E-Learning Issues: Probing Pedagogy, Interface and Culture
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Faculty
Faculty of Education and Arts
School
School of Education / Centre for Schooling and Learning Technologies
RAS ID
5666
Abstract
E-learning is a new facet of educational technology which many countries both developed and developing are rushing to embrace. Perceived benefits in both cost of delivery and educational outcomes are usually the driving force. This has led to a new phase in the globalisation of education, with education being sold on the world market like any other product. With this global trend come issues that go beyond those of content, delivery and even language for example, e-learning materials are very expensive to produce, so its success largely depends upon economies of scale that unfortunately leads to a one size fits all pedagogy. Even locally produced elearning materials can suffer in this way, as often the content is local but the instructional model is international. The result is that often local content is plugged into overseas e-learning templates without the model of instruction being modified to suit the learning style or the culture into which it is being delivered. This paper reports upon a small research project in which an analysis of a number of Thai e-learning web sites was undertaken; looking at each of the sites individually in terms of pedagogy, interface and cultural appropriateness. The e-learning sites were chosen from different types and levels of education institutions within Thailand. While each site chosen was unique in style and purpose, some cross-case analysis was possible through the use of common instruments
Comments
Pagram, J., & Pagram, P. (2008). E-learning issues: probing pedagogy, interface and culture. In proceedings of the fifth international conference on science mathematics and technology education: beyond cultural boundaries. Curtin University: Perth, Western Australia.