My thoughts on Distributed and Open Learning

Major (2015) proposes five elements in class structure, including enrollment, amount, timing, platform and pathway. Online course structure is more likely to have open enrollment, blended amount, synchronous timing, DIY platform and distributed pathway. In other words, distributed learning is not entirely collocated with the closed class. It has open enrollment for learners around the world. For example, teachers would mostly send links of the reading materials, requirement and due dates to all students in the enrolled class. And then learners would communicate with teachers through online tools, such as email, submit work and finish supervised examination through given links. Distributed learning is a formal type of learning. Learners access to the course materials with limited management and their work is hidden.

As for open learning, it can date back to 1960s and has developed into broad approaches nowadays, from open classrooms to MOOCs. Jordan and Weller (2017) argues that in the very beginning of open learning history, “open” refers to the physical layout of classroom spaces and approaches to designing educational tasks. With technological development, open learning is more or less based on the Internet. Open learning is mostly open and informal, including TED Talks, YouTube videos and so on (Major, 2015). Learners can access to the online courses without time or space limitation. Learners can study and share their thoughts to the public. From my perspective, open learning contributes to distributed learning, since it provides more provision of learning resources and innovative methods for teachers.

When it comes to my future career as a teacher, I should apply both distributed and open teaching to students. As for main courses, I would draw support from distributed teaching. I can systematically assign reading materials and homework requirement on course website. Learners feel free to log in and check out the class resources. At the same time, I would have the aid of open learning as support. I would use TED Talks or YouTube videos to help learners understand complicated concepts or academic terms. With these two important elements in mind, teachers can make their class vivid and interesting, and in turn, make their class more effective for students.

 

References

Major, C. H. (2015). Teaching Online – A Guide to Theory, Research, and Practice. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=3318874 (pp. 76-108)

Jordan, K. & Weller, M. (2017). Openness and Education: A beginners’ guide. Global OER Graduate Network.