Truly flexible learning
http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2007/02/08/flexible-learning-in-new-zealand
Some good thoughts here from Leigh. It is this type of thinking that is needed to really turn tertiary education on its head and bring it into the 21st century. The one thing I would add, and unfortunately destroy Leigh’s business model in doing so, is that we also need to seriously question the relevance of traditional assessment and accreditation models.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Hmm, how so? Is the market (industry and learners) truly ready for that? Or is this step you suggest one step after the one I wrote up? Thanks for the support.. hope we get a crack at it soon.
February 8th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
All I was getting at is that if we really want to move to a new model of learning then we need to seriously question all aspects of the existing model, not just the course delivery aspect - and assessment and accreditation are a huge component of today’s model.
It is also the part that is usually brought up as an argument against any changes. For example when I was recently involved in a very small project with eportfolios I proposed a system that provided a huge amount of flexibility for the students, but the academics argued against it as they thought the final products would be too hard to assess. But at the end of the day, if it was a ‘portfolio for learning’ and not a ‘portfolio of learning’ then what real value was the assessment of the lecturer to the student anyway.
I don’t have any answers as to how relevant assessment and accredication are to learning in the 21st century, but I think it is important to at least ask the question