Skip to main content

Online Learning Is Being Shipped to the Museum

By
I read an earnest and well-written article "5 Reasons Why Online Learning Is The Future of Education" by AJ Agrawal, the CEO of Alumnify. I agree with the statement made in the article. The reasons provided are sound and  cannot be ignored. However, I would take the statement one step further. Online learning is today, and the term will soon belong to yesterday.

I was marking an essay with a student half way across the province using the whiteboard and chat in a virtual classroom. We were able to discuss strengths and weaknesses. She was able to type in a new paragraph to show what she learned from the feedback. She received direct instruction not possible where she was.

This week, I delivered a webinar to colleagues from across the province. I used application sharing to show them how to use PowerPoint to storyboard. I opened four whiteboards to let them write objectives in groups. I opened the mic to group leaders to explain their choices, drawing on their expertise and experience. I encouraged feedback in the chat from their peers. I finished with a poll on the use of outcomes and let them discuss. I was able to paraphrase what they had come up with and wrap up the ideas into general categories. I let go of the learning.

Several months ago, I was teaching art with over forty students in a large art lab room. I had created Google Drive folders so that the lead instructor could drag and drop his presentations and rubrics in. When he or I edited, we could see the final product without an email exchange. At the projector, I was able to pull up his presentations from drive to show the students. When done, I posted them online in the LMS course. As I walked around helping students with their art and their research, I pulled up art and artists on Pinterest on my iPad so that we could discuss. With some aspiring artists, I created with them video interviews to display in the course that they could use as part of their portfolio. With their own Google Apps for Education accounts, they were able to produce and share presentations and documents online as well. They were able to collaborate in real-time. They had become active learners with the tools available anywhere and anytime.

Online learning has been an option or an independent delivery. No more. The application and the data are online. The interaction and collaboration breaches distances. Research and extended learning opportunities abound seamlessly. Learners perform online learning every day without necessarily being aware that they are doing it.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Adapting Learning with Entry Tests

By
Over the course of the term, I have been working to focus the work of my students, narrowing what they need to study to prepare for the Official GED Examinations. I have been using entry tests provided in the online course to create study plans. The first step is to examine the results for lessons where the student was not successful. Using performance analysis charts provided, we create a list of these lessons. Then we enter these lessons onto a 12 week chart to create a plan. With the first group of students, we completed this task, from marking to lesson listing to study planning, using the textbook and a blank study plan. I sat down with each (or discussed on the phone) their results using the provided performance analysis charts. First, we looked at the overall score to determine to what extent they would need to focus on the unit based on the cut score provided. Next we examined each item. We found the Writing Unit Entry Test straightforward with the chart pointing to the less...
Post a Comment
Read more

Curriculum

By
Curriculum, understand from its Latin origins, serves as a 'race course'. On this course, often as learners, the racers, we encounter a sequence of prescribed learning activities to dash through on our way to the finish line of improved skills, knowledge and attitudes. Our coach, the trainer, gives us advice and feedback. Our family and friends cheer us on. Our peers take the starting blocks along side us. The whistle blows. We race like mad. We turn the corners, our eyes aimed straight ahead. We sweep across the tape. Finally, At the end, we take our hard-earned place on the podium with our admission to the prestigious college or our new high-paying job at that major company. We have run the race.  It was clear what we had to do, so we did it.  On we go to the next race, the next staring line. This curriculum race approach offers many benefits for developers, trainers, and learners. The course or program scope and sequence, the race track, are clearly identifiable.  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Teaching Essay Composition through Trial and Error

By
The path to essay composition requires trial and error. In the GED Exam Preparation and English Preparation courses, students come with varied skills and experiences with essay composition. Over three-quarters of the adult students I have worked with this term have never written an essay. Of the quarter that have, only one understands the basic essay format and its intention. The textbooks provide lessons and practices on what an essay should like. They offer advice on each step of the writing process. They offer practice at each of these steps. I have created an essay format video and handout to support these lessons but it is not enough. Yet, the majority of students in an asynchronous and independent online learning program either leave these lessons and practices for last or do not attempt them at all. Those small few that do often complete the essay compositions at once and submit them at once not taking the opportunity to receive and learn from feedback. The challenge then ...
Post a Comment
Read more