William,
Students must be able to use the tools we provide at a competent level. When they can interact with each other and the instructor easily, they are more likely to do it. Thanks for your input.
The most important things to consider are the technologies available, the effectiveness of those technologies to convey the desired outcome and ease of use. I have found that more complicated technologies can dramatically affect student participation, engagement and stress levels. An additional item I would also consider is the cost of the technology to the student. Where I currently teach there are no additional costs outside of tuition however if there were that cost would impact my decision when assessing technology.
I believe the three most important things to consider when assessing the use of technology communication tools in a virtual learning environment include:
1) How effective it will be to communicating what I need to communicate – will I be able to use visual and auditory modes of communication to ensure I can reach both learning styles in my classroom?
2) Technology involved – will students need certain requirements on their end to download anything; will I? How efficient the program runs (does it have a history of having any technical issues?).
3) Student perception of the learning tool – I think this is important because there are some resources that I feel students may perceive as not very professional. For example I have a colleague who has a Facebook page for her as an instructor and when I checked it out, it was interesting how she posted up to date information on the field she was teaching but then I also noted that there were many unprofessional posts from students which the instructor also posted a periodic “LOL†or something similar to. I feel that academics is a professional environment and there needs to be a boundary that is kept to ensure that we keep a professional and respectful relationship with students. There are many issues that can arise when the professional relationship boundary blurs. I have experienced this when I was a student myself when some classmates saw an instructor out at a restaurant with other students and wondered why everyone wasn’t invited; my classmates began to feel that the instructor was showing favoritism and then began to question their grades as well.
Thank you, Jennifer Humphries
Mike,
Having taught online for a number of years there are always technical issues that arise from week to week. Either with the LMS or with the connection or computers of the students themselves. You just problem solve at the time and also make secondary arrangements known at the start of the course.
William Huber
Tia,
Good point about checking in with students. My three were more focused in on the initiation of the course what the students need. Finding ways to establish that the students are obtaining the information and learning it is a great point. Obviously there are weekly ways to access this.
William Huber
I believe the three most important tools are:
- Making sure that the students are well informed about the whole course and how to use the course.
- Making sure they can navigate the LMS and have the appropriate software
- Giving them the opportunity to interact with the instructor and other students
All the above helps to reduce the stress of taking an online course so that they can concentrate on the course material rather then trying to figure the course out.
William Huber
Edward,
No, it was fine. We post lots of different things about communication tools. Thanks!
I posted something about Facebook but I guess that wasn't the correct thing to comment about. Generally speaking, communication tools are important and the ones I find myself using all the time are Adobe Pro, email, and telephone. While I personally like talking to students one on one I find that most of them would prefer to communicate by email or during a live chat session on Adobe.
Dale,
Choosing the right technology tool is essential. Then, you have to make sure the students have access to the tool and they can use it effectively. Thanks for your input.
Christi,
Right on. The right/proper technology for the right reason is essential. Student must understand what they are using and why. Thanks for your input.
Christi,
Technology is key and when students can use the appropriate techniology for "the job," they are more likely to be successful. Thanks for your input.
Trista,
Creating an environment that is easy to use and navigate is essential. Using email appropriately is an excellent skill for students to learn. Thanks.
Trista and David,
Thanks for continuing the process. Students must know the are in a safe place to share appropriately. Nice job.
1. The level of expertise by the user
2.The ease of the technology
3.The purpose. Is it doing what it is designed to do
Good points, David. When using a synchronous technology communication tool like Adobe Connect, I like to remind my students that they're in a safe environment. They're welcome to share with me any questions, comments, or concerns they may have related to the course topics and its assignments without fear of ridicule or embarrassment. Chances are if one student has certain questions that other students may either have the same questions or benefit from the answers.
I believe the three most important things to consider when assessing the use of technology communication tools in the virtual learning environment are: (1) ease of access, (2) ease of use, and (3) response time.
Instructors and students must be able to easily access the technology communication tool for it to be useful in the virtual learning environment. If access requires several steps, it will not be an effective tool.
As long as the technology communication tool is easy to use when contacting instructors or other students, it will be a useful tool in the campus and classroom.
The technology communication tool must also allow for timely responses. I tell my students that I prefer e-mail communications whenever possible because it meets all three of these criteria. Students can e-mail me at any time of the day or night and I will respond the next time I check my inbox (typically several times daily). The campus is available 24/7, but I am not and students are not. They can e-mail me at 3 a.m. when they're awake and I'm asleep. I can respond to them at 7 a.m. when I'm awake and they're asleep. This way, I get the student's message and they get my response the next time they check their inbox.
Jim,
Communications and feedback may the two most important elements. Thanks for your input.
Reid,
I like that you asked questions. That helps others think about what to ask. Nice job.
Hello:
I believe the three most important things to consider are the best technology to use, what is the message that I am trying to convey to my students, and the students ability to use the chosen technology. These aspects are very important because choosing the wrong type of technology source can hinder the learning for my students. Miscommunication or the lack of the ability to understand how to use a technology source will also hinder the message I am attempting to get across to my students.Another aspect is to verify that students have systems that are compatible with the chosen technology. I have found that through my experience with UMA, some of the functions on the blackboard where not compatible with my MAC computer.
Hello:
I believe the three most important things to consider are the best technology to use, what is the message that I am trying to convey to my students, and the students ability to use the chosen technology. These aspects are very important because choosing the wrong type of technology source can hinder the learning for my students. Miscommunication or the lack of the ability to understand how to use a technology source will also hinder the message I am attempting to get across to my students.
