15 December 2010
I can't believe it is week two of the term. I already feel behind. This week, we reviewed articles on distance education and technology. It seems to me that research and practice don't quite match. What I have seen work in my online classrooms are not necessarily in alignment with some of the research. What I have to agree with, though, is that there are still many instructors that are not willing or comfortable with integrating technology in their distance education classrooms. To be innovative, I think we have to be on the front lines of trying and integrating technologies. The only way to improve is to try and see what succeeds and what fails. We have to be able to learn from our mistakes and our missteps in our classrooms.
Erica
16 December 2010
I read Kimberly D's blog post this morning as one of my responses for module one. She mentioned the hindrance of getting to know students online. I thought this was interesting. I have taught online for five and half years. My students tend to tell me things that I don't want to know anything about. They also feel like they should know more about me. I am a private person but I am also cognizant of what I put on the web. I know that just because I delete something doesn't mean that it is really gone forever. It's still there! I don't want something I did or said today to follow me for the rest of my web life. That being said, I think that online and the feeling that you are masked online gives most people the feeling they can say or post anything online. There is a sense of anonymity online. If I can't see you, do you really exist?
As I continue to reflect on Kimberly's post, I wonder if she is talking more about the one on one relationships we establish with students than the I know your goals feel we can get in our classes. The one on one relationships are harder to form. I think they are well wroth the effort though. When we take the time to get to know our students as individuals, we get the opportunity to show them how to gain and practice knowledge on their terms. To me, this is a more meaningful learning experience.
Erica
16 December 2010
My second blog response for Module 1 was to Lou. Lou made some interesting points about the trajectory of education as well as the fairness factor. She pointed out that education is always changing. Distance education is part of that change. This is something I agree with. The evolution of education is not something that started today or even yesterday. The ever changing nature of education seems to be the essence that makes knowledge and education a possibility that always will exist. I know, way philosophical. So, the changing nature of education allows us as educators to innovate and continue changing education. When we stop trying new ideas and technologies, I think education dies. We have all had instructors who were boring and we learned probably more about what NOT to do than we learned knowledge or best practices. In those cases, I think instructors have stopped innovating. Innovations are needed to keep education living and fresh.
I also found Lou's comments about distance education costing more for students through fees. At New Mexico State, I took a blended class that was mostly online -- we never really met face to face. For the comfort of taking classes at home, I paid $75 technology fee. It would seem that because there was no classroom, it would be cheaper, right?! I wonder how open source and MOOCs will change this. Will it give higher education more to think about when formulating costs for students? I have to think about this more!!
Erica
16 December 2010
Taryn's blog is the last one I will review for this module. Taryn has a great overview of the articles this week. She also mentions a couple of interesting points. One is the need for K-12 education to embrace and more effectively use technology. This allows students to use distance and online education to supplement or even replace face to face schools. If this is true, it would mean that distance and online education must meet or exceed the standards of face to face education.
This is actually a brilliant idea! If we as educators challenge ourselves to be better than the status quo, we create a place of knowledge where students get the best possible education. As an educator I want to give my students the best. My leveraging emerging technologies and using effective current technologies, I think I can do that. Again, more to think about!
Erica
1 January 2011
I have to admit that due to the holidays, I have been a minimalist. This week's discussion, though, is one of my interests. I participated in the KU Village 2010 conference and the focus was on communication, collaboration, and connections. It seems to me that we are all (students, instructors, etc) are talking about how education, especially online education, can meet the needs of our students as well as the global community. I really look forward to seeing where this discussion takes us.
Erica
