I figure you are probably asking what is multi-access learning? It can sound like a technical term after all.
Dr. Valerie Irvine a professor at the University of Victoria and researcher in multi-access learning, in an interview posted on bccampus.ca describes it as a model "where learners are given the freedom to access courses and programs in a way that is best suited to the individual learner. That means when a course is offered, learners can choose exactly how they want to access it – onsite, offsite, online, face to face, or a blend of options. The control lies with the learner rather than the institution."
Multi-access learning means just what it sounds like, student's learning taking place from multiple locations (multiple access points). That means that your classroom is extended to include the student down in Mexico, the one who's anxiety prevents them from being physically present and the other students huddled around the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book in your room. All of them. They can all be apart of the same learning experience thanks to technology. It can be as simple or as complicated as you need it to be; it could be FaceTiming on an iPad, using Google Hangout or more complex video conferencing solutions like Polycom. Regardless of the technology you choose to facilitate your learning the neat thing about multi-access learning is that it allows all students regardless of their location to be apart of the same conversations and experiences that regularly occur in the classroom. This idea is starting to catch on at the post-secondary level but is still relatively new in the elementary, middle and high school years, making it an exciting area to explore.
Over the next little while I hope to dig in to what multi-access learning can mean for students and teachers in elementary, middle and high schools and what forms it can take. I hope to use this blog as a space to share what I discover and to learn from the experiences of others. If you are interested in learning more about multi-access learning be sure to follow me on twitter (@Alison_J_Hill) and if you are a teacher experimenting with multi-access learning in your classroom I'd love to hear from you, just send me an email using the contact page.
Dr. Valerie Irvine a professor at the University of Victoria and researcher in multi-access learning, in an interview posted on bccampus.ca describes it as a model "where learners are given the freedom to access courses and programs in a way that is best suited to the individual learner. That means when a course is offered, learners can choose exactly how they want to access it – onsite, offsite, online, face to face, or a blend of options. The control lies with the learner rather than the institution."
Multi-access learning means just what it sounds like, student's learning taking place from multiple locations (multiple access points). That means that your classroom is extended to include the student down in Mexico, the one who's anxiety prevents them from being physically present and the other students huddled around the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book in your room. All of them. They can all be apart of the same learning experience thanks to technology. It can be as simple or as complicated as you need it to be; it could be FaceTiming on an iPad, using Google Hangout or more complex video conferencing solutions like Polycom. Regardless of the technology you choose to facilitate your learning the neat thing about multi-access learning is that it allows all students regardless of their location to be apart of the same conversations and experiences that regularly occur in the classroom. This idea is starting to catch on at the post-secondary level but is still relatively new in the elementary, middle and high school years, making it an exciting area to explore.
Over the next little while I hope to dig in to what multi-access learning can mean for students and teachers in elementary, middle and high schools and what forms it can take. I hope to use this blog as a space to share what I discover and to learn from the experiences of others. If you are interested in learning more about multi-access learning be sure to follow me on twitter (@Alison_J_Hill) and if you are a teacher experimenting with multi-access learning in your classroom I'd love to hear from you, just send me an email using the contact page.