I think the following should be considered when assessing the use of technology communication tools:
1. Do my students have the technological skills necessary to utilize certain types of tools?
2. Do my students have the equipment necessary to utilize various technology communication tools?
3. Do my students have the time necessary to attend virtual sessions or is one-on-one time better via a phone call?
Kim
Rachel,
As we have discuss, communication is essential. We want the online learning environment to enhance the communication and not provide barriers to the communication. Knowing your audience and developing that environment through the use of technology is important. Thanks!
There are a variety of considerations. I think that the 3 most important would be;
1. Target audience- depending on the content area the communication tools may need to be adjusted to facilitate learning.
2. User friendly- the tool should be easy to use for all. This is important because we want the students to focus on learning the content, not spending excessive time with logistics.
3. Cost- in the education environment resources are limited and we need to consider cost vs. benefit and alternatives when choosing tools.
Rebecca,
Social networking can be used effectively in the classroom (online or F2F) - no doubt. I use Jing and Adobe Connect to show students how to do things or meet synchronously. There are lots of resources and I'm glad you found one that works for you. Great!
Kendra,
The technology should definitely not hinder the learning. That's a must. The learning curve will be different for each student and as an instructor you can provide tips for learning or tips for technology to help them. Nice job.
Erin,
Right on! The instructor has to know the subject matter and is developing it appropriately for the course. Determining (diagnostic assessment) what the students know and their technology ability helps the instructor determine how quickly/slowly to go through the material and what extra steps may have to be taken to help students become successful. Nice job.
I personally am an advocate for social networking sites as educational tools. Students use and are familiar with Facebook, and if used correctly, it can be a very helpful tool to foster student engagement both inside and outside the classroom.
So...when determining technology communication tools, I look at a few things:
1) What do I need to convey to the student? (If it's basic assignment updates or posting supplemental classroom material, Facebook is a viable option)
2) In a one-on-one situation, do I need to show the student how to do something? (I like to use a combination of phone and a tool called join.me that allows a student to see and interact with my computer screen)
I know that's not 3 things to consider like the prompt asked for :-)
Rebecca Johnson
Fort Wayne Campus Librarian & Adjunct INF1100 Instructor
I believe three things to consider are:
1) Is this tool going to enhance learning or distract students from the primary course learning objectives?
2) What will be the learning curve involved for students and myself when implementing this new tool?
3) What are the potential benefits to using this tool?
These questions are ones I use when deciding whether to try out or test the latest "new" concept, web service, or program. I love to try new things and want to push my students for greater interaction, but not at the risk of distracting them away from the main point of the class.
1. The subject matter of the course - making sure that what you are using relates and is valuable for that particular course.
2. Tech ability of your students. I have a lot of students that struggle to even attach documents correctly, so I hesitate to incorporate a lot of new, complicated technologies in the online classroom. However, tools the students may be used to using, like Facebook, can be used to supplement learning.
3. Student needs - what is it they are struggling with? One tool I've had a lot of success with is JoinMe. This allows me to see a student's computer screen if they are getting really stuck, or see mine if I think it will help. And, it's easy to use, even for those that aren't the most tech savvy.
juanita,
When making the decision on the type of technology, take the students technology skills, your skills and what you need done in the class all into consideration. Cost if a factor, but more importantly, figure out what you need the technology to do and how you can do that in a simplistic way. Nice job.
I believe that I must decide which type of technology communication I would need to use asynchronous,synchronous,or both. Secondly I would take in consideration the cost for most users due to today economy. And lastly how effective and timely is the response will the material be communicated.
Dr.Crews,
Thank you. New tools are coming out all of the time. But are they better just because they are new? Sometimes, the standard tools of the trade are still reliable and fully complete their functions effectively. "If it ain't broke; don't fix it"
Dr. Crews,
Correct, but are they realistic in terms of funding for both the institution and the students?
The three most important things that I would consider are (1) do the students have the equipment necessary for the tool to function. (2) does the tool fit the need for the type of communication and (3)is the tool intuitive enough so that it is easy for all the students to use
Miriam & Daniel,
Thanks for your input. Certain content needs to be provided to students in various ways. Certain tools are certainly necessary.
Miriam,
Yes, security and making sure the instructor can assist in that security is important. Thanks for your input.
Miriam,
Knowing the tools and knowing the capabilities of the students is essential. As you noted, yo must make sure you are using the appropriate tool. Nice job.
Yehia ,
Great list of things to think about. Knowing your audience, your students, is very helpful as you design your instruction.
Daniel,
I agree that the subject-matter needs to be considered. I teach science and a lot of the terms and math functions cannot be properly expressed unless the tool has special features to support scientific notation, etc.
LE,
I agree that security is an important consideration indeed. Also, the control of security features by the instructors is important.
