Abstract:

Challenges of the complex and dynamic reality of the 21st century combined with those facing many educational systems around the world, demand thinking about new, different pedagogies that will enable teachers to implement lifelong learning both during their professional development and whilst teaching in class (CEC, 2003; Coolahan, 2002). One of the possibilities promoting this view, is the design of an up-to-date learning environment, in which teachers will be capable of floating educational and professional dilemmas and discuss them in teams made up of varied ideas.

Dilemma-based learning (DBL) is one of the models applied as part of the lifelong learning approach. Dealing with authentic dilemmas during teachers’ academic studies in practice is essential for the development of critical thinking, ethical perspective and professional identity. Using dilemmas encourages the development and deepening of professionals’ self-identity and confronts them with ethical and moral dilemmas, challenges them to make decisions based on professional values (Patry et al., 2013).

In the current research an up-to-date dilemma-based learning model was developed and examined, combining pedagogic principles of cased-based learning, self-regulated learning and collaborative learning. Additionally, this model emphasizes the value of shared technological tools that support and promote active and collaborative learning in class. The Dilemma Based Learning Integrated Collaborative Technologies (DBLCT) model was developed as part of design-based-research for a teacher training academic course. The participants were 40 active teachers from two consecutive years studying for their Masters’ degree in education specializing in teaching and learning. The report presents the study planning process for the course, design of learners’ experiences and their interpretations of these experiences. The findings reflect learners’ active learning experiences, whilst promoting self-regulated, collaborative learning strategies, where the instructor's role focused on arranging contents, designing learning scaffolds for lessons and participatory observation during lessons. In addition, the challenges facing the instructor during the application of this model are presented. This model can be applied in a range of higher education academic courses, in which learners gain experience or work in a field that surfaces professional complexities deserving of profound and critical observation in teams, as a possible response to applying the need for lifelong learning.

References:
[1] CEC (2003). IEEE International Conference on Electronic Commerce (CEC 2003), 24-27 June 2003, Newport Beach, CA, USA. IEEE Computer Society 2003, ISBN 0-7695-1969-5.
[2] Coolahan, J. (2002). Teacher Education and the Teaching Career in an Era of Lifelong Learning. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
[3] Patry, J.-L., Weinberger, A., Weyringer S. & Nussbaumer, M. (2013). Combining Values and Knowledge Education. In B. J. Irby, G. Brown, R. Lara-Alecio & S. Jackson (Eds.) and R. Robles-Pina (Sect. Ed.), The Handbook of Educational Theories (pp. 565-580). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Keywords:

Dilemma Based Learning, Collaborative Technologies, Teacher Training, professional Development.