1.4.+Debate

Professor Morten suggested, as part of the evaluation of Unit 1, a debate between **self-paced learning supporters and group-based learning supporters**. The women (me, Sonia, Mónica and Maria de Lurdes) had to defend the self-paced learning approach.

This was perhaps the most motivating asynchronous activity ever suggested to me. When we are asked to comment on a certain topic we need to look for information to be able to discuss it. But in this case, in addition we had fun doing it as well. And what is better than learning something and at the same time we have fun and laugh whilst writing our forum posts and chat with our group members? Even in my case, I was defending ideas that I don't totally agree with, but it promoted my learning process in a way that I really appreciated. I think more activities like this should be proposed by online teachers. Most of the times we are only asked to discuss theories, but as Professor Morten showed us, we can do that in a different, interesting and more relaxed way.

Here are the arguments that my team came up with : (Posts available on my [|blog])

[|PPEL – Debate self-paced learning versus group-paced learning (Post 1)]
= = // Hello Gentlemen! // //In distance education nowadays we hear a lot of discussion about self-paced learning or group based learning. There are some authors that defend that the distance students should evolve at their own pace and some others refer to a group of people, also referred to as peers, as a means to share expertise, experience in order to improve the learning process and make it more effective.

In our way of looking at distance learning, we undoubtedly trust the success of distance learning to the self-pace progression of every student.// //Self-paced learning is directed by the individual, by each student in order to meet their personal learning goals. And don’t think that when we talk about self-paced learning we are referring to individualized learning. Although both have the same meaning there are differences:// //- in self-paced learning the student is who controls the pace of the learning process. For instance, 2 students may start a course on the same day but then, following their own study rhythms, they may finish it in different dates. - in individualized learning, the learning process is individual, but it doesn’t mean that it evolves according to the pace of the student: there might be some steps or points that the student has to reach at a certain time, specified in the course structure. Although the learning process is individual, the learning pace may be controlled by the teacher or tutor.// //So, we consider that distance students should learn according to their own pace, as they are not dependent on a structure or pace specified by someone else (for instance, the teacher or tutor). They have their own lives and can organise themselves taking into account all their activities (work, family, studies). Students also feel more responsible for their learning process, because they know it depends on them and that no one is making any pressure with deadlines.// //An important advantage is also the high level of interaction provided by this method. Students face a high degree of reflection and challenge in forums, discussions with a strong benefit that comes from learning from each other and not only from the tutor. Then, there are no distraction, but a high level of motivation, because these methods are applied at advanced stages and students are very focused on doing their tasks.// //Another point to take into account is that in the last couple of years, the advances in technology and, therefore, the new means of communication brought many possibilities to online distance education. By learning at their own pace, students have the possibility to download learning materials, such as, videos, slides and so on in order to fulfill their assignments. All these materials are available at anytime, which implies that the students can look for them every time they want/need. The advance of technology brings without any questions the freedom, the context and the possibilities that self-paced learners need in order to accomplish their goals and being able to have access to a bigger amount of information in a short time period.// //These are some basic aspects of self-paced learning, which we decided to start the discussion with.// //Best regards,// //The Ladies’ team // //Maria Martins, Mónica Velosa, Sandra Brás and Sónia Valente// //PS – this first post was written in group using gtalk and googledocs.//

[|PPEL – self-paced learning versus group-paced learning (Post 2)]
//Hi again!// //In self paced learning the teacher plays an important role: he guides the learner allowing him to take the most important decisions of his pathway. Also, the technological tools that are available (as we mentioned in our previous post) give the learner more flexibility in choosing his own path.// //George Siemens (2004)* in his theory of Connectivism talks about the use of social tools that not only give the learners the possibility of being independent, and doing things at the pace they choose to do, but those tools also allow the learner to get connected to other people, to learn from and with them. The learner learns by searching information but also through connections. This way, the learner is promoting a continual learning path, not only getting new information but, the most important, knowing how to search for information in the network society. The contacts the learner gets will allow him to continually update his knowledge. This leads to more motivation and the learner ends up being more focused in the learning process.// //From the teacher/tutor perspective, in a self paced learning course, more attention can be provided to those learners who need it, being able to adjust the process to the needs of each of them.//

//Some distance education courses combine traditional methods with online courses, but self-paced courses bring out students autonomy and independence. This way, students may start their activity at different times, following their own pace, towards their interests, in order to follow a learning path and develop certain skills. Anderson, Annad and Wark (2005) **summarize this idea with the following flowchart:**//



//Figure 1**: A proposed model of learner paced learning support**//

//Ladies 2 – Gentlemen 0 //
 * //The Ladies//

//PS – Again, we wrote this post together using the same tools mentioned in the previous one.//

//*// //In Siemens, George (2004).// //Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Available at[| http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm]//** //In Andersen, T; Annand, D & Wark, N. (2005). The serach for learning community in learner paced distance education: Or, ‘Having your cake and eating it, too!’.// //Australasian journal of Educational Technology, 21(2), 222-241. Available at []//

[|PPEL – Self-paced learning versus group-paced learning (Post 3)]
//Hello dear Paulo!// //Alright… You are making group-based learning look very pretty but it is not that perfect!// //You are right, quantity is not quality but someone had to start! // //Second, yes, we are doing the activity in group because we are a team and we decided to do it that way. And because of this specific experience we can say that group paced learning is very difficult to do. We have been suffering all the the effects of doing the activity this way. It is not easy at all! We have to meet, talk, discuss, use collaborative tools so in the end we have a post that we are all happy with. Whereas if we were doing this same activity individually, each of us working at our own pace, our advances would be way quicker, we could look for information, read it, pick the interesting parts and then write a post without discussing it with the other team members. So the rhythm of this discussion would flow faster. but we like difficult paths so we decided to do it in group! // //Third, if a learner is motivated enough to follow a self-paced course, they won’t take ages to finish it! If they do take that long time, it means they really made the right choice because they couldn’t follow a course with strict deadlines and structure. You are applying the word “classroom” here… but if we are talking about self-paced learning we can’t say that! if 2 learners can start the course at the same time and finish it in different timings then it shouldn’t be called classroom in the traditional meaning of that word. Also because learners can have the possibility of starting the course whenever they want to… so, are we talking about classrooms here? Isn’t it self-paced? because the way group-based works is very difficult to start a course if we suddenly see it and want to do it but… sadly it has already started… and we need to wait for next year’s schedule… Does this waiting process bring any motivation to someone that was so excited about learning new things?// //And you talk about the teachers dealing with self-paced learners… and dealing with so many different learners, at the same time, with so many different paces and learning styles? Isn’t that difficult?// //Fourth, “show me the proves” People can learn individually, without having to be in a group. The tools that Internet provides allow us to do that. More and more we have the possibility of staying home and learn with no limits! Someone that embraces a self-paced learning course doesn’t want to be ruled by the teacher’s pace. And just because you learn at your own pace it doesn’t mean you are passive! it is exactly the opposite! You are VERY active in your learning process: having to choose you path, selecting material, doing research and being more and more independent. You end up having an even more active role in your own learning process than if you were doing it in a group. You get more involved and this brings along motivation and interest for what you’re doing.// //Last, “Men rules”… only in your tiny limited world }-]//

[|PPEL – Self-paced learning versus Group-paced learning (Post 4)]
//Hello Marco!// //We are replying to your last post but we decided to continue the dicussion under the topic discussion so we don’t end up with a lot of open topics.// //Reading your post makes us wonder about some of the things you mention.//

//You say that the facilitator may provide information about how the participants will work as a group… that is a very passive way of organisation for the learners. And then you add that the role of the facilitator may change in order to correspond to the group’s purposes and goals… but are the group goals (when it comes to learning and skills development) the goals of each learner in their individuality?? We don’t think so!//

//“The consensus among group theorists is that smaller groups, those of six or less, tend to be more cohesive and productive than larger groups.” So you are basically saying that the fewer we are, working together, the best are our achievements. In that way, we dare to say that one learner on his own works much better and is more successful than if that same learner is part of a group.// //Another thing: “we consider that group members regularly meet to study together”… it means that all of them need to adjust their lives, their priorities according to everybody else’s availability. we see a lot of dependence there which is not the purpose of online education!// //“The group tries to ensure that all members clearly understand the important points”. So, even if 1 of them already understood all the points, that fast-paced learner has to wait until the other colleagues get there as well! how does that improve the learning process and keeps the motivation on a high level?// //the girls!!! //

[|PPEL – Self-paced learning versus Group-paced learning (Post 5)]
//Hi Luís!// //We believe in the need of getting connected but that does not necessarily imply that the learner needs to follow a group-based learning pace. The learner learns through connections, possible by the rise of web 2.0 tools but still, this is done at his own pace. he doesn’t have to be integrated in a group where all the members have the same timings and deadlines in order to learn through connections.// //Why do you say there’s a lack of motivation when doing a self-paced learning course? we have come up to some advantages of this kind of courses to the learner’s motivation in previous posts. These kind of courses, for sure, lack interaction, but interaction with peers, not with material or the teacher. In fact these learners get much closer to the teacher and the teacher is able to give the support according to the learner’s needs, taking into account only that learner. Which doesn’t happen when a teacher has to support a group with different kinds of learners. So how can you value individuality this way? If the groups are taken into account as a whole and not as the parts (meaning the learners) that form it?// //And not speaking of conflicts that may occur within the group, even segregation. One individual can feel intimidated or not comfortable with asking questions or sharing his knowledge with the others? how can this lead to a successful learning path if each learner doesn’t solely focus on his own learning?// //The girls!//

[|PPEL – Self-paced learning versus Group-paced learning (Post 6)]
//Hi:// //Group-based courses have some limitations, because people work in different rhythms. Sometimes students working in a group must adjust to what others are doing, being slowed or forced to go faster to catch most of the class. In a group, when a member goes slower then the other students, it can be a great disadvantage to the well-being of the group, it can cause conflicts, or lack of motivation among the members, or, finally, be the cause of the whole group failure.// //Another problem involved with group-paced courses is centered in a key-word: leadership. So many times there´s the question of a member tending to assume the role of the leader, this way students don’t have the same opportunity to learn, or to express their points of view, or to express their doubts, and some students may feel that they are put aside, that they are completely ignored and inhibited to participate in the learning process.// //Sometimes, students who are more reserved, more shy, tend to perfom a passive role in a learning process that is group-based, not feeling comfortable when expressing their ideas within the group. One could argue that these students could be better working in small groups, but conflicts in a small group can be even more devastating. In group-paced courses, the tutor provides tasks for the “average” student, without thinking about individual differences, experiences, paces or goals.// //The ladies team, again! //

[|PPEL – Self-paced learning versus Group-paced learning (Post 7)]
//Hello!// //In some of the previous posts the men mentioned that small groups would contribute to a more successful learning that big groups. Well, we said already that in this way of thinking a self-paced learning process would be more effective.// //The problems with big groups can be the possibility of conflicts, problems with the decision making due to the amount of people involved, a feeling of intimidation by less extroverted learners, the fact that some learners can avoid working relying on the other members and learners with a faster learning pace having to wait for others to progress.// //However, small groups also have plenty of disadvantages. for example: in case there’s a conflict it can be more devastating to the group, than when it happens within a large group;and also the level of intimacy tends to be higher, which some people can feel uncomfortable with.// //None of these things happen when a learner is studying on his own and following his own priorities.// //The ladies team, again!:)//

[|PPEL – Self-paced learning versus Group-paced learning (Post 8)]
//Hi Marco!// //Your arguments are good but we are hard to convince // //You say that the teacher can help the learner who works in a group to become more active to successfully achieve the goals… in our view that is not specific from a group-based learning process. so we won’t consider it as an advantage // //You mention that students might help other students without delaying the process… well they might not delay the process, in a structural way, but they are delaying themselves as they need to wait for other people to reach their level. they could go much further in their studies following only their own pace.// //And when a student posts a comment or question in a forum, like moodle, it is definitely true that that question will be answered. However, studying alone, the student can use web 2.0 tools and use his connections and learn strategies to FIND the answer to that question. Isn’t this a sign of being more active and of independence development? Then, the student doesn’t need to follow the timings of others, but his own.// //Ladies //