learning - Academic Conferences Limited

Arno Louw
It should be clearly stated that this is personal access to these technologies and the interpretation to
the question is often confused with “owning” the technology rather than have actual access. In
addition, many students have access to computers and the Internet via hotspots in residences, per
immediate family households or communes, or at home where a computer is shared by many people.
Informal discussions with students brought forth that the computer is used for social networking (e.g.
Facebook) and gaming, yet applications such as the word processor, and spread sheet is never used
for formal writing although presentation software is not all that unfamiliar to them. Hence figure 4
reveals the computer proficiency of current second and first year students.
Bearing all said in mind, Baby Boomers were taught by the Traditionalists (born during 1930 – 1949),
in accordance with the behaviourist theory, i.e. rote memorisation. Baby Boomers rebelled against
this format and taught Generation X in line with the cognitivist approach to teaching and learning.
Rote memorisation still forms the cornerstone of the cognitivist approach, but it goes one step further
in that the information that was memorised then is used by applying it to a set of facts as one would
experience it in real life. Generation Y’s education follows the social constructivist approach, which
strongly relies on collaborative learning, which taps neatly into Generation Y’s preference for working
in groups. Even more so, the learning theory of Connectivism emerges from the learning styles of
these students (Siemens 2005). This trend, in teaching and learning in society, enlightens our
paradigm for understanding the learning needs of our students.
Figure 2: Computer proficiency of first years 2010 – 2011 (comparison)
These students adapt easy to e-learning when analysed against the diffusion theory and are classified
in five categories, namely: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards
(Keller & Cernerud 2002). In addition, familiarity with e-learning, an LMS, and ICTs as components of
e-learning, are largely accepted by modern students. In a later study, Buzzetto-More (2008) finds that:
“When prior educational exposure [to e-learning components] was examined, the majority of students
indicated that they had used a computer to solve a problem as part of a class assignment,
participated in group work that involved using computer software, and delivered a presentation using
computer software.” She also found that “students’ perceptions and experiences with online learning
were similar to findings reported from studies conducted at majority institutions where students have
reported that they want to see traditional learning supported by e-learning strategies; however, faceto-face
instruction is preferred over fully online learning.” (op. cit.).
4.2 Pedagogical design for blended learning interventions
The affordance of the Web bears the following constraints that must be addressed as it influences the
theory behind applying learning in the online environment. Anderson (2004) describes the following
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