Abstract
With advancements in technological innovation, the interconnectedness of the global economies and citizens is now inextricable. Education has been affected by globalisation, opening opportunities for more participation, particularly through online learning. Social cleavages and access for social justice are often addressed through admission-policy reform in the higher-education sector. While this is one aspect of increasing access to higher education, this chapter explores inequality as epistemic injustice in online programmes. Curriculum design and pedagogical approaches that embrace diverse students' epistemic positions enrich the learning experience while including students' realities. Student agency may allow for visibility of diverse students and also provide for the inclusion of their epistemic stances. Student agency can also lead to flexible, inclusive curriculum content. Based on literature, this chapter presents ways in which the student voice may be included in online learning curriculum, pedagogy and learning content.
TopOnline-Learning Growth And Inclusivity
The introduction of the internet in the 1990s marked a turning point for access to higher education. Coupled with the use of Web 2.0 technologies, learning programmes allowed for the innovative use of pedagogy in areas such as active learning, collaborative learning, peer assessment, and seamless, flexible and personalised learning (Gilbert, 2015). Additionally, online learning allows for cross-border enrolment, enabling the diversification of student populations. As a technology-driven field, online-learning pedagogy has evolved as technology has evolved. The role of machine learning, artificial intelligence and the internet of things is increasing in the online-learning context. Some changes affecting the provision of online learning are:
Key Terms in this Chapter
Student Agency: The latent ability of a student to make choices regarding their learning in terms of what is learnt, how it is learnt and how the learning is assessed.
Pedagogy: The approach to teaching applied to achieve learning objectives.
Learning Content: The resources used in teaching and learning to achieve desired learning objectives.
Knowledge: Facts and information validated by various means to be true.
Social Justice: The equal and equitable distribution of opportunities, privilege and resources to all individuals within a society.
Power: The ability of an individual or individuals to influence other individuals’ behavior, conditions, and to influence the course of events.
Curriculum: The guiding standards what is taught, how it is taught and how it is assessed.
Online Learning: Learning exclusively executed through the use of online technologies.
Inclusion: The participation of all marginalized and social excluded human beings in the learning process.