New Learning for New Students

When the post-world war two ‘baby boomer' generation reached school age, education changed. Massive increases in student numbers required changes to teacher education, enormous investment in new schools and changes in pedagogy. Each succeeding generation has been different, and of necessity, education has changed to reflect the needs and aspirations of the new generation. Generation Y students are now in higher education, the first Generation Z students will soon be entering higher education. Both groups are showing signs of being different to their seniors. This difference implies changes to higher education learning. Compounding the need for Generation Y and Generation Z instigated changes to higher education has been the rapid onset of new forms of technologically infused learning, some generated by an industry desperate to maintain its influence on education as the market for paper-based books and journals declines, others generated by the ubiquitous nature of everyday life technological innovations such as social media, and more recently, the widespread availability of tuition fee-free MOOCS. This chapter will chart the generational and technological changes that are likely to increasingly demand changes to learning in schooling and higher education. Possible future change scenarios are also suggested.

Mixed-Reality Immersive Environment as an Instructional Tool for Building Educational Leadership Capacity

Technological innovations are changing the way education is delivered. With instructional media evolving at an exponential pace, instructional designers and educators have a variety of options when deciding what tools are best for delivering their instruction. Simulation and virtual environments are a growth area in aviation, defense, crisis management, medicine, and customer service, but the utilization of this technology in the field of educational leadership or in principal preparation programs is very much in an embryonic stage. In this chapter, the authors first provide a summary of the evolution of scenario simulation in the field of educational leadership, and develop ‘learning principles' for evaluating the effectiveness of the simulation in delivering discrete learning outcomes. They then provide a specific example of an innovative educational leadership program that is utilizing a specific virtual environment; introduce TLE TeachLivE™ (TeachLivE) as a method to help prepare future leaders for practice. Finally, they discuss professional avenues to consider while cultivating the advancement of TeachLivE™ as a supplemental method for learning.

Technology Paved the Road for Students in a High-School Dropout Recovery Program to an Online College Class

Although there are Federal programs that are intended to assist a wide range of people with getting a college education, the educational attainment statistics confirm that these programs are not reaching the students who are the least apt to go to college. This chapter describes how technology enabled 52 inner-city high school students, 49% of whom had cumulative high school grade point averages (GPA) that were between 1.0 and 1.9 points, to be dually enrolled in an online college class and their online high school classes. The class average for the quizzes the students completed was 88% and the students who took the final exam scored, on average, 86%. There were some unexpected delays and difficulties along the way, but the students performed at a college level in a difficult class.

Through the Eyes of Students and Faculty

Online enrollments have been growing substantially faster than overall higher education enrollments. It is argued that online learning can help address issues of educational inequity, poverty, and social exclusion. The momentum is moving towards online learning, and universities are pressured to develop more online options for their students in order to stay relevant and provide needed flexibility. On average, courses that are delivered online have higher attrition rates than regular face-to-face courses. There are numerous challenges and difficulties in developing online learning environments without sacrificing the quality of learning. This case study examines the development, delivery, and evaluation of online learning through the eyes of students and faculty of an educational leadership department in a Southeast research university.

A Multi-Criteria Decision Making Approach for Evaluation of MOOCs Platforms

Technology and globalization have increased accessibility to higher education. In recent years, the concept of online or distance learning has expanded to a growing number of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs), i.e. enrolling in free higher education courses open for any Internet user. MOOCs are recent trends in distance learning promoted by several prestigious universities. This Chapter describes what MOOC is with review of the history, its characteristics, advantages, and different platforms for developing of MOOCs. The authors also discuss the multi-criteria nature of MOOCs and identify the parameters important for selecting a MOOC platform. It is hoped that MOOC will enhance accessibility, student engagement, and experiences for lifelong learning which will empower and inspire educators around the world and promote success in learning.

Cultural Intelligence and Experiential Learning Powering Faculty Intercultural Leadership Development

A look at today's higher education institutions shows an increasing number of culturally diverse students. The ability of faculty to value these learners can serve as an unmatched resource to enrich the learning experience for students and enhance the intercultural leadership development of faculty. We will explore how the integration of research in experiential learning and cultural intelligence (CQ) can help develop a process model for faculty to turn their interactions with diverse students into learning outcomes (Ng, Van Dyne, & Ang, 2009). The application of cultural intelligence, which offers a four-factor framework (metacognitive intelligence, cognitive intelligence, motivational intelligence, and behavioral intelligence) might increase the likelihood that faculty who interact with diverse students will engage in the four-stage theory of experiential learning: experience, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation (Ng, Van Dyne, & Ang, 2009; Mezirow, 1997). The experience will impact experiential and learning outcomes, and can lead to multiple advantages.

Online Learning and Metacognition

Online learning experiences are becoming the norm for an increasing number of higher education students. Although there are clear advantages to online learning in terms of flexibility and access, many students struggle to succeed, especially in purely online learning environments. To a large extent student success in online learning environments is dependent on students' ability to self-regulate and ‘learn for themselves'- both abilities related to academic metacognition. Unfortunately, even at university, many students do not have well developed metacognition. It is therefore important to consider carefully metacognitive scaffolding in the design of online learning experiences. However, the models of instructional design commonly used in online learning tend not to place great emphasis on the importance of metacognitive scaffolding. The aim of the present chapter is therefore to increase awareness of metacognition, as one of the important considerations in the design of online learning environments that can help to maximize chances of student success. Towards this end, a framework of instructional design that is more sensitive to metacognition is developed.

The Blended Learning Environment in Higher Education

This chapter explores the author's experiences with blended learning, both as a tutor and as a student at a British Russell Group University. The chapter starts from the importance of encouraging an autonomy supporting learning environment, featured within self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000). In the first part of the chapter, definitions of blended learning will be briefly reviewed. Secondly, the role of the learning environment will be explained, drawing upon previous research on learning environments undertaken by Darkenwald and Valentine (1986), mentioning the importance of the learning environment within motivational theories. Thirdly, results of a critical analysis on the own teaching and learning practice will be conducted, comparing the perspective of being a tutor and being a student. Finally, recommendations for future teaching practice will be discussed, before concluding this chapter.

Distributed Cognition

This work uses the framework of distributed cognition for understanding the way that educators perceive cognition in classroom application. The focus is on the elements of technological tools and peers as extensions of students' cognitive capacity. A qualitative study was conducted with teachers at a combined middle and secondary school in an urban area. Data from interviews in this exploratory case study revealed that teachers had minimal awareness of distributed cognition especially in terms of developing and assessing student learning outcomes. Teachers particularly struggled with ways to label, quantify and apply this construct. One unexpected finding was the concern about a lack of student expertise in utilizing tools. Suggestions call for systemic changes in curriculum, instruction and assessment. A focus on instructional technology as a mediator for critical thinking and problem solving is advocated. Additional reform measures include a renewed look at educators' epistemology through transformative professional learning.

Faculty Response to the Opportunities of the Digital Age

The digital revolution has had a profound impact on learning opportunities, but there is often ambivalence in the ways in which faculty and colleges embrace these opportunities. Attitudes and the cultural expectations of faculty lie at the heart of any successful strategic response to the digital revolution. This chapter examines cultural values that may limit responsiveness and suggests that a new cultural paradigm is needed among faculty members. This paradigm accentuates the notion of service and a relational commitment to learners. In education, a relational service culture recognizes the value and centrality of the learner and provides a pathway for the broader strategic alignment of the academy with the opportunities that are presented by the digital age. The chapter critically appraises the need for a relational service culture among faculty that might further and expand learner-centered pedagogies, and suggests how change might be initiated and supported.