Session 3

What do I know about flexible learning?In fact, I have not come across the term ‘flexible learning’ before. I guess under flexible learning, people can learn at any time and anywhere, not necessarily restricted to learning in classrooms. Flexible learning may make use of different ICT tools to enhance learning, such as knowledge forum and weblog. Or it may involve a mix of different teaching methods or tools for learning, such as face-to-face lecture, investigative study and online sessions.

What do I want to know?What is flexible learning?
Is flexible learning possible in Hong Kong?
In what way(s) can my work place enhance flexible learning?

What do I learn at the end of this section?
Flexible learning expands choice on what, when, where and how people learn. It supports different styles of learning, including e-learning.

Besides using Weblog and Wiki for learning, I just learn I can use YackPack to communicate in audio form for learning. One can now perform a talk show on one’s website. Unlike posting messages on Weblog or knowledge forum, you can just speak. You can also add some music. This makes learning more fun and interesting. Unbelievable. I am very surprised that learning can take place in this form.

The moving photo video in Daniel’s module blog is very attractive. It seems it is not difficult to use Photostory free software from Microsoft to assemble a set of images together in a sequence. What I am thinking now is: How can I use Photostory in my work place to prepare educational resources in order to bring more fun to teaching and learning. For example, for science subjects, I may take photos of the environment of a laboratory and prepare a photo video to know to students how they should move out of a laboratory in case an accident happens in the laboratory. For Geography, I may take photos of a certain natural environment and prepare the corresponding photo video. As not all students may have the chance to go there, they can see through the video. This type of visual tour can enhance teaching and learning in an innovative way. These are just my assumptions as I have not yet studied the software in detail.

I think my work place may try to develop some webquests to enhance e-learning. The webquests may just focus on a certain topic. But they may allow students to finish them during some longer holidays, such Christmas, Easter and summer holidays.

I may want to use ‘Eyes wide open’ to conclude what I have learnt in this session. I am surprised to see that learning can be so ‘flexible’, not necessarily restricted to classrooms. The use of different social computing tools (most of them are totally new to me) can further support students and teachers beyond the classroom, reaching around the world for learning and communication.