Bryn Holmes and John Gardner 2006 sage publications Ltd. London
The goal of the book is to provide an overview of existing e-learning approaches and a vision for the future. A model for e-learning that is put forward is a flower petal framework which is non- hierarchical. It refers to Blooms taxonomy and reflects that although this notion of the stages of learning was relevant in the 1950's (et al 1956)the e- learning revolution has now meant that this model is no longer viable. The authors have decided that this notion of hierarchy of skills could not be applied to learning situations especially e-learning situations. The authors attribute this shift from a linear approach to hierarchy of skills to a variety of development's including the rise in learner centred education, the onset of mass education and more recently the phenomenal ICT technologies in education.
The book claims that learners today have almost instant access to 8 billion web pages and that 'Google' search engines are now a part of our common language. To google it is to try to find out about something using the search engine. Collaboration is also considered another newer powerful facilitator of individual learning.
"tutors today are required to go beyond selecting a text book for their students. now they must regularly evaluate new resources; searching, selecting, evaluating, planning for implementing and managing them in order to promote best practice in learning. e-learning for many is 'mission critical' and must be explored first and fore mostly from a learning perspective."
Debate about the pro's and con's of e- learning is argued that the lack of face-to-face contact is a draw back. The result has been a mix of conventional learning and e-learning often termed blended learning. The text in the book seeks to provide a solid foundation to the world of e-learning but hopes to model some of the processes involved in the multi -faceted and multi-focused knowledge-building that is at the heart of e-learning.
The chapters are:
chapter 2 enter e-learning
describes what the authors currently perceive e-learning to be and is illustrated by a range of examples.
chapter 3 is a 'potted history of e-learning.'
charts the history of e-learning and how it all came about
chapter 4 'e-learning an educational revolution'
how e-learning is set to revolutionise even further our approaches to learning
chapter5 'e-learning theory - communal constructivism'
looks at how learning theory copes with the new modes of learning and the wider concept of the learner that has evolved in recent times. 'communal constructivism' is is presented as the key extension to socio-constructivist theory to underline e-learning. Communal constructivism is an extension of modern learning theory's most central idea, in which learners construct and assimilate their own knowledge from their own learning opportunities. Within the networked communication world that e=learning provides, it is a natural step for learners to form communities themselves, gathering together learner's who all share the desire to reach the same learning goals. It is suggested that from there the next step is that the emphasis moves from only including the individual to 'community' learning where knowledge is constructed and shared, termed 'social constructivism'.
Communal constructivism then takes this another step with learners contribute and are involved in constructing a community resource for the benefit of peers and future learners. This idea mirrors the one that I had where I propose to set up a 'wiki' learning resource for my students to all contribute to. monitoring those that contribute (and those that don't) with the ultimate aim of producing a usable resource for all students in the subject area.
Chapter 6 'e-learning design - concepts and considerations'
examines how e-learning can enrich learning and how they can be used to 'scaffold' students thinking, to integrate critical thinking skills and to provide 'cognitive apprenticeships' which give the learner the opportunity to engage with experts in the context of their learning
Chapter 7 'empowered learners - powerful tools for learning'
here the book focuses on a variety of design features for e-learning. This includes lay out and navigational design. The most important issue being that any design is to optomize the students learning opportunities and to be able to manage their ownm learning and communal knowledge space. This is where copyright in relation to learning obnjects created by others is addresssed. The use of students surfing during lectures to find more detailed noted is used to highlight the potential and the issues involved.
Chapter 8 ' e-learner emancipation'
discusses the issues surrounding learners who have accessibility issues and debate's that the Internet is a very visual environment and how making at accessible to the visually impaired is probably one of e-learning's greatest challenges.
Chapter 9 'e-learning - endless development'
looks to the future of e-learning and poses the question is the end in sight?
"The creation of self-generating and self-sustaining e-communities can only extend opportunities for their members and, ultimately, global society as a whole to continue learning and to build the knowledge base for new learners as they continuously come on stream. the technological and infrastructural developments of today, such as nano-technologies, the semantic grid and emerging communal learning tools such as wikis and blogs, underpin the argument that we are looking at a future that will provide anywhere (mobile and ubiquitous) and anytime online access for every citizen to an almost inconceivable huge knowledge and learning space. this phenomenon is given a name: the communal yottaspace of knowledge". Yotta being the largest number defined in the Systeme Internationale of measurement 10/24.
Nanotechnologies:
