learning - Academic Conferences Limited

Arno Louw
Lecturers assume that learning only occurs in the LMS environment and use the classroom to
present content only.
Consequently, these factors also become reasons for lecturers finding an online component (LMS)
more lucrative to use. This is as far as the LMS is used and cause true blended learning never to
escalate to its full capacity in certain courses.
5.2 Considerations for proper classroom and learning management
Within an online environment, the following should always be considered when assigning students to
work independently from classroom facilitation:
What is there is no teacher present?
The use of netiquette.
Is navigation an obstacle for learning? (Number of clicks.)
How is learning managed in a classroom as opposed to how learning is managed in a classroom
with shifting borders?
I argue and maintain that an LMS is a tool for teaching and learning and not only for teaching or
learning. Perceptions of the lecturers over the past few years have been that the LMS becomes more
an organisational tool to consolidate large classes and ensure the integrity of disseminating
information. However, information is often distinguished from actual subject content and thus does not
form part of actual blended learning pedagogy. This often becomes the assumption upon which the
use of the LMS is based. It should also be mentioned that, in a few exemplary cases, the exact
opposite is also true which presumes that a course could have been presented online in its totality.
Does this really equip students with hard and soft skills upon graduation? Moreover, does this fulfil the
goal of the university’s learning to be philosophy of teaching and learning as opposed to learning to
do?
6. Findings and conclusions
The contextual use of F2F and online component of blended learning gives of view of classroom
management and learning management. The context will be given, briefly described from the
literature followed by an example. The contexts can be: learner-centred, assessment-centred,
collaborative, or community-centred.
A lecture is presented by DVD in many
venues or by streaming from a remote
classroom. The lecturer is shown on a big
screen in the laboratory.
Figure 4: Example 1: Language and skills for science (DVD)
Students are watching the lecture from a computer
laboratory on campus and are interactively involved
with activities on the computer. An assignment has
to be completed by the end of the lecture. Tutors
assist in the classroom management.
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