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1) George, you recently had a paper published which you co-authored with Aaron Doering. What was the basic gist of the paper?

The paper we published was entitled Hybrid Online Education: Identifying Integration Models using Adventure Learning and it appeared in the Fall 2008 issue of the Journal of Research on Technology in Education (full citation below). This paper is part of a series of studies we conducted to explore the implications of Adventure Learning (an approach to designing learning environments that I describe below) for teaching and learning. This specific study investigates the ways that teachers choose to integrate Adventure Learning (AL) in their classrooms and explores how student experiences differ across the different ways that the learning program was integrated. Over a period of two months we conducted 12 classroom observations, held focus groups with 123 students, and interviewed five teachers to understand how and why students integrate AL in their classrooms, and what the impact of that choice is. We found that the same hybrid online education program was integrated in four different ways depending on various contextual and personal factors (e.g., presence of state standards, teaching philosophy, teaching experience), student experiences across these integration approached differed drastically, and that specific features of the online learning environment were popular regardless of the integration approach taken by the teachers (e.g., the dog yard and the trail reports). Our results highlight the flexibility of learning environments such that they are amenable to change when placed in the hands of teachers.

Doering, A., & Veletsianos, G. (Fall 2008). Hybrid Online Education: Identifying Integration Models using Adventure Learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 41(1), 101-119.

2) What exactly is "Adventure Learning?"

Who publishes it and what does it try to do?

Adventure Learning (AL) is an approach to the design of online learning environments that provides students with collaborative opportunities to explore real-world issues through authentic learning experiences. It is grounded in two major theoretical approaches to learning: experiential and inquiry-based learning, and it argues that learning is ultimately based upon the understanding that experience rather than osmosis guides meaningful learning.

Thus far, our AL research has focused on the GoNorth! program. The program includes a free K-12 curriculum designed with activities that work in conjunction with the travels of Team GoNorth!, who annually dogsleds throughout circumpolar Arctic regions. The curriculum, travel experiences and observations of Team GoNorth!, and the online learning environment are delivered concomitantly to students who collaborate with global experts and attempt to make connections among what is happening in the real world, their studies, and the collaboration and interaction within the online learning environment. Adventure learning projects to-date include Arctic Transect 2004 (http://www.polarhusky.com/2004), GoNorth! Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 2006 (http://www.polarhusky.com/2006), GoNorth! Chukotka 2007 (http://www.polarhusky.com/2007), and GoNorth! Fennoscandia 2008 (http://www.polarhusky.com).

The people involved in the development and research of the Adventure Learning approach described above are Dr. Aaron Doering (http://cehd.umn.edu/CI/Faculty/Doering.html) and Dr. Charles Miller (http://cehd.umn.edu/CI/Faculty/Miller.html) who teach at the Learning Technologies program at the university of Minnesota, USA, and myself, at the MA:DTCE program (http://www.madigitaltechnologies.com) at the University of Manchester, UK (http://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/george.veletsianos/personaldetails)

3) Now, how would you define "hybrid learning?"

By "hybrid learning" we refer to any educational approach that comprises of both face-to-face and virtual components to design and deliver a learning experience.

4) In your mind, why is "hybrid learning" important?

A hybrid approach to learning is important because technology enables us to do things that are simply not possible in a face-to-face setting. For example, in the Adventure Learning projects presented above, students are able to follow Arctic explorers as they traverse the most remote areas of our globe; they are able to collaborate in real-time with weather experts; and they can present their way of life to others all over the world. Without taking a hybrid approach to education we are constraining children within the four walls of the classroom. In short, a hybrid approach to learning enables us to design and deliver varied (and otherwise impossible) learning experiences.

5) What do you mean by an "integration model?"

The term integration model had a very specific meaning in our paper. The approaches, ways, and methods used by teachers to integrate Adventure Learning in the classroom were referred to as "integration models." These models differed in terms of their foci, pedagogy, and curriculum and online learning environment usage.

6) Why do teachers seem to have such trouble integrating technology into their K-12 classrooms?

Technology has not been integrated successfully in K-12 classrooms worldwide and there are lots of reasons for this. Even though teachers do seem to have trouble creatively integrating technology in their classrooms, I don't think that they should take the blame for this. Teachers lack the time, the support, and the freedom to use technology in their classroom. Research also notes that teachers lack the necessary knowledge to effectively use the affordances of the technology in the classroom. Political, social, economic, and organizational issues also impede successful technology integration.

For example, YouTube is blocked in lots of schools even though teachers find valuable content on the popular file sharing site. While technology-savvy teachers may find ways around such filtering, not everyone is able (or even willing) to do so. School districts and administrators have also banned Facebook – rather than rushing into a complete ban of tools I suggest that we explore what these tools afford our learners, I suggest utilizing the opportunities provided by the medium (e.g., social interconnectedness) to enhance educational practice. Another issue that concerns me relates to the development of technology-enhanced learning environments (software, simulations, games, LMS, and so on) that are pushed onto teachers and are disconnected from the real happenings of the classroom. We frequently see new environments being designed and given to teachers to use – as if we are the experts and the teachers our puppets. A better approach to design involves engaging teachers as collaborative designers in the development of technology-enhanced solutions for K-12 classrooms and researchers investigating the messy implications of the developed solutions in situ, in real contexts.

7) What can be done to rectify this?

Lots. We can work with teachers to mold technological solutions that target real issues and problems. We can start thinking of learning as something that is inherently enjoyable and fun, as an aesthetic experience that (as Patrick Parrish puts it) has a beginning, middle, and end. We can design for engagement rather than for strict notions of learning as demonstrated behavior change. Rather than training teachers to use generic tools and software, we can aim at enhancing their understanding of how technology can provide added value for particular topics and learners in specific contexts (recent research in the US and in Europe has discussed this idea under the umbrella of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge - also referred to as TPCK, TPACK, and ICT-related TPCK). Finally, but equally importantly, we can aim at devising ways to eliminate socioeconomic inequities that define the quality of technology use in schools.

8) I know in England you have OFSTED, which examines your educational endeavors. Do they have a position on the integration of technology?

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) has published various reports regarding the deployment and impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in primary and secondary schools. As a newcomer to the UK, I am not an expert on this topic but from what I read most of their recommendations center on better guidance, support, and training for teachers. For a definitive answer, their publications are freely available online at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Education/Curriculum/Information-and-communication-technology.

9) What question have I neglected to ask?

I don't have anything more to add, but I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to express my thoughts on these issues and discuss our work in a more approachable manner. If any of your readers have any questions or would like to discuss any of the ideas I expressed above, they can email me at veletsianos@gmail.com.

Published December 4, 2008