Moodie Mutterings

Is Moodie talking about online education, flexible learning, distance education or all three?

●What does he mean by “online education”?

Learning that is available online and that is web-based.

●Why does he suggest it is inappropriate for some learners? Who are they? Do you agree?

Moodie suggests that learners that are most suited for web-based online learning who have well-developed learning skills.

●Is Moodie arguing from a position which acknowledges a post- industrial position or is he anchored in the past?

I believe that Moodie has a point that entirely online, flexible learning is only for independent learners who have developed their learning skills.

Moodie (1998) considers flexible learning as “guided independent learning” and as such assumes that learners placed in such environments need to be equipped with fairly well advanced learning skills and be able to demonstrate some level of independence and autonomy over their own learning.

Observational learning is therefore very time-consuming.

Directed Learning - The essential elements of directed learning seem to be a highly structured presentation of the material to be learned, a continuous monitoring of learners’ attention and ideally a continuous monitoring of their comprehension.

Guided Independent Leaning - students are provided with structured study materials that they work through at their own pace, with varying levels but relatively limited interaction with the teacher and other students, and then present for assessment. Responsibility is more placed on the learner.

Autonomous learning - Just to complete this typology, we may add autonomous learning for the learning that may require an educational environment and resources but not a formal structure presented by a teacher.

Since online education is but one form of guided independent learning, I conclude that online education is not suitable for learners who have not reasonably well-developed learning skills. But online education is ideal for more autonomous learners. It extends learners’ learning skills so that they may become increasingly independent learners, which is surely one of the ultimate goals of education.
Reflections

Why is it that the emergence of “fourth generation” technologies represents a watershed in open and distance learning?
I believe that it requires teachers to be more open about their practices in the classroom.

●What are the features of using totally online education (as we know it) that might make it difficult for young learners to participate?

I agree with Moodie (1998) that online education requires learners to be self directed when used in a stand-alone mode. In my context the web allows us to extend the classroom walls and invite in the world. I couldn’t imagine online education replacing school unless used in connection with a tutor like in a home schooling situation.

●What factors might make it eminently suitable for students in higher education?

Learners need to be able to cope with learning independently as there is no teacher directly present to observe. Learners need to be able to cope with meeting deadlines and directing their learning themselves.