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Edit the Principles

 

I have concerns over the short consultation process and the fact that teachers are still being treated here as policy consumers rather than policy producers. The idea of a grand vision stated from above is not well supported in the literature. Indeed, Fullan and others argue that vision is what you should end with - not what you start with. And real vision must truly engage critics in the process.

So the question is whose vision is this? Note the current vision is very individualistic and there is no sense of the collective and education per se as a public good.

This is where the use of the future-focused literature such as Gilbert lacks critque. The future is always contestable and we need to be wary of which group is attempting to define the future and why. In this regard, see…

Educational futures : dominant and contesting visions. Ivana Milojevic London: Routledge Falmer?, 2005.

The draft framework seems to fall short in a number of places. For example, there is little or no alignment with other MoE policy documents such as the new Schooling Strategy. The need for a pan sector strategy is also inherently technocentric as no other such strategy exists under the Education Priorities. Do we have a pan sector strategy for Special Education?

Some more specific comments on this section. It could read…

There is much debate over the manner in which ICT contributes to better learning outcomes and opportunities (the two key words used in the Schooling Strategy). In the context of this debate there is no single best metaphor of l(e)arning but the following principles represent a broad synthesis of the conditions required for effective pedagogy.

Instead of…

The following principles represent a broad consensus (I doubt there is such a consensus) across the early childhood sector, the tertiary sector and government. The principles in the final version of this framework will be informed by the feedback received from our consultation with the schools sector. They should underpin any activity within the key action areas of this framework.

Principles the emphasis on principles is a move in the right direction but what values underpin these principles and are they inclusive?

Embrace a learner centred culture The term embrace is too strong. Perhaps ‘establish’ is better. The tension here is that some of the so-called best schools (based on league table results) have a culture far more akin to being teacher centred. I would actually prefer the term knowledge-centred or knowledge culture used here as this reflects a far deeper level of understanding. That said, there is support for the learner centred terminology from the APA principles of learning - except learning needs to be understood beyond psychology alone.

A learner centred approach places the learner at the centre of all decisions made about the learning process. Individual learner needs along with those of other learners must be considered when making decisions about the content, structure, teaching methods, learning activities and support provisions associated with any learning opportunity. No learner is an island!

Be guided by and promote effective practice Could use the evidence-based practice language of the Schooling Strategy.

Decisions regarding (e)learning should be informed by examples of good practice (and what we learn from our mistakes and poor practice) from here and overseas. For example, New Zealand already has a strong tradition of distance education provision. Much of what we already know about the principles of sound pedagogy and learner support from this area can be related to (e)learning.

We will look to facilitate the sharing of effective practice (and lessons from our mistakes) through school clusters and online communities of interest.

Exploit opportunities for collaborative learning What about individual learning as well? This sounds a little single metaphor like for my liking.

Collaborative efforts are one way of reducing costs and duplication of effort. Not a pedagogical justification for collaborative learning. This includes sharing investment in physical and technical infrastructure, co-developing or licensing the use of digital learning materials, sharing information about (e)learning initiatives, sub-contracting various aspects of the admin/support functions and ensuring systems are in place to support the transfer of learning across various levels and areas of the education sector (e.g. e-portfolios). Most of this statement relates to infrastructure rather than pedagogy.

Collaboration that is facilitated through the use of ICTs enables the development of professional learning communities,(perhaps although most of these so-called communities are nothing more than networks of interest - not real communities) which can be a primary means of increasing capacity at a sector level.

Be innovative In what way? Hitler was innovative!

Creative thinking is required to realise the full potential offered by (e)learning. What is meant by ‘creative thinking’ as there are many different definitions in the academic literature.

Simply replicating existing models in an online environment will not achieve the potential that an (e)learning environment affords. Consideration must be given to how emerging technologies and pedagogical methods can be incorporated into our approach to (e)learning.

We will seek to improve teacher capability in (e)learning through developing understanding of the relationship between curriculum and pedagogical knowledge, and ICT skills and knowledge. No explicit statement yet on improving student learning outcomes.

Products and services will be developed only in response to clear evidence of sector need or to exploit emerging opportunities for enhanced learner benefit.

We will build partnerships between, schools, government, communities and business to support (e)learning innovation.

Be affordable and sustainable and aligned with other policies, which e-learning is NOT at the moment.

It is important that (e)learning initiatives are sustainable in terms of investment of financial resources as well as the human resources of staff time involved in professional development and application of (e)learning. Provision of network and infrastructure systems at a national level is likely to be necessary to support the participation of individual schools and individuals in a “networked, flexible education system”.

What the above principles fail to capture is the real purpose of education both with and without e-learning. In this sense, the principles are not really ethical or philsophical but rather organisational. Alternative principles might read that e-learning will…

- Promote a more inclusive kind of education

- Promote the goals of equity, fairness and social justice

- Foster critique as a permanent ethos

- Encourage democracy and critical citizenship

- etc