Well - Kermit is doing Yoga which is obviously not the normal every day occurence for a frog; particularly a frog puppet - which leads me on to my thoughts on flexible learning from the readings and audios I have listened to this week.
Is being flexible in our delivery the norm for us as polytech tutors anyway - most of our content delivery covers many learning styles due to the very hands on skills we are teaching.
Is the focus of this course steering more towards the "open" education arena - allowing more and more people to study wherever they may be in the world as seen in the video clip I watched from the University of London that we had been asked to view and analyse.
I also have to question whether being more flexible in the delivery, assessment or whatever may have a detrimental effect on the course - will it be seen as a lower level course because you may get to do an on-line assessment? These are really just some thoughts I have had over the course of the readings/listenings - and would really love some feedback!
So back to Kermit - is he being a normal frog - or a flexible frog?
Hi Helen
ReplyDeleteyes i watched the London University clip and are you questioning the lack of human contact with assessing onine rather than giving assessments and feedback face to face? That was Michelle's question at the elluminate session. I think the future holds enough space for many versions of assessment and reflection, we just need to find the teaching/learning strategies that work for our students and course context.
Hi Tracey
ReplyDeleteI think I am still trying to get my head round how assessing on-line would be an option for my students in particular - I am also querying whether the lack of human contact and face-to-face feedback is "dumbing-down" some of our courses - I can see the need for being flexible but does opening up courses to everyone make us risk the quality? I hope that makes sense - I know what I am trying to say, just not sure if it's come out right!
Nice to see some conversation hey!
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, I think all these concerns are valid, and would better be considered as risks to manage rather than probable givens.
Also, flexible learning doesn't equal "no face to face". Many people describe flexible learning in a way that sounds more like distance learning, or online learning. Both these afford flexibility in learning of course, but so can night classes, summer school, block classes, or a combination of all this and more.
But if you were considering a significant proportion of your courses becoming online, then all the concerns you raise apply. There is a very high risk of dumbing down courses, disengaging students, negatively impacting on learning outcomes when online learning is not done well, or in the right context. The question (in your assignment) would be then, how do you properly gauge appropriate methods for offording flexibility, how do you test them, and how would yo manage the risks you are identifying?
helen these videos are great they talk of distance learning,, online courses, virtual learning environmentsthe ideas of this have been challenging to me, and i stumble along spending many hours only to loose what i have commented on or looking how to find things. This comment is my third one to you so i am feeling rather.... my last one said how i am finally getting a foundation of which to work from and that i have had suport in doing this course which i do at the computer learning centre time wise it is flexable and convenient for me i can link with other people and collaborate with people of similar interests, it also allows me to be responsible for my own learning and critacal thinking and self reliant which some times i dont need thats when i find the technology my down fall. these are all elements that were spoken of in the videos. thanks cyndy
ReplyDeleteI realise that my comments dont feed bacvk your questions sorry i was commenting more on flexability of distance oneline and virtual learning and it was more personale as to our coures for me as you were talking about intergrating it into yours. ps i love flexable kermitt hes way cool! Asesment and reflective learning , last year i got my students to assess themselves using the assesment sheet they would be marked against, they marked themselves and wrote critical reflections of there work and then shared it with the class . it was a wonderful experience and most of the students were very honest with there marking it was very elluminating!!!
ReplyDeletethanks Cyndy - sounds like flexible learning is already a big part of your teaching - I think the idea of giving the students the assessment and getting them to mark themselves and reflect/critique is a superb idea - not something we do enough of in many of our courses!
ReplyDelete