Abstract:

In the spring of 2014 the Copenhagen School of Design and Technology received funding for an experimental research grant to analyze and contextualize the school’s current use of technologies in learning, and to use this research to develop tools to help the lecturers and students qualify their choice of digital learning tools.

An empirical study from 4 different educations revealed heterogeneity of ad hoc practices in their choice of technologies to support learning. To approach this methodologically a dialogue tool was developed - “Learning Landscape” - its design is contextualised through ANT-theory (Latour, Bruno, n.d.), Social Studies of Knowledge Practices (Law, 2002), and Situated Learning (Lave, J and Wenger,E, n.d.).

This paper thus investigates the effects of using a practical method that organizes a conscious negotiation between the relevant actors involved, and accounts for the theoretical foundation of its design.

In the experimental research we investigated the value of a co-creation process between students and educators, with the goal to engage students in the process of developing blended learning designs - working from the understanding and values of The Formular of Competences Development (Kompetenceformlen) by Knud Illeris (2012). Illeris purports that competence development consists of three important aspects, which will be elaborated in the paper.

The dialogue between educator and student is framed by the design of a “Learning Landscape” – a practice where the learning process starts with the negotiation of how to plan a course, continuing to the practical experience and concluding with internalization through reflection and evaluation.

The design is inspired by the concept of checklists (Gawande, 2011). The Learning Landscape helps the students and educators to take the important details of the blended learning experience into account. It does so by guiding actors through the process of discussing choices in relevant categories, working with their own learning context, topics and learning goals as working case.

We use the principles from The Decision Model by Poul Heimanns (Hansen, 2010, p. 137), with two added categories suggested by Jens Jørgen Hansen, Ph.d. (Hansen, 2010, p. 144). The two categories, Learning Technologies and Learning Space, draw attention to the influence and role that modern digital technologies have in education today.

As part of our research we conducted tests twice in February 2014. We redesigned the test which will be tested again in May 2014

Findings:
The tests reveal the method has potential as knowledge sharing tool and as a tool for acknowledging new possibilities in choosing technologies for learning.

In the co-creation process the students showed the need for guidance form the educators; to define importance, acknowledge contributions and to link the activity to the students’ education and learning.

Technology and learning as a topic is new to both educators and students. In this regard some were insecure concerning the goal of the dialogue. And technology tends to be discussed through frustrations and not through their learning potential.

Keywords:

Blended learning, co-creation, innovation and technology.