Christie Schultz, Erika Smith, John Sinclair & Daniel Braun
Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta
Thursday, June 24
2:30 - 3:00
Room 219, TEL
As the Faculty of Extension at the University of Alberta approaches its centenary in 2012, we encounter a compelling occasion to reflect upon from where we’ve come, where we are, and where we’re going.
For example, Extension’s travelling library, established in 1913, served learners throughout the province of Alberta, most especially those residing in areas with no local library. And by 1914, Extension began to explore early learning technologies, including slides and “magic lanterns.” In his report to the President of the University in 1915, A.E. Ottewell, the first Director of Extension reported that “the opportunity for visual instruction through the Department of Extension appears to be almost unlimited, and should be vigorously taken advantage of.”
By recognizing that learning technology has a history that extends far further than the advent of e-Learning as we currently know it, we can envision an imagined future, one filled with new ideas and new technologies; but one that also closely aligns with the purpose of bringing learning opportunities to those beyond campus.
In this presentation, using Extension as an example, we ask how have our past learning technologies, purposes, and priorities have influenced those technologies we use today; and how what we use today, will influence our future. In doing so, we also consider our audiences—rural and urban—and their places and spaces of learning.
Imagine the Possibilities
