Julian Beckton (jbeckton@humber.ac.uk)
Thu, 7 Oct 1999 08:50:00 +0100
From: "Julian Beckton" <jbeckton@humber.ac.uk> Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 08:50:00 +0100 Subject: Flexible learning: Can we really please everyone?
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I've been a lurker on this list for some time now, and found the
discussions fascinating. The current discussion is of particular
interest as I work in a university that has committed itself to the
provision of flexible learning. (Or at least something that sounds
very like it!) This committment has been expressed in the creation
of a group of staff called "learning advisers" (of whom, I am one).
One of our roles is (among many others) to help academic
colleagues develop the curriculum to provide for students who find it
difficult to benefit from the traditional model of teaching, and I think
this has raised a number of issues that might be worth considering
in the debate.
1) Excellent resource provision seems essential to the provision of
flexible learning. There are considerable difficulties in making
resources available globally (or even countrywide). One can't make
a library book available in more than one place at a time, and
quality electronic information is often expensive and subject to
severe copyright restrictions when one wishes to network it. One
role for support staff might therefore be to negotiate agreements
with publishers, or access agreements with other libraries.
2) Many (although by no means all) academic colleagues still hold
to the traditional "pour it in" model of teaching relying on tools like
OHP slides and reading lists. Where students are told that they
"must read" book X, it is difficult to persuade them that they can
learn equally well from book Y or web site Z. Support staff in
particular, are not seen by students as having the authority or
subject knowledge, that teaching staff have. (Well, in truth they
often don't have that knowledge, but their expertise in resource
provision is seen as much less valuable by students)
3) Some students seem to resent the extra work that flexible
learning requires of them.Of course, the need to get them through
the battery of tests and examinations at school may contribute to
this. I believe however that that attitude is inimical to effective
learning and it is our responsibility to get them to understand why
they are at college at University (To be able to do or "know and
apply" something that they could not do before)
4) Resources are expensive. So are staff. In the UK at least, we're
working with an ever diminishing unit of resource. I think we have
achieved high productivity gains but at some point something is
going to have to give. I believe that both resources and staff are
essential and that students don't want to be told that they have
learned by a machine, but that they would rather demonstrate their
knowledge to another human being.
So where am I going with all this. I think that if flexible learning is to
come close to pleasing everyone, (you can't ever please everyone!)
we, as an educational community, have to accept that it is not a
panacea that solves the problems of traditional teaching, nor is it a
way of saving money. We need to re-emphasise the focus on the
student, and talk less about teaching, and more about student
learning. Of course, I'm preaching to the converted on this list, but
as many contributors to the list are academics, I'd be interested in
their experience of the support services they use, and how effective
they are in promoting flexible or student centred learning.
Julian Beckton, Learning adviser
015 Pearson House, Cottingham Road,
University of Lincolnshire & Humberside
Tel 01482 440550 ext. 3613
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