Topic 2, Task 3

This is a copy of a posting I made to the distance learning forums last year.

I've just read Taylor's (1995) discussion of the 4 generations of distance education technology:

• the Correspondence Model;


• the Multimedia Model;


• the Telelearning Model;


• the Flexible Learning Model.

These clearly relate closely to Williams et al's distance learning continuum (outlined in Topic 2), moving from Level 1 (akin to the 'Correspondence Model'), in which the learner has a passive role in relation to course materials, through to Level 3 (akin to the 'Flexible Learning Model'). According to Taylor (ibid) the 'Flexible Learning Model',

promises to combine the benefits of high quality CD ROM based interactive multimedia (IMM), with the enhanced interactivity and access to an increasingly extensive range of teaching-learning resources offered by connection to the Internet.

Task 3 Considering the materials and tasks I've been given during this MEd, these are my comments related to Williams et al's continuum:

Level 3:

• Multimedia CD-ROM/CBT: we were given ToolBook tutorials, using worked examples to train us to create CALL materials.


• Internet: this plays a key role in course delivery and autonomous learning; includes on-line videos of lectures.


• Virtual classrooms: we use WebCT, a Virtual Learning Environment, akin to a classroom, for course content and communication purposes.

Level 2:

• The bulletin board system: we use forums for posting personal comments and findings based on input material and tasks set by course tutors.


• email: we use this for communication between students & tutors and it can be either one-to-one or one-to-many.

Level 1:

• Passive: to some extent, yes, but the materials contain tasks to encourage learner interaction with the material.


• Correspondence: Print handbooks and articles sent to us for some courses.
  

In addition to this, although I enjoy studying at a distance and working in a self-directed way, I have occasionally felt isolated and wished for more face-to-face contact. So I was very intrigued to read Bates' argument that

for both conventional and distance education students, by far the largest part of their studying is done alone, interacting with textbooks and other learning media
(Bates, 1991, p6, cited by Taylor:ibid).

It seems, then, that studying in a conventional face-to-face format can be equally isolating at times.

I also like this observation of Taylor's (ibid) about flexible learning:

"flexible access" technologies (Taylor, 1992) allow the student to turn the teacher on, or off, at will as lifestyle permits.

I enjoy watching, from the comfort of home, university lectures delivered via on-line video; to be able to pause for a cup of tea, to be able to rewind and watch again. But the drawback, I guess, is that it isn't possible to get immediate (synchronous) answers to questions in lectures delivered this way. However, when I was an undergraduate I don't recall any opportunities to ask questions during or after lectures. Questions were reserved for tutorials.

Finally, Taylor(ibid), citing Clark (1983), reminds us that the essence of successful instructional design is not the characteristics of the medium, but the quality of the "instructional message". I feel that the materials delivered on this course are of high quality content and well-structured. The online videos, WebCT, web-delivered materials,links to other resources, the JRULM e-journals, paper-based materials and CD-ROMS are all excellent. And I enjoy being able to communicate in this way and reading my classmates' postings.