Models for Online Learning

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Improving Learning and Reducing Costs: New Models for Online Learning
Nice article that summarizes five emerging models in learning design. As the author notes, "All five models treat the course not as a 'one-off' but rather as a set of products and services that can be continuously worked on and improved." I think this is a good trend, not merely because it supports more sustainable development but also because it allows for the evolution of learning beyond that static, paced entity called a "course". The 'emporium model', for example, "eliminates all class meetings and replaces them with a learning resource center featuring online materials and on-demand personalized assistance." But we can go further than that. "Students need to be treated like individuals, rather than homogenous groups, and should be offered many more learning options within each course." This trend leads us to much of what Jay Cross has been talking about, the gradual migration from formal to informal learning. By Carol A. Twigg, EDUCAUSE Review, September, 2003