Terry,
Have you had your students create their own video as well? This is the varied output concept I discuss in the course...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I love using YouTube it has a lot of proceedural films made by experts in the field of automotive and it is great to show different perspectives on processes that people have who do automotive repair.
jon,
Good point but how does this reality influence how you design and deliver your courses?
Dr. Ruth Reynard
the internet allows the student to go at there own pace the faster learner is not bored waiting to catch up and the others can take more tim to absorb the lesson
Joe,
Excellent method! I'd love to hear more specifics on this in the faculty lounge in my instructional exchange forum.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
The use of animation when teaching subjects that have moving parts is an awesome change from the internet. I find that this really explains the concepts to the modern student who are used to watching in the informercial format.
David,
Good point - how does this reality change teaching and learning specifically?
Dr. Ruth Reynard
The internet has changed a lot of peoples lives and learning cabilities. They have allowed more information to get to the students and expanded on different areas to help students to learn and better understand the subject matter more clearer.
For me, the addition of 24 x 7 learning and access has been the key positive development.
The world is changing, and does not operate on a 9 to 5, Monday through Friday schedule anymore (if it ever did). Education had to change to deal with that reality, and now has the opportunity to lead the way.
Kassy,
That is so true and actually accreditors expect online access to reoources, databases, and technical and librarian support - even for on ground as well as online students.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Distance library resources and services provide an equivalency now to online learning. Previously distance learning was limited to a 'course in a box'... and students had to still have access to their own local library resources (if any) - now with online libraries, the resources are nearly the same as for campus based students.
The answer to this question was readily seen in the course content.
It is the application to a non-hybrid class that challenges this instructor.
As one to whom â€business†was stressed in our field of study, we stress this to our students and also the importance of communication through the web in all apps.
Early in our career, packages were shipped and arrived a week later. As the business became global and wireless became the mode of communication, the same item is electronically mailed and received in minutes.
Exposing students to the concept of cellular usage as a tool in real the real world (vs. virtual) and in their chosen career has been an ever-evolving process. The cellular is more than a social tool.
Assignments and projects are digitally produced and submitted. The web (with cyber libraries) is researched and information is analyzed for assignments. Links are embedded in guided lecture notes.
We are always open to suggestions. Knowledge is power.
Did I answer the question?
Rita,
That seems to be a very strange situation given where things are with technology in education and society in general. This would be something to really champion with your leads.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I feel that we are not in touch we have no internet at the hands of our teachers. I use my cell phone to get on line with my personal PC, when I have something in my lesson plan that needs the aid of the internet.
It is very hard for me to use a computer. In my department there are only two computers one is for our department head and the other is for sales. We cannot use the internet.
Michael,
I agree and you have focused on the central characteristics well - immediacy, self-direction, customization and flexibility. Good job!
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I think the most powerful change is the immediacy with which students can get access to deeper information. As anyone who has been in education for more than a few years can attest, every student has different skill sets and learning strengths and as such learn at different paces. As a result, some students fall behind and need remidiation and others work ahead, or get bored. With a hybrid environment where access to self-initiated research and study are encouraged and easily accessed both of these students can seek out additional knowledge to clarify or expand their knowledge level. For the underperforming student this allows them to develop their own knowledge level and for the exceptional student they can take their learning to a greater depth than had they been required to simply engage in busy work or some sort of non-self-directed endeavor for the sake of logging classroom hours. Because of this, the immediacy of content on the Internet and through computer mediated instruction makes this environment much more functional and productive.
The Internet allows for a stream of new and updated content to flow to the students. As instructors, we can point the students to such a stream (blog rss feed, twitter account, website address) and create assignments or learning tasks based on these streams.
So, you would agree, Wanda, that Internet technology is front and center of creating dynamic learning environments for students, is that a good conclusion from your suggestions? I that sense, the technology increases student autonomy and also instructor facilitation. Good discussion...
The internet is a source of information and entertainment that most of our students will have had some form of exposure to and feel comfortable in the mobility throughout the web. With this increase in use and comfortability, also comes confidence and assurance of the student. The student comes to class with questions or facts that may counter what was presented in the classroom. Instructors who use the Internet in their classrooms can do so by maintaining the student's curiousity, focus and interest in the classroom, as well as teaching the student to be self-sufficient in fact finding. Instructors can now assign readings or assignments that the students can do outside of the classroom and either incorporate that in their lectures/classroom activities or use the additional time to provide the student with additional information that one would normally not have in a "traditional" classroom.
