When designing online courses, it’s important to include various tools that will encompass different learning styles of students that may enroll in the class. In order to explain difficult concepts, one must refer back to Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and account for diverse learning style.
Content should be presented in mediums that encompass text, audio and visual. One should strive to include different ways to parlay the information. While a student may not want to read a written lecture, they will readily listen to it via Ipod or download.
Collaborative groups should \be allowed to communicate via different mediums. While some may like live communication such as skype, other would prefer text-based communication such as discussion forums. Regardless of delivery, communication is a vital part of the online learning experience, so learners may bounce ideas of each other as well as collaborated to accomplish a task.
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Your inclusion of graphic organizers is wonderful to see. Often that element is overlooked in education as teachers plan but don't realize the benefits this offering would add to students. I actually use graphic organizers as a collaborative communication tool with group work to better determine responsibilities and needs. Students share a better understanding of learning and expectations if examined together like this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing,
~Laurie
This was a interesting summary of the online learning. I like the way you grouped the different categories. My question for you is about the communication. Can students learn effect if they don’t use the skype because they are unsure of communicating with strangers? When you group people from different places, how can internet learning affect different culture groups?
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteAdding graphic organizers to your content area was an excellent idea. I use them in whole and small group lessons weekly. I like your graphic organizer; it is simple, to the point, yet profound.
What flash based games do you use? Is there a particular content area that you focus on with these games?
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ReplyDeleteHi Karen:
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on the issue of utilizing several forms of technologies and instructional media so that many of the learning styles can be catered to. Creating effective videos, audio, and text should be one thing instructional designers should be able to do. I am still to incorporate videos and audio in my online instruction. I have recently started hybrid instruction for my courses. I must admit it was for convenience; however, there is much that I am learning from this course that will help me to better my understanding in distance education, and the technologies that can be incorporated as well as the strategies to make online instruction meaningful.
Thanks for sharing your ideas in your graphic organizer.
Soushira
The connection of Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence and using forms of technology is very true. Students will greatly benefit from technology, but each student is going to feel more comfortable in different areas on technology. Many will feel comfortable with the video discussons of Skype where others may like the thought of having a wiki where the discussion is not live.
ReplyDeleteHey Karen-Very true that multiple intelligences also apply to technology being used. I agree that no matter how it is used, teachers will still have to accommodate the needs of the student somehow. All students may not be visual, so then maybe you need audio available. With Skype, students may be nervous talking to people they don't know well, but they would be fine typing to them. Or vice-versa, they may be uncomfortable with their spelling and typing, and prefer to just talk. Either way, technology is helpful, but must still be altered according to a student's needs. I think you demonstrated this with your graphic organizer. Thanks-Brandy
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteThe idea of collaborative groups needs, as you say, flexibility to communicate and collaborate. We all learn differently and contribute better when using tools we are proficient on. Sometimes as educators we forget this and deny learners, in an effort to have them learn our way, of making great contributions.