Presentations – Page 12 – Digital Learning Dispatches

In March 2017, Professor Mark Brown gave a brief keynote presentation at the OLC Innovate conference in New Orleans. This is one of the largest conferences of its type in the United States organised by the Online Learning Consortium.

His presentation explored the 7 deadly sins of online learning and was metaphorically anchored in the storyline and lessons from the 1927 film Metropolis. This is a silent German epic directed by Fritz Lang, which is a pioneering work of the Science-fiction genre influencing generations of filmmakers through iconic images of oppression and liberation.

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metropolismovie After describing each sin, Mark argues that when it comes to structural innovation we need to break free from the institutional shackles that limit our imagination.
The key point is that online learning should be in the service of big ideas, not as a big idea in itself. He told conference delegates that in many respects we are all sinners as new models of online and blended learning have yet to significantly contribute to the big idea of a safer, more equitable and socially just future for all.

A feature article building on the keynote presentation later appeared in EdSurge with Mark talking about how we can repent from the 7 deadly sins.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Online Learning from Mark Brown

In early March 2017, this year DCU once again hosted the annual Computers in Education Society Conference (CESI). For the first time the conference shifted from the Glasnevin campus where it was held in 2016 to the St Patrick’s campus and the DCU’s new Institute of Education. Notably, Dr Anne Looney, the newly appointed Executive Dean for the Institute of Education and acting CEO of the Higher Education Authority, was one of the keynote speakers.

The conference attracted a large gathering of Irish practitioners from around the country and this year’s theme of “Making Connections: Transformation through Technology and Teamwork” was evidence throughout the programme. Amongst the DCU and NIDL contributions over the day, Professors Deirdre Butler and Mark Brown gave the following talk (see video below) exploring different conceptions of digital literacy and asking the questions “Are we making the right connections?”