The future of learning: 10 key tools and methods - Stephen Downes presentation

 Here are notes taken of a presentation made by Stephen Downes on 21/9/2022 on 'The future of learning: 10 key tools and methods'. 

Has access to the video (1 hour ++), slides and transcript. Stephen Downes provides an overview of the computer science frameworks which impinge on the future of learning. 

Focused mainly on technology and trends in technology, not on AI, learning analytics, metaverse, blockchain, AR/VR etc. These are now here but all still emergent.

In the presentation, focus is on future beyond the above centred around how technology can support learning inclusively allowing for issues of diversity, equity, access and social justice to also be in the forefront.

What we can do now:

Web of data – shifting us from storytellers and narrators to explorers and guides. Important to consider open data, data literacy, data ethics and how data is designed.

Visualisation – allows for multiple ways to present information, allowing for learners to make diverse meanings from the data, encouraging co-creative learning.

Graphs – similar to above. Requires learner literacy to understand the foundations of graphs and allow then to manipulate the data to create different interpretations and bring in diverse perspectives.

Distributed resources – allows for access to a wide range of resources from many sources. Again, skills to synthesis is the key and learners need to attain the skills to sift, prioritise, find connections and gaps etc.

Consensus – provides many ways for communities to come to together, discuss, share, collaborate etc. Includes tools to enhance the ways teams can collaborate, for cooperatives and networks to co-create and distributed autonomy to be afforded.

Digital identity – importance of this going into the future. No longer dependence on passwords but creation of decentralised idenifiers (DID), issued and verified through distributed networks.

Creative experiences – all the above pushes learning towards a shift from content delivery to teachers modelling and demonstrating successful practice (aka practice-based learning!!) – through open working (studio model), job shadowing, apprenticeships etc.

Recognition – credentialization needs to shift to authenticity – actual public performance or personal portfolios.

Agency – shifts to the individual, the collective community. Tools are for automated publishing, algorithmic stock training, content alerts etc. provide access to the large amount of content being generated.

Infrastructure – moves towards sustainable focus to address climate and environmental change to address the gaps in social fabric, allow for emphasis on individual and collective capacity and support greater resilience in scientific and industrial infrastructure.

 Basically, the tools are already there for constructivist, connectivism to occur. Needs to be more collaboration between computer scientists and educators to tap into the affordances so that technology is a tool, not a barrier, towards supporting learners to be critical and creative thinkers.