Realising Dreams, Avoiding Nightmares, Accepting Responsibilities

Martin Weller, Brian Kelly

This workshop session on "Realising Dreams, Avoiding Nightmares, Accepting Responsibilities" will be facilitated by two experienced speakers who have taken an active role in exploiting a variety of Web 2.0 services in an open and participatory way.The session will acknowledge that the dream of the empowered, personalised learner, who is happy to use tools at his/her disposal, uses them in an ethical way and is aware of risks would seem to be achievable. This vision would be supported by an institution which can respond accordingly, addressing risks when needed, providing the flexibility needed to exploit new opportunities and ensures that new media literacy skills are provided.The workshop will start by setting out the techno-pedagogic utopian vision of the future learner and then seek to explore the practical issues it entails.The workshop will explore the nightmares which could be encountered if naive approaches to realising the vision are taken.The workshop will conclude by exploring the responsibilities which need to be accepted if the shared vision is to be achieved.Ideas to be ExploredThe workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to outline obstacles and barriers which might be envisaged in deploying innovative e-learning solutions. Approaches to addressing such barriers will be explored. Possible areas to be explored include:* Privacy* Access and the Digital Divide* Support* Robustness of IT services* Technical issues e.g. integration, monitoring* Pedagogy* Quality controlEfficiencyIntended OutcomesBy the end of the workshop participants will:* Be aware of risks associated with innovative e-learning applications which they may have not considered.*Have developed a better understanding of risk and opportunity management approaches which can be used.* Have considered the responsibilities which the various key stakeholders will need to address.* Have engaged actively with other participants.*Provide recommendations on how this work should continue to be addressed.User activitiesUsers will work in groups to consider two activities. Firstly working through the issues in developing a distributed, PLE type framework, and then developing scenarios of future learners in a personalised, informal learning network.no references included