Oliver’s paper (Oliver, 2001)
This article by Ron Oliver is a good introduction to the toolbox website. A shared resource, standards and best practice seem like an excellent idea for connectivism and socially constructed learning for educators. I like the visual, multimodal aspects of the website and the learning modules. They are inviting, colourful, more likely to connect with young people and those who are used to Internet capacities. By using authentic , contextualised projects, these learning resources seem well based in online pedagogies and make best use of technologies.
Reference list
Oliver, R. (2001). Seeking best practice in online learning: Flexible Learning Toolboxes in the Australian VET sector. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 17(2), 204-222. Retrieved 18.7.2007
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet17/oliver.html
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Flexible learning
Thoughts on Flexibility in learning
E-learning provides flexibility- the fifth generation of learning (Taylor)
Some issues:
Most learning organizations are based on for-profit organizations and maximization of business and profit. Hence a major spearhead to flexible learning has been economic (Taylor, 2001).
Technology is intricately interwoven with the advances of economics, learning organizations and flexible learning. It seems at times that e-learning trails behind the technology revolution
Information is rapidly expanding and freely available this causes problems about finding the right information and pathways to it- avoiding wikipedia perhaps? It also raises issues of intellectual property rights
Web 2.0 is overtaking all these issues by creating a democratic ‘truth’ and knowledge -base and moving away from traditional models of expertise (Allsopp 2007).
Although new pedagogies are used in flexible and e-learning, they are really older ones that are more easily used in the e-learning environment so it seems that pedagogy is trailing behind.
Early adopters and keen ‘Lone Rangers” are relied upon to move learning institutions towards flexible, e-learning but this is often in their own time and leads to burn out. Failure to understand that this requires an organization wide change and strategic management of change will result in poor delivery, management and overloading of teachers. Students will leave and feel confused and inundated with lack of support (Macklin, 2004 ).
English is overtaking all other languages due to Internet usage, and languages and cultures will be lost. New languages, e.g. Spanglish and chat based acronyms and abbreviations are taking over. Failure to converse at this level means a loss of relevance and communication. Visual and less text-based communication is also needed to remain relevant (Hansson, H. &van de Bunt-Kockhuis, S., 2004).
Reference List
Allsopp, J. (2007) Microformats- a more semantic web today, Keynote address at 2nd Annual Web Content Management Symposium, Q.U.T. Brisbane, 2nd June
Hansson, H. &van de Bunt-Kockhuis, S. (2004) E-learning and language change- observations, tendencies and reflections, First Monday Retrieved 17/7/2007, http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_8/hansson/
Macklin,J (2004). Tony Bates on trends in flexible learning Australian Flexible Learning Community retrieved 17/7/2007 http://community.flexiblelearning.net.au/GlobalPerspectives/content/article_6525.htm
Taylor, J.C. (2001) The Future of Learning, Learning for the Future- Shaping the Transition Retrieved 17/7/2007 http://studydesk.usq.edu.au/webct/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct?JSESSIONID=GcqZ4HZbTW2LvQyM4hvJ2HWC7cRljv2n6MNTJ5h2zNmldrF0cghh!325438155!194649042
E-learning provides flexibility- the fifth generation of learning (Taylor)
Some issues:
Most learning organizations are based on for-profit organizations and maximization of business and profit. Hence a major spearhead to flexible learning has been economic (Taylor, 2001).
Technology is intricately interwoven with the advances of economics, learning organizations and flexible learning. It seems at times that e-learning trails behind the technology revolution
Information is rapidly expanding and freely available this causes problems about finding the right information and pathways to it- avoiding wikipedia perhaps? It also raises issues of intellectual property rights
Web 2.0 is overtaking all these issues by creating a democratic ‘truth’ and knowledge -base and moving away from traditional models of expertise (Allsopp 2007).
Although new pedagogies are used in flexible and e-learning, they are really older ones that are more easily used in the e-learning environment so it seems that pedagogy is trailing behind.
Early adopters and keen ‘Lone Rangers” are relied upon to move learning institutions towards flexible, e-learning but this is often in their own time and leads to burn out. Failure to understand that this requires an organization wide change and strategic management of change will result in poor delivery, management and overloading of teachers. Students will leave and feel confused and inundated with lack of support (Macklin, 2004 ).
English is overtaking all other languages due to Internet usage, and languages and cultures will be lost. New languages, e.g. Spanglish and chat based acronyms and abbreviations are taking over. Failure to converse at this level means a loss of relevance and communication. Visual and less text-based communication is also needed to remain relevant (Hansson, H. &van de Bunt-Kockhuis, S., 2004).
Reference List
Allsopp, J. (2007) Microformats- a more semantic web today, Keynote address at 2nd Annual Web Content Management Symposium, Q.U.T. Brisbane, 2nd June
Hansson, H. &van de Bunt-Kockhuis, S. (2004) E-learning and language change- observations, tendencies and reflections, First Monday Retrieved 17/7/2007, http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_8/hansson/
Macklin,J (2004). Tony Bates on trends in flexible learning Australian Flexible Learning Community retrieved 17/7/2007 http://community.flexiblelearning.net.au/GlobalPerspectives/content/article_6525.htm
Taylor, J.C. (2001) The Future of Learning, Learning for the Future- Shaping the Transition Retrieved 17/7/2007 http://studydesk.usq.edu.au/webct/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct?JSESSIONID=GcqZ4HZbTW2LvQyM4hvJ2HWC7cRljv2n6MNTJ5h2zNmldrF0cghh!325438155!194649042
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