Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:4581] [deanz-discuss] Re: IFETS-DISCUSSION digest 524
From: Bronwyn Hegarty (BronwynH@tekotago.ac.nz)
Date: Mon 17 Mar 2003 - 01:14:48 MET
From: "Bronwyn Hegarty" <BronwynH@tekotago.ac.nz> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:4581] [deanz-discuss] Re: IFETS-DISCUSSION digest 524 Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 12:14:48 +1200
dear all
I have been reading (catching up) on the discussions of the past week.
Stephen has hit the nail on the head - there is a definite difference
between learning and education as it stands today.
'"f we can see learning as something else -
something more personal than social, something more
creative than cognitive, something more ephemeral than
physical, then we can see that the rule of law has no
more place in learning than it does in thought, speech,
belief or any of the other freedoms associated with an
enlightened age."
This argument has as much to do with classroom f2f learning as it does
with elearning because at the core the two are only differentiated by
mechanics & accessibility.
elearning as a model can take aspects of all theories that is the
beauty of it.
Education with rigid curricula is all about providing qualifications
appropriate for industry. Somehow some people manage to learn something
on the way but that is a long way from the scholarly activities of the
past. Would our great philosophers have learned as much in our current
system & then passed on their knowledge as well. I think not but maybe
with eLearning....
This refutes hypothesis 9. If elearning is applied following true
constructivist principles, then objectives imposed by a curriculum will
inhibit 'true ' learning. Students who are given the freedom to fully
explore a topic need guidance & in the current climate assessments tend
to provide this. also objectives but what if they were given the freedom
to set their own goals & objectives?
For example: if the topic was NZ flax. In a constructivist learning
environment students might discover the botanic wonders, the textile
industry associated with flax, Maori uses of flax, healing properties
(health), the animal life living/surviving due to flax - in fact whole
ecosystems.....history associated with flax which would then lead into
geography & anthropology. Not so with out curriculum.
elearning facilities if used interactively & creatively would enable
wide reaching exploration & faster access to information. Networking
would be possible & communications within a social community such as we
have here. an important aspect of social constructivist theory. In a NZ
curriculum very few aspects will be touched on which does inhibit 'true'
learning.
I believe that eLearning is evolving our frameworks & attitudes to
teaching & learning hence it is a model or theory in itself but it is
the expression of that theory which we are unclear about.
A model has steps or statements or principles - we have some already in
Mark's hypotheses but these exist to be proven or disproven not taken as
'the model of eLearning'
A basic model for elearning provides:
1. Access to a wider range of information and peers
2. Constructivist environments
3. Interactivity through etivities
4. Community communications - synchronous and/or asynchronous
5. Flexibility to meet student need
6. Reflection
7. Critical thinking
7. Experiential earning through case studies/simulations
8. Feedback to encourage inquiry
ie ACICFRCTEF
Dr.Eric Flescher has suggested some of these steps in his 'model'.
At the moment we role model best practice in eLearning but lets take
the 'best bits' from all & form the ideal model. It will then change &
evolve as eLearning changes & evolves.
What do you think??
Bronwyn
Bronwyn Hegarty
Staff Development Coordinator: Learning Technology
Human Resources
Staff Development Centre
F204
Otago Polytechnic
Private bag 1910
Dunedin.
email:bronwynh@tekotago.ac.nz
Ph: 03 479 3600
fax: 64 3 471 6872
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