A reaction to Anderson and the ideal mix of online stakeholder participation
There is a good summary of definitions that lead to the overall idea that distance education is intertwined with media that encourages student-teacher-content interaction for a variety of benefit in the acquisition and use of the learning.
It is not surprising that there is no universally superior method for reaching all students in distance education, but it does seem to mimic the classroom quite closely. A varity of strategies are needed to provide students with the stimulation and subsequent motivation that will best lead to learning in their case. I can relate to Anderson’s report that some students actually choose classes based on either extensive or limited amounts of interaction with the teacher and fellow students. I would say that theat also mimics the in class behaviors of students… and myself. I definitely look at graduate classes as less engaging of my whole person than the other “real life” around me. I have always cringed a little when asked to interact too much with people that I know I will no longer see at the end of a class in a traditional classroom setting. There are always issues of unreliability when it comes to group work and projects, too, but I suppose that is equally true in traditional and online classrooms.
I suppose, too, that in the pursuit of variety in distance learning methods there is the danger of students feeling overwhelmed with technological prerequisites. In an ELL classroom the support of a face-to-face meeting with the teacher is instrumental for supporting the new technologies, but that comfort is undoubtedly stretched by the distance classroom (as Dan is no doubt an expert in dealing with). The idea that student-student interaction is possibly deemphasized with no loss of overall learning may be less applicable to teenage learners for whom interpersonal communication/relationships are of the utmost importance, and online relationships are increasingly seen as very real and satisfying.
I guess I am a little unclear on what content to content interaction really means. Is content really meaning the media of communication? The skills and knowledge to be gained by a student? The products of a student’s work? All of these? If so, how does it interact? I just stopped off and saw Dan’s Terminator reference in our 530 class discussion thread.. Ha!
With Anderson’s closing paragraph he raises the prospect of educator nervousness about “loss of control” with a student centered model of instruction rings true to me. I just tested Wikispaces to see how much control kids would have to post garbage on an online discussion. How vigilant must I be? I guess I am part of that group!
Having just come now from Peyton’s “Interaction Via Computers” I am further questioning the role of such an activity as a class WIKI if the participants aren’t going to be using it long enough to create a sense of decorum fitting to a class. there is definitely a chance for the class that is not dependent on computers for distance education to see it as only an amusing diversion and the at the “real” work is in the classroom. Hmm. I wonder how difficult this would be to police. I do like the idea overall because I have long suspected that group interaction is stunted because of the social and emotional risks that must be overcome in a classroom discussion.
I look forward to experimenting!
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5 comments:
There's no doubt that letting go is a scary thing. We're all grown up and have worked in a setting that discourages this approach to teaching. Not only do teachers want control, but in many ways, students do as well. They know it, understand it, and expect it.
However, like anything else, engage your fears to overcome them :)
Go ahead with your plan to use a wiki. Give them open access to it and clear instructions that they must stay on the straight and narrow. Also tell them that you receive an email each time there is a change on the site and you see EVERYTHING (can't hurt at least).
In this way, is it any different from the classroom. Well....yes, you see/hear all and have proof about who did it. Actually sounds like more control in some ways, doesn't it? :)
Dan
Hi Doug, I was wondering if you had any ideas at this point how you would like to use Wiki for your class? I too am thinking of trying it, but, since I will only be teaching conversation classes, I might have to make it some kind of assignment outside of class. Or, if I have a special program going in the summer, maybe I will consider it then as well.
In response to Dan's posting, I was just thinking that the ability to monitor students in an online forum really just takes practice. For example, I recently observed a high school Spanish Level 1 class with about 25 students. I have never taught this many students at one time nor have I taught adolescence. So I was amazed at how the teacher saw and heard EVERYTHING while still teaching. I thought "Wow ... this is a skill I need to learn." I'm thinking this is the same for online environments. We as teachers just need to learn what to look for, when to look for it and how to monitor it while we still teach. Just a guess but I'm thinking you learn as you go and as Dan said you just need to do it! :)
Stefanie
John and Stefanie-
I don't know how the experience will go. A conversation that works toward a polished understanding seems good. I don't know if it can fairly be called a conversation if it is just a continued polishing. I want to avoid huge volumes of work I don't keep track of... since this is all through a traditional school setting that has enough work already to keep me busy. I just have to get off my rear and try it!
Doug
Good point Stefanie. You're absolutely right about hearing EVERYTHING. Many of my Spanish I and II students think that when I give them an opportunity to work in pairs preparing/practicing dialogs etc. that it is an opportunity to catch up on what they did over the weekend. They are truly shocked when I make a comment from across the room about what they just said. They can't believe I could hear them.
We'll have to use those same listening skills to the open forums. And just as I never let it go without responding in the "real" classroom, I won't overlook misconduct in the "virtual" classroom either.
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