Programmable pedagogies and peripatetic learners
One of the best things about the Creative Technologies degree has been the flexibility it has offered my to pursue exactly what it is I am interested in. For my semester two elective paper, I was able to negotiate the learning outcomes and assessment requirements under the umbrella of ?special topics? so that my internship position at the Center for Learning and Teaching contributes directly to my research and degree.
The outcome of these negotiations between supervisors, CfLAT and the BCT is that the enquiry will focus on the iPad as a creative technology and explore its implications for teaching theory and practice.
As I?ve struggled through the year to find a way to bring in my programming practice, I have made peace with the fact that this year will be more theoretical than practical. Over the process of devising this paper, I began to realize that it is actually really conceptually interesting ? and beneficial ? to look at the relationship between programming practice and pedagogy on a theoretical level.
There were two key readings which informed the elective paper, the first is the concept of a ?programmable pedagogy? as described by Ben Williamson, which captures the ?relationship between technologies and pedagogy. Programmable pedagogy denotes the forms of conduct, knowledge and practice which are written down as code within technological devices and systems. Programmable pedagogies are more contingent and malleable than built forms.?
This got me thinking about who defines the ?rules? of pedagogy. The idea I keep coming back to is that of the ?institution? as dictating how learning and teaching occurs therefore it can be assumed that traditional pedagogy defined by the institution.
Emerging methods of technology enabled learning result in a pedagogy that is defined and influenced by the people who design the technology and program the software.
With this in mind, what is my role as a programmer? How would the decision I make impact the users who would utilise my creation in an academic contact?
A key aspect of my research problem is addressing the inherent challenges or ?disruption? that occurs when devices such as the iPad and 3rd party apps not originally developed specifically for use in education are appropriated for use in this new context; because the ?rules? define a way of using it that might not be in line with the rules of a traditional pedagogy.
This reminded me of an idea raised in the book I?ve started reading, ?Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit? by Sherry Turkle, that when you program a piece of software, ?there is a little piece of your mind and now it?s a little piece of the computer?s mind.? This notion I feel will come to play an important part in my programming practice, that humans design the software and humans use the software; the technology just mediates the two. Though the coding focus has been shifted to next year, it is still important to develop that critical understanding of what is possible on the development end and the implications of that practice.
Agile Space
The second key reading discusses technology spaces and the iPad signalling ?a new technology space in between handheld and portable. Devices which fit this space are particularly useful for teaching and learning purposes, as they offer the flexibility needed for modern learning practices?. [the iPad] combines many functions which were only previously available in a number separate devices and takes this to another level with its form factor and touch/gesture input methods.?
Thought it refers to ?space? as the gap in form factor between handheld devices and portable computers, Agile implies new technologies which results what are inherently more dynamic, flexible, fluid learning teaching processes so it sits in line with my original ideas about how mobile technologies remove the restrictions of time and space.
Mark Pesce gave the keynote at the Creative Tech conference at AUT two years ago?and he highlighted that this form factor of the device shapes the experience. This was not long after the first iPad came out and even then, he already spoke of the same issue that I?m addressing in my research problem, where ?the iPad is like a formula one that we haven?t even figured out how to get out of first gear.?
My research question is still more open and posed as a scoping question but it is becoming clear that the ?end point? (if there is such a thing) of this honours research is to establish a platform upon which I will develop an app for a masters research project. It is about scoping out these opportunities and potential; the key to establishing this platform comes from understanding the social, pedagogical and technological implications, both in terms of affordances and disruptions. This understanding comes from: literature, case studies, critique of existing ?apps? and supported hardware that bring the ?agile? space and physical space together.
Ultimately, the underlying question is looking at how to harness the affordances of the technology while managing the disruptions and challenges that it also brings about. So the structure is starting to look something like this:
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The feedback from the critique session this week was generally that we all need to get a move on. With nearly the first half of term gone in a flash, I know I haven?t been using my time as effectively as I could have been. To keep myself focused the aim is to set fortnightly goals, in line with the postgraduate critique sessions, and to update the working draft of my thesis that I?ve started cobbling together.
The aim for the next two weeks is to start focusing in on the practical section ? to set the criteria by which I will be evaluating and critiquing the affordances and effectiveness of existing apps in relation to my research questions, problem and theoretical field.
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Source: http://emergingcreatives.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/programmable-pedagogy/
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