In Search of Autonom: Multimedia’s Influence

In today’s changing technological climate, instructional technology and distance education (ITDE) managers must be prepared for autonomous learners and their needs. Because of their attitudes and behaviors, autonomous learners require a different type of guidance than do conventional students. Contrasting the two, conventional learning environments usually consist of students who prefer direct instruction by the teacher, whereas learning environments with self-directed or autonomous learners mostly consist of learners who operate well with a facilitative style of instruction (Azevedo, Cromley, Winters, Moos, & Greene, 2005). It is important that ITDE managers understand the special needs of autonomous learners and provide media that correspond to their learning styles. This understanding not only assists the learner, but improves the overall instruction as traditional students may pick up some of the habits of autonomous learners, transforming the course into a more interactive learning environment. This interactivity has the ability to provide unique learning experiences within the classroom that can be transferred to outside settings. This information transfer would then hold the greatest educational benefit for learners, as application is considered one of the main objectives of education. Staples (1996) suggests that the great aim of education is not knowledge, but action. To this end, it is the goal of this article to describe autonomy and discuss the impact of multimedia technologies on autonomous learners. Damico and Quay (2006) suggest that, just as learning styles and preferences vary, so do the teachers’ instructional styles. Therefore, the exact method used to integrate the presented technologies into the learning environment will be left up to the instructor. This will serve to maximize the overall effect for optimum results.

Outside of educational constructs, it may be arguably said that when a baby begins to hold her own bottle she is autonomous. Equally, a blind man who catches a bus alone on his way to a favorite sandwich shop is autonomous. In the same manner, a puppy that has finally become housebroken is indeed operating in autonomy. These examples all highlight behavior that is goal-directed and performed to address a specific long-range goal. Given these very different examples of autonomous behavior, we must begin to sort out and inquire what autonomy really is. What exactly are we attempting to identify when we look for autonomy in education? And, finally, what treatments can we provide inside the learning environment that will engender autonomous behavior? These are questions that have puzzled and, in some cases, divided the educational community as it presses to find these answers.

The term “autonomy,” when used in education does not suggest that learners operate independently of the instructor. Just as autonomous nations sought independence from ruling authorities in order to avoid destructive outcomes, autonomous learners are skilled at functioning independent of external control and behavior that will deter them from their educational goals. From this definition it may be easier to recognize that autonomy and self-directedness must have measurable goals and outcomes. But once again we are faced with the same question. How much do we really know about autonomy and how can we accurately describe autonomy within the boundaries of emerging educational media?

Traditionally in education the emergence of the word autonomy has captivated both student and teacher in its perceived power to enhance learning. The mere notion of instructing autonomous learners provides images of learning environments that are highly structured and full of interactive students. It would be reasonable to believe that this environment is one where all students are engaged in work that reflects the highest academic standards. Sadly, autonomy has also come to hold meanings within the realm of education that refer to individualized noneducational attitudes and behaviors. Furthermore, an in-depth evaluation of the uses and connotations of autonomy reveals that the phrase takes on meaning apart from that with which it had originally been associated. There then becomes an obvious need to redefine the term in wording that more succinctly describes educational goals and objectives. For instance, it is not unusual to hear an educator refer to all students as being autonomous in their own way. Surely, within the confines of education and without having a stated educational objective, downloading songs to an MP3 player does not constitute autonomous behavior. To be properly interpreted, ITDE managers must evaluate autonomy using the context in which they were discussed.

The presence or absence of autonomous learners within a learning environment definitely affects the delivery and vigor of the instruction. Autonomous learners come to the learning environment self-regulated, possessing a well-established locus of control, and armed with behavioral skills that allows them to properly manage the presented material. These skills surely make them an asset to the distance learning environment and to the instructor.

Self-efficacy or autonomy is thought to be developed in different areas and to different degrees, which suggests why learners with similar skills perform differently. With the proliferation of equitable online class frameworks, distance-delivered courses routinely require the same amounts of reading, research, and coursework as that of traditional classes. In addition, online classes demand greater time management skills and require the learner to possess higher levels of self-motivating ability and a degree of self-efficacy (Olson & Werhan, 2005). Although autonomy is a common thread in many learning theories and pedagogical methodologies, this concept is paramount to the ITDE manager because distance learners are usually geographically separated from the instructor. Because of this, task progression and assignment completion must be somewhat of a self-directed activity, requiring students to overcome the problems associated with asynchronous communication (Ko & Rossen, 2004).

Prior to fully understanding multimedia technologies and how they help to facilitate autonomous learners, it may be necessary to discuss the basic tenets of autonomy as they apply to multimedia content. Autonomy has been a concept that is often discussed but not very well understood. Indeed, all learners can greatly benefit from multimedia technologies, but what are the connections to autonomous learning, and how can the ITDE manager best apply these concepts to create enhanced learning environments?

Within distance learning environments there is constant need to provide media content that is relevant and beneficial to the learner. Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2006) discuss the parameters of distance learning in which variations of time and place result in four combinations of approaches to distance education. Because distance learning environments and distance learners are distinctively different from traditional learning environments and traditional learners, technologies must constantly be sought that enhance the learner’s cognitive experiences. Learnercontent interaction is an important aspect of distance education because learners, instructor, and content usually exist in different physical locations. Furthermore, this separation of participants and materials negates the use of conventional visual aids and creates the need for resources that are rich in visual content. In the absence of resources to fill this void, chances are high that a learning environment will be created that relies heavily on one or two media sources. Moore (2003) discusses generative learning environments and gives the following explanation:

Generative learning environments are based on a theoretical framework which emphasizes the importance of anchoring or situating instruction in meaningful, problem solving contexts. A major goal of this approach is to create shared learning environments that permit sustained exploration by students and instructors and also enable them to understand the kinds of problems and opportunities that experts in various areas encounter and the knowledge that these experts use as tools. (p. 354)

There are many kinds of multimedia available for use in an online format. Some types, however, are extremely technical and require long periods of interaction with tutorials and the material for basic proficiency. Less-skilled learners who undertake these media types run the risk of encountering a reduction in overall motivation as well as a poor information retention rate (Clark, 2004). Following best practices, ITDE managers must apply pedagogical methodology such as that proposed by Dale’s cone of experience. Dale (1999) proposed an instructional technology model that explained the levels of information that are retained by the learner. This model is related to performance-based learning, although not directly related to motivational strategies. Dale theorized that as experiences become more concrete and actual, learners will retain more information. Dale’s cone of experience is shaped in the form of a triangle or pyramid where the base of the pyramid represents direct and purposeful experiences. The upper portion or vertex of Dale’s cone of experience represents indirect experiences and includes such as things lectures and written media. The experiences that are at the base of the pyramid are more tangible things and include those things that the learner simulates, sees in action, or has done himself. As the learner moves up the triangle or pyramid experiences transition into models and simulations of actual experiences, roleplaying, viewing of demonstrations, still and moving pictures, and ends with information that is heard and read. Dale’s cone of experience is based on what he terms experiential learning or learning from experience. According to this model, multimedia technologies because they can incorporate audio, video, and simulated content, fulfill the criteria of media that correspond to the base of the pyramid and thus represent higher levels of retainable content.

In the past, one of the main limitations of multimedia resources has been the inability of the networks to host these technologies as well as the limited amount of bandwidth to support them (Moore & Anderson, 2003). Advances to the infrastructure of the Internet as well as the recent educational proliferation of resources have made online content readily available for learners. Multimedia options for the ITDE manager are plenteous and exist in forms such as video mail, podcasting, audio and video teleconferencing, as well as one-way audio and video capabilities. Multimedia technologies can also include audio and video streams, downloadable audio and video, compact disk, and other interactive media. Although many resources are available, the ITDE manager must use vigilance in selection to ensure the chosen media address the cognitive need. This would follow Clark’s (2001) argument that media is merely the vehicle.

Multimedia can greatly enhance the autonomous learning environment. While multimedia of all types may be useful within a conventional educational setting, they are more important in environments with autonomous learners present. Autonomous environments, because they are usually more learner-centered, challenge the learner to operate outside of their existing knowledge base. Both types of technology represent content that, when properly utilized, can dramatically enhance learning in the distance education environment. These technologies also are an enormous asset to autonomous learners, as they can provide instant additional resources. Multimedia technologies have the ability to expand learner capabilities and provide the basis for cognitive and meta-cognitive opportunities. Facilitation of autonomous groups by ITDE managers requires providing them with readily available challenging materials that will build a solid foundation of knowledge. Clark (2004) suggests that it is possible that when moderately challenging learning goals and tasks are presented, mental effort increases. Multimedia technologies can also help the ITDE manager within the learning environment by providing a medium by which the content can be accessed at any time. This anytime availability for learning provides the maximum advantage to the autonomous learner by providing good content, anytime availability, and connected content for mastery.

In conclusion, the presence of autonomous learners within the learning environment affects how the ITDE manager selects media, content, and additional resources. Self-directed or autonomous learners are motivated by situational motivational circumstances and thereby are not as affected by distracting internal or external cues. Helping such learners entails providing greater resources that provide opportunities for them to research, evaluate, and reflect upon the material. In turn, this creates a unique learning environment that is beneficial to both instructors and students. Integrating multimedia technologies with their anytime availability, viewing capability from any computer location, and simple accessibility, can go far to advance autonomous learners.