Overview of the Edgeless University

earner centered/ The Edgeless University “perfect storm”

The authors of The Edgeless University assert that universities are facing times like no other, the define this as the “perfect storm” a time in which universities “are to offer more varied provision to a growing number of students in an era when they can no longer depend on ever-increasing allocation of funds.” (retrieved from http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Edgeless_University_-_web.pdf?1245715615 page 15). Colleges and universities will not remain unscathed by the changes and challenges they face in the current economy. Like any other entity they will have to innovate and change, some of these changes will be more drastic than for others.

Further challenges beyond funding and increased student demand may also include unprecedented numbers of retirements by faculty and staff further changes will be driven by innovations in technology.

In order to provide online delivery of educational content to students as economically as possible universities may move to accessing free Web 2.0 tools and integrating them into their learning management system or in place of a learning management system. As it is noted in The Edgeless University ..

“Open repositories of online content, social media networks like Facebook and the use of virtual learning can all help universities provide more flexibility and new ways for people to access scholarly and research material. Open repositories of online content, social media networks like Facebook and the use of virtual learning can all help universities provide more flexibility and new ways for people to access scholarly and research material.”

Further initiatives include designing the learner centered/student centered university. These terms maybe defined as:

Learner centered: to refer to environments that pay careful attention to the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs that learners bring to the educational setting. (retrieved from http://cndls.georgetown.edu/crossroads/vkp/resources/glossary/learnercentered.htm, July 23, 2009)

Learner-centered education places the student at the center of education. It begins with understanding the educational contexts from which a student comes. (retrieved from http://www.abor.asu.edu/4_special_programs/lce/afc-defined_lce.htm, July 23, 2009)

Examples of learner-centered educational practices from the University of Arizona include, but are not limited to:
• Collaborative group learning, both inside and outside the classroom;
• Individual student research and discovery;
• Research and discovery by students and faculty together;
• Problem-based inquiry learning;
• Student-faculty studio and performance activities;
• Asynchronous distance learning;
• Synchronous interactive distance learning;
• Service learning activities;
• Hands-on, experiential learning activities;
• On-site field experiences;
• Self-paced tutorials. (retrieved from http://www.abor.asu.edu/4_special_programs/lce/afc-defined_lce.htm, July 23, 2009)

From Maricopa Community College:
The learning college is based on six key principles:
• The learning college creates substantive change in individual learners.
• The learning college engages learners as full partners in the learning process, with learners assuming primary responsibility for their own choices.
• The learning college creates and offers as many options for learning as possible.
• The learning college assists learners to form and participate in collaborative learning activities.
• The learning college defines the roles of learning facilitators by the needs of the learners.
• The learning college and its learning facilitators succeed only when improved and expanded learning can be documented for its learners. (retrieved from http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdesoto/weblearn/index.htm; July 23, 2009)

• Instruction changes from being teacher-centered and content-driven, and becomes more learner-centered and learning process-driven.
• The student’s role changes from that of being a passive recipient or empty receptacle into which the instructor “deposits” knowledge—the “banking theory” of education (Freire, 1970)—to that of an engaged learner and active agent in the learning process.
• The instructor’s role expands from that of a knowledge-laden professor who professes truths and disseminates factual information, to that of being a learning mediator or facilitator who assumes the following roles. (retrieved from http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Miscellaneous018.htm, July 23, 2009)

Weimer outlines the key premises of learner-centered teaching as:

• Assume that students are capable learners who will blossom as power shifts to a more egalitarian classroom.

• Use content not as a collection of isolated facts, but as a way for students to critically think about the big questions in the field.

• Change the role of teacher from sole authoritarian to fellow traveler in search of knowledge.

• Return the responsibility for learning to the students, so that they can understand their learning strengths and weaknesses and feel self-directed in their knowledge quest.

• Utilize assessment measures not just to assign grades, but as our most effective tools to promote learning. (retrieved from http://www.insightjournal.net/Volume3/StudentPerceptionsLearnerCenteredTeaching.pdf, July 23, 2009)


Woven through these observations and definitions is the use of technology to strengthen the relationship between student and institution, student with other students, student and faculty. Technology, which engages learners, can be used to build relationships.

Real LIfe Second LIfe play

I needed to complete the below for a class I am so I decided to post it here as well:

Cathy Anderson

Comparison between playground and second life

In both situations there is a lot of movement and communication, there really isn’t much difference interactions between people. You also get a sense that there is a high degree of experimentation, learning, and adjusting to a new environment or situations in both scenarios.
Each situation is obvious created for “play,” whether that is on an adult level or a child level. In the children's scenarios their home and yard is obviously their place to play. There are toys, children's gear, their pets, and even a cartoon on the television, all pieces and parts of a child’s play room. The children interact with each other, their pets and other family members in the room. Sometimes these interactions are fleeting as they spot one thing after the other that intrigues them. The children are building and manipulating their environment; it seems like play but fundamentally is for learning.
It is apparent that the children learn from interacting with their environment and with each other in this environment. As they play it may not be directly obviously that they are learning something about the world they live in , about communication, and about being “human,” however that is the end result of their activities.
Communication in this environment is essential and in many ways the children are communicating verbally and non-verbally. It is these non-verbal cues that are difficult to convey in a virtual world environment such as Second Life. Essentially, in a virtual world environment the primary communication comes through text chat, this make play difficult without the verbal inflections of tone and voice and non verbal cues it is sometimes difficult to judge a person’s intent or whether they are “joking,” or serious.

In Second Life, you can enter great vast and empty virtual spaces and have little or no contact with anyone. Or you can enter “crowded” rooms such as dance clubs and be overwhelmed by the “closeness” of others. The first place I opted to go to was Caledon. Caldeon is a “steampunk” role play sim, which is a Victorian Country Village. More information on Caledon can be found here http://secondlife.wikia.com/wiki/Independent_State_of_Caledon. If being in a virtual world and creating beautiful spaces is “play” on an adult level then Caledon is a good example of that. I explored Caledon (my state of play) but did not observe many humans at play.

In a quest to find adults at play I traveled to Frank’s Jazz Club. The place was quite full of men and women “at play” in Second Life. Frank’s is an “adult meet-up” joint. Listening to music and “avatar” watching is the rule of the day. Is it fun..yes it can be if you are open minded and enter the “immersive environment,” of Second Life. In many respects one will learn a great deal from observing, watching and chatting with others here…techno play is a whole other world for sure in this arena. Regardless of the aim of people at play in Frank’s Place in Second Life or Caledon the experience of building relationships here versus “1st life” is an entirely new experience. People have different objectives while here some are here to do what they can’t do in real life, have fun, and some view it as a game, while others view it as real life and second life blending together.

Discussion in Second Life

Second Life is my professional development, playground, and 1 hour vacation spot ..if I need it. Second Life is what you make it...emphasis on you. Essentially it is up to you to create your Second Life experience..it is not an environment that allows you to be a passive player and not interact with and seek out events or sites that provide visual elements that are interesting or interaction with others in that an environment.

I have met people from all over the world and nearby ... all of these people will leave a lasting memory of some sort with me as I go on with my life. Will Second Life always exist as it is right now? I hope not...I hope that Linden Labs will continue to push the boundaries of what the technology can do.

I have only been in Second Life for a year...my rez day is coming up August 1st. Those first days and those first steps were awful..frankly I really didn't see much that I liked about Second Life..but I learned more, I have invested in a library of books on Second Life and immersed myself in experiencing the environment---and today I can say that it has been a rewarding experience.

I frequently have conversations with people, like Bevan Whitfield, half a world away discussing our Second Life experiences, personal lives and creating a future for virtual worlds and the virtual experience.