It is, after all,
the nature of all study with respect to this technology that we predominate
in the teaching technology issues, delivery, assessment, mentoring,
tutoring, resourses, etc. None of these issues is studiey by students when
they are learning online or in the
eMedia.
-----Original
Message-----
From:
Virtual Learning Environments
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Julian Swindell
Sent: 10 March 2005 17:03
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VLES] When is a VLE not a
VLE?
I have watched this list for some
months, without feeling much urge to contribute, but, as with many others,
the comments flying around that took it off list, have stirred me out of
my lethargy (and the result is more or less cogent to this
list).
Over the aeons we have developed and
used an endless number of teaching/learning systems.
- Cavemen scratched pictures of deer
and lions in the sand to teach their kids what to eat and when to run.
And the kids managed to get it right, despite Dad being a completely
uncool Neanderthal who still chipped his axes.
- Boring old school masters made boys
learn by rote, chant their answers and copy on slates and still
William Shakespeare learnt to write the greatest of English
plays.
- Crusty Cambridge dons hectored students in Latin verse and
still Newton learned how to unravel the
physics of existence.
- Now we use computers and
whiteboards and presentation systems and VLEs and still the students
come out having learnt just as well as the ones I taught with those
new-fangled overhead projectors all those
years ago.
No matter how hard we teachers work
at it, we just can't stop people learning. The ability to learn is
possibly the most important defining feature of humanity. We may help in
this process, but when we do, it is not usually in the way we
anticipated.
So what serious point am I trying to
make? People will learn, whatever environment they are immersed in. We can
encourage, advise, criticise, praise, motivate, assess, demoralise (sadly)
or whatever, but the basic learning they do themselves. When I look at how
most VLEs are used, I think "They are not learning environments, they are
teaching
environments." The learning goes on between a student's two ears, not in
front of her two eyes and certainly not inside the processors of a
computer. VLEs can be and will be very useful tools, but as is so often
the case with any new tool, we the practitioners run the risk of
concentrating on the tool itself and not the people we are trying to aid
through its use. I think this is why this list suddenly erupted, when it
did go off list and started discussing ideas rather than processes. Then
we all became learners and wanted to make our own
points.
The message from Stuart Lee today,
on E-learning: Some student
reactions, I think makes the point that I am
struggling to make:if we want to discuss learning, we need to talk to the
learners. The
discussions we have amongst ourselves are often of no greater consequence
than those old Shakespearian school masters discussing what sort of chalks
to make their boys use for the next copying session. Young William didn't
care. He was miles ahead of them.
If anyone can figure out what I'm
trying to say, I would be interested in
hearing!
Julian
--
Julian
Swindell,
Principal lecturer in GIS and digital education
Royal
Agricultural College, Cirencester, GL7
6JS, UK
tel. +44(0)1285 652531
fax. +44(0)1285 642740
email
[log in to unmask]
http://www.rac.ac.uk/~julian_swindell
-----Original Message-----
From: Virtual Learning Environments
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
Of Anita Pincas
Sent: 10 March 2005
15:16
To:
[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VLES] List Moderation
- Re: [VLES] How widespread is the use of the term (and the concept) of
e-learning?
Dear
Matthew, and others,
I know you asked to be contacted off-line,
but - as one can see - people are continuing with a slight change of
subject header.
I think it would be a pity to cut off one of the
rare online discussions that has aroused considerable reactions of so
many varied kinds,
and offered quite stimulating titbits, especially
from the very will informed Niki.
As a discussion between total
strangers [I have come across only one or two familiar names] I find it
a model of useful internet interaction. Even the rare little
flaming gives it a touch of reality, and certainly has not spoiled it in
any way for me. It is something to show the sceptics that
cyber-talk among strangers does have a point. I very rarely feel
impelled to bother, but this time....
Anita
At 11:04 AM
10/03/2005, Matthew Tipson wrote:
Dear All,
As Amber mentioned in her
posting about list moderation, we have attempted to maintain a
‘light-touch’ with this list to encourage discussion and free exchange
of ideas. However, we have to balance the interests of all member
of this list and I believe that the current discussion has now moved
beyond the reasonable boundaries of this list.
I would
therefore ask that anyone who wishes to continue this discussion should
await instructions about the formation of a more appropriate forum for
these discussions. Please do
not continue to use this list for this
discussion.
If you wish to contact me regarding
this decision please contact me off-list at [log in to unmask]
Regards,
Matthew
Tipson
Content Officer -
Technology
Ferl, Becta
t: 024 7641 6994
ext 2216
f: 024 7684 7166
e: [log in to unmask]
http://ferl.becta.org.uk
**********************************************************************
This
email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are
addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the
system manager.
This footnote also confirms that this email message
has been swept by
MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer
viruses.
www.mimesweeper.com
**********************************************************************
*****************
List information: ***************** Remember - replies go by default to
the entire list. Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html To
unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle
***************** List information:
***************** Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave
vle
***************** List information:
***************** Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html To
unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle