paper writen and presented by:
Dr. Josep Rota and Dr. sandra Turner
OHIO University
Abstarct
A central premise of this presentation is that higher education is undergoing a paradigm shift as we change our conception of a university is a place of teaching and replace it with a new model of a university as a place of learning. Central to this change are three key elements: (1) the role that the new technologies of information and communication are playing not only in the dissemination of information, but in the learning process itself, (2) new conceptions about the learning process, and (3) the understanding that active student engagement, including the incorporation of active learning and problem solving pedagogies, significantly enhance learning outcomes.
In this regard, optimal learning takes place when students are actively engaged, when they take part in the learning process through problem solving, active discussions, development of information management skills, distributed learning, and other forms of student engagement. All of this is greatly enhanced by the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). ICTs, in fact, have become the catalysts for change. Learners learn best when they are actively engaged in their learning, and technology has the potential to engage learners in challenging, open-ended activities in which they have control over the pace and direction of their learning. When learners have access to the rich resources on the Internet and can communicate with others via e-mail, they become more independent in their learning. Teachers who use technology in the classroom find that their role shifts from being “the sage on the stage” to being “the guide on the side,” and the classroom environment becomes less teacher-directed and more learner-centered.
However, this paradigmatic shift requires a substantial change in our conception of the roles of institutions, teachers and learners. In our presentation, we discuss the changes in learning theory and in the nature of roles, in the mission and purposes of universities, the criteria we use to measure success, and in the teaching and learning structures.
Their full presentation can be downloaded here: indonesia-rota-turner-pp03
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