A scholarly article illustrating some best practices and detrimental side effects of virtual learning.
This article by MJ Styles shares valuable lessons from studies conducted concerning virtual/remote education. The author shows compelling evidence of the pros and cons of distance learning. He also puts a large emphasis on the importance of social community within education (which I am sure teachers have been recognizing throughout this past year) and encourages teachers to use virtual tools (like Adobe Captivate) wisely and within the context of a healthy educational environment.
Summary:
Using Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) poses important educational issues for Universities. Without addressing the issues of effective learning, their use can compound the mistakes of the past and leave the learner with a passive, unengaging experience leading to surface learning. Educators need to recognize that learning is a social process and that providing an effective learning environment which facilitates the active acquisition of subject-specific and general expertise, and addresses the need to adopt a specific subject or professional culture, requires more than electronically delivered course notes and email discussion. Quality of course design, use of appropriate tools and the context in which learning takes place are prime factors affecting success in the era of mass higher education and lifelong learning.
Link: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.616.2633
What are your thoughts on this?
Much has changed in the 20+ years since this was written. It would be interesting to know what the author thinks today.
In the year 2000 I was actively building MSN Communities and communicating via chat rooms. LOL
That said, I would agree that virtual learning is a problem for universities if they are not willing to listen and learn from experts themselves.
I once worked for a university that told me, as a lowly Master’s degree holder, that I was not ever to tell a Ph.D how to do something. I never understood that mentality. Why can’t they be the expert in economics or physics and I be the expert in teaching and learning and allow two professionals to learn from each other?
I cannot broad brush all universities but my advancement into the realm of higher education unfortunately presented itself as the most unprofessional and learning restrictive job I have ever experienced.
The irony…
“I cannot broad brush all universities but my advancement into the realm of higher education, unfortunately, presented itself as the most unprofessional and learning restrictive job I have ever experienced.”
This is an interesting sentence. I only might guess what you mean but I think I understand.
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