Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, are online courses that allow participants free access and unrestricted participation to any course of their choice. Besides the conventional modes of teaching such as lectures, videos and reading material; MOOCs also provide a platform for interactive forums.
ADVANTAGES
Courses are offered for free
Access to courses offered by professors at the top schools
Courses are available to a vast and diverse audience across the globe
Learners’ performance can be monitored easily using the data captured during the start of courses
Both professors and learners get world-wide exposure, thus improving pedagogical techniques and knowledge sharing
Can be used as a tool in a blended learning program, where students can access more information than what is provided in the class.
DISADVANTAGES
Can’t provide for personalized courseware and attention from a tutor
It is difficult to keep track of students’ assignments and involvement
Learners with disabilities and a poor Internet connection can’t use MOOCs
Language can be a barrier while offering MOOCs
MOOCs can’t be used as a credit-earning course at universities
The term M-Learning stands for mobile learning, which refers to learning with the aid of handheld technology like mobile phones, laptops and any other similar portable devices which are handy. M-Learning is characterized by the ability to learn through portable devices. Technology has continued to play a pivotal role in teaching and training, though mobile technologies and devices have their own share of advantages and also disadvantages.
ADVANTAGES
One can access lessons, video clips and audio libraries from anywhere, including public places and moving buses and trains.
Interaction with fellow students and instructors will be a great help. It is an accepted fact that learning is made easier when information is shared and questions answered through a sort of combined study. This helps several students to work together on assignments even while remaining at far-flung locations.
Portability is a very big plus, as a PDA is compact and very lightweight, and enables a student to take notes or enter all types of data directly into the device.
DISADVANTAGES
There is the definite inconvenience of size, as the student has to learn while hunched over the small screen of a mobile phone and PDA.
There is no denying that the storage capacities of PDAs are limited.
Anyone who has a mobile gadget knows that the short battery life and frequent changes of batteries are a great nuisance.
Add to this the absence of a common hardware platform; this makes it extremely difficult to develop content for use by all.
Devices may become outdated quickly and students have to keep combating obsolescence.
There is limited wireless bandwidth and chances are that it may further decrease with the number of users ever on the increase.
In the M-Learning venue, students are incapable of printing, simply because it requires a network connection. This is obviously not feasible in a number of real-life situations.
E-Learning is learning utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom. In most cases, it refers to a course, program or degree delivered completely online. There are many terms used to describe learning that is delivered online, via the internet, ranging from Distance Education, to computerized electronic learning, online learning, internet learning and many others. We define eLearning as courses that are specifically delivered via the internet to somewhere other than the classroom where the professor is teaching. It is not a course delivered via a DVD or CD-ROM, video tape or over a television channel.
ADVANTAGES
You are able to link the various resources in several varying formats.
It is a very efficient way of delivering courses online.
Due to its convenience and flexibility, the resources are available from anywhere and at any time.
Everyone, who are part time students or are working full time, can take advantage of web-based learning.
Web-based learning promotes active and independent learning.
DISADVANTAGES
Most of the online assessments are limited to questions that are only objective in nature.
There is also the problem of the extent of security of online learning programs.
The authenticity of a particular student's work is also a problem as online just about anyone can do a project rather than the actual student itself.
The assessments that are computer marked generally have a tendency of being only knowledge-based and not necessarily practicality-based.
Flipped
learning is a pedagogical approach in which the conventional notion of
classroom-based learning is inverted, so that students are introduced to the
learning material before class, with classroom time then being used to deepen understanding
through discussion with peers and problem-solving activities facilitated by
teachers.
How does flipped learning work?
The
University of Texas Austin has created a short animation to explain how the
flipped classroom works.
What is a flipped class?
See:
https://vimeo.com/70893101
In
traditional learning, students acquire knowledge in a classroom context and are
then sent away to synthesise, analyse and evaluate this after the class. In the
flipped classroom, students acquire knowledge before the class and use
classroom time to practice and apply concepts and ideas through interaction
with peers and teachers. After the class, students reflect upon the feedback
they have received and use this to further their learning.
What are the potential benefits of
flipped learning?
By providing students with the
material to gain a basic level of knowledge and understanding before class,
classroom time can be used to deepen learning and develop higher-level
cognitive skills. One of the core objectives of flipped learning is to move
students away from passive learning and towards active learning where students
engage in collaborative activity, peer learning and problem-based learning.
Within this context, the role of the teacher shifts towards that of facilitator
and coach by empowering students to take control of their own learning. The use
of technology further enriches the flipped learning process and promotes skills
that are essential for 21st-century learning (e.g. digital literacies).
The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P™
Pillar1-FlexibleEnvironment
Pillar2-LearningCulture
Pillar3-IntentionalContent
Pillar4-ProfessionalEducator
Different between Tradisional
Classroom and Fipped Classroom
Blended learning is both simple and
complex. At its simplest, blended learning is the thoughtful integration of
classroom face-to-face learning experiences with online learning experiences.
There is considerable intuitive appeal to the concept of integrating the
strengths of synchronous (face-to-face) and asynchronous (text-based Internet)
learning activities. At the same time, there is considerable complexity in its
implementation with the challenge of virtually limitless design possibilities
and applicability to so many contexts.
To begin, it is important to
distinguish blended learning from other forms of learning that incorporate
online opportunities. First, blended learning is distinguished from that of
enhanced classroom or fully online learning experiences (see Fig. 1). However,
it is not clear as to how much, or how little, online learning is inherent to
blended learning. In fact, this is only a rough, indirect measure that may be
misleading. The real test of blended learning is the effective integration of
the two main components (face-to-face and Internet technology) such that we are
not just adding on to the existing dominant approach or method.
This holds true whether it be a
face-to-face or a fully Internet-based learning experience. A blended learning
design represents a significant departure from either of these approaches. It
represents a fundamental reconceptualization and reorganization of the teaching
and learning dynamic, starting with various specific contextual needs and
contingencies (e.g., discipline, developmental level, and resources). In this
respect, no two blended learning designs are identical. This introduces the
great complexity of blended learning.
The core issue and argument is such
that, when we have solid understandings of the properties of the Internet, as
well as knowledge of how to effectively integrate Internet technology with the
most desirable and valued characteristics of face-to-face learning experiences,
a quantum shift occurs in terms of the nature and quality of the educational
experience. At the heart of this argument is the quality and quantity of the
interaction and the sense of engagement in a community of inquiry and learning,
achieved through the effective integration of Internet communication
technology.
Focusing for a moment on the properties of the
Internet, we know that much of the satisfaction and success of blended learning
experiences can be attributed to the interactive capabilities of Internet
communication technology (Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2003; Swan, 2001). A
closer examination reveals the ability of asynchronous Internet communication
technology to facilitate a simultaneous independent and collaborative learning
experience. That is, learners can be
independent of space and time—yet together. A concomitant property of learning
with Internet communication technology is that it has a significant educational
implication resulting from the emphasis on written communication. Under certain
circumstances, writing can be a highly effective form of communication that
encourages reflection and precision of expression. When thoughtfully integrated
with the rich dynamic of fast-paced, spontaneous verbal communication in a
face-to-face learning environment, the educational possibilities are
multiplied.
What makes blended learning
particularly effective is its ability to facilitate a community of inquiry.
Community provides the stabilizing, cohesive influence that balances the open
communication and limitless access to information on the Internet. Communities
also provide the condition for free and open dialogue, critical debate,
negotiation and agreement—the hallmark of higher education. Blended learning
has the capabilities to facilitate these conditions and adds an important
reflective element with multiple forms of communication to meet specific
learning requirements. For example, at the beginning of a course, it may be
advantageous to have a face-to-face class to meet and build community. In contrast,
discussing a complex issue that requires reflection may be better accomplished
through an asynchronous Internet discussion forum.
Whether face-to-face or online,
communities of inquiry consist of three elements: cognitive, social, and
teaching presence (see Fig. 2; Garrison & Anderson, 2003).
The sense of community and belonging
must be on a cognitive and social level if the goal of achieving higher levels
of learning is to be sustained. This requires the consideration of the
different cognitive and social characteristics of each medium of communication.
In this regard, blended learning presents a special challenge and, thus,
highlights the importance of the third key element—teaching presence. Teaching
presence manages the environment and focuses and facilitates learning
experiences. With the combination of synchronous verbal and asynchronous
written communication in the context of a cohesive community of inquiry,
blended learning offers a distinct advantage in supporting higher levels of
learning through critical discourse and reflective thinking.
The range and quality of interactive
dialogue that can be facilitated through blended learning is congruent with the
widely accepted means of facilitating critical thinking and higher-order
learning. Hudson (2002) argues, for example, “that the very basis of thinking
is rooted in dialogue, drawing on a socially constructed context to endow ideas
with meaning” (p. 53). The emphasis must shift from assimilating information to
constructing meaning and confirming understanding in a community of inquiry.
This process is about discourse that challenges accepted beliefs, which is
rarely accomplished by students in isolation. At the same time, to be a
critical thinker is to take control of one's thought processes and gain a
metacognitive understanding of these processes (i.e., learn to learn). A
blended learning context can provide the independence and increased control
essential to developing critical thinking. Along with the increased control
that a blended learning context encourages is a scaffolded acceptance of
responsibility for constructing meaning and understanding.
Ubiquitous learning, an amalgam of e-learning and m-learning, allowing learning to take place independently of time and place.
Characteristics :
🔖Permanency: Learners never lose their work unless it is purposefully deleted. In addition, all the learning processes are recorded continuously everyday 🔖Accessibility: Learners have access to their documents, data, or videos from anywhere. That information is provided based on their requests. Therefore, the learning involved is self-directed.
🔖Immediacy: Wherever learners are, they can get any information immediately. Thus, learners can solve problems quickly. Otherwise, the learner can record the questions and look for the answer later.
🔖Interactivity: Learners can interact with experts, teachers, or peers in the form of synchronies or asynchronous communication. Hence, the experts are more reachable and the knowledge becomes more available.
🔖Situating of instructional activities: The learning could be embedded in our daily life. The problems encountered as well as the knowledge required are all presented in their natural and authentic forms. This helps learners notice the features of problem situations that make particular actions relevant.
🔖Adaptability: Learners can get the right information at the right place with the right way.
💌Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that are freely available online for everyone to use, whether you are an instructor, student or self-learner. 💌 Examples of OER include: full courses, course modules, syllabi, lectures, homework assignments, quizzes, lab and classroom activities, pedagogical materials, games, simulations, and many more resources contained in digital media collections from around the world.
💌Open educational resources include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge
💌Whilst purely informational content has a significant role in learning and teaching, it is helpful to consider learning resources by their levels of granularity and to focus on the degree to which information content is embedded within a learning activity:
Digital assets – normally a single file (e.g. an image, video or audio clip), sometimes called a ‘raw media asset’;
Information objects – a structured aggregation of digital assets, designed purely to present information;
Learning objects – an aggregation of one or more digital assets which represents an educationally meaningful stand-alone unit;
Learning activities – tasks involving interactions with information to attain a specific learning outcome;
Learning design – structured sequences of information and activities to promote learning.
(adapted from Littlejohn, A., Falconer, I. and McGill, L. (2008) 'Characterising effective eLearning resources'. Computers & Education, 50 (3), pp. 757-771.)
💌OER initiatives aspire to provide open access to high-quality education resources on a global scale. From large institution-based or institution-supported initiatives to numerous small-scale activities, the number of OER related programs and projects has been growing quickly within the past few years.
