Instructor’s Reflections on Lesson 3 Discussion Topics

Here are my reflections on Lesson 3 discussion topics to help you to conclude each discussion topics. 

 

KEY-1-Online Technology: Instructor's Reflection: The Media Debate

I really enjoy reading many your posting in analyzing how online technology may impact learning, particularly I like many of you analyze web 2.0 or social network technologies.

While reading your posting, it reminds me The Media Debate, or called, Kozma-Clark Debate. I would like to use this classic debate to conclude our discussion in this thread.

It is a classic debate on whether media/technology influencing learning.

Clark's argument: Teaching methods have the most influence on learning. Media is merely a delivery device and has no significant difference in the learning outcome.

Kozma's believes and what Clark believes is that media could and should be used more than a vehicle for delivery.

 

If you are not familiar with this debate, I encourage you to conduct more readings on Kozma-Clark Debate

 

Are you on Kozma's or Clark's side?

With Web 2.0 or social network technology, is Kozma-Clark debate still relevant to online learning?

 

Challenge yourself with these questions.

Online technologies and learning interaction.  

We must remember online technologies or social media are not inherently social (Siemen & Cormier, 2009) or interactive. Online technologies are social and interactive only when an individual perceive its use to interact with others.  For teachers, they are social and interactive only when we apply interactive online instructional strategies to design effective online learning activities to engage our online learners.

 

Here are a few questions to help you to challenge your understanding in online learning.

Within all six types of interactions, what interactions are more critical to online learning?

 

Technology is critical to online learning.  Why is technology not included in the six types of online interaction?  Shouldn't learner-interface/technology interaction be critical?

If online technology shouldn't be seen as replicating FTF instructions, what role should online learning play in human learning?

 

References

Siemens, G., & Cormier, D. (2009, July 8). Social media: Trends and implications for learning. Retrieved July 8, 2009, from http://aace.org/GlobalU/seminars/socialmedia/

 

KEY-2-Online Multimedia: Instructor's Reflections

Online multimedia tends to be in more linear learning format which is generally is not considered as effective and personalized learning design.  Have you read and heard about Khan Academy's debates? If not, see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/khan-academy-readers-weigh-in/2012/08/02/gJQA83rW9W_blog.html

I would like you to challenge yourself with these questions to wrap up our discussion: how can we make online multimedia more effective for learners? Any way to improve linear-format and make it more personalized? If multimedia is all we need for online learning, doesn't it mean we don't need online instructors? All we need to just to purchase some online multimedia content.  Correct?!

 

KEY-3-Discussion Board: Instructor's Reflection

I hope you have better understanding on the importance of online discussion in online learning.  Online discussion board is considered one of the most effective instructional strategies to engage learners in knowledge construction and to teach critical thinking skills.  Educators continue to integrate asynchronous online discussions boards to enhance learning in completely online, hybrid, or Web-enhanced instructions because research has evidently concluded that online discussions support learners and instructors to challenge, reform, and synthesize their current views of knowledge through in-depth interaction with other learners.  Researchers agree that asynchronous online discussions frame a constructivist learning approach to enhance interaction, analysis, and collaboration of discussion participants and critical thinking skills.  More specifically, research has concluded that asynchronous threaded discussions effectively facilitate learners' meta-cognitive awareness and development of self-regulatory processes and strategies.

 

Do you know different methods of learning may result in different amount of information that is retained? Learning retention (Sousa, 1998)

Lecture = 5%

Reading = 10%

Audiovisual = 20%

Demonstration = 30%

Discussion Group = 50%

Practice by doing = 75%

Teach others / immediate use of learning = 90%

Sousa, D.A. (1998).  Learning Manual for How the Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

ETC645 highly values online discussion and learner-facilitate online discussion.  Our intention is to reach higher learning effectiveness (50%-90%). So please do actively and interactive participate, contribute, and facilitate our online lesson discussions.

 

KEY-4-VT & Flipgrid-Instructor's Reflection: Multimodality Representations (MMR)

When we think of online learning activities, what probably comes to mind first is using computers to participate in text-based online learning. In fact, online learning activities are not limited to text-based communication, to computers, nor to online discussions. Instead, they can be implemented as multimodality representations (MMR). The media can be text, audio, video, or all three. The devices can be computers, telephones, tablets, or smartphones. The tools can be VoiceThread, Vialogues, or Twitter.

 

Activities can involve online discussions, storytelling, language learning, drama, and more. With the features of multimodalities representation, open network learning can become more creative and diversified and move beyond desktop computers to meet learners' personal needs, as well as reflect social and cultural contexts. It is among your responsibilities to ensure that the integrated online instructions are interactive and to foster and facilitate learners' creativity and learning needs.

 

MMR is a powerful way to engage learners in active learning. Don't limit your MMR design to online discussion activities or the VoiceThread tool. Digital storytelling, language learning, or drama learning can also be used effectively. Vialogues, blogs, Twitter, or Facebook can help you achieve effective MMR instruction as well. Remember, many MMR tools allow students to comment by using multimedia formats and different devices, such as mobile devices.