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THANK YOU


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