Identifying Meaningful Learning Attributes in an Asynchronous Networked

Learning Environment in a Malaysian Context

Amelia Abdullah
Mohamed Amin Embi
Introduction
The concept of meaningful learning is advocated by Ausubel (1963) who suggests that
meaningful learning occurs when a learner is able to relate prior experience and
nowledge with newfound ones! The process of learning becomes meaningless if the
learner only ingests the new nowledge and fails to meaningfully lin it to his own
environment and surroundings! "eaningful learning happens when all relevant sills
obtained by the learners can be used in their everyday lives! Asynchronous networed
learning environment can be seen as the ideal platform to generate meaningful learning as
it opens up opportunities for interactive communication in flexible surroundings! #enri
(199$) claims that a networed learning environment focuses on the learning process and
on how learners obtain and understand the information!
%earners tend to experiment& explore and see nowledge using their own needs as the
basis without depending on the teacher to provide them with the nowledge! As explained
by Anderson& 'oure& Archer and (arrison ($))))& in a meaningful learning environment&
there should be three types of *presence+, cognitive& social and teaching! -ognitive
presence refers to the extent the learners are able to build and scaffold their
comprehension through active asynchronous interaction and communication! -ognitive
presence helps to create a challenging learning environment that forces learners to
optimi.e their cognitive potential in solving learning problems! /ocial presence& on the
other hand& helps in building a conducive and collaborative learning environment wherein
learners feel comfortable participating actively! Teaching presence refers to the role of the
teacher! 0n a networed learning environment& the teacher taes on the role of a
facilitator, planning and organi.ing learning tass& offering support and encouragement
and maing sure the environment is promoting active participation! The learners
themselves are the ones responsible in charting their own learning paths!
Attributes of Meaningful Learning
The concept of meaningful learning& first advocated by Ausubel& is further explored by
1onassen (1992) who emphasi.es that there are five interrelated attributes of meaningful
learning! These five attributes are crucial to ensure an effective technology3based
learning environment! The attributes are,
a! -ollaborative learning
This occurs when learners communicate and interact collectively with each other
in solving learning problems! 4ygotsy (1956) stresses that the construction of
nowledge is a social activity and thus does not occur individually! As learners
wor collaboratively together& they will discover appropriate learning sills that
can be utili.ed in their everyday lives!
b! Active learning
%earners interact with their surroundings& manipulate the resources around them
and use these resources to aid them in solving learning problems in an active
learning environment! Therefore& learners are not passive individuals who merely
listen to and 7ust internali.e every information they get from the teacher! Active
learning advocates 8uic thining actions in reacting to and responding
accordingly towards the nowledge they obtain!
c! 0ntentional learning
/chan and %anger (1999) claim that every single thing a person does is driven by
intentions! Therefore& they suggest that learners are more proactive in their
learning process if they are driven by specific goals and motivations
d! -onstructive learning
%earners should be able to reflect constructively upon the learning process that
they embar upon! 'eflection processes enable learners to construct novel mind
models that provide explanations of the learning processes! :hen more
experience arise and reflection occurs constructively& the learners+ mind models
will become more complex and mature! Thus& maing learners more adept in
solving problems!
e! Authentic learning
The principle of authentic learning advocates that the tass assigned to learners
must mirror those that the learners will encounter in their everyday lives! ;or a
long time& conventional learning has stressed on algorithmic learning styles
without taing into account learners+ prior nowledge and preexisting ideas
((rabe < (rabe $))9)!