I am using the theory of constructivism, the philosophy of teaching argued for by many distance learning scholars, to frame my analysis. David Jonassen et al. define constructivism as the individual student forming knowledge herself, and not "relying on what someone else says is true" (11). In constructivism, the student acts as the creator of her own meaning. According to Jonassen et al., conversation and collaboration are also key words in the constructivist approach to learning (13). Chris Dede adds to this aspect of constructivism by emphasizing the need for the creation of virtual communities in the online classroom through listservs, webboards, chat rooms, and MUDs and MOOs (6). Constructivism, a product of the cognitivist model in education theory, mirrors the student-centered, collaborative model that now dominates composition studies. Chris Anson echoes Jonassen and Dede when he calls for distance learning freshman writing classes in which "teachers will no longer be the center of knowledge" (271). Anson argues against the traditional model of distance learning, the model that is associated with the correspondence course, in which the teacher is merely a "talking head." This position echoes both George Hillock’s and Paulo Freire’s arguments against the "transactional" or "banking" model of education, and constructivism has other parallels in composition theory. Constructivism’s emphasis on collaboration, for example, is similar to the kind of social constructivism argued for by Bruffee and Vygotsky.

I agree with both distance learning and composition theorists that student-centeredness and collaboration should be valued in our classrooms. But will these values be retained in the cyber classroom? Just how constructivist are current distance learning composition courses? George Landow, a hypertext theorist, agrees with Anson that distance learning classes will be more student-centered than traditional classrooms. Landow believes that distance learning "redefines the role of instructors by transferring some of their power and authority to students" (222). Another hypertext theorist, Michael Joyce, goes one step further, claiming that because of the way the technology empowers students, in the on-line writing class it will be "awkward to call ourselves teachers" (117). Other scholars are skeptical that distance learning classes are more naturally student-centered. Tom Creed, in his essay, "Extending the Classroom Walls Electronically," argues that "Distance learning on the Internet has been reduced to teacher-centered e-mail correspondence courses or teacher-centered instruction presented on Web pages. Consequently, the Internet is not only underutilized, it tends to be reinforcing an older educational paradigm" (3). In this essay Creed is speaking of distance learning courses across the curriculum, and not just freshman writing courses.

It is easy to make claims on either side of this debate, but perhaps one way to explore the question of whether distance learning writing courses are student-centered, and whether or not the technology available is being used to promote discussion and collaboration, is through the words of teachers who are currently conducting writing classes online. Although I cannot begin to generalize about distance learning freshman writing courses from my small sample size, my research can at least provide a glimpse into constructivism and the online class; a starting point for further discussion. It is only a glimpse, however, and broader studies of constructivism and distance learning are needed. I discuss some of the recent research into distance learning and technology in the next section of the essay.

 

Currents in Electronic Literacy  Fall 1999 (2), <http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/currents/fall99/melzer/>