Expreso mis sentimientos abiertamente.

In my early Mode Neutral paper, Smith et al. (2008), I applied a formula to the model and described the interconnectivity of three dimensions. Student Experience (SE) = Role of the Tutor + Curriculum Design + Communication for Learning. The formula is represented in the diagram below and highlights the importance of actual dimensions in promoting a flexible learning experience where students can form their community of practice and use distributed cognition to make sense of the experience. In Portfolio – Papers 5.1,5.2 and 5.3, Curriculum Design (CD), Communication for Learning (CL) and the Role of the Teacher have equal weighting in the trio of dimensions in Mode

Neutral. If one dimension is absent or weaker than the other two, the learner will not gain a full experience (Sherratt, 2008). Disheartenment and disillusionment start to manifest among learners feeling something is not right in their learning experience.

Figure 4 : Graphical representation of the formula in Mode Neutral Learning and Teaching.

The graphical representation highlights the importance of a balanced three dimensions providing the overall feeling of active engagement by educational staff and the learners. The formula linked to one delivery mechanism such as on-the- ground, workplace or online. Moreover, it is universal and applicable to any learning experience. Mode Neutral = Design Communication for learning Role of the Tutor Student experience

Figure 5 : Graphical representation of Mode Neutral dimensions

Curriculum design (CD)

Healthcare settings are environmental spaces that have high risks and can lead to the wrong treatment being delivered and in some rare circumstances lead to life- threatening consequences. Therefore educational content must be designed in such a way that it will provoke and arouse curiosity within the learning experience, and lessen the risk factors in practice. (Arbaugh, 2007). Mode Neutral is not an instructional design model, but it does have a guided path of traditional linearity found in virtual learning environments (JISC, 2004). However, the designing of the ‘bite- size’ content, the unit of learning, allows learners to make other synaptic connections with the content, context and the community (Knowles, 1975). Advancing learners

Context-centric

Communication for learning

Curriculum design Role of the tutor

critical thinking occurred in the initial research of Mode Neutral where learners adopted technology to widen the life experience by connecting with those in the different learning spaces. The technology provided flexibility for the learner to remain connected in a global community (Reason and Bradbury, 2006). The CD dimension is not restrictive, and old and new technology can contribute to the development of knowledge through learner cooperation and collaboration. Smith et al. (2008) suggested a hierarchy of their work and believed there were conditional elements that support the integrity of the three-dimensional aspects. Table 3 demonstrates the active condition for each of the dimensions. Weakness in the student experience can occur where any of the conditions are absent or poor performing.

Dimensions Role of the Teacher (TR) Curriculum Design (CD) Communication for Learning (CL) Conditions Promote communication, Intimacy between learners, shift in ownership for learning. Chunking of content, Pool of reflection. Anchored instruction, Promote behaviour- modelling, Intelligent dialogue among learners,

Table3. Illustrates the active conditions that maintain the integrity of each of the Mode Neutral dimensions.

Role of the Tutor/Teacher

In Mode Neutral, Smith, et al. (2008) describe this dimension as behavioural modelling. The learners are equals and co-learners in the environment alongside their tutor which is in direct contrast to traditional tutor-centred teaching approaches (Biggs and Tang, 2007). The tutor varies their input and human actions with the condition to promote proactive behaviour, clarifying meaning and challenging cognition. Also, the tutor plays a co-learner role too by the storytelling narrative of their practice; in

particular they describe the cognitive, psychomotor and affective elements to their decision-making. From Portfolio – Paper 1, Participant J describes their Mode Neutral experience with particular emphasis on the tutor’s role as guiding (Portfolio – citation 3.23):

“I think inevitably whether a class is virtual or face to face, there is an element

of needing to be led, you still need to see leadership, like a chair of a meeting, you still need someone to guide you to provide you the framework.” (Participant

J)

Wenger (1998) described this role in their building of communities of practice. They described how one person might nurture the group while the locus of control remained with each member. This appears to be the very intention in Mode Neutral; the tutor focuses more on instigating, developing and forming a learner group that is self-regulated and sharing cognitive learning (Rhoden & Dowling 2006).

Communication for Learning

In a post-industrial society where there is greater access to digital devices and the Internet, learners adopt those technologies for social, work, and educational reasons (Breen et al., 2001). Mode Neutral recognises that ubiquitous technology is here to stay and plays a vital part in knowledge acquisition. This flexibility and accessibility allows learners to debate and cultivate higher-order intellectual skills. Mode Neutral uses anchored instruction in its design to fuel conversations among the learners. Political, societal and ethical debates are illustrated in their case study of a Mode Neutral cohort of healthcare learners. Smith et al. (2008) maintain this is an anchored

instruction containing predictive behavioural responses, unlike Jonassen’s (2000) belief in activity theory. Anchored instruction stimulates conversation, debate, and criticality for storage in the long-term memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968). While in Portfolio - papers 5.1, 5.2 & 5.3, the discussion of successfully balanced Mode Neutral dimensions promote what appears to be an increase in student motivation, expectations, and achievements (Portfolio – citation 3.1); they describe the possibility of other conditions underpinning their model. In this regard, the next chapter highlights the research findings from case examples highlighting the emergent themes.