IgnitED Labs: Looking to the past to prepare for the future of learning

Author #1
Author #2

Proposal

Introduction

As we stand firmly in the 21stCentury, an era marked by the progress of three industrial revolutions—steam power, electric power, and information communication technology—we can reflexively identify the unparalleled impact and advancements in technology, design, and society each revolution ushered in to the world around us. Today some argue we are on the precipice of the fourth industrial revolution, ushered in through the global technology advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and quantum computing that are beginning to blur the lines of the physical, digital, and biological worlds (Schwab, 2016). As the fourth industrial revolution will have a profound impact on the world economy, it will bring with it a new generation of technologies capable of generating unprecedented levels of information around the ‘self’ in a personalized, predictive, and contextually aware method.

As we approach this next industrial revolution, an accompanying question surfaces: How will the new advancements in technology and computing impact the design of the world around us? And by extension, how do educational institutions prepare future educators, instructional designers, decision makers, and support staff to actively engage with emerging technology? We seek these answers to develop a future workforce that is technologically-elastic and prepared to create the classroom, office, or industry of the future.

In an effort to tackle this issue, the Office of Scholarship and Innovation in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University has designed and launched a new learner-centric emerging technology lab network called the IgnitED Labs. The purpose of this interactive presentation is to share the experiences and project status of the newly launched IgnitED Labs and how we aim to use the lab network as a platform to prepare future educators for the classrooms of tomorrow by exploring the demonstrated need for future-facing emerging technology labs, as well as the design methodology behind the lab network’s creation.

Design methodology

At the core of the IgnitED Labs is the commitment to making deeper connections between technologies and the constructs foundational to our learning. To achieve this, the IgnitED Labs employ a framework supported by John Dewey’s (1956) four natural impulses (of learners) namely, inquiry, construction, communication, and expression (Leahy & Mishra, 2018). Dewey identified the context and stimuli as central to learners’ desires to exercise the four instincts. The environment within the labs provides the conditions in which such learning flourishes. By providing the stimuli and access, learners in the labs are free to pursue their individual learning trajectories with as much or as little assistance as necessary.

Another element propelling the design of the labs is the understanding that a tool-agnostic view of technology use is preferable. This aligns with research identifying the need to determine the learning goal prior to incorporating a tool to assist in achievement of that goal. Herrington and Parker (2013) determined teacher preparation programs often devoted instructional time to teaching technology tools rather than the pedagogy or theory supporting the integration of the technology. In other words, pre-service teachers in those programs have learned how to use the tools rather than why. The intent of the labs is to provide learners access to technologies, tools, and equipment; however, the mindset within is that authentic learning tasks will determine which technologies the students leverage. Aligning with Herrington and Parker’s findings, that learner will engage with the tools of their choice to guide them in creating a product that they find genuine. Through self-regulated and directed learning, they will experience “achievement and self fulfilment” (Herrington & Parker, p. 612).

Tools for the future

Although we take a tool-agnostic approach to fostering the connections of how we can learn with technology, we aim to provide users of the labs hands-on experiences with a wide range of new and emerging technology categories for them to explore. In our presentation we will highlight the use of categorical technologies such as mixed reality (MR), programmable robots, telepresence devices, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), Internet of things (IoT), and 3D printing. Exploring the use of these technologies allows users to create, tinker, and discover new and innovative ways to improve the learner experience.

Conclusion and goals for the presentation

We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to present the innovative work around the new IgnitED Labs. We have learned a lot about the intentional design of an emerging technology lab set on preparing future educators, instructional designers, and decisions makers and look forward to an opportunity to share our experiences and develop an ongoing conversation around similar efforts at other institutions.

Audience engagement

Our presentation aims to provide a participatory engagement in a modern presentation utilizing aesthetic visuals, unique artifacts, and powerful storytelling to illustrate the need, process, and intended impact of the redesigned labs. The presentation itself will be interactive with audience participation and conversations.

What the participants will learn

At the end of the presentation, the participants will have a grounded understanding of the need for rethinking the traditional computer lab model and broader issues surrounding the need for modernizing the experiences in educational technology and preparing future generations of learners. This presentation is for educators, designers, technologists, and futurists of all levels as they seek to meet the challenges presented by fast-paced advancements in technology.

References

Dewey, J. (1956). The child and the curriculum; and The school and society(Combined ed., Phoenix books). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Herrington, J., & Parker, J. (2013). Emerging technologies as cognitive tools for authentic learning: Emerging technologies for authentic learning. British Journal of Educational Technology: Journal of the Council for Educational Technology, 44(4), 607–615. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12048

Leahy, S. M., & Mishra, P. (2018). Designing the new generation of computer labs for a College of Education. In E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education(pp. 1129–1132). Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).

Schwab, K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means, how to respond. Retrieved May 14, 2018, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/

 

IgnitED Labs: Looking to the past to prepare for the future of learning

Introduction

As we stand firmly in the 21stCentury, an era marked by the progress of three industrial revolutions—steam power, electric power, and information communication technology—we can reflexively identify the unparalleled impact and advancements in technology, design, and society each revolution ushered in to the world around us. Today some argue we are on the precipice of the fourth industrial revolution, ushered in through the global technology advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and quantum computing that are beginning to blur the lines of the physical, digital, and biological worlds (Schwab, 2016). As the fourth industrial revolution will have a profound impact on the world economy, it will bring with it a new generation of technologies capable of generating unprecedented levels of information around the ‘self’ in a personalized, predictive, and contextually aware method.

As we approach this next industrial revolution, an accompanying question surfaces: How will the new advancements in technology and computing impact the design of the world around us? And by extension, how do educational institutions prepare future educators, instructional designers, decision makers, and support staff to actively engage with emerging technology? We seek these answers to develop a future workforce that is technologically-elastic and prepared to create the classroom, office, or industry of the future.

In an effort to tackle this issue, the Office of Scholarship and Innovation in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University has designed and launched a new learner-centric emerging technology lab network called the IgnitED Labs. The purpose of this interactive presentation is to share the experiences and project status of the newly launched IgnitED Labs and how we aim to use the lab network as a platform to prepare future educators for the classrooms of tomorrow by exploring the demonstrated need for future-facing emerging technology labs, as well as the design methodology behind the lab network’s creation.

Design methodology

At the core of the IgnitED Labs is the commitment to making deeper connections between technologies and the constructs foundational to our learning. To achieve this, the IgnitED Labs employ a framework supported by John Dewey’s (1956) four natural impulses (of learners) namely, inquiry, construction, communication, and expression (Leahy & Mishra, 2018). Dewey identified the context and stimuli as central to learners’ desires to exercise the four instincts. The environment within the labs provides the conditions in which such learning flourishes. By providing the stimuli and access, learners in the labs are free to pursue their individual learning trajectories with as much or as little assistance as necessary.

Another element propelling the design of the labs is the understanding that a tool-agnostic view of technology use is preferable. This aligns with research identifying the need to determine the learning goal prior to incorporating a tool to assist in achievement of that goal. Herrington and Parker (2013) determined teacher preparation programs often devoted instructional time to teaching technology tools rather than the pedagogy or theory supporting the integration of the technology. In other words, pre-service teachers in those programs have learned how to use the tools rather than why. The intent of the labs is to provide learners access to technologies, tools, and equipment; however, the mindset within is that authentic learning tasks will determine which technologies the students leverage. Aligning with Herrington and Parker’s findings, that learner will engage with the tools of their choice to guide them in creating a product that they find genuine. Through self-regulated and directed learning, they will experience “achievement and self fulfilment” (Herrington & Parker, p. 612).

Tools for the future

Although we take a tool-agnostic approach to fostering the connections of how we can learn with technology, we aim to provide users of the labs hands-on experiences with a wide range of new and emerging technology categories for them to explore. In our presentation we will highlight the use of categorical technologies such as mixed reality (MR), programmable robots, telepresence devices, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), Internet of things (IoT), and 3D printing. Exploring the use of these technologies allows users to create, tinker, and discover new and innovative ways to improve the learner experience.

Conclusion and goals for the presentation

We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to present the innovative work around the new IgnitED Labs. We have learned a lot about the intentional design of an emerging technology lab set on preparing future educators, instructional designers, and decisions makers and look forward to an opportunity to share our experiences and develop an ongoing conversation around similar efforts at other institutions.

Audience engagement

Our presentation aims to provide a participatory engagement in a modern presentation utilizing aesthetic visuals, unique artifacts, and powerful storytelling to illustrate the need, process, and intended impact of the redesigned labs. The presentation itself will be interactive with audience participation and conversations.

What the participants will learn

At the end of the presentation, the participants will have a grounded understanding of the need for rethinking the traditional computer lab model and broader issues surrounding the need for modernizing the experiences in educational technology and preparing future generations of learners. This presentation is for educators, designers, technologists, and futurists of all levels as they seek to meet the challenges presented by fast-paced advancements in technology.

References

Dewey, J. (1956). The child and the curriculum; and The school and society(Combined ed., Phoenix books). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Herrington, J., & Parker, J. (2013). Emerging technologies as cognitive tools for authentic learning: Emerging technologies for authentic learning. British Journal of Educational Technology: Journal of the Council for Educational Technology, 44(4), 607–615. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12048

Leahy, S. M., & Mishra, P. (2018). Designing the new generation of computer labs for a College of Education. In E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education(pp. 1129–1132). Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).

Schwab, K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means, how to respond. Retrieved May 14, 2018, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/

https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/eldc/2015/all/22