So far I have found the technology-related assignments useful and fun.
I like discovering new Web 2.0 capabilities and this course gives me a good chance to actually try them out.
The one assignment so far I found particularly useful is the collaboration WIKI project. I had dipped my toe (so to speak) into the WIKI waters in another course. I understood that it could be used to collaborate but until I actually did this project, I never realized the extent it could be used. I like getting the email notifications of changes. That’s almost like a RSS feed except better because the changes are precisely highlighted. Very useful. I will be attempting some sort of WIKI activity in my classroom in the future.
I haven’t found the activities all that difficult yet although as I write this I have yet to attempt the Google Maps activity for this week. I viewed the examples and it looks like fun. I’m anxious to try it out.
Video, screen-captured demonstrations, and POD casts seem to be powerful tools for Web based instruction. I would have liked to seen some of that in this course. Hearing, or better yet seeing the instructor would go a long way toward giving this inherently impersonal medium a human touch.
I’m excitedly looking forward to the lessons ahead, especially the technology related parts. I can't say that I'm a big fan of the text. I know theory is important but I would like the authors to give more practically useful information. That being said, getting the opportunity to actually try out new technology is really interesting and fun.
3 comments:
That is wonderful to hear that you are going to use the WIKI in your classroom...wish it was available when I was in school!
I would think it would be really hard to write a class that everyone loved because everyone is going to learn in a different way. I guess for me I like online because I don't have to listen to a teacher lecture, I just need to do my research and my homework. For most face to face classes I have found that I feel like being in class is a waste of time, so videos would frustrate me. However, you say they would help you.. so that presents a challenge for the teachers .. just a thought.
Joseph,
I agree the textbook is not that great. I understand this is a “masters” class and it is “theory” based, but a textbook with some technology “how-to” would have helped me. It sounds like you have some prior experience with some of the technology tasks in this class, but most of it is new to me. It would have helped me if an additional (optional) text should was offered to explain the steps in doing some of the assigned tasks. Perhaps a “Dummies” like book???
Jeff Tyler
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