Persona characteristic Barrier or challenges Face-to-face environments Distributed environments Open environments
Lack of English communication skills Understanding the learning content and communicate with others The face-to-face environment is convenient for him to clarify course materials on the spot. But the face-to-face environment also means that he could not go back to lectures at his own will to better digest the information. For asynchronous courses where instructors post videos, he can often rely on the closed caption to better understand the teaching before moving on to the next topic. He also has the ability to replay the video when needed. Classroom engagement for distributed learning also happens asynchronously, which means that he has more time to understand the forum discussion posts and respond. Open learning tools enable him to learn at his own pace. He also does not need to pay additionally for these learning materials. Some of the sources may also offer multimedia learning options, ensuring that he reads and listens to English teaching. However, there will be no opportunity for him to engage in interactions with classmates.
Need to acquire new skills in coding and computing for his dream job as a game designer Unable to switch majors when he is near graduation. May be time-consuming when he needs to work in the day. Lack of evening class options. Distributed learning platforms like Codecamdy and Coursera offer free distributed learning courses in coding and programming. These courses are organized in different skill levels and often come with certification, allowing him to not only learn the knowledge but also obtain the necessary certificates for his job search. He can also take the courses at his own pace, giving him full flexibility. Open learning tools like Quizlet and GitHub provide him with additional tutorials and guides. He can test himself on Quizlet to ensure that he commands the knowledge. He can also study and appropriate existing codes on GitHub for his project on Coursera or Codecademy. He can also rely on free tutorials on YouTube for guides on coding. These tutorials are often multimedia, with screencasts, whiteboard animations, narrations, and even background music for a more interactive learning experience.
His family is financially challenged Course-related expenses may need to be considered The face-to-face environment may impose higher expenses. It may be too expensive and putting financial stress on him and his family. The distributed environment can help him save a lot of money on commuting. He can also rely on free distributed learning resources to save costs on learning. Open learning is free. He can easily gain resources to textbooks by using https://opentextbc.ca/ or other open textbook resources. This will reduce his cost of learning a new skill.
He needs to work in the day to support his family Fewer options in choosing learning time slots. He may also need to pace his learning. It is unlikely that the face-to-face environment allows for flexible learning. There will be regular classes for him to attend in person. It may also not fit his current work schedule. If he takes a face-to-face course, he may need to cut down his work hours, reducing his wages. He can organize the learning around his current work schedule to ensure that he does not compromise his work and pay. He can also take a longer time to complete a distributed learning course, which will not stress him out. Open learning tools do not have any fixed learning schedule, so he can arrange his study plan according to his time.
Regional time difference May have a hard time waking up and staying focused for inevitable midnight synchronous classes. He is in China and cannot attend face-to-face courses. Watching videos in a distributed learning environment allows him to work and rest regularly. He does not have to struggle with attending synchronous sessions in the middle of the night. He can learn in the best hours of the day on weekends when he is most focused. The open environment also allows him to work and rest regularly. With good time management, he can easily organize his study plan according to his own pace and schedule to optimize learning. However, the open environment requires that he is self-motivated.