Edited by Nathan Lomax, Saturday, 16 May 2009, 19:48
The interesting difference between the statistics relating to satisfaction with f-t-f vs online courses in HE is that the only area where online students were more satisfied was in 'student choices'. Although all the other areas showed less satisfaction, it is possible to argue that online study encourages deeper learning precisely because there is more learner autonomy and choice.
This may be the case if most of the participants enrolled on OU courses are mature students
A colleague of mine once told me
"My best lecturer at college was the one who didn't know the subject. He convinced me that I could learn more from reading a book"
Preferably, lecturers should have a sound understanding of their subject, but if just standing and talking about it to a passive audience produces a 'surface' (Richardson) or memorising approach, whereby learning 'just happens', then perhaps online study has the potential to engage learners at a deeper level, as they are able to personalise the material by commenting on it.
Week 12 Reading Price/Richardson
The interesting difference between the statistics relating to satisfaction with f-t-f vs online courses in HE is that the only area where online students were more satisfied was in 'student choices'. Although all the other areas showed less satisfaction, it is possible to argue that online study encourages deeper learning precisely because there is more learner autonomy and choice.
This may be the case if most of the participants enrolled on OU courses are mature students
A colleague of mine once told me
"My best lecturer at college was the one who didn't know the subject. He convinced me that I could learn more from reading a book"
Preferably, lecturers should have a sound understanding of their subject, but if just standing and talking about it to a passive audience produces a 'surface' (Richardson) or memorising approach, whereby learning 'just happens', then perhaps online study has the potential to engage learners at a deeper level, as they are able to personalise the material by commenting on it.