Sustaining student participationÅke Bjørke

E-course designer /convenor UNU/GVU

Asst professorAgder University College

Recap

1. generation: Correspondence-course

2. generation: Electronic correspondence-school.

Communication student-machine

3. generation: Interactive, PBDL, CSCL, ”dual-mode” , many – many communication

Community of practice in a good learning environment

The GVU student and tutor part of global network of practitioners

The GVU partner network

The virtual classroom

A virtual classroom

• Online

• Global

• With collaborating peers

• Tutor(s)

• Learning resources

• Dynamic and flexible learning for change

Does it work?

Theories are fine

• But does it work?

• How about quality?

• The good dialogue – is it really there?

• Won’t they drop out after some time?

Experience from:

Kenyatta university

KNUST- Ghana

Student of current online tutor-course:

”I am getting nostalgic already. How do we maintain contact after the course?”

”When will phase 2 of the course start?””When will this course, phase 1, run again? I

have many in my office that have shown interest.”

Olubodun Olufemi, Accra, Nigeria, 4 May 2006

Strategies for efficient and enjoyable learning motivating for

LLL

Different types of knowledge

Aristotle:

• Episteme (To know. Empirical, intellectual, declarative)

• Techne (To do. Technical skills)

• Fronesis(Wisdom: understand situation at hand and decide appropriate action + ability to implement)

The textbook

May still be there – but what comes in addition in order to make a good study?

High quality learning situation;”Productive interaction”:

• 1. Active engagement

• 2. Frequent teamwork

• 3. Regular interaction and feedback

• 4. Contextualisation of activities: Basis in realistic and motivating tasks

• 5. Application of information to solve a problem

• 6. Dynamic and adapted for change

• 7. Learning as social activity

Collective problem solving

• Precondition to solve most problems within science and within complex knowledge production.

Closed and open working methods

• Closed: study existing (”static”)knowledge• The student must learn existing knowledge

andfit this knowlegde into personal knowledge and experience.

• Open: develop new knowledge (”dynamic”)• Challenge:

Find balance between closed and open studies

Create Meta-learning environment :

• Helps beginning scholars “learn how to learn” with the new media.

• Provides students with information on the structure of the course and pacing information

• Focus on how to use new media to achieve learning objectives

• Provide active support for new learning processes

Points for discussion– Choice of content:

authority vs. autonomy. Predetermined content only may be seen as authoritarianism and imposition of frameworks inappropriate for local and individual cultures.

– Individual choice encourages independence, learner activity, gives room for own understanding and needs.

– How use the students’ own experience at least to some extent!

Points for discussion– Do activities suit students?

Access and flexibility. Independent and flexible studies sine qua non for online learning. However, total independence not feasible in longer studies.

– Pacing. Freedom & autonomy vs. interaction, collaboration and completion of course in reasonable time.

– How to build a good learning environment? How do we create something in cyberspacethat can replace the function of a campus and physical peers in real time?

The learner’s needs, choices, interaction with, and learning; at the center for flexible, LLL, to obtain knowledge, skills and attitudes needed

Learner-centred education

The GVU courseFour main elements:• A course description with 27 points giving a standard

framework• A Study Guide with aims, measurable objectives,

learning outcomes, tasks, activities, workload estimate and pacing, reflections, evaluations, grading system

• Learning Resources, e.g.: books, articles, self-instructional courses, video-taped lectures, websites, online library, learning objects such as graphics, animations, videos

• Access to LMS with student support: tutors, peers, access to professors.Student support system level may vary according to needs and financial resources.

A system for maintaining interest:

Using various ”learning tools” for a good learning environment, from individual learning to....

... collaboration in CoPs need detailed planning and design

Visions for future e-learning

• Accepted as a natural part of education, across borders

• May open for ’Blended solutions: combination of e-learning and f-2-f education– Development of e-pedagogy

• National and international networks– for exchange and virtual mobility of students

and staff, expertise and material– Sufficient understanding and economy for

necessary support and guidance

In focus:

Globalised, open,

flexible,

lifelong learning

in international networks