Major’s article on Teaching Online provided more clarification on the terms students and teachers have been using this past year, such as “asynchronous”, synchronous”, “blended”, “hybrid”, and vice versa. If I was planning to be a teacher, I would take note of the strengths and weakness of the varying teaching styles that were discussed. For example, as the author mentioned, synchronous classes favor people who can provide quick responses. Personally, I am someone who enjoys taking time to prepare my answers, so I do not thrive in class environments where the teacher calls upon students at random during virtual lectures. In contrast, I excel in classes (such as this one) that allow students to post discussion prompts and assignments within their own timeframe. I think the collaborative work of our group assignment also increases my productivity because I am putting in a joint effort alongside my other hardworking classmates. I would also take into consideration that every student performs well in different areas and try to structure my class so that it does not favor certain groups over others. I really liked that in some of my asynchronous courses, professors held live, interactive virtual class lectures that were recorded and uploaded onto Brightspace. This allowed students who enjoy a set schedule to arrive at the meetings on time while also giving other students the option of watching the recorded lectures at their own leisure. Providing this option also allowed students to replay certain parts of a lecture they didn’t immediately understand.
I agree that in order to make any type of online learning environment work, you must know how to use technology. Outdated and inefficient ways of using a digital platform will hinder the student rather than assist them. Online classes are an opportunity for teachers to enhance their creativity in ways that cannot be done without technology. I found it clever that Biddix (pg.94) used the students expertise of social media to complement his assignments. When implementing technology into a course, it’s important that students are able to navigate the system with ease.
| Major, C. H. (2015). Teaching Online – A Guide to Theory, Research, and Practice. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=3318874 (pp. 76-108) |
madelineosgarby
Hi Claire,
I enjoyed reading your post. I like how you used topic 2’s reading from Major to reflect on your own coursework and think critically about the ways in which you learn best.
I found that our ideal learning contexts differed a fair bit. I personally favour synchronous classes. I have trouble maintaining motivation sometimes and appreciate the firmness of tight schedules to keep me organized. I like how you mentioned that some of your courses held live lectures and recorded these to brightspace. I would be someone who preferred participating live because of the procrastination instinct in me. I noticed this in one of my courses this past year, I had trouble watching the pre-recorded lectures at a reasonable time during the week and would leave it off until the end.
I especially like that you mentioned Biddix who made use of students’ expertise on social media. Biddix’s course design from the reading is the one that intrigued me the most. I like that he used a decentralized pathway. For my own personal learning, I find that decentralized pathways work the best for me. I think it’s a nice middle ground between an extremely structured (centralized) course and a very fluid (distribute) course.
Regarding using social media for course design, I think using social media is an outstanding way to make the learning experience authentic to our students lives. The real-world relevance promotes the development of 21st-century skills to help students be meaningful contributors to the digital age we live in.
tsokwa
Great reflection, Claire. I’ve come to appreciate the flexibility that asynchronous courses provide. It allows me to interact deeply with the material because I’m able to review it as often as needed. I agree that it is critical to structure courses in a way that caters to the numerous needs of the learners. Strong knowledge of the available digital tools enhances an educator’s ability to streamline the learning process. Cutting out clutter from unnecessary technology may help learners stay focused.
jordyn
Hi Claire,
I again feel you and I are very similar in terms of our likes and dislikes with learning, and I especially resonate with your comment regarding being called out in classes. Whether I am in a face-to-face environment or online, being called out makes me feel very unsure of myself and I get quite anxious, I am actively working on this as I feel it is a skill I will need in the future (I will not always have time to prepare answers when dealing with children, their guardians, or with my peers or management). However, because I relate personally to this, I know as a teacher I will not call on students at random and will help them to feel comfortable sharing their knowledge in ways that will best facilitate their learning! I am involved in a seminar class online right now where the prof does call you out and expects you to engage with the entire class, and although it brings me some stress and anxiety, putting myself out there has allowed me to feel more confident speaking in front of people and sharing my knowledge!
Great post 🙂