Historical pedagogy theories and modern PLN’s are becoming inseparable. The traditional belief that an education is best obtained via the professor’s lecture and the student’s attention is grounded in the idea that lecture approach holds precedence in learning. Yet the PLN has banded with the Web and earned its spot under the lights of learning, initiating two shifts in the academic world. This session addresses these shifts from the perspective of a university student.

Abstract

Title: Two Shifts in the Limelight of Learning: Student-Centric Learning As Seen By the Student

Purpose:

Historical pedagogy theories and 21st century personal learning networks are rapidly becoming inseparable. Modern learning theories foreshadow that true learning simply will not occur with either of these two items missing in the learning process.

The traditional belief that an education is best obtained via the professor’s lecture and the student’s devotion to her words and the textbook, which has held the limelight of learning throughout history, is firmly grounded in the belief that the lecture approach holds precedence in teaching and learning. Yet in recent decades, the PLN has banded with the Web and earned its spot under the lights of learning, initiating two shifts in the academic world:

1) The development of the 21st century student’s technical and social PLN, and
2) An adaptation of the job description of “teacher” whom, with today’s technologies, is emerging as indespensible facilitator and mentor to students in the student-centric learning experience, facilitated by their PLN.

Presented by a Brigham Young University student, the purpose of this session is to address these two focuses of academia from the personal perspective of a university student. The typical student’s technologically weak PLN will be revealed, as well as student’s general desire for that to change and for them to become more involved in their learning (students are not ignorant to the fact that something more can be done with learning and technology).

Secondly, knowing that the 21st century student has been greatly influenced and socialized by social learning networks, this presentation will convey some of the basal principles behind the student’s attraction to the social networking world and how educators can better incorporate the simple principles of the social network to their teaching and courses, thus contributing to the optimization of the modern PLN in today’s learning.

Objectives & Hands-on Experience

The objectives of this presentation are as follows:

1) Identify and review the catalysts of the recent changes in pedagogy and the PLN

2) Based on recent statistics from surveys conducted at BYU, diagram the typical university student’s PLN, identifying its strengths and weaknesses

3) Express the general opinion of students regarding the incorporation of social learning networks in their PLN’s. Studies are showing that collaborative learning reaps lasting rewards beyond those gleaned in the classroom, so how can collaborative learning via social networking better occur in personal learning networks? Is the incorporation of social networking into academia something students are even interested in?

4) Communicate one student’s opinion why ubiquitous student-centric learning has not yet been demanded by students themselves, but will occur very soon

5) Give attendees a live demo of a PLN system so they can experience first-hand the learning power that occurs when pedagogy is aligned to state standards and formative assessment data is available to drive student-centric teaching and learning decisions.

Presenter

Jeni Gubler
Academic Technology Research Assistant
Brigham Young University

jengub.blogspot.com

Jeni is a student of Marriage and Family Relations in the classroom, and one of Academic Technology in the workplace. A budding 21st Century student, Jeni is determined to better use technological tools and resources to maximize her education and to help both educators and other students do the same.