Content Development
As an online instructor, which do you believe is more important - student content development or instructor content development - when incorporating microblogging into your course?
The question is like asking me what season is more important, summer or winter. Well, there can be no summer without winter, and there can be no winter without summer. Both are equally important.
It is the same with student content development and instructor content development. Traditionally, instructor content development has been viewed to be more important, but things are changing. Personally, I think that both go hand in hand. I hope that this makes sense.
Donald L. Buresh
I'd say student content because he or she is the one who really makes the class interesting. Curriculum is just words until there is meaning applied. Microblogging, therefore, is a window into the student's learning that is very rewarding for any educator.
Cristy,
Good point. It is important for the instructor to model the behavior and content expected of the students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe that it is important to have both student content development and instructor content development when incorporating microblogging into the course. One cannot be effective without the other.
Christopher,
Your use of social media must be be tied to the objectives. You don't use social media just to use it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I would have to say student, but the two are not mutually exclusive. We can't let them veer from the established objectives.
Lesley,
Great points! You are right, the goal that an engaged community will all learn from each other. You hope that as the instructor, you are the facilitator.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kimberly,
I don't think that is oldschool at all. You make a great point of keeping all of the tools within the LMS. It is much easier on the students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Both are important, as they feed off of each other. In the beginning of the class, the instructor content must provide a framework for the course and lead the student content. However, once the course evolves, student content and alternative point of view must be considered. We can all learn from each other!
Perhaps it's because I am more accustomed to the "old school" method of teaching, I believe the structured instructor content should remain within the boundaries of the LMS. If the instructor chooses to incorporate microblogging within the course through the use of a social media site, that should be more focused on the students' perspective of the content and provide them with the ability to run with the discussion, so to speak, rather than a typical structured online discussion board.
Michael,
It is a delicate balance as content or learning objectives may not be changed easily. Those changes can be dependent on institutional procedures. We may be contained by the master course objectives.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Student content development is more important, but it directly leas to instructor content development as well. Learning what motivates the current students allows you to tailor the class to help them learn, and it allows us as instructors to expand our learning objectives for future students.
Andrea,
What a great post! It does provide a canvas to showcase students' ability to sow their skills in research to show they can change data to information!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
As an online professor, student content development is more important, when incorporating microblogging into courses. Student content development assists students in research skill and developing valuable information for others to learn. In the process the student creating the content is learning. Instructor content development is more course material led; utilizing course objectives and unit concepts to drive the overall course environment.
Victoria,
I agree with your strategy. I don't think you can say this is optional as you will have no buy in. You will need to guide students so they have success in this medium to build their confidence.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
This was not easy to answer at first. I think that this depends on the level of knowledge and comfort students have with the tool. If the students are largely unfamiliar or new to microblogging, they may need more direction and guidance whereby the instructor drives the content. The goal would be of course to have microblogging content developed by the students so that they are active participants in the learning process.
Rickey,
True, but when you are talking about social media, what does this mean?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Aldgenette,
I think you have an excellent set of strategies. Thank you for sharing your strategies. You have to make sure they match your objectives so they have a purpose, not just busy work.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
As an instructor i believe student content development and instructor content development are equally important.
