Using DVD’s to Create Rich Learning Environments for

Students in Distance Learning

Lucy Kamanja: Diectorate: Curriculum & Learning Development -University

of South Africa

Aim of this paper

• This paper looked at the use of DVD in one of the courses in Unisa. It investigates how the DVD has been utilized to supplement the printed materials. It also investigates whether the DVD met the intended outcomes of both the academics and students, the lessons learnt and the challenges the academics encountered in making the DVD.

Learning in an ODL environment

• Majority of students in Unisa previously learnt in a face to face environment

• Their major challenge is to learn without teacher support, institutional support and without interaction with other students.

Hence-Meeting students needs

• institution needs to address student isolation and provide support

• One of the ways is to offer multiple delivery options that are flexible and enhance the learners autonomy

• Give opportunities to reflect and build their own understanding through interaction with their study materials, their lecturers, and possibly other students.

Create Rich environments for learning-which is-

• promote study and investigation within authentic contexts

• Encourage the growth of student, initiative responsibility, decision making and intentional learning;

• Cultivate collaboration among students and teachers

Rich environments for learning-cont

• Utilize dynamic, interdisciplinary, generative learning activities that promote higher-order thinking processes to help students develop rich and complex knowledge structures; and

• Assess student progress in content and learning-to-learn within authentic contexts using realistic tasks and performances

(Grabinger, R S and Dunlap, J. C. 1995. Rich environments for

active learning: a definition.)

What to take into account: Diverse student profile

• working adults; young students straight from school; people with disabilities; corporate clients; SA, African and international students; lifelong learners; urban students; students from remote rural areas, etc.

• Differing learning styles

Also: Adult learners

• seek educational solutions that apply directly to their perceived needs and is timely and appropriate for their current lives -hence problem centred

• have specific results in mind for education-hence results oriented

• not dependent on others-self directed• Take responsibility for their own learning

A social constructivist approach tolearning

• Appropriate for adult learners- why• Student constructs meaning through

engagement in relevant learning activities-• integrated system where all aspects of the

teaching and assessment work together to support active and interactive learning

• Can cater for individual learning styles

The purpose & quality of the media

• Enhance achievement of specific outcomes• Must engage students through meaningful

activities• Serves the learning context in knowledge

construction- knowledge should be acquired through being part of a society

Purpose of media cont.-

• Creates context for problem solving and critical thinking

• Feedback mechanisms integrated• Students have been briefed on how to use the

media• Integrate assessment

The research design

• A questionnaire /interview schedule administered to the academics involved in with the module

• Another interview conducted with the instructional designer

Data analysis

• Data collected will be qualitative • (At this point the data collected is not

conclusive for analysis)

Findings

• (awaiting conclusive data)