Article #1 - Flexible Learning in a Digital World

Article 1 (Course material)

Collis, B., & Moonen, J. (2002). Flexible Learning in a Digital World. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 17(3), 217-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0268051022000048228

Summary: The article serves as an introduction to ideas and themes explored in the book Flexible Learning in a Digital World: experiences and expectations (1996), and explores a theoretical model on how the inter-relationships between technology, pedagogy, implementation and institution affect the conceptualisation and realisation of flexible learning (FL) spaces in higher education (HE). FL is acknowledged as a contested or confused term, often used synonymously with distance education (DE) - here, FL is framed as being about learner choice. The theoretical constructs are related to pedagogical best practice, along with an outline of the factors that may constrain learning flexibility.

Evaluation: The article presents an overview of terminology and concepts, particularly useful for those new to using technology in education. Table 1 (The lessons learned) serves as a clear guide to any learning activity. 

One aspect of the analysis that is a little dated is a statement (p. 220) in reference to Figure 2 (p. 221)- that DE is only related to No.15 (“Time & place where contact with instructor and other student occurs”). Perhaps the most common forms of FL in HE in 2002 led to this statement, but certainly DE (as a FL concept) is also strongly related to the other point in Figure 2, such as -

3. Tempo/pace of studying

5. Topics of the course

1. Times (for starting and finishing a course) and 2. Times (for submitting assignments and interacting with the course) - particularly relevant to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

The relationship between the degree of flexibility of learning, and the acquisition/contribution model is also useful, although the point that “pedagogy should reflect both acquisition and contribution-oriented models” (p. 219) could be further reinforced so an to not negatively characterise learning contexts where the the acquisition phase is particularly important.

Source: The first issue of Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning appeared in 1986. It is published by the Taylor and Francis group, and utilises an “anonymised refereeing” as part of a peer-review process (Taylor and Francis Online, 2013). An online perusal shows the journal’s strong presence within academic search engines. The authors have high level positions in HE. This should be considered a reputable source.

Relevance: Teaching is a time pressured profession, and the time needed to design and establish a move away from a teacher led learning environment to FL, or a flipped classroom or a VLE is considerable. This article outlines the kind of thinking that needs to be done at the outset in order to prevent technology being used only as a digital filing cabinet and to enable students to fully engage in constructing their own learning, in either a technologically bereft or rich environment.