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An E-Learning Collaborative Environment:Learning within a Masters in Education
ARTICLE

, University of the Western Cape, South Africa

International Journal on E-Learning, ISSN 1537-2456 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC USA

Abstract

This article contributes to the debate about e-learning as a form of adult education. It is based on the experiences of South African students, describes and analyses group interaction in an intercontinental Masters in Adult Education Programme which uses a computer electronic platform as the primary medium for learning and teaching. The article focuses on students’ subjective navigation of an e-learning platform and explores whether or not e-learning replicates what goes on in a lecture theatre, and whether or not e-learning becomes a passive development tool. This article shows that, through negotiating and mediating collaboratively, students in this Masters Programme took ownership of their constructed knowledge. Whilst presenting evidence that e-learning has the potential to facilitate collaborative learning, the article challenges some of the claimed advantages of e-learning. In particular, the article questions the assumption that e-learning encourages equality amongst students; it counters the claim that e-learning provides learning opportunities that are highly flexible; and, contrary to claims that e-learning removes personal anxiety, this article shows that students do experience anxiety when making their contributions to collaborative discussions.

Citation

Hendricks, N. (2012). An E-Learning Collaborative Environment:Learning within a Masters in Education. International Journal on E-Learning, 11(1), 39-53. Waynesville, NC USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved March 28, 2024 from .

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