After reading Lisa Lane’s article, I feel that course management system is a trap especially if you are a talented teacher and find it hard to apply your creative techniques in an online class vs. an f2f classroom setting. The trap being, that the online class is already set up for the teacher, in which they have already built in pedagogy for the teacher, which limits the talented teacher to teach. It is more of a “cookie cutter” approach to teaching. In the course management system setting, your new lecture is the “discussion board”. However several facilitators use this online classroom approach successfully. I for one like the online classroom setting as it gives me time to think about what I want to say in the discussion board and I do not feel rushed as I do in a regular classroom setting. I am not the type to raise my hand, in order to be called on because I don’t want to be the one to “feel stupid” if I ask a stupid question. This is what is nice about the online class when you ask a question, you do not get the body language or looks from the students as you would in a regular classroom setting if you were to ask a “stupid question”.
Another disadvantage to course management systems is that the instructor’s role is to provide a rich learning environment, and in order to do that there needs to be social interaction, self-assessment, and independent projects. These techniques are better supported by the learning management systems that encourage such pedagogy at the novice level. The more the course management system promotes traditional pedagogy, the more likely it will limit faculty creativity and flexibility and creativity are the foundations of academic freedom and good teaching. This is not to say that it is not possible to be creative and flexible in using course management systems, it all depends on how much the teacher knows and how computer savvy they are to utilize the software they are teaching from.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Journal Entry Mod 2 Part 1
Part One:
With all this new technology in the 21st century, there have been times that I have felt overwhelmed. For the most part I love a challenge, but since all the new technology I feel that I need to keep up with all the latest and greatest technology out there. However, I do make sure I keep up with the basic technology that is required from me to help me with my job. Then I get bored with what I know and need to find new ways to challenge myself. This is one reason I am taking this masters degree in order to “update” the Probation Department on what is out there and how we can communicate and utilize the new ways of using the internet and we as probation officers can “work smarter and not harder” to help us relieve some general questions that are asked of us with the demand of our high caseloads. I feel if I can get a website set up for parents and their children who are on probation and inform them that there is a place on the web to get information. For example: about locations around their town that work with kids that offer community service hours, a place to go and get a mental health evaluation done, therapist in town or drug and alcohol counselors in town. This would be a great start and asset to helping the child to succeed while on probation and off. Let along a blog for the parents or child to ask questions about probation or the Courts system. I feel this would be a wonderful tool to start out with and it will also help out the probation officer to give to their clients as a “one stop shop” for all their resources and questions the child and parent may have.
With all this new technology in the 21st century, there have been times that I have felt overwhelmed. For the most part I love a challenge, but since all the new technology I feel that I need to keep up with all the latest and greatest technology out there. However, I do make sure I keep up with the basic technology that is required from me to help me with my job. Then I get bored with what I know and need to find new ways to challenge myself. This is one reason I am taking this masters degree in order to “update” the Probation Department on what is out there and how we can communicate and utilize the new ways of using the internet and we as probation officers can “work smarter and not harder” to help us relieve some general questions that are asked of us with the demand of our high caseloads. I feel if I can get a website set up for parents and their children who are on probation and inform them that there is a place on the web to get information. For example: about locations around their town that work with kids that offer community service hours, a place to go and get a mental health evaluation done, therapist in town or drug and alcohol counselors in town. This would be a great start and asset to helping the child to succeed while on probation and off. Let along a blog for the parents or child to ask questions about probation or the Courts system. I feel this would be a wonderful tool to start out with and it will also help out the probation officer to give to their clients as a “one stop shop” for all their resources and questions the child and parent may have.
Journal Entry Mod 2 Part 2
Part Two:
After viewing Dr. Wesch’s videos it really put things into perspective for me. It reiterated to me that I still do not know all the cool and exciting things out there in regards to the World Wide Web and how we in this world of digital communication communicate. The light bulb went on when the video was showing how chalkboards use to be the way of communication. With the 21st century of the world of digital it has brought us a long way from the chalkboard and we are spending less time having to write lectures over and over on the chalkboards. With the new smart boards all we have to do is just type our lectures once and save them for our next class we may teach. We can also add graphics and video to our learning along with getting faster results when we are looking for resources to help us on what we want to learn or know about.
After viewing Dr. Wesch’s videos it really put things into perspective for me. It reiterated to me that I still do not know all the cool and exciting things out there in regards to the World Wide Web and how we in this world of digital communication communicate. The light bulb went on when the video was showing how chalkboards use to be the way of communication. With the 21st century of the world of digital it has brought us a long way from the chalkboard and we are spending less time having to write lectures over and over on the chalkboards. With the new smart boards all we have to do is just type our lectures once and save them for our next class we may teach. We can also add graphics and video to our learning along with getting faster results when we are looking for resources to help us on what we want to learn or know about.
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