Considerations for Distance Learning:
‘what students learn’,
‘how they learn’ and
‘what they are able to do with their learning outcome’
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
what students learn?
how they learn?
what they are able to do
with their learning outcome?
…is he learning?
…are they learning?
…are they learning?
…can they all learn
at a distance?
Learning: the unknown labyrinth
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Considerations for Distance Learning:
‘what students learn’,
‘how they learn’ and
‘what they are able to do with their learning outcome’
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
• Books
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Television
Internet
Video
Computers
DVDs
CDs
Software
Platforms etc.
They are all means which transfer and transmit information,
not knowledge. They were not made as educational tools,
but as tools for transferring oral and visual information.
Any type of information; good or bad, right or wrong.
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
• Books
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Television
Internet
Video
Computers
DVDs
CDs
Software
Platforms etc.
In order to use them as and transform them into educational tools
we must define a number of preconditions, criteria, quality standards,
teaching and learning methods.
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
• Books
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Television
Internet
Video
Computers
DVDs
CDs
Software
Platforms etc.
People / students receive information from all these sources ,
but ‘information’ is not ‘learning’ nor ‘knowledge’. They have to
do and follow a number of activities and actions in order to
transform ‘information’ into ‘learning’ and ‘knowledge’.
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
A student engaged in distance learning needs to have an analytical
Knowledge, from the outset of his studies, of the following:
What to do
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
What to do
Why he does it
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
What to do
Why he does it
When he has to do it
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
What to do
Why he does it
How to do it
When he has to do it
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
What to do
If he did it well
Why he does it
How to do it
When he has to do it
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
The learning material should also lead the learner
to a number of activities:
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Involvement of the learner / types of activities and exercises
Distance
Learning Material
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Involvement of the learner / types of activities and exercises
Utilization of existing
Knowledge and experiences
Distance
Learning Material
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Involvement of the learner / types of activities and exercises
Utilization of existing
Knowledge and experiences
Distance
Learning Material
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
The search for
and processing of
information
Involvement of the learner / types of activities and exercises
Utilization of existing
Knowledge and experiences
Distance
Learning Material
The search for
and processing of
information
Application
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Involvement of the learner / types of activities and exercises
Utilization of existing
Knowledge and experiences
Distance
Learning Material
Critical thought
and creativity
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
The search for
and processing of
information
Application
Involvement of the learner / types of activities and exercises
Utilization of existing
Knowledge and experiences
Verification and
self – evaluation
of knowledge and
skills
Distance
Learning Material
Critical thought
and creativity
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
The search for
and processing of
information
Application
In the process of distance learning, of any type of distance learning…
…learning is more determined by and dependent on the content
of educational material and teaching methodology,
and NOT on the kind of technology used for course delivery.
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Cognitive skills comprise a combination of information
processing tools and all the data which one processes
throughout one’s life
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Cognitive Skills
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Cognitive Skills
Knowledge
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Cognitive Skills
Knowledge
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Action
Cognitive Skills
Knowledge
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Action
How students learn
Cognitive Skills
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
How students learn
Cognitive Skills
Knowledge
What students learn
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
How students learn
Cognitive Skills
Knowledge
Question
What students learn
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
?
Is this enough?
How students learn
Cognitive Skills
Knowledge
What students learn
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
What students are
able to do with
their learning
outcome
Action
How students learn
Cognitive Skills
Knowledge
What students learn
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
What students are
able to do with
their learning
outcome
Action
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Creativity
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Develop the ability to create certain new interesting conditions
To make decisions via predetermined or non – predictable tasks
To resolve problems and case studies
To observe similar activities and issues of others
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Judgment
• To develop the ability to judge
• To be critical and to form an assessment
• To develop a documented viewpoint about the validity and usefulness
of some views or theories
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Comparison
• To develop the ability to compare
• To approach and determine similarities and differences between
two or more issues and to decide which is preferable
• To support and justify a decision while simultaneously using
arguments for the choice
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Contradiction
• To develop the ability to bring an opposing view to those already
existing so as to show up their differences
• To learn to compare different viewpoints in order to recognize
the right to diversity, to respect other opinions and practices
• To avoid the ones limited world – view
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Description
• To develop the ability to describe and provide an analytical
interpretation of an issue
• To learn to give an analytical account of a fact or issue by using
observations
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Interpretation
• To develop the ability to represent and explain an issue and, at the
same time, to determine the outline for its clarification
• To explain a fact or a point, but additionally, to look for the
factors and causes which provoked it
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Analysis
• To develop the ability to analyze an issue or a fact and,
at the same time, to use explanatory and structured logic to
interpret it
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Argument
• To develop the ability to argue, to use theoretical and practical
examples to validate one or more opinions. These examples
must confirm and lead to a documented viewpoint.
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Evaluation
• To develop the ability to evaluate, to consider the value,
effectiveness and validity of some elements and to what
extent they are true or useful
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Examination
• To learn to develop the ability to examine the value of an issue.
• To examine how valid or invalid it is
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Questioning
• To develop the ability to question an issue in order to
examine its validity
• Not to accept it as correct or effective in advance or due
to general acceptance
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Observation
• To develop the ability to observe an issue or process
so as to identify all of its dimensions, no matter how small
or insignificant they are
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Oral expression and presentation
• To develop the ability to orally express and present data based
on what someone have learnt and to deliver them
in an interesting way
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Some Basic Cognitive Skills
Problem solving
• To develop the ability to solve problems and provide direct
solutions to issues that come up unexpectedly
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Cognitive skills respond to the question of
“how do students learn”.
They can also lead the student to knowledge and its three ingredients:
• The facts
• The theories
• The experiences and practical applications
The third part we saw before, “what can students do with what they
have learnt”, expresses the actions, behaviors, principles,
attitudes and learning outcomes of the learners’ educational journey.
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University
Thank you for your attention
Antonis Lionarakis, Hellenic Open University