Three steps to enhance e-teaching in schools (Ken Stevens)

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Ken Stevens (working at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada & Victoria University of Wellington) gave an interesting overview of introducing eLearning at the high school level, in particular in rural schools away from the main settlements. He suggests that this should be built on a collaborative model, which incorporates a conceptual shift at the teacher education stage.

The collaborative model includes inter- and intra- institutional communication, virtual classes meeting traditional classes, and also (and most controversially he has found) challenging the notion of traditional schools.

Ken outlined three main steps for the enhancement of eTeaching in rural schools. He also introduced a pedagogy for e_learning which looked at awareness open learning structures, collaboration, learning circles, and building shared realities for understanding. A cybercell is a face to face group whose members extend their discussion into the virtual, and can invite in guest and expert voices from around the world. The notion is that sustainable eLearning communities are based around collaboration, adaptation, cultural identity and innovation. As such, Ken puts forward a scaleable, sustainable model for eLearning that recognises issues of access and equitability.