Learning views and student centered approach to learning

Web based learning enables a more individualistic way of learning. It could also be called student centered learning. However, there also needs to be communication in order to maintain the student’s motivation. 

I think online learning works best when there is contact or encounters between students and teachers. This could happen either online e.g. in adobe connect pro, weekly or daily e-mail responds, chat hour, FB group etc. A start-up session in the same physical room is not a bad start either. 

Online teaching does not mean that students want to learn on their own. It means that they want to study wherever (and often whenever) but they need peer and teacher support even more in order to maintain their interest and motivation. In online teaching the teacher is present in a completely different way. The teacher is an instructor that supports the students learning and has to be available online for encounters.  

Flipped classroom is an interesting change to traditional teaching where the “lecture” and “homework” changes place. The idea is that the teacher produces/finds suitable online material about the issue that is to be learnt. Then, the students watch the material on their own time and the classroom time is used for individual support, discussions, problem solving etc. It is not only about watching videos, it is about flipping the way of learning and making it more student centered. Students learn the material on their own at home and come to class to apply what they have learnt. Here is a link to the flipped classroom network in the US. And here is a blog about ipads in high school education in Finland.

Flipped classroom is definitely an interesting approach. From a teacher’s point of view, producing good online material is not the easiest bit. But from the student’s point of view, it gives the student the possibility to learn the material in their own preffered way and they can address their questions to the teacher in the classroom. It does sound efficient and it gives excellent variation to learning. 

Read also my previous posts about my way of learning, ways of learning and virtual learning.