Prof.
M.K.Ghadoliya
Abstract
The rapid expansion of information
technology, computer literacy and access to Internet offers immense
opportunities for on line delivery of distance education and training. The planners, administrators and even
academicians are skeptical about the effectiveness of the web-based technology
to teach and learn. The training is based on standardization of syllabi time
and contact hours where as the on line pedagogy guarantees the individualized
approach, feasibility and keeps the heterogeneity of the learners in mind,
makes learner an active learner. The learning now a day has become a life-long
process. There are various models of student learning (i) The independent
learner, (ii) the interactive learner,
and (iii) the collaborative learner.
Learning takes place in three phases (i) accretion, (ii) restructuring, and
(iii) tuning. Teaching methods should be designed in a manner so that all the
three stages are covered to fulfill various objectives of learning. For
web-based courses the following basic design criteria should be taken into
consideration: (i) accessibility, (ii) clarity, (iii) efficiency, (iv) focus,
(v) consistency, (vi) flexibility. Besides, the institutions should also take
into account the issues like learning goals, interactivity, and
cost-effectiveness.
Introduction: -
In
the present era the most important development that can be named is the
emergence of knowledge as a resource – a resource that can be augmented renewed
and used for accelerating the growth & development of a country. A resource
is for development and the development of knowledge as a resource has given
rise to the modern concept of education, training and staff development.
Education has come to occupy the centre stage as never before and has thrown up
challenges and demands that neither the systems so far developed nor the
infrastructure facilities so far created adequate to meet. We know that every
nation is facing the challenges in expanding higher education at a rate that
can fulfill the society’s demand. Linear expansion of the
existing system is unable to satisfy the need and ease the pressure on higher
education. For example in India the number of Universities has increased from
25 in 1950 to in 221 in 1999-2000 while the number of colleges from about 700
to more than 11000 during the same period. In addition, there are various other
institutions polytechnics, deemed universities and IITs fulfilling the
requirements in this area.
Despite the higher expenditure and large
expansion the percentage of beneficiaries of higher education among the
relevant age group is still very low, particularly in the developing countries.
The enrollment ratio for the developing countries is very low. The demand for
higher education have, over the years, led to the introduction and growth of
the open learning system as it was considered to meet the challenge of large
numbers, covering a wide spectrum of age and employment status to be educated
or trained and to enable governments to fulfill their obligations with the
economic constraints without reducing the sweep of operations (Swany; 1995
p.2). Distance education has made remarkable progress over the last two decades
and has now gained widespread acceptance as a viable alternative delivery
system and it has come as an alternative to the conventional system. Further
the use of information technology is giving this system an edge over
conventional system.
On Line Pedagogy
The traditional paradigm of education and training is based on
standardization, conformity and compliance. Typically, teaching is conducted by
giving large group of learners the same content in the same amount of time and
for on – campus students – at the same time (Mc Donald, J. 2000 p. 288). In the
present system of ‘Factory Schooling’ the emphasis is on fulfilling the demand
of students. Student is considered an empty vessel to be filled in by
information. In other words pouring information into the empty mind of a
student is the only motive of present educational system. Our society or
learner finds the education and training of no use is the practical life or in
the employment market. Students learn to pass examinations. Our society or the
system of education has no respect for other faculties of a student. When the
young adult leaves the school he departs with the label of dull or an
unintelligent student. The adults are often made to believe that their learning
or education is over and that they are now free to take up any job. The
students who were lucky enough to be certified as intelligent also depart with
the false understanding that now they are fit to serve the society and that
there was no need to continue their learning any further. This further harms
the society when such adults join academics or administration they continue to
apply their knowledge throughout their life they have acquired in their student
life and think that whatever little they know is the only education required
for the future generations (Ghadoliya, 2000) The online or web-based courses on
the other hand are designed to make learner an active learner. In 1997 the
University of Queensland (USQ), Australia, delivered its first course solely on
line. The popularity of these courses has increased as it has flexibility,
providing access to anyone, any place, any time. The online courses have the
capacity to meet learner’s changing social and educational needs. It also
offers access to online library catalogues for many virtual libraries. (Minoli,
1996). The web-based delivery mechanism provides unprecedented opportunities
for learning to take place in synchronous and asynchronous environments. In a Synchronous teaching and learning
process the teacher and learner are made to interact on line while being away
from each other in a classroom environment through a variety of tools and
techniques. In asynchronous environment, Communication technology is used to
work with remote interactive learning resources without necessarily being
online at the same time. Asynchronous learning implies that acts of learning
and teaching are not simultaneous. It is learner – centric approach. Learners
are not required to adjust his time schedule with any one else or with any
other event. Varieties of tools are available on Internet to facilitate
distance learning in synchronous and asynchronous environments e.g. chat,
audio/video tele-conferencing, white-board, e-mail, mailing list, news groups
etc. All these features have made web-based courses an effective alternative to
class room teaching and the learner becomes an active learner.
Models of Student Learning
In recent years it is being increasingly
recognized that learning is not a one-time job it continues throughout one’s
life. This concept of life-long learning
has changed the educational paradigm within the conceptual framework consisting
of three models of student learning: (i) the independent learner, (ii) the
interactive learner, and (iii) the collaborative learner (Taylor, et. al 2000).
Independent Learner
Independent study was introduced at the London polytechnics in 1974.
In its purest sense it means no syllabus or curriculum. In distance learning
environments the word independent learning means studying alone at home. Where
there is no interaction. According to Moore distance education is essentially a
form of independent study. It has two characteristics: (i) Dialogue (ii)
Individualization (Lack of structure). Various combinations of dialogue and
structure can occur in different categories of programme. Generally in
independent study there is absence of both i.e. no dialogue and no structure.
Where as other models can use combinations of these two as per the objective
and requirement of the programme.
Interactive
Learner
Interactive
learner has been classified interaction in context of open and distance
education in three types of learner – content interaction, learner-teacher
interaction and learner-learner interaction. The use of Communication technology
has added learner – interface interaction to this list. The interactive radio
counselling, video conferencing, LAN/WAN linkages among institutions and their
respective Regional Centres and cable network enhance interaction level in
distance education.
Collaborative
Learner
The
Collaborative learner model acknowledges the importance of co-construction of
knowledge through collective learning and peer exchange. Paulsen (1995) refers
to this as a many to many online experience with less of a focus on instructor
contribution. Collaborative learning requires an active sharing of information
and intellectual resources among members of a group. The web-based educational
designers need to consider all the three models of learning in an integrated
manner. Internet technology enables independent, interactive and collaborative
learning and an opportunity for intellectual and social interaction that has
not been possible in traditional print based distance learning
Pedagogic Issues
The easy access to information and data from a variety of sources
and through a range of means, the position of the University the most important
and often the only institution of knowledge generation and dissemination of the
very knowledge to society is seriously being challenged.
Although it is also not clear as to when a society becomes a
knowledge society. The flood of information is sometimes understood as
knowledge. In the view of Norman (1995) knowledge resides in the learner’s mind
in the form of a semantic network an interconnected web of ideas and concepts.
Learning takes place in three phases: (i) Accretion – When new information is
acquired. (ii) Restructuring – integration of acquired information to the
existing knowledge base; and (iii) Tuning- for smooth operation of the
ever-changing knowledge structure.
Teaching methods should be designed
in a manner so that all three stages are covered to fulfill various objectives
of learning. There is difference between the designing the print material for
distant learner in self-learning mode (SLM) and designing the course material
for web-based instruction. In web-based elements Hypermedia Design Model (HDM)
is followed. It focuses on what the learner wants to learn and how the learner
chooses to access information. HDM is a cognitive approach, which uses the
hypertext systems to produce a learning environment. In HDM the learning
domains or matter to be presented to the learner are first identified. The next
step is to identify the elements of knowledge to be studied and the text,
graphics, sound and video to be used. Two different paths are provided; the
guided one and the learner have controlled one. The final stage of HDM is
self-reflection, where the learner tries to determine if the learning
objectives have been met or not.
Considerations
for Designing web-based Courses
Since
web-based learning depends on learner’s initiative, providing content is an
appropriate form must be the highest priority. For web-based courses following
basic design criteria should be taken into consideration (Kanjilal, 2000 p.
43).
(i) Accessibility – contents must be
information-rich without overstretching bandwidth.
(ii)
Clarity – Clarity of language, information structure and visual representation
are most important.
(iii)
Efficiency – presentation of the content must be precise and to the point. (iv)
focus – the aim should be to achieve depth of information without distracting
the learner’s focus or attention.
(v)Consistency
– consistent interface design creates a sense of familiarity and comfort for
the user.
(vi) Flexibility – the structure of the
presentation must be flexible enough and adoptable to changes.
Conclusion
The
web- based courses must consider various theoretical models and integrate them
in a manner to achieve the target of effective and interactive learning in a
virtual classroom environment. Besides
learning objective the institutions must address to the issues of interactivity
and cost effectiveness. Though there is a tremendous scope for the web-based
courses in future its success in our country will depend on the issues like
designing and implementation strategy of the institutions offering such
courses. Appropriate model, which address to pedagogical issues and integrate
various objectives, can go a logway in popularizing web-based education and
training in our country.
References
1.
Donald Norman, “Defending Human Attributes in the
Age of
Machines” Newyork Voyager 1995.
2.
J.C. Taylor, G. Pastel,
S. Reushle and J. Mc Donald,
‘Priority Areas for Research in
open and Distance Education in 21st
Century’, Indian Journal of Open Learning (IJOL) 9 (1), 2000.
3. M.F. Paulsen “The
online Report on Pedagogical Techniques for
Computer Mediated Communication”
1995.
4.
M.K. Ghadoliya “Open
Learning Model for Higher Education” mimeo, a
paper presented at Rajasthan ‘swaran
Jayanti Samoroh’ Seminar on
Distance and Open Learning in
Rajasthan, March 2000.
5.
Uma Kanji Lal, “Web-based
Distance Education: Considerations for Design and Implementation” I JOL
9, (3) 2000.
6.
V.C. Kulandi Swany, ‘How
Cost Effective are Open Universities’ I JOL, Decennial Number, 1995.
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