A PARADIGMATIC SHIFT IN DEVELOPING COGNITIVE STRATEGY IN HIGHER/DISTANCE EDUCATION

Abstract

ICTs in higher/distance education are becoming increasingly important due to the transactional distance that they are able to bridge. However, conventional and traditional pedagogical tools are also useful and relevant. The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of embracing multimodal pedagogies in higher/distance education institutions " towards creating a self-directed learning environment. In order to realise the objectives, a theoretical examination of e-learning, pedagogy and heutagogy was carried out in the form of a review of the literature. Additionally, a qualitative empirical study was conducted which involved focus-group interviews with students at the University of South Africa, an ODL institution. The study used Vygotsky " s zone of proximal development as the theoretical framework which refers to the space in which learning takes place. It is the educational institution, with the assistance of appropriate pedagogical tools that are responsible in facilitating the student " s cognitive readiness to enter the respective field of expertise. The data collected was analysed through thematic categorisation. The study found that there is a need for distance education students to engage with lecturers or tutors in order to bridge psychological gaps which e-learning on its own is unable to achieve. 1 Introduction This article aims to discuss the role and importance of embracing multimodal pedagogies in higher/distance education institutions " towards creating a self-directed learning environment. The term distance learning refers to learning that is conducted by someone removed in time and space from the students, referred to as " transactional distance " (UNESCO, 2002:8) and the concept of pedagogy refers to the art of teaching (Whitehead, 2005). Pedagogy further describes the collected practices, processes, strategies, procedures and methods of teaching and learning. A brief overview of andragogy and heutagogy is necessary to illustrate the move to self-determined learning. Hase and Kenyon (2000) argue that pedagogy refers to learning whereby the teacher determines and directs what is to be learnt and how. In andragogy, the learning is determined by the teacher and directed by the learner; and in heutagogy, both determination and direction shift to the learner. A more in-depth explanation is provided later in the discussion. E-learning is a process that facilitates and opens avenues for effective teaching as a result of its potential to bridge the transactional distance among all stakeholders at the