Week 5: Current Issues & New Directions

Online Learning Connections

To put a definition on E-learning is difficult because this type of learning involves technology of many sources and methods. E-learning may consist of a hybrid, blended, or distance learning method of instruction and student engagement. The evolution of this learning has transformed from asynchronous to synchronous which providing an opportunity for learners to connect and collaborate ideas. New possibilities for learners to synthesize learning using new technology provides a gateway for students to explore and construct learning.

During the past 5 years, I have had the opportunity to work with a hybrid style of E-learning course using Moodle open source software for Garland Education Online (GEO). This has be a challenge for both teachers and students as the GEO concept has been treated as a distance type of learning tool and not a Learning Management System (LMS). We are slowly seeing how GEO is a supplement and not a replacement to our instruction. Last summer I had the opportunity to create and develop my own course content from the scratch. This has been a true learning experience without any instructional design training. While reading, posting, and commenting through ETEC 561, I have seen how most of my colleagues and I have been using GEO as a “digital locker” to store our assignments and lessons and not as an E-learning platform.

My goal for the upcoming school year is for my student’s learning environment to evolve. The functional architecture for the learning environment will need to increase the collaborations and construction of real-world learning opportunities. The objectives will be to provide students opportunities through relevant instructional technics (reference websites, blogs, animations, e-books, and other rich media) to drive the desired learning  outcomes. One of the largest constraints I have encountered in E-learning for my courses is the design, function of the environment, and time. The design has been generic and simplistic at best. As a result of the basic design and nature of the course, I believe the “online” environment is not motivating to students. The aim for my E-learning course will not be simply the medium connecting students to the real-world but rather a launching pad to provide students authentic learning in the outside world.

Connecting students with technology in my classroom is an everyday occurrence. The challenge has been create a two way medium in which the students are collaborating with each other and collectively building knowledge through online communication. I have been toiling with the idea to create a learning environment which fosters student collaboration, construction of knowledge, and take control of their learning. One of the limitations in my classroom for applying Web 2.0 technologies has been the privacy issue and the protective measures the district has in place for students. Using social networks is not possible at this time; however, each student in my class has a district student assigned Google account. Students have limited access to most of the Google products, and next year I plan to have students use Google docs to collaboratively begin the pre-production  phase. Google docs allows students to collectively develop a video treatment, script, timeline, shot list, and then allows for sharing and editing of the group developed content.

The other Web 2.0 technology I would like to apply is the use of student created blogs. This would be experimental because of the district’s student privacy policy. I like what we have done in ETEC 561 with our blog posts and comments, and this would be a great opportunity for students to be engaged with technology and facilitate creative student expression. Students would be able to make weekly posts about the week’s activities and/or current project and would have an opportunity to comment and critique their peers by adding comments to other student posts. Lastly, I am interested in browsing through the 3,000 or so Web 2.0 applications indexed at GO2WEB20.net to uncover new and ‘trendy’ applications students are accessing. There just might be many Web 2.0 applications listed students could use for class assignments.

Web 2.0 … The Machine Is Us/ing Us

Rich Media

Multimedia sources such as audio, video, and animations are examples of rich media to motivate learners interest and enrich the learning. An interesting note about rich media from what Reiser and Dempsey mention in the text is how less is often more effective in the learning process. I had been under the assumption rich media in regards to video can benefit visual learns. As I was progressing through the chapter I was beginning to question the benefit of using video and began pondering how often students are disinterested in the watching educational videos. The learner is passively participant in the instruction. Reiser and Dempsey confirmed my questions to the decreased benefit of using video and rich visuals for learning. I can’t wait to debate the use of rich media and its benefits in the classroom with my colleagues.

It is all to easy to focus instruction on technology and rich media and forget about keeping the learning focused around the learner. I would like to apply rich media such as audio narrations of processes with graphic illustrations to reinforce learning. One application might be to record on-screen activity and add audio narration to guide students through software tutorials. This would be similar to an animation allowing students the ability to pause and repeat segments of the tutorial. A key for this type of animation to be benefit the learner would be to keep is simple and not overload the student with more than one or two processes to learn. Allow the student to understand and also practice the task before moving onto more advanced processes. As with any type of instruction to be successful, it takes time to create lessons that engage the learner and keep it learner-centered. This is a goal of mine for next school year to create short animations using Camtasia software to teach students the different tools of video editing software they will be using. Students would be able to access these animations on GEO (Garland Education Online using the Moodle platform).

Current Issues in Instructional Design and Technology

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