Kinds Of Flexibility In Learning

PEDAGOGIES FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING
SUPPORTED BY TECHNOLOGY
BY
Ayoub C Kafyulilo
s1017322
ASSIGNMENT 1
SUMMARY OF THE KINDS OF FLEXIBILITY IN LEARNING

Table of Content
1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................2
1.1Flexibility related to time................................................................................................3
Advantages ......................................................................................................................3
Disadvantages .................................................................................................................4
2.2 Flexibility related to content..........................................................................................4
Advantages of flexibility related to content.....................................................................4
Disadvantages..................................................................................................................5
2.3 Flexibility related to entry requirement.........................................................................5
Advantage of flexibility related to entry requirement......................................................6
Disadvantage ...................................................................................................................6
2.4 Flexibility related to instructional approach and resources...........................................7
Advantages of the flexibility related to instructional approach and resources................7
Disadvantages .................................................................................................................7
2.5 Flexibility related to delivery and logistics....................................................................8
Advantages ......................................................................................................................8
Disadvantages..................................................................................................................9
3.0 Conclussion..................................................................................................................10
References..........................................................................................................................10
1.0 Introduction
2

Flexible learning is the movement away from a situation in which key decision about
learning dimensions are made in advance by the instructor or institution, toward a
situation where the learner has a range of options from which to choose with respect to
these key dimensions (Collis & Moonen, 2001). It is concerned with providing learners
with increased choice, convenience, and personalization to suit the learner interests. In
particular, flexible learning provides learners with choices about where, when, and how
learning occurs. In learning flexibility, learners are given the opportunity of choice in
different aspects of the learning experience. It can be an option in course resources, types
of learning activities, media to support learning etc.
According to Collis & Moonen (2001), institutions and learners are in need for flexibility
in order to cope with the market force and the demand from the knowledge economy.
However, there is no simple flexibility option to carry in practice. Thus, if institutions are
to commit themselves to flexible learning, they have to make explicit choices of the
flexibility dimensions that will be available to students. Currently five key
dimensions/kinds of flexibility are identified; flexibility related to time, flexibility related
to content, flexibility related to entry requirement, flexibility related to instructional
approach and resources as well as the flexibility related to delivery and logistics.
1.1 Flexibility related to time
This refers to the movement from a fixed time to flexible time. It’s a situation where
learners are able to choose the time for starting and finishing a program or a course. It’s
also the freedom for learners to choose the time for submitting an assignment and
interacting within the course. In this flexibility, learners can also determine the pace of
studying and moments of assessment. Learners can assess their availability for the course
or convenience of time in the course and make a choice of the right time they would like
to perform a given learning activity.
Advantages
In the perspectives of the instructor
The instructor is no longer bound to the university or school timetable instead; he can
alter his time of working, responding to students late in the evening, at his home, with a
cup of tea at hand. The instructor will not having a fixed time in a day, rather works
freely through out the day (no fixed time for being in the office or in the classroom)
In general, if there is more flexible time for the learners, the instructor will also have
more options on the time use.
In the perspectives for the learners
Students who perhaps have family and work commitments can benefit more from the
freedom to organize their own times and way of studying.
The flexibility can lead to better learning outcomes, as learners get the instructor’s
assistance any time they need it. A learner encountering any problem during the course of
learning can just contact the instructor for details.
3

In the perspective of institution
The institution can free itself from the control of the students learning. Issues pertaining
classroom learning may remain the responsibility of the students and the course
instructors. Teachers and students organize their own learning schedules.
Disadvantages
From the perspective of the instructor
There will be a time burden to the instructor, as he will be required to respond to
students’ problem through out the day. The instructor maybe supposed to answer
students’ questions from early in the morning to late in the evening.
From the perspective of the learner
Learners own choice of time, content, method, media, route, and pace will mean less
chance of group interaction and peer-to-peer communication
From the perspectives of the institution
If students are to be promised time flexibility, it will be difficult for the institution to set a
schedule for lecture and time-tabling of rooms. It will also be difficult for the institution
to plan for the extra sittings of final examinations (when to be held, where and who to
supervise)
2.2 Flexibility related to content
This refers to the movement from a fixed content to a flexible content. In this kind of
flexibility learners are free to choose topics of the course, sequence of different parts of a
course, orientation of the course (theoretical or practical), key learning materials of the
course, assessment standards and completion requirements.
Learners have different interests and experiences; thus, in this flexibility learners can
choose a topic in a course according to their interests. Learners can also make a choice of
the sequence of the topics in the course (which topic to begin with and which should
follow after). Also some of the learners are more interested in the practical works than
theoretical works and vice versa; both can have a choice of what to do. Learners can also
have a wider choice of the materials and modalities for assessment or completion
standards of the course than a teacher making choice for them.
Advantages of flexibility related to content
From the perspectives of the instructor
4

The instructor will no longer be required to plan for the content or materials to deliver to
the students, instead he will be required to respond and individualize. This may reduce
the instructors’ burden of planning the learning program.
From the perspectives of the learner
Instead of being told by the institution or the teacher what to do, the learner becomes free
to choose the variety of available options according to his interests and prior experience.
The learner becomes more like a client in the supermarket, having all the choices
available for him. Such a change can empower the learner.
The institution may get more customers who are interested in part of the course or just
some of the courses. Not all learners are interested to accomplish the whole thing
provided in the course content. Thus those who are interested in parts of the content will
be easily accommodated in the institution.
Disadvantages
From the perspectives of the instructor
The more choices the learner has, the more demands and thus challenges there are for the
instructor. Some combinations of options may not be compatible with each other by their
nature. This will make the instructor to treat each case as individual case which will be a
more burden to him. Also learners’ flexibility may require an imaginative and creative
approach to course re-design, which is outside the scope of many instructors (relatively
few people are innovators)
The availability of more options for a learner may sometimes confuse him rather than
empowering him. Thus, may find that he don’t get the right course to opt especially if all
courses are of interest to the learner.
The culture of which the learner is a part is not oriented toward the idea of learner choice,
but instead expects the course provider to be responsible for pre-specified decisions about
the course offering.
With this kind of flexibility, it may be very difficult for the institutions in accrediting the
learners. It may also be very difficult for the institution in planning for the students’
assessment in relation to what the students have covered.
2.3 Flexibility related to entry requirement
5

This refers to the movement from fixed entry requirements to the more flexible
requirements. It may include the flexibility of the condition to participate in a certain
course or program. Instead of the institution fixing the entry qualifications, learners
themselves can do a self assessment and decide if they have a qualification for a given
course. For example in the CIMA program there are variety of course in which learners
have to choose by considering their own ability to pursue the course they choose.
Advantage of flexibility related to entry requirement
It can simplify instructors’ work of grading or administering a placement examination for
assessing the best requirement for the course as students themselves will be self-assessed
for their qualifications in the course.
Learners will have more independence or freedom to join any course on the basis of their
interests and self determined requirements rather than institution’s decided-requirements.
Thus all learners will have equal opportunity of attending courses that were previously
considered for people of certain qualifications.
From the perspective of the institution
If the institution will not have a fixed entry requirement, and learner have a freedom to
choose their entry requirements, many students will have opportunity of getting enrolled
in the courses they feel to be competent with. In that way the institution may increase the
enrolment number.
Disadvantage
The class may comprise of students with different academic abilities. And the more the
variability of the learners, the more the burden to the instructor. Collis & Moonen (2001)
argue that, instructors cannot handle what can amounts to individualized instruction
because of time and also cognitive constraints if the number of learners increases.
Not all learners want to make their own choices or be responsible for the quality of their
choices. In this regard, some learners will experience some difficulties when trying to
think of the best requirement to enable them to join a certain course.
From perspective of the institution
Students of low qualifications may choose to join some courses which they are not
competent on them. This may cause complaints from instructors who feel change is being
forced upon them or is coming too fast or not occurring as they feel it should. For
example, if the instructors are experiencing difficulties in teaching some of the under-
qualified students they might complain the institution.
6

2.4 Flexibility related to instructional approach and resources
This refers to the movement from the fixed pedagogy and resources to the more flexible
pedagogy. In this kind of flexibility, learners are able to choose the kind of social
organizations (whether face-to-face, group works or individual works). They can also
choose the language to be used during the course (English or Dutch). In additional
students determines the learning resources they would like to use in the course. They can
propose for the modality of the resources, origin (instructor, learners, library or WWW).
Further more, learners determines the instructional organization of learning. They can
choose the type and time for assignment and also the monitoring process.
Advantages of the flexibility related to instructional approach and resources
The instructor will be required to respond to the learners rather than planning and
delivering. Since learners have already decided about the instructional approaches and
materials, the instructor is almost liberated from planning for instructional process or
searching for the teaching materials. The instructor can also have a wider choice of
approaches, materials and learning settings for making all options available in response to
the wishes of different students.
From the perspective of students
Presence of more flexibility gives students more independence in the learning. It enables
learners to work on their pre-determined choices as well as making own decisions. This
may act as motivation to the learners as they will be using materials, learning approaches
etc, of their interest.
Better quality of results could be potentially achieved especially if the students will
choose the most up-to-date learning resources and choose the best learning approaches. In
addition, students will increasingly require educational programmes from the institution
thus marketing it.
Disadvantages
From the perspective of the teacher
Instructors cannot handle what can amounts to individualized instruction because of time
and also cognitive constraints if the number of learners increases.
From the perspective of the learners
Many learners, who need to appreciate expert making choices for them, will not be able
to make the right choices.
Also, giving learners their own choices of time content, methods, media, route, and pace
will mean less chance of group interaction and peer-to-peer communications.
7

If a learner chooses to work in her own language and it is a language that others in her
course do not speak, she cannot insist or stress on human-human interactivity, either real-
time or asynchronous
From the perspective of institution
The institution maybe required to deal with complaints from students who may feel they
are being forced to incur new expenditures for searching materials or learning resources.
Also it may be costly to the institution in ensuring that all resources or materials needed
by the students are available in the institution
2.5 Flexibility related to delivery and logistics
This refers to the movement from fixed place and procedures to more flexible location
and procedures. Learners may have a choice of time and place where contacts with the
instructor and other students, can occur. They also decide about the methods, technology
for obtaining support and making contacts. Learners also choose the type of help they
would like to get, communication available and technology required, as well as the
location, technology for participating in various aspects of the course. In additional there
will be a learners’ choice of the channels for course information, content, and
communication.
In this type of flexibility, learners and instructors have a wider variety of ways of
communication. It goes beyond the face to face interaction between students and
instructor in the classroom. A learner has a freedom to choose the time and method of
communicating with the instructor (ask questions) from his own location; home, Library,
laboratory etc.
Advantages
As learners will be having more flexibility, the instructor may as well have more options.
This means that the instructor will as well become more flexible, than having a tight
schedule through which a given piece of work is supposed to be done. But the flexibility
of the instructor will be limited by the students’ choices.
This provides a self-directed learning to students. A student can learn anything of his
interest, from anywhere, at anytime. This brings a more responsibility to the learner as he
will be supposed to learn anytime and anywhere.
8

Issues of time schedule and organization of learning will be left on the hands of the
instructors and students. The institution’s responsibility can be that of supplying the
learners and instructors with technical supports such as computers and internet.
Also the institution is likely to get complains from the students concerning the cost for
technology. Especially those students learning from outside the campus may require an
internet connected computer which maybe expensive to them. Also it can be expensive to
the institution to fulfill all the learners’ needs in terms of facilities and learning
equipment.
Disadvantages
From the perspective of the teacher
Each combination of options may require some re-engineering of the course; economy of
scale is not likely to occur. Personal and technical implications of many learner choices
are much more costly than any course provider could support.
Also instructors do not have the time or resources to anticipate the permutations of
options that a learner may choose and produce cohesive, good quality variations of
courses available to reflect those options.
From the perspectives of the learners
Learning from ones choice of location may hinder learning to students who can learn
better in a group setting.
It can be a learning barriers for students with limited knowledge in the use of technology
especially information and communication technology (ICT).
The new choices that students may have in the process of learning, may also have new
responsibilities
More flexibility brings with it more independence but also the need for more self-
direction and more self-motivation, the traits which are not automatic in many learners.
From institutional perspectives
It can be difficult for the institution to plan a time schedule for the learning activities.
Also some logistical aspects can quickly become unmanageable. As such, planning for
examination, supervision, classrooms, students handling in terms of registration and
accreditation of students progress may all become difficult.
9

3.0 Conclussion
From the discussion above it can be found that the disadvantages of flexibility in
learning, outweigh the advantages. What should be done then, do we need to continue
with the flexibility in learning or we should abandon it? Collis and Moonen (2001) admit
the fact that flexible learning is a complex domain and can be experienced in many
different ways. Yet, Collis and Moonen call for increasing learning flexibility in schools.
The idea of Collis and Moonen is based on the market demand and learner’s demands.
But should we sacrifice the good of education with a fixed rules and regulation for the
market demands? Some literature states that a school is a place where a child is natured
from childhood to adulthood. If the learner will have all that flexibilities how will the
school control his developmental process? There are still several questions concerning the
value of flexibility especially when it comes to practical implementation of it.
References
Collis, B., & Moonen, J. (2001, second printing 2002). Flexible learning in a digital
world: Experiences and expectations. London: Kogan Page.
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Kinds Of Flexibility In Learning

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