Flexible Learning Essay
Education can be described as broadly contested topic, presently there is a fresh concept rising, ‘flexible learning’.
This dissertation will go over what is realized by this term and how it might affect the technique of the future in education. Furthermore it will go over how versatile learning features engaged technology and how it includes made education more accessible and equitable. Next it will illustrate how person students include benefited by using technology with flexible learning, and how learners are able to be the central concentrate of the their own education.
Technology brings with that many advantages for the future of education, however not without a lot of setbacks, this essay may also discuss these types of. This dissertation will believe because of the increasing accessibility and improvements in technology, flexible learning needs to be the way of the future in education. Flexible learning is quickly becoming the way of the future for education, mainly because it engages and implements the usage of sophisticated technology.
According to George and Luke (cited in Andrews & Ferman 2001) flexible learning is actually a multi-directional method to learning using different techniques of delivery. However, Nunan (cited in Andrews & Ferman 2001, p. 2) looks at that ‘flexible delivery is often taken to have a similar meaning as elevating flexibility in learning’. Summarising Harmes (2010) explains adaptable learning engages technology, permitting the use of the net, e-mail, and also other digital interactive technology. It also allows students to openly access online lectures and study material and even more importantly that enables professors to position trainees as the central focus of the learning knowledge.
This can be noticed at universities including the relatively recent University of Queensland campus at Ipswich who are utilizing technology in promoting flexible learning. It was actually the purpose built with this at heart; and included computer bedrooms, a self-directed learning hub and even wi-fi laptops (Andrews&Ferman 2001). An additional example of flexible learning is usually discussed by Huijser, Bedford and Bull (2008) who describe the Tertiary Preparing Program (TPP); this is a course which is accessed on the web and on-campus.
TPP students can easily engage in on-line lectures, Wimba classrooms and forums, cours can also be submitted online and feedback returned to student, once again online. Applying technology learners have engaged in flexible learning all over Sydney, including foreign students. Furthermore TPP is currently funded by the government so that it is free; this allows students to prepare for higher study ahead of investment. The end result of this could be a higher intake of fee paying students, which in turn should cause increased authorities funding for universities. Versatile learning through technology made education more accessible and therefore equitable.
Harmes (2010) discusses how the internet has grown the number of learners to in a position to study deg through online study material and lectures. Because of technological developments the world has become a “global town “and learners can take part in a global classroom. Worldwide opportunities using technology and flexible learning should be financed locally (Zhao 2009). Ultimately this will permit there to become proximity through distance, and definitely will allow students to analyze anytime and anywhere, thus making education more equitable explains Harmes (2010). There are students from as far as remote Western Australia studying throughout the University of Southern Queensland (USQ).
They could access each of the lectures and tutorials online, and USQ plans to supply many more academic programs on the web by 2012 (The Explain 2009). ‘Technology is the instrument used to provide a facility to get a teacher facilitated, learner centered environment’ (Bonanno, 2005). It is just through the various improvements and advances in technology that education has become so available and with it flexible learning has become implemented. Versatile learning has turned education readily available because, study is instructor facilitated and enables the student to be located as the central focus of education.
In accordance to Harmes there are many great things about flexible learning, students have the ability to access their particular study at any time they just like, and this ensures that they are able to co-ordinate study around work and family lifestyle. The flexibility that technology provides has enabled students to analyze at their own pace (Andrews& Ferman, 2001). Additionally pupils have a feeling of freedom with the study, slotting it in whenever they you should. Knowles (cited in Choy and Delahaye 2002) researched how mature learners may be enthusiastic and skilled in life, and they are ready to embrace learning with deeper gratitude and understanding.
Knowles (1973) continues simply by discussing how this self-driven learning is assisted through flexible delivery and how pupils benefit from a mature independent approach to education while using option for instructor help when needed. As a result of this Bonanno suggests that with good self-discipline and time supervision students can have freedom and use of study anytime and place, thus enabling many styles of learning. Technology has increased the flexibility that students possess, thus allowing for greater access to education.
Although education offers embraced technology, there are still several problems which must be solved. According to Ralston (1999) it appears that although many have appreciated technology to get learning, there are still many who also are either too worried to or do not have the abilities and confidence to do so. Furthermore he shows that that those who have do not make an attempt to engage technology will be seriously disadvantaged, since the twenty-first century is the age of technology. Andrews and Ferman (2000) noted on their examine of the College or university of Queensland, -Ipswich grounds that many college students found the course material limited, that there was a lack of framework, and there were also a significant number of specialized difficulties.
Additionally Bonanno (2005) discusses a few of the disadvantages of technology and states the fact that learner can simply lose inspiration partly because of a lack of class room spirit and teacher caused learning. Technology can be out of date or hard to understand and sometimes it can be puzzling and sometimes it could just be that there is no tech support team available. Bonanno’s (2005) comments that many concerns occurring are learner related and that to become successful the learner should be self-motivated and still have a reasonable level of self-competency. In addition, she comments which the facilitator or teacher must be motivated as well and be able to produce engaging cours for students to work with; they must also be in a position to direct, listen and support students.
In spite of some problems, changes in technology help to make sure education is more accessible and equitable. Educational institutions are able to capture larger numbers of students permitting more financing from the government. Students could be in control of their own education path and are capable of being flexible about when and where that they choose to analyze. Students also can choose to study gregariously in online sessions and even traditional classrooms.
Problematic areas will certainly in time become improved because technology updates on a daily basis; which include faster net options. With this innovating technology people’s knowledge and experience increases and in time student figures and study options will certainly grow. It can be realistic that flexible learning will be as well as should be the means of the future in education and this there will be an international classroom.
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Bonanno, K june 2006, ‘Online learning: the good the bad and the ugly’, Proceedings in the XIX Biennial Conference – Meeting the battle, Australian University Library Association, Zillmere, QLD, pp. 1-7 Choy, SC & Delahaye, BL 2002, ‘Andragogy in vocational education and schooling: learners’ perspective’, Proceedings of the Fifth Gross annual Conference, Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Relationship (AVETRA), Melbourne, VIC College or university of The southern area of Queensland 2009, ‘University presents online alternatives to the students’, The Chronicle, 15 Jul, s. 41. Collis, B & Moonen, J 2002, Flexible learning in a digital globe: experiences and expectations, Kogan Page, London, UK, pp. 8-10, 17, 26-27.
Harmes, M 2011, TPP7120 Learning to succeed, Appendix 3’Flexible and Blended Learning’, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, seen 25 September 2011, http://usqstudydesk. usq. au/ Huijser, H, Bedford, To & Bull, D 2008, ‘OpenCourseWare global access as well as the right to education: real get or marketing ploy? ‘, International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, vol. 9, no . 1, pp. 1-13. Ralston, P 99, ‘Education for doing it equity’, The Australian, doze Jan, p. 44. Zhao, Y 2009, Catching up or leading the way: American education in the associated with globalization, ASCD, Alexandria, VA, pp.
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