This short report is developed for a child-focused organization that provides a range of training in the humanitarian refugee settings. The organization is in charge of child protection, ensuring children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development through different psychosocial activities and life skills sessions held in traditional classrooms. Furthermore, the organization uses the same approach to build and strengthen the capacity of partner organization staffs, local authorities and community structures. The organization is currently planning to run tablet-based sessions in different centers for children and adolescents, an approach that supports different new technologies and pedagogies, described as eLearning innovations.
The emergence of the knowledge society and the knowledge-based economy marks a new era for education and training. In response to the growing global demand for higher education, recent studies highlight that there is remarkable increasing use of technology in education. As eLearning evolves, different education institutions and training providers are gradually forced to adopt very recent innovations that meet the current education needs according to their spheres.
I. Innovation in e-learning
II. Example of Recommendable Innovations
2.1. Digital games
2.2. Place-based learning
2.3. Social Media
III. Discussion on the above Innovations
3.1. Digital games and playful learning
3.2. Place-based learning
3.3. Social Media
IV. Conclusion
References
Abstract: The emergence of the knowledge society and the knowledge-based economy marks a new era for education and training. In response to the growing global demand for higher education, recent studies highlight that there is remarkable increasing use of technology in education (Weller, 2011). As eLearning evolves, different education institutions and training providers are gradually forced to adopt very recent innovations that meet the current education needs according to their spheres. This short report is developed for a child-focused organization that provides a range of training in the humanitarian refugee settings. The organization is in charge of child protection, ensuring children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development through different psychosocial activities and life skills sessions held in traditional classrooms. Furthermore, the organization uses the same approach to build and strengthen the capacity of partner organization staffs, local authorities and community structures. The organization is currently planning to run tablet-based sessions in different centers for children and adolescents, an approach that supports different new technologies and pedagogies, described as eLearning innovations, as defined below.
Key words: Innovation in e-Learning, Place-based Learning, Social Media Learning, Digital Games in Learning, Playful Learning.
I. Innovation in e-learning
The term “Innovation” has known different definitions such as the introduction and implementation of new ideas or method that are novel and useful (Ben, 2018; Nick, 2016), New development in any sphere (OU, 2019), something new or use of something old in a new way (Dragan 2019), etc.
While different definitions of Innovation refer to the words “New and Change”, one can define Innovation in eLearning as an application of new/improved or existing solutions in a new way to meet the current learning needs. In this view, today's innovation is a new development or improvement in the use of technologies and/or pedagogies. This implies assessing what and how learners would like to better learn based on benchmarked learning strategies. As technology advances, the innovative technologies rely on the development of new tools and features, while innovative pedagogies focus on learning/ material design and on improved assessment methods.
II. Example of Recommendable Innovations
2.1. Digital games
Digital games are interactive program or computer or mobile device-simulated applications that offer fun and rewarding digital interactions to users. They are adaptation of traditional game systems, with rules, player representation, and environment managed through electronic means. They are normally meant to provide entertainment, but can quite possibly serve learning purposes. According to Michael (2018), games are highly engaging as they keep the mind actively involved in a virtual environment. They not only keep players engaged but also engage their thought process, require them to solve problems, acquire new knowledge and learn new skills. For example, the popular solitaire card game sharpens the mind by keeping player attentive.
Therefore, digital games can be purposefully structured to serve as an educational simulation to players and help them achieve a particular learning objective, for example helping learners to learn a new skill, behaviour or acquire new information (Christie, 2009). This play-based approaches to teaching focuses on the process more than the outcome and allows for exploration of different issues from a variety of perspectives. It also develops playful values through participation in spaces that allow experimentation and positive failure. (Ferguson et al.,2019).
2.2. Place-based learning
Place-based learning or pedagogy of place is a new multidisciplinary philosophy that emphasizes learning through participation in service projects for the local school or community. The approach involves looking for learning opportunities within a local community and using the natural environment to inspire learners. Place-based learning considers location to be a trigger for learning and an active part of how people learn. It can support learning about a wide range of subjects, including Culture and History, Geography and Science.
2.3. Social Media
Social media is the collective of online communications channels dedicated to community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration. They include different Social networking websites and applications built on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0 and dedicated to forums, microblogging, social networking, social bookmarking, social curation, and wikis. Margaret (2019) recognizes their potential to enable users create online communities to create and exchange user-generated information, ideas, personal messages, and other content like videos, photo, variety of documents, links, etc.; hence promoting interaction.
According to Brayden (2017), the biggest number of social media users are students who join for different purposes and this popularity is often advantageous in education if used correctly.
III. Discussion on the above Innovations
This section explains how the examples mentioned above are innovative and how they could be used effectively in the above organization, which is a child-centered organization working in development and humanitarian refugee contexts.
3.1. Digital games and playful learning
The choice of this technology was based on its ability to open up possibility for a meaningful pedagogy that keeps children engaged: “Playful Learning”. This approach provides an ideal space for learning for children and young people- Joyful and engaging. While the organization has child-friendly spaces at different locations to support their physical, social, emotional and cognitive development, Christie (2009) emphasizes that children learn better in a fun way. Playful learning is normally used in different educative interventions, for example when children are engaged in creative, imaginative or manipulative activities such as puzzles, toys, building blocks, board’s game, rudo, dame, drama, etc. which have a significant impact on cognitive development of children. As the approach has been used from along ago, it may not look as innovation but the fact that Playful learning experiences can also be supported by mobile devices (Ferguson et al.,2019), it now comes innovation for the company.
The introduction of portable devices such as tablets or smartphones with certain digital games in existing Child-friendly spaces would be considered a huge innovation in the rural or refugee places. Tablet based sessions would be facilitated by a community-trained volunteer, where children would choose their favorite games from different game apps, designed in a child-friendly way. Game apps should present both protection messages and other learning contents together with games elements. For example, they offer badges or points for finding the correct answer, or they combine racing with a learning activity. By doing so, it’s believed that if children use specific apps, their language, math, science and life skills can improve and they can become better at solving problems, improve goal-oriented behaviour, develop strategic thinking, group decision-making and higher cognitive skills.
3.2. Place-based learning
Since the current organization offers a wide range of entrepreneurship, career and business skills to children/youth, it is believed that innovative pedagogy would foster refugees-community interactions. Conducting customised study tours, for example by visiting local communities to discuss common problems and propose solutions together, would enhance refugees’ integration in local community, strengthen integrated child protection systems, and promote sense of personal efficacy as stewards of their refugee environment and community. It can also help refugees in Rwanda to subordinate themselves to the dominant business models, engagement in labor market by creating linkage with local communities and/or employers.
Now that it’s becoming difficult to find a government authorization for a group of refugees to come out of their refugee camp for learning purposes, which is also a budget demanding activity, it’s essential to take advantage of mobile technologies which are opening up new opportunities for place-based learning. The mobile devices would be installed in different centers for children and adolescents, offering young people the opportunity to borrow them for a few days, as is the case for the book library. These devices should have different sets of tools that support studies outside the classroom and provide opportunities for adding virtual information to physical settings (Ferguson et al.,2019).
3.3. Social Media
The choice of this technology is based on the fact that the report concerns an organization that is an integral part of the inter-agency multi- sectoral response in Mahama refugee camp, and the main partner in providing essential services and coordination in the area of Child Protection, on-formal Education and Livelihoods.The organization helps to build the capacity of its staff, partner organizations and local authorities, all of whom are involved in the humanitarian response, and therefore strive to solve common problems. The limited face-to-face meetings and participants’ presence on social media, in addition to users’ ability to create their own community with common interests, activities, and topics for discussions can foster an Action Learning approach to professional development, which lies on solving concrete problems. (WIAL,2018).
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- Citar trabajo
- Dr. Sixbert SANGWA (Autor), 2019, A Brief Report on Current Educational Innovations, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1012779
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