During this blogging journey I commented on:
http://ejournalbyroselynn.blogspot.com/2010/06/digital-natives-debate.html
http://universityteachingblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-does-changing-environment-of.html
http://annesictblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/higher-education-in-web-20-world.html
Blog Review: Roselyn
In reading Roselyn's blog I was privileged to share in a reflective journey. Over the course of her entries Roselyn drew on the assigned and additional reading, but also incorporated her own experience into the concepts and paradigms put forward in the research. The personal impact that this journey as having for Roselyn was obvious from her comments on how this learning experience would change her teaching or add to her teaching activities.
In her entry of 28 June, she reflected on the Web 2.0 and resolved to become more aware of the 'online life' of her students. The goal of knowing more about the backgrounds of students was further emphasised when Ros indicated that she intended to survey her students next semester. She re-emphasised the importance of knowing about (rather than making assumptions about) her students in the following post on digital natives. Again Ros' sensitivity to her student's needs was reflected in her analysis of the VARK questionnaire. She was keenly aware that her students will have a variety of learning styles and the ICT can be a useful tool in catering to those styles.
Ros also raised some really interesting points about the reasons why people go to university. It's not just about the learning but about the social and interactive aspects too. I think this is a really important point. The emphasis on learning being mobile and flexible is taking away from our understanding of the university experience as a social one. We learn more than just what is taught in class at university. For many students, it is the first adult environment we enter and remain in for a significant period, and is a fertile learning ground for social interaction, building friendships and future professional connections and learning to interact in adults environments.
Blog Review: Sheena
Sheena's blog was reflective of an interest in how technology is changing the way our students interact with information and what we should be doing about it. She showed a deep concern that 'deep learning' would be lost due to the way students skim of over materials without any engagement. She wants to ensure that technology is harnessed to 'encourage lifelong learning'. This is reflected in all of her reflective topics.
In her first blog, Sheena highlighted the need to use ICT with a learning purpose in mind. The value of the technology only lies in the use we put it to. I couldn't agree more. Sheena has also complemented her blog reflections with her own teaching and personal learning experiences. In her blog on learning styles, she used her own experience to reflect on learning activities that appeal to her preferred learning styles. She also reflected on her own experience with collaborative tools in her reflection on current trends in ICT. This experience clearly gave her a context through which she could better understand the issues. this was an valuable contribution.
Concluding Remarks
The advantage of having so many blogs is reflected in this review - it gives an opportunity for each student's personal focus to develop. The main theme of each person's blog became apparent as the writing activity went on. Seeing this development in action and the theme's drawn out in that manner really emphasises the value of journal writing and blogging for crystallising and organising thoughts.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
ICT Current Trends
A reflection on an academic article about ICT in tertiary education
The purpose of this post is to reflect on an academic article of my choice. I have recently read the executive summary and key sections of the report "The impact of web-based lecture technologies (WBLT) on current and future practice" (available at http://www.cpd.mq.edu.au/teaching/wblt/overview.htm)
The report arose out of a collaborative project between several universities, is sponsored by the Australian Teaching and Learning Council and covers a number of pieces of research.
The research focussed on the use of WBLTs by both students and lecturers and unsurprisingly found that while students were generally enthusiastic about the technology and the flexibility it gave them to hear lectures on their own terms, lecturers themselves were divided about their use, mostly because of the perception that student use of WBLTs was negatively affecting lecture attendance.
The research found that most students found WBLTs helpful (even those who also attended face-to-face lectures). It also had the advantage of acting as a revision tool and allowing students to absorb information at a slower pace than in the lecture.
The way I see it, the biggest problem here is lecture attendance. On the one hand, there are students who love not having to attend lectures and feel that they are getting the same outcome from using WBLTs and on the other there are lecturers who feel that lack of attendance is preventing them from interacting with the class and gauging understanding. Some lecturers are also not convinced that students do get the same outcome from WBLTs as from live lectures.
As I see it, there are two possible responses to this dilemma. Either we find ways to use technology to create online learning that allays lecturers fears of the inadequacy of online resources, or we make lecture time irreplaceable by online learning, by showing that lecture time is an interactive and collaborative experience that you need to be physically present to experience.
In the first model, WBLTs can be supplemented with other technologies that create liaisons and interaction between lecturers and students online (such as discussion boards etc). To make online materials more effective lecturers may have to move away from their traditional speech plus powerpoint style of presenting information.
In the second model, we need to make lecture time more interactive than simply watching a video or listening to audio. There needs to be some real value for students in attendance if we want them to attend.
The purpose of this post is to reflect on an academic article of my choice. I have recently read the executive summary and key sections of the report "The impact of web-based lecture technologies (WBLT) on current and future practice" (available at http://www.cpd.mq.edu.au/teaching/wblt/overview.htm)
The report arose out of a collaborative project between several universities, is sponsored by the Australian Teaching and Learning Council and covers a number of pieces of research.
The research focussed on the use of WBLTs by both students and lecturers and unsurprisingly found that while students were generally enthusiastic about the technology and the flexibility it gave them to hear lectures on their own terms, lecturers themselves were divided about their use, mostly because of the perception that student use of WBLTs was negatively affecting lecture attendance.
The research found that most students found WBLTs helpful (even those who also attended face-to-face lectures). It also had the advantage of acting as a revision tool and allowing students to absorb information at a slower pace than in the lecture.
The way I see it, the biggest problem here is lecture attendance. On the one hand, there are students who love not having to attend lectures and feel that they are getting the same outcome from using WBLTs and on the other there are lecturers who feel that lack of attendance is preventing them from interacting with the class and gauging understanding. Some lecturers are also not convinced that students do get the same outcome from WBLTs as from live lectures.
As I see it, there are two possible responses to this dilemma. Either we find ways to use technology to create online learning that allays lecturers fears of the inadequacy of online resources, or we make lecture time irreplaceable by online learning, by showing that lecture time is an interactive and collaborative experience that you need to be physically present to experience.
In the first model, WBLTs can be supplemented with other technologies that create liaisons and interaction between lecturers and students online (such as discussion boards etc). To make online materials more effective lecturers may have to move away from their traditional speech plus powerpoint style of presenting information.
In the second model, we need to make lecture time more interactive than simply watching a video or listening to audio. There needs to be some real value for students in attendance if we want them to attend.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
A vision of students today
We watched the following video as part of the ED6114 course:
It was very interesting and powerfully presented, but I found upon reading the blog of the professor behind the project (http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=119) that the data used to come up with the statistics that are so powerful to the film was not necessarily accurate. For example, on the blog it is stated that the question asked in relation to getting the statistic "I will write 42 pages for class this semsester" was "On average, how many pages do you write for your classes each semester?"
From this question, it is unclear whether the question was referring to pages per class during a semester or pages total for all classes in the semester.
Again, in reference to the "I will read 8 books this year" statistic, the question that was asked was "how many books have you read this year?" There was confusion as to whether this meant this semester, the year from january on, or the academic year from teh previous July.
It was very interesting and powerfully presented, but I found upon reading the blog of the professor behind the project (http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=119) that the data used to come up with the statistics that are so powerful to the film was not necessarily accurate. For example, on the blog it is stated that the question asked in relation to getting the statistic "I will write 42 pages for class this semsester" was "On average, how many pages do you write for your classes each semester?"
From this question, it is unclear whether the question was referring to pages per class during a semester or pages total for all classes in the semester.
Again, in reference to the "I will read 8 books this year" statistic, the question that was asked was "how many books have you read this year?" There was confusion as to whether this meant this semester, the year from january on, or the academic year from teh previous July.
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