This paper does a lot of things right but suffers, I think, from a critical flaw. The authors argue that "early design recommendations for distance learning environment were primarily teacher-centered," however, it is "not inclusive enough to continue to use the traditional teacher-centered framework to view the design elements of a new distance learning environment." Quite so. So the plan - to examine the literature of self-directed learning and evaluate the design elements found therein. This, I think, is where the paper runs into problems. The list of elements identified (table 3) lacks rigor and precision. The items listed (for example, "the lecture video is elaborately designed") aren't all design elements, they are unclear in their meaning, and the list is far from comprehensive. This may be a result of translation, but it seems to be that the elements conflate the design element itself and a 'success criterion' for that element. The result is that the three core elements - "learner-centeredness, reflective practice, and collaborative learning" - aren't really design elements at all!
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