02.03.2018 Views

Advances in E-learning-Experiences and Methodologies

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

RAPAD<br />

<strong>in</strong>formation related processes via the <strong>in</strong>strument’s<br />

<strong>in</strong>formation based dimensions.<br />

Flexible student Alignment (FsA)<br />

Flexible student alignment (FSA) is produced<br />

by the student <strong>and</strong> PELE subsystems form<strong>in</strong>g<br />

an adaptive system for <strong>in</strong>terfac<strong>in</strong>g with the<br />

subsystems of the university e-learn<strong>in</strong>g system.<br />

Biggs (1996, 1999, 2003) proposed the use of the<br />

concept of “constructive alignment” <strong>and</strong> sees<br />

the process as “align<strong>in</strong>g curriculum objectives,<br />

teach<strong>in</strong>g/learn<strong>in</strong>g activities <strong>and</strong> assessment tasks”<br />

(Biggs, 1999, p. 65). This concept has become a<br />

generally accepted approach to view<strong>in</strong>g the teach<strong>in</strong>g-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

process. It takes a constructivist perspective<br />

on learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> aims to align objectives<br />

express<strong>in</strong>g the types of underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g required of<br />

the student with assessment tasks which help us<br />

to see that those objectives have been met. The<br />

teach<strong>in</strong>g context <strong>and</strong> the assessment tasks also<br />

help students to undertake suitable e-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

activities <strong>and</strong> the assessments clearly articulate<br />

what the students need to do. This is a useful <strong>and</strong><br />

productive approach. It does, however, consider<br />

alignment largely from the teacher <strong>and</strong> teach<strong>in</strong>g<br />

enabled learn<strong>in</strong>g perspective.<br />

We can also adapt this to the idea of develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />

e-learn<strong>in</strong>g systems <strong>and</strong> environments—that<br />

is, most current systems <strong>and</strong> environments are<br />

developed from the organisation’s perspective.<br />

However, if we recognise the need for <strong>and</strong> advantages<br />

of the personalization of learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong><br />

e-learn<strong>in</strong>g for lifelong learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the knowledge<br />

society, then we need adaptive systems <strong>and</strong> environments.<br />

The RAPAD methodology allows<br />

us to develop personalized e-learn<strong>in</strong>g systems<br />

<strong>and</strong> environments to promote Flexible Student<br />

Alignment via the <strong>in</strong>volvement of the student <strong>in</strong><br />

the design <strong>and</strong> development process.<br />

McCune (2003) recognised this when report<strong>in</strong>g<br />

extensive work on university teach<strong>in</strong>g-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

environments (Entwistle, 2003; Entwistle, Mc-<br />

Cune, & Hounsell, 2002). The team had modified<br />

their view of constructive alignment to consider<br />

the concept of “alignment to students” (McCune,<br />

2003, p. 24). She also suggested that learn<strong>in</strong>g measures<br />

<strong>and</strong> questionnaires had their limitations <strong>in</strong><br />

provid<strong>in</strong>g descriptions of the complexity of alignment<br />

<strong>in</strong> any given situation <strong>and</strong> stated that:<br />

While a teach<strong>in</strong>g-environment may seem well<br />

aligned <strong>in</strong> terms, for example, of the correspondence<br />

between the forms of learn<strong>in</strong>g encouraged<br />

by the different aspects of the teach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> assessment,<br />

this does not mean that this environment will<br />

be equally suitable for all of the students <strong>in</strong>volved.<br />

(McCune, 2003, p. 24)<br />

We can paraphrase this to say that: while<br />

the e-learn<strong>in</strong>g systems <strong>and</strong> environments may<br />

seem well aligned <strong>in</strong> terms of, for example, the<br />

correspondence between the forms of e-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

required for the overall efficient function<strong>in</strong>g of<br />

their university, this does not mean that this systems<br />

<strong>and</strong> environments will be equally suitable<br />

for all the students <strong>in</strong>volved.<br />

What is need is a series of personalized subsystems<br />

which can <strong>in</strong>terface with the university<br />

e-learn<strong>in</strong>g systems <strong>and</strong> environments with the<br />

software processes, <strong>in</strong>formation, <strong>and</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

objects arranged with <strong>and</strong> by the <strong>in</strong>dividual student<br />

for each student’s e-learn<strong>in</strong>g purposes.<br />

The work reported here focused on the learner<br />

<strong>and</strong> consequently considered alignment from the<br />

student perspective as well. There is a close fit<br />

<strong>and</strong> tight-coupl<strong>in</strong>g between the student <strong>and</strong> the<br />

PELE as e-learn<strong>in</strong>g support system. This <strong>and</strong> the<br />

facility for loose coupl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> flexibility between<br />

the PELE <strong>and</strong> the university as an e-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

environment enables students to better align<br />

themselves with the various teach<strong>in</strong>g-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

environments they encounter. Flexible Student<br />

Alignment allows the student to use the SLS-PELE<br />

system to exercise <strong>in</strong>dividual flexible alignment<br />

with respect to the multiplicity of teach<strong>in</strong>g-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

environments <strong>and</strong> other university e-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

support systems encountered.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!