Wikis in Online/Distance Education Presentation...

Static & Dynamic Learning Technologies Continuum…

There is a range of learning technologies within the areas of communication, collaboration, and content in education. The spectrum includes dynamic, middle, and static technologies. Technologies that are included in these areas are found in the concept map on the previous posting. Both types of technologies are used and needed in education, the important choice from a pedagogical perspective is what type of technology is appropriate for the learning outcomes of the learning activity or series of activities. A balance must be struck between the purpose and uses of the static and dynamic learning technologies and their instructional benefit for what needs to be learned.

Static technology examples for the area of communication include web pages, emails, podcasts, videocasts, screencasts, and other forms of static text. Collaboration in static learning technologies are not interactive and include email and text as examples. Content is disseminated through static learning technologies such as web pages, eBooks, and podcasts or videocasts to name a few. These technologies are used to disseminate information and are not easily adapted towards constructing new knowledge for students but rather are ways to disseminate knowledge. Dynamic learning technologies for the area of communication, collaboration, and content exchange include blogs, wikis, voicethreads, and discussion boards. By design these technology tools are intended to be shared, interacted with, created and co-created. In other words these technologies enable students to use, manipulate, and add to so that individuals can collectively create, share, and construct knowledge. Middle technologies between these two areas include the limited ability to use, remix, or expand in a limited way.

Since the goal of education is for students to construct their own knowledge dynamic technologies provide ways for meaningful interactions of content, collaboration, and communication. However static technologies are necessary to provide a basis for knowledge construction that is guided by and anchored in accepted knowledge. Without this background subjective and potentially useless knowledge could be generated that cannot be used for any industry or learning community. Both ranges in the continuum are necessary and should be considered components in the overall learning process.

References:

Fahy, J. (2008). Characteristics of interactive online learning media, (pp. 143-166). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

McGreal, R., & Elliott, M.(2008). In Anderson, T. (2nd ed.), Technologies of online learning (e-learning), (pp. 167-200). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Moller, L. (2008). Static and dynamic technological tools. [Unpublished Paper].

Static vs Dynamic Technologies Concept Map

Final Wikis in Distance Online Education Video Presentation

Click on this link or look above to view this presentation.

http://voicethread.com/share/1760665/

Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools…

New tools and strategies must be used to ensure that the quality of online distance education continually improves and provides for the needs of the learner. The mind map in the previous post provides a visual that demonstrates the tools that can be utilized to engage online learners and maximize the learning that takes place within the online learning environment. Content, communication, and collaboration provide the basic framework for online learning. The tools and how they are used provide the strategies for increasing learning outcomes for students. Asynchronous communication tools are necessary for anyone to participate in online learning. Examples are included in the mind map below but include discussion boards, ideas exchange via blogs and wikis, and taking advantage of the many web 2.0 tools that do not necessitate synchronous communication and collaboration. However it is important to provide the opportunity to interact synchronously through video conferencing with tools such as Skype, texting, and real-time collaboration via GoogleDocs or a similar read-write-web tool that provides chatting and collaborating at the same time. I want to emphasize that the tools for engagement on the mind map are purposely as broad as possible to the actual software that can be used as the tools. For example, Skype is one way to interact and have a video conference live through the webcam, however other tools such as Google’s video chat provide the same type of interaction. The web tools can be more useful than specific applications that meet the needs of the tools.

Durrington, Berryhill, and Swafford (2006) highlight three important strategies in online teaching which include a learning environment that is set up to be supportive and open with clear learning tasks and assessments communicated effectively, asynchronous learning tasks such as discussion boards that are clear and designed to create virtual conversations that are connected with the learning  objectives for the course, and creating a series of learning tasks that are problem-based and can be displayed and communicated within the online classroom environment. Palloff & Pratt (2007) state that, “collaboration and the ability to promote interdependence is a critical element in the formation of an online learning community…it is important that the instructor in an online course pay close attention to ways collaboration can be incorporated and facilitated throughout the course” (p. 183). It is essential that the e-teacher must be technically competent and capable of learning new technologies as well as resilient and adaptive to the new and emerging technology tools in online distance learning (Anderson, 2008).

All of these ideas convey two important things about the online learning environment. One is that despite the context of learning, whether face-to-face synchronously or virtual asynchronously, that the students must be set up to include idea exchange, collaboration, communication, and adequate ways of demonstrating and assessing knowledge that is connected to the learning outcomes of the course. Second, good teaching is necessary in both face-to-face and virtual learning environments but the strategies and learning tasks that make up good teaching must be modified to meet the needs of the learning communities in the two different contexts. Each learning environment must include a different set of teaching and learning tools that meet the needs of the classroom community in its context.

References:

Anderson, T. (2008). In Anderson, T. (2nd ed.), Teaching in an online context, (pp. 343-365). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190−193. 

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Siemens, G. (2008, January). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITForum.

Distance Education: Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools