Week 4 R/D5

The Internet and the Web have had and will continue to have an impact on all educational levels. As the question “1a” from the text implies, the impact will be different at each of them. The questions asks me to reflect “based on what you know…indicate whether you think the Internet and Web will have …” Here’s what I think:

At grade levels K-12 the Internet will have a smaller impact that in higher education. Young people, I’m including 8-18 yr olds in this, cannot handle much of the self directed nature of internet instruction. Web based activities will continue to play a supporting role but Thomas Edison’s proclamation that books will be obsolete in schools will continue to go unfulfilled. I think that what the author describes on page 24 of our text will continue to hold true in K-12:

“As a new medium enters the educational scene, there is a great deal of initial interest and much enthusiasm about the effects it is likely to have on instructional practices, However, enthusiasm and interest eventually fade, and examination reveals that the medium has had a minimal impact on such practices.”

On the other hand, higher education and adult education will continue to radically be changed and ultimately overtaken by web based instruction. Adults are more mature and motivated to learn whether in class or on their own. Many lecture type college classes can be better delivered on the web through the use of interactive media. Pressure on “traditional” schools to offer more online courses will continue to build due to competition from accredited “virtual universities.” As more studies are done and pedagogies improve, online will continue to improve and change what we think about higher education. As internet connection speed and bandwidth continues to increase, more innovative and rich methods for education delivery will come about.