Developing an online course, is similiar to a building a website. It is not a linear process, as we are constantly examining , revising and tweaking our choices. As we gain more insight and information, we may return to a previous point for further consideration, before jumping forward and continuing where we previously left off. This process involves some of the best practices that have proven to be helpful, but we are also uncovering ideas that we discover along the way. An example is with the advent of Artificial Intelligence. Ai is forcing us to revisit certain aspects of our instructional and assessment processes. Depending on the discipline, we might have to focus more on learner experiences and ask students to articulate responses in a way that would be extremely difficult for a simple Artificial Intelligence chatbot response–based on specific examples covered in class, that require student’s to be actively engaged in the gathering and sharing of information. Lots of people are researching this and developing new ideas and methods. Look for emails and visit the CETLOE website for upcoming events.
Year: 2022
Keys to Unlocking Your Classroom Door with Blogging
Sharing information with learners is a foundation that supports the process of teaching and learning. The internet provides a catalyst for instructional opportunity. Tying social practices in to academics can be an effective teaching strategy for connecting with today’s learners. A valuable resource for sharing ideas and informational content such as writings, links and other artifacts that relate to an infinite array of subject matter are Weblogs, which are commonly referred to as Blogs. One reason why these are useful instructional tools is because they allow us to connect with learners anytime and anyplace, in a mobile-charged, fast paced lifestyle. The goal is to provide additional means and support for knowledge diffusion through the absorption of the subject matter.
Many of today’s learners, and particularly the millennial generation, are spontaneous in how they communicate or express themselves and thrive in a socially empowered environment. Blogging provides an avenue for spontaneous self-expression that can be conducive to our modern day dynamic learning environments. Here are a few “Key” tips for “unlocking” your classroom door through the use of Blogs.
Documenting Thoughts and Ideas on the Fly:
Today’s Millennials, also referred to as Generation Y, and born beginning in the early 1980’s, thrive on an ability to communicate openly and in an impromptu fashion. Social networking enables methods for communication that support this intrinsic behavior. Educational Blogs can provide a way to effectively leverage these actions in a way that can prove beneficial in supporting positive learning outcomes.
Collaboration and Discussion:
Providing opportunities for blog-based discussion is a means of allowing students to flourish with their thought patterns. This is typically what happens when individuals post comments, ideas and reactions on social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Educational Blogs provide avenues of communication that can focus on instructional initiatives that support a learner-centered community with a focus on collaboration.
Reflection and Critical Thinking:
Blogging can also provide avenues for reflection that support better absorption and understanding of the subject matter. Educational Blogs can allow both instantaneous response as well as a delayed reaction approach to individualized expression. This helps support multiple learning styles and promotes essential student participation throughout the teaching and learning process.
These are a few ways in which blogging can prove beneficial in today’s dynamic learning environments. Additional benefits include opening and stimulating dialog as well as strengthening support for the development of ideas and self-expression.
Characteristics Necessary for Succeeding in an Asynchronous Learning Envionment
An asynchronous learning environment offers a dynamic student-centered approach to the process of teaching and learning. This is accomplished by fostering the ideal that the effective use of instructional technologies enables learners to participate in the educational process, while continuing to pursue their personal and professional goals.
Learner characteristics play an important factor in one’s ability to succeed in an online or blended learning environment. The use of instructional technologies throughout this process, are important resources that facilitate asynchronous communication, while providing maximum flexibility to students. However, of equal relevance is the learner’s propensity toward academic focus, and their willingness to do a self-assessment of the personal qualities needed in order to effectively participate in an asynchronous or mixed-mode learning environment.
It is important that learners recognize personal traits that are conducive to their personal growth. They must possess exceptional communications skills, with the ability to verbalize their thoughts effectively, while communicating both face-to-face, and in writing. A progressive learning environment – one that provides face-to-face, as well as asynchronous learning opportunities, enables individuals to utilize a variety of cognitive skills throughout the educational process. This approach embellishes ideals that focus on implementing strategies that assist us with constructing and disseminating new and existing knowledge.
An individual participating in an asynchronous learning environment would need to display a great deal of vision in their quest to construct or disseminate new or existing knowledge. Seeking problems that exist within one’s environment requires a great deal of vision and insight. In order to uncover and document the realities of change in a particular environment, one must possess a deep sense of commitment.
Reflection is an important learner trait because a blended learning environment requires individuals to apply information throughout the educational process, while reflecting upon what has been learned. Flexible educational opportunities offer learners options that expand upon the typical limitations of conventional classroom instruction. This requires learner’s to possess traits that relate to personal independence. Students must be self-motivated in order to comply with the rigorous demands of the coursework, and will need to possess outstanding organizational skills, and enormous personal conviction, to insure that they do not find themselves left behind, and unable to keep up with the numerous assignments. A student’s ability to assess these personal traits is crucial in assuring their ongoing success in a dynamic learning environment.