Educational Lurker

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.