Marissa,
Technology communication tools are so important. Thanks for your input. Making sure you use a communication tool all students can access or use, is essential. Understanding that you may be communicating with groups and/or individuals is also important.
Thanks for your input.
Important things to consider are:
1. Technology tools
identifying technology tools for effective communication is essential in a virtual learning, because we have different categories like small group, large group, social networking.
2. it is important also to consider the pros and cons for each type of tool.
3. consider also what type of group or student you have, example small group, large group or social networking.
Edwin,
Thanks for your input. Making sure you communicate your expectations to the students and keeping an open communication with the students is very important. Keeping the course easy to navigate is also key.
Thanks for your input.
Some things I would expect of any communication tool is
1. Is the tool "User friendly". will it require any special instructions to use it.
2. System "compatability". Will the student need to upgrade their system or download supporting applications to get it to work.
3. "Versatility". Will the tool allow adequate two way communication both private and shared and keep them together based on subject matter with a subject index.
Nicole,
These are very important requirements. Assessing your technology and your students' is important to make sure you provide information to students so they can open or view them with their technology. Thanks for your input.
The three most important considerations are
1) Subject matter- can the course be taught on-line? Do we have in place the tools we need to effectively communicate.
2) The ability of my students: Have my students had a faamiliarity to the current technology? This subject can be difficult depending on the age and backround of the student.
3) Is the system we are using in line with the current technology or do we have difficulties because of our current stste of technologhy. This question should also be answered clearly before we ask the students to take our class
The three most important considerations are (in my opinion):
1) Subject matter- can the course be taught effectively on-line through use of certain communication tools.
2) The ability of my students: Are they tech savvy? Will they be able to comprehend the material and keep up with the technologies, etc.
3) Does my system have up-to-date requirements for the tools- if not what will be the cost to update? Do my students have the correct system requirements?
John,
Typically what I did was set 4 different timeslots before the course began and put them in the syllabus. I chose very different times/days such as Monday at 2:00 p.m., Thursday at 8:00 p.m., Tuesday at noon and Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
I email all of my students the syllabus at least a week in advance of the course beginning and tell them the four dates/times. I also tell them they have to arrange their schedule so that they can attend at least 2 of the 4. I record them all so if they are not in attendance, they can view them later at their leisure.
I give participation/attendance credit for attendance. About a week before the synchronous class, I ask for items to put on the agenda. This gives them an opportunity to have items put on the agenda on which they need clarification. The session can also be simply a Q & A period or I lecture on some part of the course that I know is difficult for most students or I discuss the components of the big project coming up, etc.
It has worked well for me. Just a suggestion. We all have to figure out what works for us, our students and our course content.
Thanks!
How did you implement the Connect session? Did you contact students first to determine need, or did you create the session and then let the students log in at predetermined times? This seems like it might cause some logistical planning for asynchronous classes.
Donna, what do you mean by the program itself? The tool?
John,
Nice job. You are right on target with availability, ease of use and cost. Thanks for your input.
1. Availability: Is the tool available to the majority of the students? If not, then how will it be implemented?
2) Ease of use/implementation: What is the learning curve for the use of the tool? Can new students of any age cohort grasp the implementation without hours of direct tutoring? Can it be deployed by non-technical students?
3) Cost: Does using the tool create a price point that is challenging for more than 50% of the students? Is there any way to reduce the cost by providing or subsidizing the use of the tool? Is there a similar but less expensive version available as Open Source that most can use?
I fell the three most important things to consider is how accessable is the tool, the knowledge level of the people using it and the program itself.
Sally,
Thanks for your organized thoughts. Facilitation and communication are essential.
Nice job.
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. Does it help facilatate learning for the student : online learning using technology should enable/ empower students to make connections to content being studied
2. Ease of Use / practicality: make sense to use for students
3. Ability of students and students and instructors to communicate in a productive and constructive manner. To get feedback, ask questions, communicate directions.
Harold,
Thanks for your input in this forum. Communication with students and using the proper tools to do do is extremely important. As you have noted, feedback is also necessary to ensure students are on track and progressing in their learning. Thanks!
1.Proper usage and effective communication.
2.The impact of the technology on the communication process.
3.The provision of feedback throughout the course.
Jennifer,
Thank you for your GREAT thoughts. I can see that your organization and how you word your information will be helpful to your students.
I am glad you enjoyed this module. This information will also help others in this course.
Adobe Connect has been one of my favorite tools and has helped me engage students online, have students do online presentations, and I've held online office hours. There's a technology out there for everyone.
Thank you again.
John,
Right on again. Students are very different and as someone posted on one of my forums, he has a 65 year old and 18 year olds in the same class. Helping them all use the technology is the key.
Thanks!
I believe the three most important things to consider with the use of technology in the learning environment are:
Content/Subject Matter: Is the material easy to understand or is it complicated? Material that is more complicated may require tools that allow for two-way dialogue and synchronous communication may be beneficial. Student engagement in an environment using Adobe Connect, for example, may be one tool to consider for more in-depth subject matter. As the instructor it is important for me to evaluate the material and consider how well it will translate to ensure student comprehension.
Composition of the Group: Size is one consideration as some tools are more effective in a small group setting, whereas other tools are more effective for reaching a larger audience. Along with size of the group I would also consider “who†is in the group. If I am communicating with an older audience, they may not be as open to using social media. Also, some students may not be as comfortable with technology, and training may need to be provided to get them acquainted with the tools.
Desired Outcome: If my goal is to foster dialogue and build a sense of community I would choose tools such as social media, discussion boards, and even Adobe Connect with opportunity for student interaction. If my goal is private communication to address student performance or additional tutoring, I would choose tools which allow for private, yet timely interaction (instant messaging, telephone, email, etc).
I enjoyed working through this module! I have always believed that using technology just for the sake of using technology is not the right approach. Rather, as an instructor I should take the time to evaluate how each tool will help engage students and enhance learning.
