ERAS Seminars 2015, co-sponsored by Hwa Chong Institution

The Orchestration of Physical and Digital Classrooms

The introduction of computers in school repeatedly generated over-expectations. While nobody would expect a hammer to be effective without a talented carpenter, tech gurus predicted that dropping computers on school desks would per se enhance education. A hammer is not a great tool to change the bulb of a lamp, but this is not a reason to get rid of hammers. Many teachers complain about the disruptive effects of laptops in lecture theaters, but is this a reason to bring education back to Stone Age? Computers will become useful only if technologies empower teachers in making use of them. In this talk, I will illustrate the notion of classroom orchestration through various examples and propose a simple formalism to model rich pedagogical scenarios. This model applies to physical classrooms as well as to online education.

Prof Pierre Dillenbourg,
EPFL, Switzerland

About the Speaker:

A former teacher in elementary school, Professor Dillenbourg graduated in educational science (University of Mons, Belgium). He obtained a PhD in computer science from the University of Lancaster (UK), in the domain of artificial intelligence applications for educational software. He has been assistant professor at TECFA, University of Geneva. He is currently full professor in learning technologies in the School of Computer & Communication Sciences, EPFL, Switzerland, where he is the head of the CHILI Lab: “Computer-Human Interaction for Learning & Instruction”. He is also the academic director of the Center for Digital Education, which implements the MOOC strategy of EPFL. He recently wrote a book entitled “Orchestration Graphs” that proposes a formal language for instructional design (EPFL Press).

The Politics of Distraction vs. the Politics of Collaborative Action

The session is based on the 200 influences from Visible Learning and asks about the right and wrong drivers for enhancing the quality of student lives in learning. It highlights the effects with low and high impact, and builds a model around collaborative impact, on valuing learning and worthwhile experiences for students, and esteems the expertise of teachers and school leaders.

Prof John Hattie,
University of Melbourne, Australia

About the Speaker:

Professor Hattie’s work is internationally acclaimed. His influential 2008 book Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement is believed to be the world’s largest evidence-based study into the factors which improve student learning. Involving more than 80 million students from around the world and bringing together 50,000 smaller studies, the study found positive teacher-student interaction is the most important factor in effective teaching. His areas of research supervision relate to the Science of Learning, feedback, and visible learning. The major methodologies are quantitative, including meta-analysis, item response models, structural modelling, and other experimental designs. Prof Hattie has graduated over 180 students, and likes to work closely with the student in a team environment.