Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

Terry Anderson's Equiv Theory is essentially the idea that "though interaction is critically important in distance education, it can take many forms and further that one form can substitute for another." It's the sort of theory that's difficult to quantify and evaluate - what is it for one sort of interaction to have the same outcome as another? And how do you apply it when the outcomes are complex - for example, as I read this article I couldn't help thinking that the purpose of a PhD program is as much to socialize or enculturate prospective professors as it is to advance knowledge. Anyhow, this post is a summary and review of Constance D. Graham and Liezel Massyn's review of the Equiv Theory (30 page PDF). Anderson is generally pleased with the study, though as he says, Equiv may be more useful as a tool than as a theory.

Today: 7 Total: 14 [Direct link]


Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

Copyright 2024
Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024 06:01 a.m.

Canadian Flag Creative Commons License.

Force:yes