Plenary Session IV: Using ICT to Promote Non-formal Education and Life Long Learning
Can Distance Education Really Deliver Social Learning?
Mary Thorpe, Professor, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, United Kingdom.
Distance Education is commonly seen as a form of individualised learning. The benefits of flexibility and of control by the individual of where, when and how they learn, have been stressed. However 21st century technologies and the potential of Web 2.0 all point towards social interaction rather than individuals learning separately from others. Does this mean that Distance Education is not suited to using these technologies? I will explore three areas of ICT usage by the Open University, UK, in order to take up this challenge and invite you to rethink your views on Distance Education.
First, the asynchronous communication of online conferencing is used in all Open University courses. Expertise in large scale computer mediated communication has developed since 1989 and now enables students to continue face-to-face tutorial discussions online and to interact with their tutorial group peers on a continuing basis. Courses oriented towards practical and work-oriented qualifications, such as degree courses in Social Work, Nursing and Youth Work for example, particularly need these social and interactive forms of sharing experience.
Second, synchronous communication can now be used to enable teams of learners to work together. The masters level course, T885 Team Engineering, requires students to submit a project which they have developed as a team. Audio-Visual conferencing enables students to meet online, in real time, every week. These meetings are used by the teams to decide how to progress their project, to share documents and discuss progress. Engineers need to develop team working skills and the course enables students to reflect on the effectiveness of their team and their own role.
Social Networking tools – principally Delicious and Google Reader – are being explored by tutors and course teams in order to see how they can be used to support learning and teaching. These tools are freely available over the Web, and enable students and tutors to share resources and network with others – both inside and outside the course.
These three examples will be used to demonstrate the way in which distance learning can now offer a variety of forms of social learning. This presents challenges in terms of ensuring that the possibilities of the technology are delivered in practice. The important role played by the design of activity will be emphasised.