Supporting open distance learning challenges through conventional

teaching and learning practices. A comparative retrospective

participatory action learning and action research study.

A project in progress

Outline

• Introduction• My teaching praxes• Methodology• ODL Pedagogical Framework• Community of teaching practice• A new teaching style• Case study 1: Conventional T & L • Case study 2: ODL T & L • Summary• Conclusion

Introduction

• Hypothesis: Unisa’s ODL focus secondarily on teaching and learning and primarily on assessment.

• Contend-based teaching rather than student-centred learning activity

• Assessment linked with quantitative rather than qualitative throughput rates

• Assessment cannot be an ultimate goal to 'drive student learning'

• Complex, contextualised thinking and action• Construct meaning and praxis and create practical

knowledge• Peer collaboration and interactive student-centred

learning and teacher communities of practice

My teaching praxis

• Previously at a residential university• Currently at UNISA• Challenge: surface instead of deep learning • Reflective transformative education to move

away from surface learning• Anticipation-learning of disjointed facts or

knowledge-banking (Freire 1973)• Meaning-forming learning –

development/creation of new practical or functional knowledge

Methodology

• Aristotle’s practical philosophy X positivistic knowledge (Carr 2006)

• Participative action learning and action research

• Changing teaching and learning action by changing thinking in re-changing educational practices (Carr 2009).

• Critically collaborative enquiry, by reflective practitioners, self-evaluation of practices and engagement in participative problem solving and continuing self development (Zuber-Skerrit 2007)

ODL Pedagogical Framework

• [DE] multidimensional construct: geographical distance, time, economic, social, cultural, educational, epistemological, and communication distances (Heydenrych & Prinsloo 2010):

• ODL challenges supported by conventional teaching and learning practices

• Context-specific education and role of the immediate community.

• Context- and community-based student support and facilitation • Peer collaborative groups and communities of practice• Blended learning options – students design their own learning• Learning is practice- and inquiry-based and embedded in real-

life and societal contexts• Generic and open content from multiple ICT platforms

ODL Pedagogical Framework ...

• Theory of constructive alignment• Constructive alignment systematically aligns

teaching, learning and assessment to intended learning outcomes

• Students apply their own learning activity to construct 'practical' knowledge

• Verb expressed learning activity in the intended learning outcomes

• Assessment task verifies if the intended outcome has been achieved (Biggs & Tang 2007).

Community of teaching practice

• Avoid linear teaching of unrelated facts and ideas• Coordination of courses• Communal teaching approach (Palmer 2007)• Creation of a circular, interactive and dynamic

teaching and learning environment• Highlighting meaning and conceptual formation for

appropriate application• Development of new conceptual frameworks and

praxes as core focus • Interconnection between scientific

knowledge/practices through technology and humanity

A new teaching style

• Connect teaching and learning with students’ future roles and impact on daily life

• Engage students in active and relevant learning processes

• Deep learning - appropriate assessment - correlates with relevant and practical concepts, philosophies, technologies ...

• The lecturer’s identity and integrity supports students’ efforts rather than abilities

• Constructive alignment - a structured reflective framework to anchor teaching decisions - the intended learning outcomes

Case study 1: A Conventional T & L Practice

• Conventional teaching - redevelopment of all the course offerings• Facilitation of Learning in Practice (School of Higher Education Studies)

• Liberating teaching activity; creative and innovative reflexivity

• Constructive alignment

• Formation of student learning tasks through peer study groups

• Students organised themselves in smaller study groups to effect reciprocal communal learning

• Study workloads were shared and reduced

• Increased active and meaningful participation in learning activities

• PowerPoint/Facebook/Movie presentations

• Interactive class discussions on shared learning experiences in their own communities

• Improved student participation, competencies

• Improved formative and summative assessment

• Fostered solidarity among students and the lecturer

Promising signs of deep learning ...

• Some students engaged in deep learning (Dames 2012).

• 5th year students model their learning experience to 4th year students

• Constant interactive dynamic, critical and reflective class environment, communal environment

Case study 2: ODL T & L Practice

• ODL teaching: Advanced short course in outcomes-based assessment in HE and ODL

• Focuses mainly on assessment tasks than on peer collaborative learning activities

• Develop foundational, practical and reflexive competencies• Complex e-learning access challenges• Poor study preparation; insufficient or absent critical analysis• Limited/no access to or an unwillingness to make use of

technology; degree of incompetency; preference to use hard copy learning material

• Isolation in learning tasks and preparation of assignments or examination

• Current proposed solutions/tools: • Video broadcasting; podcasts; tutor support; blended mix

system for entry and exit of studies

Summary• Blended educational approach - conventional and ODL practices• Technologically constructive aligned deep learning, teaching,

learning outcomes and assessment• Embedded or integrated peer collaborative peer study groups • Peer student learning engender reciprocal communal learning;

increase active and meaningful participation• What and how: context-specific education and role of the immediate

community?• Social media, interactive learning, especially creative ways of knowledge

development (Ivala & Gachago 2010).• Local communities; former public/private schools; church leaders,

employers...

• Conventional educational practices support ODL re challenges of affordability, content access, context-specific and community-based student support

• Constructive alignment within an ODL environment requires e-learning practices to be aligned with student peer group virtual networks

Conclusion

• Assessment does not guarantee student retention or deep quality learning

• A means to an end to support peer learning collaboration through techno-constructive alignment and intentional learning outcomes

• Complex and contextual cognitive levels of knowledge and praxis only possible through social interactive human and virtual communities of practice

Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology

Gordon Dames 5 September 2012

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