Section 15.1. What Is a Learning Environment?


15.1. What Is a Learning Environment?

Since we're developing an instructional environment, it would be a good idea to have a definition of what we're hoping to develop. What makes a web-based learning environment different from a web site?

There are two important features of a learning environment that are different from other types of web sites: goals and feedback.

Learning environments have very specific goals for students. Most other web environments are there for the user to achieve her own goals. They provide information, a way to buy things, or a way to connect with other people. People come to these environments of their own volition and can participate at whatever level they choose.

Learning environments are unique because they provide goals for students to achieve, goals they are currently unable to meet on their own. Your course objectives define a set of goals for students, goals they would not normally set for themselves. These goals define how students will interact with the material, other students, and you.

For example, if you are teaching a large survey course, the course goal will be to introduce the main concepts of the field to your students. In an advanced theory course, you will want students to demonstrate the ability to reason critically about advanced topics, and possibly synthesize their own ideas.

The second defining feature of learning environments is feedback. Feedback is critical for students to monitor their progress as they pursue the course goals. Goal-oriented feedback is one of the critical defining aspects of a learning environment. If a student doesn't receive feedback, he has no way of knowing if he is closer to achieving the goals of the class or not. Other types of information environments don't can't provide feedback to their users because the users' goals are defined by them, not by the environment. The only exception is an online game, which defines external goals and measures the player's progress toward them.

Feedback in a learning environment can take many forms. Tests and quizzes are a frequently used tool for measuring student progress. They can provide feedback to students in the form of right and wrong answers or a percentage score. Homework can also provide feedback to students about their understanding of the materials. Less formal feedback might include interaction with students in class, conversations with experts, or applying new knowledge in a work setting.

These two features make learning environments unique. Moodle provides you with tools to implement these ideas in unique ways. Moodle's educational philosophy guides how those tools are designed and can influence how you structure your learning environment.



Using Moodle
Using Moodle: Teaching with the Popular Open Source Course Management System
ISBN: 059652918X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 113

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