Online seminar - University of Ljubljana

1. Transactional distance in flipped
learning environments
Tryggvi Thayer
University of Iceland
Oct. 2015
tbt@hi.is

2. Flipped Learning
• Remove direct instruction from group
environment to personal environment.
– Create opportunities to engage learners in
creative and productive learning in group
environment.
– Create opportunities to cater to individual
learners’ needs.

3. Transactional Distance
• Educational and psychological distance
between the educator and the learner.
(Michael G. Moore)
– Transaction: Interaction between behavior of
individuals and their environment in certain
situations. (John Dewey)
– Distance: Conceptual, physical and psychological
(might we add ‘social’?) space that needs to be
crossed to get messages from instructor to learner.
See also:
- Moore, M.G. (2007). The Theory of Transactional Distance. In M.G.Moore (Ed.) (2007) The Handbook of
distance education. Second Edition. pp. 89–108.
- Dewey, J. & Bentley, A. F. (1960). Knowing and the known. Boston: Beacon Press.

4. What happens with transactional
distance in flipped learning?
• Student-learner interaction is partially
dematerialized and depersonalized.
– Initial transactional distance increases due to lack
of personal interaction.
• An instructor on video cannot be questioned.
• An instructor on video does not experience learners’
reactions to instruction.
• Learner cannot reach out to instructor on video.
Transactional distance increases

5. What to do?
• We can effectively address transactional
distance if we are aware of it:
– Establish relationship with learners before
flipping.
– Recognize learners’ individuality.
– Foster community of learners.
– Instructor as an active member of the community.

6. What to do?
• We can effectively address transactional
distance if we are aware of it:
– Establish relationship with learners before
flipping.
– Recognize learners’ individuality.
– Foster community of learners.
– Instructor as an active member of the community.