An Investigation into the Implications of Dewey’s “Learning Situations” for Online Education

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Net: An eJournal of Faith-Based Distance Learning

Publication Date

2018

Volume

2

First Page

8

Last Page

22

Abstract

Course designers and program administrators face daily challenges of finding balance between new technology and educational principles conducive to online learning environments. This study investigates the implications of Dewey’s understanding of the “learning situation” through a phenomenological inquiry into the experiences of students’ participating in an online course at a faith-based liberal arts university. The salient themes of flexibility, travel, and communication emerged from the study. Ecology of learning and community of inquiry are treated in order to explore theoretical bridges between Dewey and distance education. A conceptual diagram of Dewey’s learning situation is provided to assist online course designers in creating assignments that account for various levels of self-directed student reflection and online social interaction. The article concludes by recommending practical ways to infuse student experiences as part of student learning outcomes.

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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