Heutagogy in Distance Education The way that education is being taught is constantly changing over the years. We are moving from the traditional classroom experience to a more modern experience. No longer are students having to spend numerous hours in different classroom taking notes for further use. The way that course material is delivered has change with emerging technologies. Theorists have proposed different theories of how students throughout the different waves of development. Heutagogy is a theory that expanded from andragogy. This theory is active in distance education today. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theory of heutagogy and how it is applicable to distance education.
Definition
In the theory of Heutagogy, the …show more content…
A heutagogical approach to learning and teaching is characterized by learner- centeredness in terms of both learner- generated contexts and content (Blaschke, 2012, p. 64). Some design elements that support learner- centeredness are: learner-defined learning contracts, flexible curriculums, learner- directed questions, flexible and negotiated assessment, and reflective practice (Blaschke, 2012, p. 64-65). The following course design elements can be included to support reflective practices: learning journals, action research, formative, summative assessment, and collaborative learning (Blaschke, 2012, p. 65-66). Action research allows experimentation with real world experience where learning is in the hands of the participants and can be tested in subsequent learning cycles (Hase & Kenyon, 2007, p. …show more content…
Traditionally, distance education has been designed, developed, delivered, and targeted to the adult learner, usually working adults with extensive life experience and more maturity than campus-based students (Blaschke, 2012, p. 61-62). Heutagogy is relevant to the theory of andragogy, but learners are more independent. Distance education requires and promotes autonomy, a skill that is essential to the heutagogical teaching and learning approach (Blaschke, 2012, p. 62). Distance education supports the theory of
Definition
In the theory of Heutagogy, the …show more content…
A heutagogical approach to learning and teaching is characterized by learner- centeredness in terms of both learner- generated contexts and content (Blaschke, 2012, p. 64). Some design elements that support learner- centeredness are: learner-defined learning contracts, flexible curriculums, learner- directed questions, flexible and negotiated assessment, and reflective practice (Blaschke, 2012, p. 64-65). The following course design elements can be included to support reflective practices: learning journals, action research, formative, summative assessment, and collaborative learning (Blaschke, 2012, p. 65-66). Action research allows experimentation with real world experience where learning is in the hands of the participants and can be tested in subsequent learning cycles (Hase & Kenyon, 2007, p. …show more content…
Traditionally, distance education has been designed, developed, delivered, and targeted to the adult learner, usually working adults with extensive life experience and more maturity than campus-based students (Blaschke, 2012, p. 61-62). Heutagogy is relevant to the theory of andragogy, but learners are more independent. Distance education requires and promotes autonomy, a skill that is essential to the heutagogical teaching and learning approach (Blaschke, 2012, p. 62). Distance education supports the theory of