Part I Focus, Aims, Approaches and Framework
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
Gardening is a fruitful metaphor for learning and teaching. Already in 1926,
Vygotsky used it when he discussed the teacher's role:
Just as a gardener would be acting foolishly if he were to try to affect
the growth of a plant by directly tugging at its roots with his hands from
underneath the plant, so is the teacher in contradiction with the essential
nature of education if he bends all his efforts at directly influencing the
student. (Vygotsky, 1926/1997, p. 49).
Just as gardeners sometimes need to use a stick to support a plant or an
automatic irrigation system to create a fertile environment in their
gardens, teachers can be helped by information and communication technology
(ICT) to create a stimulating and effective learning environment.
1.2 Focus
ICT can be used to support learning in many ways. Elen and Clarebout (1998,
p. 81) suggest a rough structure for learning environments supported by ICT:
1. Tutorial environments
2. Explorative environments
3. Interaction environments
I have concentrated my research on interaction environments and their use in
collaborative learning. To be more precise: I study how groups learn by
discussing via a forum system, how teachers can facilitate such learning,
and how ICT can support this learning and facilitation. The expression
"forum system" is used, in this thesis, for a mainly text-based,
asynchronous (= non-simultaneous) electronic conferencing system. Such
systems may also provide the possibility to exchange other forms of
information, e.g., pictures and sound, and they might contain functions also
for synchronous communication.
I focus mainly on the teachers´ roles, methods and support. When I use
the expression "teacher ", it can be a teacher or course leader, a team of
teachers, or what some authors call a facilitator or coach.
My motives for choosing this focus are:
1. Text-based electronic communication applies a relatively simple
technology that is accessable by many individuals, at least in
developed countries, and reachable from many remote places.
2. Asynchronous electronic communication provides an independence of time
and place that is highly valued in the society of today and enables
lifelong learning.
3. A forum system is an easy-to-use tool, yet complicated to design and
construct: a real challenge!
4. I consider the teachers as responsible for the efficiency in planned
learning, and thus the most important persons to study and influence.
ICT support, and especially interaction environments, are often used within
distance education. However, the use of collaborative learning via a forum
system is by no means restricted to distance education. It can as well be
used to augment the learning process in a traditional course. Here, I will
use the term "flexible learning " to denote a learning situation in which
the learner has a freedom to choose how and when to learn (e.g., Holmberg,
1998).
1.3 Research Motives and Relevance
Lifelong learning is a concept of great relevance today. Augmented demands
at work, new technologies emerging in all areas of work, and a higher tempo
also in the recreation area call for a continuing development of knowledge
and skill. This implies that new groups with new needs will require training
and education. These students cannot always travel to learning centres, such
as schools or universities, and spend time away from work or home. At the
same time, these groups may need more help and support in their learning.
Still, most of them will demand the same stimulance and social contacts that
campus students benefit from (e.g., SOU, 1998).
The new information and communication technology might enable us to
provide learning environments, suitable for these new groups of students.
However, this puts new demands on the teachers and the education providers.
Teachers may need to develop new skills and they need support from effective
systems and organizations. A discussion about pedagogic perspectives and
teaching methods has been deemed fruitful for this process.
I hope that this thesis will contribute to this discussion and that my
suggestions will prepare the ground or even sow seeds, so that new methods
and support systems will grow out from this.
1.4 Thesis Overview
This thesis contains a body and three published papers. The first paper
describes a study (here called Study A) that I conducted together with my
colleague Sirkku M§nnikk. She is also the second author to this paper.
[1] The second paper describes a study I have conducted alone (Study B). The
third paper is a report from a working group that I co-chaired during an
international conference (Study C). The three papers form Apendices A, B,
and C in the thesis.
Part I contains this introduction (Chapter 1), a description of my
research approach (Chapter 2) and a framework for flexible learning (Chapter
3). I have built this framework on experiences and observations during my
studies and with inspiration from the literature. This framework is used in
Part II as a structure to describe theories and practice in the field.
In Part II, Chapter 4 comments on the student, and Chapter 5 on the
organization of flexible learning. Chapter 6 deals with pedagogic issues,
including different perspectives, their impact on instruction, and
collaborative learning. Chapter 7 introduces technology as a tool to support
learning, and especially computer-mediated communication (CMC). Chapter 8
deals with the teachers´ role and support.
Within each of these chapters, the studies are described and discussed -
when relevant - in the light of theories presented.
Part III presents conclusions (Chapter 9) from the studies and from the
theories presented in Part II. Here, you find The list of tips and support
functions. This part ends with ideas for future research (Chapter 10).
The reader of this thesis can read about the studies as a unit, following
the "study thread" below:
Chapter 2, Page 8 - 10: Description of methods used in the studies.
Chapter 3, Page 14 - 15: Description of the courses studied using the
Chapter 4, Page 20 - 21: Students in the courses studied.
Chapter 5, Page 26 - 27: Organization of the courses studied.
Chapter 6, Page 36 - 37: Pedagogic perspectives in the courses studied.
Chapter 6, Page 40: Collaboration in the courses studied.
Chapter 7, Page 44: Technology used in the courses studied.
Chapter 8, page 55: The teachers' role in the courses studied.
Chapter 9, page 60 - 67: Conclusions from the courses studied (in The
list of tips and support functions).
Study C is referred to on the following pages: 25, 26, 37, 41 - 43, 51,
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[1] The publishers unfortunately omitted Männikkö's name at the
publication of this paper.