ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1 we characterized pedagogy around two dimensions: a dimension relating to flexibility and a dimension relating to an educational model about learning activities. We identified two basic types of activities: those relating to acquisition of content and those relating to contribution to a learning community. Using the Flexibility-Activity Framework (Figure 1.3) four different combinations of flexibility and activity were shown. In this chapter, we focus more
Figure 5.1 Flexible learning in higher education - pedagogy applications
specifically on the combinations of the framework that involve more flexibility and relate them to the instructor's pedagogical decisions based on a new definition of an active student: one of co-contributor to the course study resources and co-member of the course as a learning community. We will introduce the U Approach as a pedagogical model for flexible learning and illustrate ways to realize it in different practical settings. The key to the U Approach is a focus on learner activities supported by a properly designed WWW-based system. Furthermore we will illustrate a range of activities and tools for the U Approach. Finally, we discuss the implications for the instructor and for the instructional designer of this new approach.
