Reconceptualising educational provision: An integrated approach

Abstract

At the heart of the educational process—from formal to non-formal and the informal―lies the learning and teaching transaction. In traditional campus-based educational settings the choice of methods as part of this transaction is based on the affordances of the physical infrastructure and its resources, whereas in non-traditional more open, flexible and distance education arrangements, their selection depends on the media used for learning and teaching. The choice of these methods nevertheless, in all cases is based on their suitability, and none is inherently better than any other. They are designed to optimize opportunities for teaching and learning regardless of their mode of operation―ranging from resource-rich campus-based settings to most remote locations such as a rural farmhouse, or a cargo ship on the high seas. Whether these methods are smart or digital is a moot point. What is important is that they are fit for purpose, and able to strike the right balance between independence and interaction in the design of productive learning experiences and environments for the widest variety of educational contexts—from the physical classroom to the remotest location imaginable.