Ascelite presentation

Ascilite11 presentation v bozalek slim

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What are emerging technologies?

One of the recurring conversations in this project has been around the question "what are emerging technologies" in higher education. We have returned to this question in most of our meetings, and the answer, like the technologies, is still emerging.

We seem to be fairly clear about the term technologies. We are understanding this quite narrowly to mean information and communication technologies. (Although I might be being presumptuous here. This is not something we have discussed. Perhaps we have different understandings?)

Our discussions have revolved around what we consider emergent. At first we grappled with definitions, but there are clear differences here.

Firstly, there seems to be agreement that emergent technologies are not just new technologies. Indeed this has been confirmed by our research. When we asked lecturers to tell us about the most innovative technologies they are using, the overwhelming response was learning management systems (LMSs), not a technology that is in any way new.

One line of argument is that emergent technologies are those that are in the process of being used more widely. They are emerging into the mainstream of academic practice. By this measure, most ICTs are emergent because higher education in South Africa has made little use of them until recently. If we observe more and more people using a technology, we call it emergent at the point where its use is gaining momentum, before it is ubiquitous.

A second line of argument is that emerging technologies are those that have emergent properties, so that the impact they have goes beyond just their use. Technologies are emergent when they are used in ways that do not simply replicate existing teaching practices, using technology, but transform teaching and learning. So making course content available for students to download instead of providing printed notes would not be emergent, but making materials available before class and then using the lecture time for more active learning might be.

I think that both of these definitions could be valid and interesting. The first is easier to research. One can count what is being use, how frequently and how widespread the use is. The second is more difficult because we would need to identify the emergent properties and those can be hard to spot, particularly in the educational context.

We seem to have settled on the following characteristics of emerging technologies, thanks to Veletsianos, rather than a definition.

Emerging technologies..

1. May or may not be new

2. Are evolving

3. Go through recognisable hype cycles

4. Are not yet fully understood

5. Are not yet fully researched

6. Are potentially disruptive, but this potential is as yet unfulfilled

(Veletsianos, 2010:13-17)

But there are concerns that these criteria might not be complete. I am also concerned that they capture neither of the two perspectives outlined above.

I hope that by opening up the debate we may be able to capture some of the conversations we've had and clarify our thoughts. I look forward to other contributions.

Emerging Technologies in SA HEIs: towards transformative teaching and learning practice

This is the presentation we did for the 2011 HELTASA conference:

2011 11 29 emerging technologies heltasa

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Face to face meeting in Port Elizabeth

The whole project team including three new PHD students, who will join the project in 2012, met in Port Elizabeth before the HELTASA conference for a 2 day face to face meeting.

Apart from enjoying an amazing view and swimming in the Indian ocean, the two days were packed with presentations about past research, discussions, planning for next year...


As one of the resolutions for next year, we decided to start some opinion pieces on this blog on topics discussed in the project. So watch out for some interesting stuff to come up here!

Alisons feedback on survey...

Who am I?

I have been at UCT for 3 and a half years, teaching Professional Communication to under-graduate and post-graduate Engineers. I have a background in teaching high school Mathematics and English and a Master's degreee in Education and Development specialising in Curriculum Design. I have been involved in community development projects with Hope Africa and in educational research through WESGRO and, before that, in creating and producing english language radio programmes for the BBC (Radio English Direct) when living in London in the early 1990's.

I am passionate about development and improving educational and performance standards in South Africa. I love the way that teaching Professional Communication enhances what students get out of - and can contribute to - their various disciplines. I have recently started teaching professional communication skills to a small group of Masters students at UWC and have seen them respond enthusiastically to this. I hope to contunue this next year!

Since starting at UCT I have had a steep learning curve as regards my own skill in and use of ICTS. At Professional Communication Studies (PCS) we use powerpoint slides on a regular basis to enhance teaching and learning, and occasionally support lectures with video snips - as well as using video recording and playback when assessing students presentation skills. In addition, I have recently been involved in creating a short movie through the UCT Centre for Educational Technology (CET). CET offers wonderful support to staff and students and braodens their horizons by providing platform to profile new technological developments.

I look forward to incorporating the iPad as part of my technological tool-kit!

Alison's experiences with the survey

I was really impressed by the survey produced by the Emerging ICT survey. I personally found it extremely informative and well laid out - and I found the supporting information helped expand my vision of what is possible in terms of incorporating technology in the teaching and learning environment.

Without knowing what is out there it is difficult to be adventurous...

I have found technological proficiency helps me to connect better with students and that they are then predisposed to be receptive to what else I am going to present!

Hope this covers what you intended? I look forward to expanding my own experience of "blogs"...

It was great to meet you and Andre and I hope to see you next year.

Regards

Alison Gwynne-Evans

iPad handover

This week the lucky winners of our survey were handed over their iPads:

Alison Gwynne-Evans, Junior Lecturer, Professional Communication Studies

University of Cape Town
and
Vivienne Bozalek, Director Teaching and Learning,
University of Western Cape

Juan Clark, Lecturer Engineering Department,

Walter Sisulu University of Technology and Science

Emerging Technologies in SA Higher Education - SAAIR presentation

This is our first presentation we did at a conference on the NRF project. It is entitled: Emerging Technologies in South African Higher Education Institutions and was presented by Vivienne Bozalek, Dick Ng'ambi and Daniela Gachago at the SAAIR conference, held at UCT from the 11th - 13th of October 2011.

Emerging Technologies SAAIR presentation

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