Advances in E-learning-Experiences and Methodologies
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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.