An example of E-Learning which I found online, doesn’t follow the idea of studying for a degree, but allows the student to learn a different language online.
http://www.in-languages.com/business/elearning/index.htm
The student gets to study at their own pace via the internet or by telephone lessons. There is a lot of flexibility to fit in with the students interests and there are options to what you want to get out of this course, e.g. goals and length of study. This type of flexibility online agrees with the idea that the internet allows freedom with the idea that the audience can take what they want from the medium. The audience have much more control over what is being taught to them and have control over the messages being received, rather than just being part of mass media. Therefore the power is much more with the user than what it is with a student in a normal school setting, because they get to choose how long they want to be part of the course for.
However, the idea of learning online is criticised by Buckingham and Scanlon criticise the idea of E-learning for children and state that this type of learning has only been produced by capitalist in order for commercial gain and not because of the freedom it gives to its students. ‘ One of the issues facing commercial companies is how to make a return on their investments’..’ companies develop sites which effectively have to be used in conjunction with other media, print or digital’ (13). This proves the idea that the companies aren’t producing E learning centres because of the freedom it allows them and to widen society’s education, but merely as a commercial gain in what they see as the future. The upgrade culture could have an effect on this because companies want to push the boundaries on their products in order to keep the audience’s attention and to make a profit. If the audience believe that E-Learning is the future and they will benefit from one of these thousands of courses online, then they are likely to pay the high fees in order to gain the qualification. Do you think your example is for commercial gain, or to help people with their education?Journal
http://mcs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/27/1/41
Buckingham and Scanlon, Selling Learning towards a political economy of edutainment media
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i think that my type of distance learning is for an educational purpose. Although after saying that i didn't see how much it actually costs to study over distance. Although if i am honest when thinking of countries like the poor parts in Africa and in Trinidad i feel that they must have quite a bit of money to afford the inet, never mind distance learning. So i feel that you would have to be quite weathy to be educated over distance.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good question Claire - I'm very pleased to see you pushing the boundaries of the discussion and raising these questions. There are degrees of things here too - ie it may be for educational purposes, but that doesn't stop it being mostly for profit. Another question is then, how do we tell?
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