Based upon your own teaching experiences (if any) and the contents of this lesson, what instructional media formats interest you? What instructional methods do you currently use this instructional media within an instructional setting? How do you anticipate using this instructional media within an instructional setting in the future? Make sure that you describe specific instructional methods.
One of the instructional media formats that caught my attention are SMART boards. Although I have never used them, I have seen them in action (the teacher/class next to mine). It is a 21st century chalkboard that connects content and technology. I have seen MS Word lessons on these apparatuses as well as Internet navigation techniques. Now we have to ask what type of instructional method could be used with this. This would be a good tool for demonstrations and student interactions and group learning. The instructor can use this to demonstrate a task, students can use it to duplicate the task, and students and instructors can use it to teach other students techniques and skills that they may already possess.
Another media format that I am interested in (but never used yet) is virtual reality. I saw a workshop at the Greenville summer conference on A Second Life. It is a virtual reality environment that lets you create your own avatar and basically lets you interact with other avatars in a computer-generated world with real life decision-making. For example, our instructor left his apartment to go to class and came back hours later to an empty apartment. He was robbed! He could refurnish his apartment if he bought renter’s insurance…no he did not. Bummer. I believe that online classes will eventually go beyond the eBlackboard environment and embrace the virtual reality environment where you can actually go to a simulated class for lectures, group discussions, projects, note taking, etc. just to name a few of the methods that this type of media would satisfy.
Another media format I would like to mention is distance learning. In fact, along with my MS I am obtaining a distance learning certification. I feel that more and more classes will be conducted via Internet. Of course the biggest advantage is convenience. Driving from Chapel Hill to Greenville for classes would be a major setback. I have also been associated with eCommerce class at the high school level that is taught online. The largest complaint that I have heard from others (usually those who have not experienced an online class) is that they want face-to-face interaction. They think that physically going to a class (old school) is the only way to learn. Well…an hour boring lecture (no offense to those in the educational field such as myself) can be replaced by lecture notes and pod casts demonstrations which can be read and reviewed at a convenient time and as many times as possible. Group work can still be assigned. I had a pysch class that had access to a chat room where there was no typing but actual interaction by talking (just had to press and hold the CTRL key to talk). Online courses are getting more and more advanced in the way of replacing conventional classrooms.
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5 comments:
I love the idea of distance learning. Before I began this program I had only taken one internet course about 5 years ago. Things have definitely improved over the years. Now that I have gotten into the swing of things I love online learning. It would be nice to have face to face interaction but like you mentioned there are several ways to communicate online. I agree that convenience and not traveling back and forth is a major advantage. It is nice to have the flexibility when working on assignments.
I use a Smart Board in my F2F classroom and can't imagine not using one now! I use it for computer classes for adults, including senior citizens, who love to see my computer screen on the Smart Board so they'll know what their computer screen is suppose to look like ;-) This is a VERY basic use of the Smart Board! I like to show educational YouTube videos on it too. There are thousands of websites on the internet that can be used on the Smart Board and the Smart Technologies website has a lot of downloads and resources as well. The goal of the school system my kids go to is to have one in every classroom in the next 5 years.
First, I like the way you broke down the assignment.
The Second Life simulation is something I keep promising myself I will do. But there never seems time for it. Perhaps it will be one of my New Year's Resolution!
How are you obtaining your distance educataion certification?
I agree with you that distance learning is convenient. As far as being better than traditional classroom learning, I would say the two are about even. There are positives and negatives about the two. But distance learning does win hands-down on convenience. You and Rachel also brought up good points about it creating education opportunities where none existed when geography is an obstacle. One other thing I like about it is that it forces conversations that might not have otherwise occurred in a classroom. It's possible that if we all were in a classroom together, we might break into side conversations with our fellow students from similar professional backgrounds. Here, we all seem to mix it up really well and learn a lot from each other. Many of our classmates comment on that in the discussion boards. This kind of interaction might occur in the classroom, but in this environment it definitely does and we're all better off for it.
Mike, I agree with your comment that we are learning different viewpoints and having conversations we probably wouldn't be having in a F2F classroom. I think this is the best part of distance learning!
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