image by FinsecNot enough interaction?
If you are troubled by the level of interaction in the group, don't be. It is quite normal for a group of our size and experience levels to be hesitant and quiet. However Bronwyn suggests you might like to subscribe to the flexible learning practitioners email forum below to get some more discussion going.
| Subscribe to flexible learning practitioners email forum |
| Visit this group |
Finding other bloggers to network with
If you are keen to find discussions around the topics and make connections with practitioners, I would highly recommend looking at the blogs outside of our course. Quite a few Otago Polytechnic staff keep blogs now and even more around the world obviously. It could be well worth your time searching and browsing professional blogs, leaving comments and basically networking with people. This could lead you into a useful learning relationship with someone.
An easier way to read blogs
Some people have asked me for an easier way to check on and read other people's blogs. Its great to have this question asked, as there is an excellent tool for doing just that! Its called Google Reader. You use Google Reader to subscribe to people's blogs. Whenever they update their blogs, it will show up in your reader. This works for most websites that update information regularly. Take a look at Google Reader and see if its useful for you in keeping up with things in this course.
Ok. what to do for this topic:
In this topic you will explore and justify the strategies for the development of flexible learning environments.
Estimated time: one week - 11 to 17 May 2009.
To do
- 1. Watch these two TV adds for Kaplan University and consider their motivations for marketing themselves this way:
- 2. Locate your educational organisation's strategic plan (or equivalent). It is usually a public document with mission statements, aims and objectives, and performance indicators.
- 3. Highlight statements that refer to or relate to flexible learning.
- 4. Two options:
- a) Write a critique of your organisations teaching and learning policy or strategic plan, in terms of statements relating to flexible learning. How deeply do you think it addresses the idea?
- b)Write to your blog a critique of the online presentation of Otago Polytechnic's Chief Executive, Phil Ker talking about how his organisation is approaching flexible learning development. Alternative audio files available here.
- 5. Interview a colleague you know who has experience in developing flexible learning, and find out from them how they have developed flexible learning options in their practice. Post that interview to your blog. Here are some examples:
- Kim Thomas talking about the permaculture course - 10 minutes
- Willie Campbell speaking about the Centre for Assessment of Prior Learning (CAPL) and her work in RPL - recognition of prior learning - 10 minutes.
- An example of a RPL case which Willie Campbell was working on and has told us about in a presentation done for a previous class - 5 minutes.
extra resources
- Videos: Youtube playlist on Flexible learning
- Text: The Otago Polytechnic Charter
- Links: Otago Polytechnic staff who publish notes on their efforts
