INDUSTRY STUDIES Essays - Educational Psychology, Pedagogy

INDUSTRY STUDIES QUESTION 1. (a) Student -centred learning could be described as student-independence learning. The student has to some degree the ability to choose the time and place of study, the methods and order of studies and can vary his pace of study as well as the length of his studies to suit his needs. Student-centred learning puts the students needs to a large extent first. Having a learner-centred approach gives students options in the pace of study, the method of delivery of courses (e.g satellite, mixed mode, tutorial support classes), order of study, composition of courses to suit individual needs. Open by dictionary definition means: unconfined, without barriers, accessible. By broadening student input to learning under the guidance of teachers and the industry assisting students to make informed decisions the system is ?opened' and can provide the following benefits: Access is no longer confined to a narrowly defined group The time and place and mode of study are determined by the student The student knows progressively how he is going and what his weak points are (competency-based assessment). The student largely determines what is studied and how learning occurs as he is given more learning responsibility. (Student is urged to: seek out reference material, ask further questions, relate principles to his circumstances, try different styles of answering questions) Recognition of prior learning both as industry experience and other outside studies will enhance Oten courses as feedback from student to teacher in answering questions will refine existing courses. Student ?centred learning must be incorporated to remove traditional barriers and hence allow an Open Learning environment to flourish. The more a student becomes involved in his learning process the more likely he is to stick at it. Open learning is about being available to everyone no matter what his or her disposition! (b) There are many factors, which will determine to what extent student-centred learning can be achieved within an institution. The material being studied- Many courses requiring licensing, the meeting of industry standards or courses leading to tertiary qualifications such as the Higher School Certificate offer limited open learning possibilities. Industry- The willingness of industry to be more flexible so that curriculum requirements can be met by a variety of pathways. The teachers- their ability to guide, nurture and advise students on appropriate matters such as: urging students to seek out reference material, prompting additional responses from students by asking questions additional to the assignment, communicating well with students to the point where specific principles of a lesson can be related to the specific circumstances of the unit. Resources- Student-centred learning will inevitably require a higher ratio of teachers to students (as compared to face to face teaching). These teachers have to be available in the numbers required and be suitably qualified. Existing courses- Many of Oten's courses are adaptations of courses originally designed for face-to-face teaching. Some will require mixed mode delivery because of either the complexity of a particular subject or certain aids required to complete a particular course. (e.g Networked computers may be required for certain computer strands) Enrolments- Obviously to fully open up courses it would be ideal for many students to enroll for courses at any time throughout the year. This however would make forward planning as to staff requirements and the availability of facilities such as examination centres, tutorial classes etc virtually impossible. Students- A high degree of student-centered learning requires students with a high level of training and teachers with a high level of expertise so that students can be guided into making informed decisions. As the object of Open learning is to make courses more accessible then students with varying levels of expertise, experience and training will be undertaking these courses. By accepting such a variety of students the degree of student centred learning will be limited by the students ability to take on board such principles and the skills of the teachers in developing and encouraging these principles. QUESTION 2. (a) Here are as I see it some of the major differences in tools, aids and techniques used in face-to-face and external teaching. Face-to-face teaching Tangible items can be shown and demonstrated in class (e.g firefighting equipment, smoke detectors, fire installation panels) to reinforce learning. Blackboards, whiteboards, overheads and other visual aids can be used to to clarify principles. Feedback is rapid.