The Centre for Educational Development is organising its annual Teaching and Learning Seminar in February 2008. The seminar, titled from Good to Great 2008, will be held on 27 and 28 February 2008 (Wed and Thurs).

The seminar theme ‘Building Bridges….Fostering Learning’ seeks to explore various links to content, pedagogy, information & communication technology (ICT) and learning support which  enable and enrich the learning experience for the students.

The teaching and learning experience is changing fundamentally as educators and educational institutions strive to keep pace with the continued emergence of technologies that bridge the constraints we normally associate with time and space.

The present generation of Digital Natives, known as the Millennial, has grown up in step with the internet and the host of 'technological' innovations that characterise the digital experience at this point in our collective evolution. Not only are they saturated with media and stimuli from dozens of sources at once, but they live on the cutting edge of the digital experience. Accordingly, learning experience to this group of digital natives is all about interaction, collaboration and engagement.

In contrast, the way we teach and learn seems to be out of step with the current digital reality. There is no argument that people still need to interact and learn from one another, acquire relevant and timely skills and facts; and experience useful formative and summative feedback. In light, however, of the emergence of the Digital Natives and technologies which mitigate the space and time constraints associated with traditional learning, it is both timely and prudent to set in motion explorations around the various types of bridges we may need, and/or are able, to build as we seek to develop the next generation of effective learning experiences and programmes. Perhaps equally important is that these learning experiences and programmes begin to reflect the propensities of the Digital Natives for content which is engaging, interactive and collaborative in nature.

The Internet and the increasing variety of extant and emerging communication, visualization, and simulation technologies now make it possible to offer students authentic learning experiences, ranging from experimentation to real-world problem solving, and thereby support authentic real-world learning-by-doing. This requires that we actively explore how technology can be infused into the pedagogical practices of teachers/faculty, as opposed to having teachers/faculty adapt to new technologies. The strategic use of information and communication technology can enhance student engagement, improve access, and provide appropriate learning activities, resources and support.

The objectives for the seminar include:

1. extending the blended learning methodology to bridge the gap between teaching strategies and learning experiences
2. engaging learners using contextual, social and situated learning models
3. enhancing learning through the use of emerging information and communication technologies
4. extending the ways that interactive digital media can  support immersive learning experiences
5. exploring the use of Web 2.0 applications to enhance and enrich learning
6. establishing and fostering learning communities to create supportive learning cultures.