_(R)evolutionary GROUP GRID:
This page contains the collaborative efforts of GROUP 2 of the OMDE-9041 class of 2015. Basically it involved the incremental building of a grid of four waves of Distance Education developments - which the group constructed over several weeks. The collective and collaborative exercise was quite a challenge with the six participants - three of whom reside in different parts of the USA and the other three in different parts of South Africa. However, despite the major time zone differences and the fast paced outputs of the course the team managed to produce the following grid (click on link immediately below) over the four weeks or so. Thereafter, follows my own personal reflections of each of the Waves of DE development, history, background and theoretical learnings.
/uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/omde601group2.finalgrid.(01).htm
This page contains the collaborative efforts of GROUP 2 of the OMDE-9041 class of 2015. Basically it involved the incremental building of a grid of four waves of Distance Education developments - which the group constructed over several weeks. The collective and collaborative exercise was quite a challenge with the six participants - three of whom reside in different parts of the USA and the other three in different parts of South Africa. However, despite the major time zone differences and the fast paced outputs of the course the team managed to produce the following grid (click on link immediately below) over the four weeks or so. Thereafter, follows my own personal reflections of each of the Waves of DE development, history, background and theoretical learnings.
/uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/omde601group2.finalgrid.(01).htm
WAVE 1 REFLECTIONS: /uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/wave_1._reflections..htm
It seems as the early developments in Distance Education ( DE) institutions from the 60's until about the early nineties "mimicked" the organizational culture of industrialized societies. The "fordist" practices of industries seemed to be replicated in correspondence and later in DE institutions as these systems of mass education sought to deliver to masses of students. DE institutions were highly centralized and focused primarily on producing the materials and delivering to students on time with little or no effort to build in academic support for students to cope with their studies. My own initial definition of DE was largely shaped by my experience of being both a student and later a staff member in the University of South Africa (UNISA) which is regarded as one of the mega-distance education institutions worldwide.
Unisa was, and to some extent today still a correspondence institution to large proportions of its students. Although the institution has moved towards on-line teaching and learning platforms and calls itself an Open and Distance learning (ODL) institution, for many of its students who do not have effective access to internet connectivity, the experience for them is a correspondence mode whereby the courseware is received via post and their mere contact with the institution is via posted individual formative assessments and taking summative assessments at exam centres. My initial definition also focused on the "separation" issues between the student and the institution and the use of technology (which for long in Unisa was print materials) as a source of contact and bridging the separation.
I would aver though that with the strides made in the uses of technology and Unisa's great investment in on-line learning practice, that my own definition has changed to a large extent in that I do not view the use of technology in a narrow sense of a change in delivery mode, but see technology as key to building in more progressive pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning. The (R)evolutionary grids has pointed towards the shifts in cognitive theories and pedagogy which could be seen not just a shift from one era to the next but in how programme delivery became informed by such underpinnings of theory...something that I would focus on going forward.
It seems as the early developments in Distance Education ( DE) institutions from the 60's until about the early nineties "mimicked" the organizational culture of industrialized societies. The "fordist" practices of industries seemed to be replicated in correspondence and later in DE institutions as these systems of mass education sought to deliver to masses of students. DE institutions were highly centralized and focused primarily on producing the materials and delivering to students on time with little or no effort to build in academic support for students to cope with their studies. My own initial definition of DE was largely shaped by my experience of being both a student and later a staff member in the University of South Africa (UNISA) which is regarded as one of the mega-distance education institutions worldwide.
Unisa was, and to some extent today still a correspondence institution to large proportions of its students. Although the institution has moved towards on-line teaching and learning platforms and calls itself an Open and Distance learning (ODL) institution, for many of its students who do not have effective access to internet connectivity, the experience for them is a correspondence mode whereby the courseware is received via post and their mere contact with the institution is via posted individual formative assessments and taking summative assessments at exam centres. My initial definition also focused on the "separation" issues between the student and the institution and the use of technology (which for long in Unisa was print materials) as a source of contact and bridging the separation.
I would aver though that with the strides made in the uses of technology and Unisa's great investment in on-line learning practice, that my own definition has changed to a large extent in that I do not view the use of technology in a narrow sense of a change in delivery mode, but see technology as key to building in more progressive pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning. The (R)evolutionary grids has pointed towards the shifts in cognitive theories and pedagogy which could be seen not just a shift from one era to the next but in how programme delivery became informed by such underpinnings of theory...something that I would focus on going forward.
WAVE 2 REFLECTIONS:
Although this period is referred to the “post industrial” era it seems that the dedicated DE institutions from the 60’s onwards really matured into “industrialized” institutions. The interesting development for me was information on the advent of the Open Universities, particularly the OUUK, showed the potential to “massify” its delivery and provide access to great “scales of economies” (Shale, 2010). ..... To read more click on link ..../uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/wave_2_._reflections_.htm
Although this period is referred to the “post industrial” era it seems that the dedicated DE institutions from the 60’s onwards really matured into “industrialized” institutions. The interesting development for me was information on the advent of the Open Universities, particularly the OUUK, showed the potential to “massify” its delivery and provide access to great “scales of economies” (Shale, 2010). ..... To read more click on link ..../uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/wave_2_._reflections_.htm
Wave 3 REFLECTIONS:
I have come to realize that in the third wave one sees a rather radical development from the previous two waves. The previous waves seemed to focus on the gradual development of DE institutions, systems, processes and historical-evolutionary trends. However, in the third wave, the shift seems to have gone full circle to the focus on the student and the teaching and learning that the student experiences within an internet and “www” networked environment.
To read more click on following link.... /uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/wave_3._reflections_
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I have come to realize that in the third wave one sees a rather radical development from the previous two waves. The previous waves seemed to focus on the gradual development of DE institutions, systems, processes and historical-evolutionary trends. However, in the third wave, the shift seems to have gone full circle to the focus on the student and the teaching and learning that the student experiences within an internet and “www” networked environment.
To read more click on following link.... /uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/wave_3._reflections_
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CURRENT TRENDS - REFLECTIONS:
The concept of the Grid was a very useful learning tool. My first reflection is that is how a “scaffolding“ and collaborative process of teaching and learning should work as it allows for an incremental building of the thoughts, ideas, views and collation of facts on some complex matter. The final product is not an answer in itself as it is the process of constructing the ideas that is important. I also feel that at the end of the construction of the grid there are still allowances made to go back and refine the group’s efforts.
To read more click on the following link..... /uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/wave_4_.reflections._current_trends.htm
.
The concept of the Grid was a very useful learning tool. My first reflection is that is how a “scaffolding“ and collaborative process of teaching and learning should work as it allows for an incremental building of the thoughts, ideas, views and collation of facts on some complex matter. The final product is not an answer in itself as it is the process of constructing the ideas that is important. I also feel that at the end of the construction of the grid there are still allowances made to go back and refine the group’s efforts.
To read more click on the following link..... /uploads/2/4/6/8/24680800/wave_4_.reflections._current_trends.htm
.