More thoughts on Flexible Learning

Not entirely sure why we would watch the video promoting the University of London’s distance programme. Was their something specific we were supposed to gain from this?

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the recorded panel discussion on flexible learning but sound quality could have been better. Didn't stay for it all but picked up the following;

Robyn Jay described technology as an en-richer and enabler for adult students with literacy issues and I certainly see this as being significant in terms of flexibility.

Leigh Blackall questioned the extent to which technology does enhance and enrich learning when so many people struggle with it (was he playing the devil's advocate?). I think most of the struggle people have with technology is fear of the unknown and for adult students the fear of looking stupid. I don’t think this need be an issue if people are adequately supported or scaffolded in the first instance to develop the skills they need. This doesn’t just apply to technology but to any learning environment.

Stephan Ridgway noted that online learning assumes people are self directed learners and that not all people are. He noted that in any group there are always students who are more dependant than others. This is certainly a position that I take but I take it with the view that by the end of my course students will be independent learners. It seems to me that incorporating online skills into their course is in keeping with building their independence while not doing so is utterly disempowering.

David McQuillan suggested that not being self directed is the same as not being motivated. I just want to say that I think that self direction and motivation are two entirely different things. I suggest that the capacity for self directed learning is a learnt behaviour or a learnt skill while motivation is an attitude or state of mind. I have worked with students who are initially completly lacking in the ability to self direct but they are so motivated they not only master there illiteracy but they learn to manage their own learning in a year long course. I have also worked with students who are completely capable of self directed learning but entirely unmotivated. I think it is important to keep these too things quite separate.

David also drew attention to the fact that teaching the necessary technology can be built into a course. I agree but I think that getting this right would be difficult in a wholly distant course. I would always want to have a good week or two ice breaker and course orientation where there was an opportunity to get a sense of peoples needs in a face to face environment. I think something like 90% of communication is non verbal. You cannot pick up on the nonverbal cues – facial expressions, body language and spatial positioning on line but in two weeks of face to face at the outset, you could pick up on enough to put appropriate support in place.

Leigh suggested that perhaps flexible learning by which I’m sure he was meaning online learning in some ways targets people who are advanced learners. This takes me back to Robyn’s initial comment about technology being an en-richer and enabler for people with adult literacy issues.

In my view online learning need only cater to advanced or self directed learners if it is set up to do that. My thinking is that online learning provides the flexibility to cater to all learners and that the challenge for us as teachers is to set up our virtual learning environment in a way that manages this.