Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools
I teach 5-6 students a semester in a truly online distance education classroom as well as a class of 30 students in a blended e-learning model (3 days online, 2 days fact-to-face). I find that communication tools are very effectively incorporated into these classes. To add an element of synchronous communication, students are encouraged to use either Skype or ooVoo to collaborate with a partner or small group throughout the course on various projects. This also correlates with Wimba Live classroom, which is a synchronous online classroom with features on an online “whiteboard” and chat feature. These chatting and video conferencing tools are excellent for synchronous communication as students are familiar with them prior to entering my class. Online communication tools work really well with constructivist teaching strategies such as Siemens (2008) curatorial teaching model. In this model the teacher serves as an expert whom sets the stage (environment) for learning complete with all necessary materials and then allows students to explore and discover relatively unassisted (Siemens, 2008).
References
Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.
Thanks for sharing Such a useful information.Good module of distance education mba.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at all of these new products, ideas, innovations that you are exposed to. Wimba Live is a new one that I have never heard of. What age/grade level do you facilitate online and blended? What subjects do you teach?
ReplyDeleteWith having experience with blended and pure distance education, what is your preference between the two and why? Do you have traditional F2F classroom experience was well? How do you feel students learn best? I like the design of your graphic organizer and I also have never heard of Wimba Live. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJoshua,
ReplyDeleteI like the overall visual appeal of your graphic organizer. The graphics are engaging while the curvy nature of the lines just looks nice. By reading your post, it sounds like you are on the dynamic end of the continuum. Which tools do you feel best facilitate this?