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 The Wales-Wide Web :: Graham Attwell on Learning, Knowledge and Technology
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Weblog | 455 entries | 26-October-2007 | 1 authors |
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EducationGuardian.co.uk | E-learning | Top scholar
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Blog Entry | 0 replies1 resource1.93 Kb | 08-February-2005 | Graham Attwell |
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In a pretty ordinary e-learning journalism piece on the success (blah-blah) of Scotland's e-university, Neil Johnson, a biology teacher at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen, described as "an advocate of the programme" says: "Scholar suits all learning styles as it enables students to learn from different materials in a self-directed way."
England's e-university venture ended in failure, but Scotland's is going from strength to strength, says Andy Moore EducationGuardian.co.uk | E-learning | Top scholar, Tuesday October 19, 2004 Should be doing my travel claims but this is more interesting. In a pretty ordinary e-learning journalism piece on the success (blah-blah) of Scotland's e-university, Neil Johnson, a biology teacher at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen, described as "an advocate of the programme" says: "Scholar suits all learning styles as it enables students to learn from different materials in a self-directed way." Nothing strange about that quote - could find it in a hundred adverts for e-learning systems and materials. But what does it mean? Lets look at the learning styles thing first. I do not hold that different people have different set learning styles. I think we all have different learning styles for different subjects, at different times and places, for different purposes in different contexts. heck - my learning style certainly changes after a few cups of strong coffee in the morning. Or - another personal example - I need to learn something very fast about Logical Frameworks for Evaluation - I will definitely use a different learning style than if I had more time to do a considered and proper job. I would call the style I am using quick and dirty. Extended text for this entry:But a learners learnings style may be that they want guiding form a teacher with lots of face to face contact and lots of 'showing how'. I am not sure how that equates with the rest of Mr. Johnson's statement. So point one - e-learning does not facilitate all sorts of learning for all people at all times. Now on to this self directed learning bit. Whilst I do not think self directed learning is the best option for everyone, all of the time, I do think e-learning has great potential in faciliatting self directed learningf or those that want it. I do not know what system the Scottish e-univerity uses. But I seriously question how much self direction most e-learning systems allow. What are we talking about here? Self directed could include:
And I am sure others could add to this list. It seems to me that present e-learning provision offers little of these choices or self direction. E-learning development over the last period has been obsessed with (others) managing the learning process - teachers, materials developers, trainers, administrators. I will try to pursue this theme a little more in the next few days looking at the VLE of the future and think as to what technologies and pedagogies could truly facilitate self directed learning. |
