Eric,
Yes, sir. It is hard many times to limit a discussion to three important points, but you have summed this up very nicely. Thanks for your input.
Joanna,
You are right on target. Many people do not think about accessibility issues. It's so imporant. Once size does not fit all. I totally agree. Thanks for your input.
P.,
Excellent. Knowing the technology and how the students and instructor can use the technology most effectively, the better. Thanks for your input.
William,
Your experience shows you are learning how to be an effective online instructor. Thanks for your input.
Anne,
Right on. You are right on track. Thanks for your input.
When assessing the use of technology communication tools in a virtual learning environment, what do you believe are the three most important things to consider and why?
1. Ease of use for the students with all technology and tools used in the course.
2. Accessibility without additional cost.
3. Couse content and need for different tools. In my PT courses learning outcomes are different than in an entry level healthcare course.
These issues have come up many time in classes I have taught and in the end what is best for student learning is ease of use and simplicity to get them through and focused on the subject at hand.
The three most invaluable considerations are:
1) Accessibility for the students. I like simpler designs and courses as the more “bells and whistles†a course has the harder it is for many students which increases the frustration and takes away from the subject matter. This includes too many downloads or added videos in some cases.
2) Makes sense with the subject matter….what I might use in a research course is different than what I might use in a group therapy class. There is no “one sixe fits all.â€
3) A platform easy to use with a few clicks and a dashboard that is visible. In discussions it is very helpful to be able to “expand all†and see what everyone is posting for increased interaction.
Thanks everyone, Joanna Oestmann
When assessing the use of technology communication tools in a virtual learning environment, the following are the three most important things -- in my opinion -- to consider.
1. Do my students know how to use the tool. If they don't understand the technology and feel comfortable in using it, then they are not going to participate and may feel left out. And they may not learn what I want them to learn.
2. Is this the most up-to-date technology to which my university permits my use. If the technology is out of date, then there may bee tools available that I am not able to use, thus putting my students at a disadvantage vis-a-vis other virtual teaching environments.
3. Am I able to use the technology to its greatest advantage. If I myself am not well versed in using the technology, then there is no point in using it at all.
I believe the three most important things to consider when assessing technology communication tools to be ease of use, purpose, and the ability to evaluate the tool. Over the past four years, I have used a variety of tools from several different colleges and it begins apparent very quickly when something is not user-friendly. It doesn’t matter if you have the greatest compilation of information in the world—if the students cannot easily access it, many won’t—which doesn’t do the class any good.
Second, the purpose of the tool must compliment the subject matter—it must help the students to learn the material—if it doesn’t, it needs to be re-evaluated and either removed or used in a different way. I know in my experience that some tools work great once I learn to use them properly—an instructor has to take the time to learn to use the tools in a variety of ways in order to really understand the pros and cons of the tools.
Third, the ability to easily evaluate the tool either through surveys (like survey monkey) or through recorded data is imperative. For example, if you love a certain feature of a program, but your current group of students hate it, most likely learning will not occur as easily and something must be done to rectify the situation.
The three most important things to consider when assessing the use of technology are:
1. learning curve
2. affordability
3. student friendliness
Are the chosen tools the right tools.
Does the instructor understand how to use the tools and do they have them installed?
Do the students have the right tools and do they have them installed?
Without the right pairing of tools for the learning success may not be achieved. Without knowledge of how to use the tools by both instructor and student learning success may not be achieved.
Melissa,
Yes, It is essential that instructors use the proper technology and use them for the proper purpose. The user must be able to use the technology and use it to enhance the learning process. Thanks.
Hello,
1- availability of the tool because not all students have acess to tools they need to buy
2- user friendly because levels of technology vary among students
3- effectiveness will it really work on improvement of take away from the course
Melissa
The three most important things include
1. Relevancy to the course subject - does the technical tool meet the requirements necessary to provide the type of communication necessary to support student centered learning for the course subject.
2. Is the tool easy to understand and effective for meeting all student and instructor needs in the class? The tool selection must meet the communication requirements for the student and instructor. Students must be able to use the tool and not be intimidated by the use of the tool.
3. Is the type of tool applicable and practical for the class operational communication requirements? Will the tool operate effectively within the technical environment of the educational institution?
Gary,
I feel your pain. I am always amazed when a student cannot attach a file or has no idea where he/she has saved the file. There are some necessary basics for online courses, but I do put directions in the FAQ section a out those things just in case and refer students to that area. Thanks for sharing
1) Subject Matter: Teaching in a Culinary College has it's own challenges. Lab courses are "hands-on" and do not lend themselves to on-line instruction easily. However, Gen-Ed courses often do.
2) Availability: Not all students have internet access at appropriate times...even through the school.
3) Ability of Students: As strange as it may seem,I have[college]students that cannot yet attach a document to an e-mail. The concept, despite being shown/instructed on several ocasions, seems to be beyond the grasp of some.
Tone, substance, and answering the question. When contacted by a student, an instructor has to be prepared to give an answer. However, answers have to be substantive and show various dimensions of how one could answer a particular question. Finally, tone/diplomacy is important because online students are not afforded the luxary of hearing voices or seeing factial expressions; always say hello and word sentences accordingly.
Clarity, Code of Conduct, and being persistent.
Students need to have a clear set of rules and being persistent always helps due to following the rules and guidelines at first.
George,
I like the fact that you call them communication assets because that is what the are. Communication in general is an asset to engagement, less misunderstandings, and working toward achieving the learning outcomes. Nice job.
I am fortunate to have a variety of communication assets provided by the university. Training is provided both to students and to the faculty. The challenge is to get everyone on-board and using those assets and structuring them to fit the course objectives. Students seem to use e-mail the most for S2I communication although IM is available and specific hours for offices are required so that students know at least a specific time when the instructor will be on line. There is also a string of discussion board forums that pertain to required assignments for each unit, and I add a “lounge†and a “coffee shoppe.†The first is for students to introduce themselves and the latter to post messages, ask questions (or answer them) and is monitored daily. Next, there is an Adobe Breeze platform for week chats. These are live, of course, and have the capability that most platforms have today – voice, text, multimedia, whiteboard, file share, etc. These sessions are optional for students to attend, are archived and accessible to students when they want to view them. Teleconferencing can be used but is usually not used with the Breeze session being preferred. Finally, I post various numbers for students to call if they need a safety net, including a cell phone number with voicemail for immediacy. The university does not currently provide student numbers or encourage faculty members calling students. From the course material, I like the use of social media but I feel that I currently have enough contact with the student and them with each other. I have and am exploring that resource.
The three most important considerations, having said all this, are need (pertaining to enhancing the course material delivery and interaction), availability (it is on-line and approved for use) and accessibility (all students are able to use it.) There are many assets available to enhance the classroom and many more will be on the scene in the near future I am sure. The most important consideration is how the method will enhance instructional delivery and the students’ classroom experience.
