A CMS can be tailored for any course, providing students an opportunity to progress at their own pace (possibly with limitations). Benchmarks would be necessary to identify students making inadequate progress, allowing the instructor to intervene and determine the cause. Remediation or discipline would then result. Lesson material would be programmed and be able to present requirements to students using several delivery methods, including interactive lessons, followed by instructions or guidelines that would enable students to complete assignments. The instructor would always be available as a source of guidance and information. Assignments would still address a range of skills, and often offer students an option of delivery methods for their final products. The delivery of course information and flexibility in student output would allow educators to infuse ideas from Multiple Intelligences theory as well as Brain-based learning concepts to connect with each and every student, meeting individual needs.
Thoroughness in lesson development would create deliveries that provide differentiation in instructional design as well. In some cases, a direct approach would suffice, giving students sufficient information and guidelines to begin construction on a final product. Other times, a more experiential approach may be appropriate, to insure the learner develops an understanding of a new concept and its impact on a target audience.
I would be very interested in having the opportunity to create such a learning environment. First and foremost, suitable technology would require at least a student/computer ratio of 2:1. A 1:1 ratio would certainly be ideal, allowing freedom for all students to maximize learning opportunities. At the high school level or below, care would be necessary to govern flow of incoming/outgoing materials to ensure the maintenance of a safe educational environment. As more web 2.0 tools are developed with the classroom in mind, these problems are beginning to be handled for the educators (less stress for administrators). An opportunity for students to learn as they feel capable and express themselves in a manner that suits them in a malleable educational structure can only lead to better refinement of the educational process.
It is so interesting the way you have pulled all this together. The brain-based learning, the differentiated instruction, the technology, the direct instruction combined with the open-ended learning are all part of what our educational systems need to incorporate. We are experiencing this in EMDTMS. This is how my classroom was set up. I hope you have the opportunity to experience it in your environment.
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