Browsing by Author "Gaskell, Anne"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Can we really learn from mobile handheld devices?
    (2010-11) Gaskell, Anne
    There is much evidence that mobile technologies are playing an increasing role in education. For the most part, this role has been limited to administrative reminders and some elements of learner support particularly in relation to increasing access. It is clear that mobile technologies and especially 3rd Generation mobile phones will become ubiquitous as they become cheaper and connection charges reduce. // The paper will note that the use of mobile technologies is increasing in the developed world in a number of areas, for instance in context related education, and also illustrate how hand-held devices can be used for basic language, skills, numeracy and health and safety training and some aspects of teaching and learning across the developing and developed world. // But how far can mobile technologies replace existing distance education media in the successful support of student learning and academic teaching? And how far does this depend on the affordances provided by particular hand-held devices and so exclude many who can afford only basic mobiles? // This paper will examine some of the core issues that this raises: • The potential of mobile technologies to extend access has been demonstrated; how can this be mainstreamed and best used for learning support? • How far can hand-held mobile devices support distance learning and teaching as it is currently practised? • How far do mobile technologies promote new forms of learning and teaching which may supersede current practices? • Will mobile technologies ever become a mainstream educational medium as print-based and online learning through full-size computing devices are acknowledged to be today? // The paper concludes with a series of questions around these core issues.
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    Editorial: Meeting sustainable development goal 4: Some key contributions
    (2018-04) Gaskell, Anne; Gaskell, Anne
    The articles in this issue all provide important contributions towards meeting SDG4. They highlight the role of informal learning (Kidu), community development (Pascevicius & Hodgkins-Williams), Open Educational Resources (OER) and teacher professional development (Haβler, Hennessy & Hofmann). The importance of appropriate policies and governance are highlighted (Mukama); and, as always, all efforts will need strong leadership to guide developments (Torres & Rama).
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    Editorial: Open Education, Open Educational Practice and the Concept of Openness: Issues and Challenges
    (2018-07) Gaskell, Anne; Gaskell, Anne
    All the articles in this issue contribute to the debates surrounding Open Education, including Open Universities, Open Educational Resources (OER) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
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    Editorial: The Open Education Movement: How Can We Realize its Full Potential?
    (2018-12) Gaskell, Anne; Gaskell, Anne
    Great claims have been made about the potential of the Open Education movement to extend accessible and relevant educational opportunities to all. But how far does the reality of Open Educational Practice match these claims? Who is served by the current models of openness? And – more importantly – who is not gaining from new developments and how can any issues be addressed? // All the contributions to this issue of JL4D provide new insights into these critical questions and highlight areas to be addressed to ensure that we can meet Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG) “Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning” (see https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Goal-4.pdf)
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    How can we Maximise the Potential of New Technologies to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
    (2019-07) Gaskell, Anne
    The United Nations’ plan of action for sustainable development notes the immense challenges that we face, but recognizes that “The spread of information and communications technology [ICT] and global interconnectedness has great potential to accelerate human progress, to bridge the digital divide and to develop knowledge societies” (United Nations, 2015, p. 5 pars 14 and 15). This issue of JL4D reviews this great potential for ICT to assist in meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. // The future roles of ICT provide the focus of our first article by Professor Gilly Salmon, Academic Director of Online Services UK (https://www.oes.com/) in her contribution to our new series in which leaders in online and flexible learning reflect on past, current and future developments in the use of new technologies. (For Terry Anderson’s contribution to our previous issue, please see https://jl4d.org/index.php/ejl4d/article/view/327.)
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    Introduction: Policies and Practice EDITORIAL
    (2016) Gaskell, Anne
    This issue has a particular focus on policy: authors explore the relationship between policy and research (Traxler); the importance of having appropriate policies in place (Awadhiya & Miglani; Nkuyubwatsi; Bose) and new models for economic development, which could inform policies for the future (Weller). Studies on mobile learning also have a major place (Traxler, Awadhiya & Miglani) and are the subject of our book review.
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    New Technologies: What are the Opportunities and Challenges?
    (2019-03) Gaskell, Anne
    The United Nations Secretary General’s Strategy on New Technologies emphasises the huge potential of new technologies “to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and to facilitate their alignment with the values enshrined in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the norms and standards of International Law” (United Nations, 2018, p. 3). But while new technologies can “offer us powerful new ways to achieve our shared commitments to each and every one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)…. they are not risk-free, and some inspire anxiety and even fear. They can be used to malicious ends or have unintended negative consequences” (United Nations, 2018, p. 8). This issue of JL4D focusses on the benefits and challenges of new technologies, in the context of SDGs, and in particular SDG4, the provision of quality education for all (see https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/education/).
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    Using Mobile Technology for Learner Support in Open Schooling: A Report to the Commonwealth of Learning
    (2009) Gaskell, Anne; Mills, Roger
    Cambridge Distance Education Consultancy Von Hügel Institute St Edmund’s College Cambridge UK February 2009 To conduct a study into the ways in which mobile technologies are contributing to the provision of learner support (LS) systems for Open Schooling in Europe. The objectives of the study are: 1. To investigate ongoing and completed educational mobile technology initiatives in Europe to determine lessons learned that might be of relevance to Commonwealth countries in the process of developing quality learner support systems for Open schooling; and 2. To seek evidence of the impact and costs of the use of such technologies on learner performance