XXX PANELIST Flexible Learning is more than Digital, Online or Flipped

This contribution offers new insights in the flexibilization of the education system and invites participants to discuss the challenges and how different models for flexible learning can work across sectors.

To achieve lifelong learning through flexible education, we need to go beyond the dedicated teachers and the single, innovative institution, and see a shift to a more learner centered perspective on a structural and systemic level.

Flexible learning places the learner at the center by providing a learning ecosystem that includes relevant options on multiple dimensions. Dimensions for flexibility include time, location, scope, progress, assessment, formalization, collaboration and content.

While technology plays a part in all learning offered, it is not the essence of flexible learning. It is more appropriate to view technology as a set of tools that can support flexibility, rather than seeing the use of technology as flexibility.

In the session, we will show how flexible learning models are implemented within some sectors in Norway. We will also share our experience and the problems we have faced by stretching the dimensions for flexible training as much as possible, to the point of achieving "full flexibility". We want to discuss and exchange ideas with peers on how these models could be used not only for adult learners, but also to make primary and seconday school as well as higher education accessible, relevant and motivational for all.

Eline Wigdel

Senior Advisor, Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, Norway

Eline Wigdel has more than 15 years of experience working with online learning, pedagogical use of ICT and flexible learning designs. She is passionate about the learner perspective and strongly believes that flexible learning goes beyond traditional online courses. She has been instrumental in developing the definition of flexible learning used in all parts of the educational sector in Norway. Eline is currently a senior adviser at the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, implementing flexible learning models in adult training and education through incentive programs and other means throughout the educational sector.