Flexible Learning in a Digital World : Experiences and Expectations

Response to Flexible Learning : It's not just about distance
Collis B. & Moonan J (2001) Kogan Page Ltd : London

I have just finished reading Leigh's comments about the handout we were sent on flexible learning.
It seems that our young friend Leigh is as much confused about flexible learning as I am as he couldn't get an answer to his question "Why do we need flexible learning" from that handout. I think I have an answer but I will get to that shortly.
First and foremost I would like to thank our facilitators for sending me a memorandum with some instructions for me to carry out so that I may have a chance at completing all the required assessments for this course as I am completely snowed under with work , like everyone else it seems, so as far as I am concerned, keep the instructions flowing please so I can be guided to where it is I have to go. Does this make sense?
Now to the questions at hand:
Do I agree or disagree with this article? MMMMMM.
I have got so many highlighted sentences, phrases, words etc. on the pamphlet that I do not know where to start. The article states on several occasions that it is the "learning institute" that plays a big part in the flexible delivery programme and on that issue, I agree with totally. I regard the institute as a company and as such should abide by it's ideas and plans for it's future. The CEO for our institute believes that in order for us to stay competitive, we must "reach those people who we can not reach at present". To achieve this, the term flexible delivery has appeared on the scene and instantly, we think of distance learning using the internet. I suppose that is part of the answer to Leigh's question that was asked before, the answer being survival for want of a better term.
I do agree that flexible delivery will make my job as a lecturer more demanding and time consuming and I quote from page 14 of the handout "When the learner is given more choices the instructor is increasingly required to respond and individualize rather than plan and deliver." It then continues on "The more choices the learner has, the more demands and thus challenges there are for the instructor." Yep, it sounds like a hell of a lot more work for me!
But hang on a minute. Something is missing from our equation. We are covering the flexible delivery part but what about the flexible learning part. Now, this is where the fun really begins.
The supermarket scene that was mentioned in the handout seems like a pretty good example to my way of thinking when it comes to flexible learning. What will you end up with? You end up with a course that has a variety of options for learning styles but at what stage do you do assessment? Will the assessment be the same or possible for all the options that the student / customer wants? Are we assessing on a "level playing ground?" That is really the key question to ask at the end of the day. By all means, I understand the flexible delivery part, but from my experience, a lot of students that come to our institute still believe that as a teacher or lecturer, you have the knowledge that they want and why should they be expected to go outside their comfort zone of learner / teacher relationship that they are used to from school. As the handout read and I quote "More flexibility brings with it more independence but also the need for more self-direction and more self-motivation. These traits are not automatic in many learners."
I believe the starting point for "flexibility" must begin in the school environment. Flexibility is really a way of thinking is it not? For adult students, I am sure it would be embraced, both the delivery and learning aspects of it. But I believe that a large proportion of the young school leaver that comes to our institute to study our programmes are exposed so much by today's technology that they either lack, or are not interested in, the "skills of common sense" that were taught to me at school. Remember the three R's - Reading, wRiting and aRithmatic. Are they still teaching these at school? I don't know. As a result, three weeks into our programme and already the complaints of the course being too hard have surfaced. Now I have to show empathy and be the mentor for these people which under flexible delivery may not be possible! Hence, the students need face to face contact and guidance which is why we are here. It does not matter what form of communication you deliver your course programme in, the bottom line is that it is up to the individual to do the required tasks or problems in order to understand the content of the subject and at times help must be on hand. Take this course for instance. I VALUE the face to face contact I have with my facilitators. What makes our students that we have today different?
Looking at table 1.4 on WWW based applications, yes it looks great and all the bases are covered using today's technology, but I am not totally convinced yet that our engineering course could be covered completely by these applications.
I think that as far as education goes, we are in a stalemate situation as far as using technology to it's full capacity with whats on offer today. Think of tomorrow when we have access to "live class cam" when I can be in front of a room strutting around doing my thing not only to the students present, but also to the distance learners watching me on their computer screens, asking questions, participating in the session, as it happens. They not only see and hear me, but I can see & hear them as well. Now that's where I am heading. Next thing you will tell me is that it is already available and they are doing it in the States or somewhere else. Great. So why aren't we doing it instead of scratching at the surface.
How can I introduce flexibility into my course? I believe that I already am participating in flexible delivery. Just today, I was relieving for a fellow lecturer and let the students decide what topic they would like to learn about in the session. Some of them said this, some that, but the common ground was no writing just listening or watching. Videos do come in handy at times don't they? Questions and answers afterwards to reinforce the key points they saw and that's that. Speaking of which, it's cheese time, so I am off and look forward to my next assignment to carry me through this large sea of knowledge, forever getting deeper and deeper.