Monday, March 05, 2007
Book Review: Individual preferences in e-learning
Individual preferences in e-learning (2003) is authored by Howard Hills and published by the Gower Publishing Company. The author proposes that profiles produced through the use of the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which identifies four personality dimensions
In principle, there is nothing new in the idea that it is possible to design learning materials that cater for a persons preferred learning styles and preferences. What is new here, is the use of the Myers-Briggs approach.
For me, the first four chapters lack a sense of continuity. There is a sense of jumpng from one point to another without linking. Chapter 1 is titled Perspectives on Learning. Chapter 2 turns its attention to the growth of the Internet and its impact on learning. This is followed by a Chapter that considers the case against e-learning. Chapter 4 (Observing Learners) attempts to provide an overview of learning but again seems to jump from one idea to another with no obvious logic.
Chapter 5 (Personality and Learning) and Chapter 6 (Using Preferences in E-Leanring Choices) get to the core idea promoted by this text. It introduces Myers-Briggs and provides an explanation of how the author believes that MBTI might be used to assist in the design of e-learning materials. Eventually, this chapter is, for me, unsatisfying, as the author seems to promote the use of diverse design aspects with choices that appeal to the needs of diverse learner types. This is a point taken up in Chapter 7 (From Theory to Practice).
- Extrovert-Introvert
- Sensing-Intuition
- Thinking-Feeling
- Perceiving-Judging
In principle, there is nothing new in the idea that it is possible to design learning materials that cater for a persons preferred learning styles and preferences. What is new here, is the use of the Myers-Briggs approach.
For me, the first four chapters lack a sense of continuity. There is a sense of jumpng from one point to another without linking. Chapter 1 is titled Perspectives on Learning. Chapter 2 turns its attention to the growth of the Internet and its impact on learning. This is followed by a Chapter that considers the case against e-learning. Chapter 4 (Observing Learners) attempts to provide an overview of learning but again seems to jump from one idea to another with no obvious logic.
Chapter 5 (Personality and Learning) and Chapter 6 (Using Preferences in E-Leanring Choices) get to the core idea promoted by this text. It introduces Myers-Briggs and provides an explanation of how the author believes that MBTI might be used to assist in the design of e-learning materials. Eventually, this chapter is, for me, unsatisfying, as the author seems to promote the use of diverse design aspects with choices that appeal to the needs of diverse learner types. This is a point taken up in Chapter 7 (From Theory to Practice).
# posted by Ian @ 1:58 AM 
