Learning In Virtual Environment

How free-choice learning occurs has been discussed in the previous chapter. However, there is not much emphasis on how learning occurs in virtual environment.

Clark and Mayer (2011) have written a comprehensive book on learning in virtual environment (e-learning). By virtual environment in here, it refers to screen based environment, for example, website, application on computer and so on.

Clark and Mayer have a similar believe as other free-choice learning authors such as Falk and Dierking (2000) that, learning can be in the most effective and productive if the environment designed for the learners is in a learner-centred approach, that is the learning through cognitive theory. Put it simpler, the learning environment should be designed

Each channel has a limited capacity. That is means when a person is presented with picture and onscreen text together, be it text below picture or picture below text, these go through the visual channel. Picture and text then compete for the same limited attention, as the eyes cannot focus on both materials at the same time. When the eyes are looking at the picture, the text would be neglected, and vice versa. Therefore, even the information is presented to the learners; they cannot attend all the information because their visual channel becomes overloaded. The capacity of the two channels is so limited that only a few pieces of information can be actively process by

In which the information is too complex for the learners to digest and hence the learners can be quickly lack sufficient processing capacity.

The final step is generative processing. This last step needs to be triggered by the inner motivation of learners. Even learners can successfully processed the last two steps, they cannot be considered they have learnt yet. Learners can only successfully generate the learning if the learners can be motivated to restructure the information themselves.

Onscreen environment is rather different than the physical environment. The whole cognitive learning process is substantially affected by the design and layout of the e-platform.

In the next chapter, we will be looking into factors that affect free-choice learning, and how to facilitate learners to learn in both physical and virtual