I had the wonderful epiphany this week that I am an discussion board lurker. During the posts for most of my class discussions, I read through everything that is presented by my classmates and instructor. Then, if I am finally brave enough, I post my thoughts and reactions. At times, it is too late to receive a response, but I think I may like that aspect of it. Dr. Otto Peters says that the lurking students (which I am a part of) should not be referred to as inactive or a lurker for that matter, but rather as a "witness learner." I am still participating, but in my own way. I am like the student that sits in the back of the classroom, observing, watching and absorbing all of the information and knowledge that is being presented. I then take this information and am able to comprise actual meaning from it.
I am amazed that I am able to continue my same face-to-face educational habits in a distance education setting. I find that the technology actually has helped me to become a more observant learner than I could attempt in face-to-face setting. In a classroom setting, I am noticed by the instructor as a student sitting there, and potentially not participating. However, in a distance education environment, it is difficult to prove this. Distance education is provided in almost two basic forms, synchronous and asynchronous. In a syncrhonous setting, communication happens at the same time, very duplicative of a face-to-face situation. In an asynchronous environment, there is a lag time between communication and sometimes, communication is one way. For a student like myself, the lurker, oops, the "witness learner", my communication is more receiving than giving. I choose to watch and review the postings, and shamefully not commenting until it is absolutely required for me to do so.
However, there are many more technologies and educational practices that are being used in distance education to put a halt to my one way communication. One technological practice that was introduced in the course was second life software. This software provided a virtual world that allowed users to navigate various locales. It was a way for a student to experience a lecture classroom that they were unable to attend. Or for a student to immerse themselves in a different culture without leaving the comforts of their own home. The second life software could potentially end my "lurking" habits and ensure that I am an active participant in my educational process.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
October Observations
The longer I am invloved with this course, the more I learn - I guess that is what is to be expected as a student. I confess that I did not know much about distance education, DE, prior to the readings of the course, but what is happening technologically is amazing. An introduction to the second life platform extended the knowledge that I already had about avatars. I could not imagine any use for such a system in an educational setting, but it is a great way to get a student to experience something outside of their realm. One can travel to different countries, view different cultures, and experience a life outside of the one they live.
Additionally, the concept of mobile learning intrigues me. When I think of my mobile devices, I do not think of them as being used in an educational setting. I only think of them for entertainment. However, thinking outside of the box, I can see the advantges of being able to look at my coursework and other educational items on my phone or ipod. Actually, if I remember correctly, some univeresities have started to use podcasts as a way of presenting information to their students and to others that aren't their students. They have started to allow access to their lectures for anyone interested.
Additionally, the concept of mobile learning intrigues me. When I think of my mobile devices, I do not think of them as being used in an educational setting. I only think of them for entertainment. However, thinking outside of the box, I can see the advantges of being able to look at my coursework and other educational items on my phone or ipod. Actually, if I remember correctly, some univeresities have started to use podcasts as a way of presenting information to their students and to others that aren't their students. They have started to allow access to their lectures for anyone interested.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Getting Started
This is a first post of many for my reflective process throughought my learning process in the course, OMDE603, Technology in Distance Education. I have currently created about as much internet traffic during my first month of graduate school as I did when I first started my undergraduate degree. Things have changed so drastically, that I am learning new avenues of technology everyday. I guess this is why this is called education.
When I first started this course, I was amazed at how little I knew about distance education. I just knew that distance education was a new phenomenon that had just recently took off. To my surprise, distance education had evolved already through five different generations of technology, from print (a technology taken for granted currently) to internet. During this process, I realized that distance education is not just for someone like me that travels and does not have a specific schedule which allows for me to continue school using the traditional methods, but rather it is to benefit some that are considered educationally unreachable. It is for the student that lives in a rural community without access to the most recent broadband widths; or the student that is deployed overseas that is starting to think of the future before the return home; or even for the student that needs to learn a trade so that they are able to provide extra income for their family.
Distance education progressed more and more with newer technologies. First being the postal system, which allowed instructors/teachers a means of communicating with students not within their general vicinity. Then came television which provided an additional visual component to the communication between teacher and student. Later, schools were developed based on just this practice, correspondence and broadcast communications. Eventually, the computer took distance education into the homes of almost any person that wished to further themselves educationally.
Distance education is really helping to provide a way for educational practices to be reviewed. I believe that it helps to broaden the traditional views of education - teacher, student, book. It takes the focus from the material being taught and places it on the student. Now education has a new lense, or frame of reference, by looking at how can I best reach the student. I am excited to see where DE where take education.
Tea
When I first started this course, I was amazed at how little I knew about distance education. I just knew that distance education was a new phenomenon that had just recently took off. To my surprise, distance education had evolved already through five different generations of technology, from print (a technology taken for granted currently) to internet. During this process, I realized that distance education is not just for someone like me that travels and does not have a specific schedule which allows for me to continue school using the traditional methods, but rather it is to benefit some that are considered educationally unreachable. It is for the student that lives in a rural community without access to the most recent broadband widths; or the student that is deployed overseas that is starting to think of the future before the return home; or even for the student that needs to learn a trade so that they are able to provide extra income for their family.
Distance education progressed more and more with newer technologies. First being the postal system, which allowed instructors/teachers a means of communicating with students not within their general vicinity. Then came television which provided an additional visual component to the communication between teacher and student. Later, schools were developed based on just this practice, correspondence and broadcast communications. Eventually, the computer took distance education into the homes of almost any person that wished to further themselves educationally.
Distance education is really helping to provide a way for educational practices to be reviewed. I believe that it helps to broaden the traditional views of education - teacher, student, book. It takes the focus from the material being taught and places it on the student. Now education has a new lense, or frame of reference, by looking at how can I best reach the student. I am excited to see where DE where take education.
Tea
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