Distance Education in Transition - Master of Distance Education ...

2 The Educational Paradigm Shifts
Introduction
In this chapter the meaning of the term »paradigm« is explained. The complexity of the
phenomenon of the educational paradigm shift is described. It calls for the recognition
of several educational paradigm shifts. Many of them are driven by serious socioeconomic
and structural changes. The focus is on the shift from modern to post-modern
curricula and from traditional to digitised formats of learning. These shifts require new
learning and teaching behaviours. Increasingly, expository teaching and receptive
learning will have to be substituted by autonomous self-regulated learning and more
and more virtual interaction will have to replace face-to-face interaction. These shifts
affect distance education more than other forms of education.
The term educational paradigm shift is being used quite often these days. We read it in
many articles and many speakers are in the habit of referring to it. It has been an
important sub-theme of the last World-Conferences of the ICDE. The constant references
to it have now made it into a catchword, a slogan. In the field of distance education in
particular everyone knows and uses it.
Everyone also knows, of course, what it means. Roughly speaking, it means the changes
in teaching and learning which have taken place and will continue to take place as a
consequence of the tremendous impact of the great number of technological advances in
information and communication technologies which have emerged during the last
decade approximately. Seemingly, people sense that something very important and
attractive is taking place. This may be the reason for the frequent use of this new
catchword.
However, the more often catchwords are used, the more their exact meaning remains
vague or becomes blurred. This applies to the educational paradigm shift as well. Quite
often speakers have only a superficial idea of what they mean when using this word.
Quite often they have only a restricted understanding of the term due to their special
interests and experiences. This is to be deplored because only if we have a clear idea
and a reflected conception of its full meaning we can really grasp the fundamental
importance and the drastic and far-reaching consequences of the phenomenon it denotes.
The following explanations will, I trust, clarify this concept and demonstrate its
importance.
Definition
As linguistic reflections are quite often helpful, let us begin with an etymological look
at the term "paradigm". It is derived from the Latin word paradigma which meant
model, pattern, or example. A "paradigm shift in education" might mean that in education
certain models or patterns no longer exist, because new models and patterns which
differ from the old ones in a marked way have substituted them. This means that, very
often, we are not dealing with a transitory process in the field of education under
investigation but with a sudden, if not with an abrupt change. This characteristic feature
is important.
25