Module 01 Discussion 02: Saba and the chaos of online

Saba discusses the potential for chaos in distance learning due to

the ways in which technology organizes information and learners
can construct self-identified learning paths, leading to some sort of
equilibrium. How would you define this equilibrium? In your
experience, how did you achieve equilibrium? Give examples. How
might we view dis-equilibrium in constructive terms?
According to Saba (2003), technology organizes information and learners
respond to information and interact within their environments. This
interaction leads to some sort of equilibrium. I would define this equilibrium
as a state of balance between a teacher and a learner with and identified
online learning environmental path.
In my experience I can only achieve equilibrium when I am organized to
carry out a task or tasks, having a self-identified learning behavior, such as
using a calendar, a syllabus or a journal to establish and keep organizational
strategies for learning stabilized, up and until the completion of those tasks.
Online learning is a process of theories from the 20th century and has evolved
from those theories into the 21st century theories of collaborative learning.
So most of our behavior is centered trying to maintain a state of equilibrium,
which causes us dis-equilibrium.
Saba (2003, p. 15) stresses that our existing behavioral patterns are
constantly modified to adapt to learning new methods, skills and specific
tasks. Once we think we have mastered one task there is a new task that
supersedes the previous task, and chaos occurs.
In constructive terms online learning is unpredictable and will always lead to
a state of dis-equilibrium. As indicated by Saba (2003) there are various
descriptors which may weaken or strengthen our learning behaviors causing
either equilibrium or dis-equilibrium to happen. Online learning is in a
constant state of chaos due to, diversity of learners, constant changes in
technology, emergent new systems, and the ability to accommodate the
changes that DE is bringing into the 21st century online classroom. These
changes are complex and will depend on innovation that has been built upon
from 20th century theories into the 21st century innovations and beyond.
Reference
Saba, F. (2003). Distance Education Theory, Methodology, and
Epistemology: A Pragmatic Paradigm. In Handbook of
Distance Education pp. 3-19.