We need to decide which technologies will fit the learning outcomes for our learners the most.
Due to a week off work, I have been able to do the second module of Learning to Teach Online this week too. (All content featured has been curated by the University of South Wales for Coursera). You can read about the first module here.
Module Learning Outcomes:
By engaging with the content, and completing the activities and related discussion in this module, you should be able to:
- Describe the advantages and disadvantages of open and closed technologies
- Develop an argument for choosing either an institutionally supported technology or one that is available on the open web
- Identify policies or strategies related to the use of technology in your own faculty, department, school, or educational institution
Overview Video
This course isn’t the ‘how’ of using technologies but this particular module will help with the understanding of the integration of different technologies from a pedagogical perspective. The institution’s LMS versus free tools will be explored and being able to make the decision between these technologies in an informed way is what this module will cover.
Setting a Learning Goal
Image available from here
For this module (chosen from a list):
Gain confidence with tools and methods that I can use in my practice.
For the whole MOOC (chosen from a list):
I want to gain knowledge about blended/online learning and use this to re-design my course(s).
Key Concepts Videos
Image available from here
Open and Institutionally supported technologies (Video 1)
Before you plan any online learning activity- you need to be aware of the options available to you so that you can decide what’s most appropriate for you and your learners.
LMS Benefits:
- Students and teachers can access things easily from one login
- Student performance data is built-in
- Help is readily available
- Management of data over a number of years is possible
- Duplication of content to classes is easy via admin logins
LMS Challenges:
- Daunting and challenging
- Other approaches provide more autonomy
Web 2.0 benefits:
- Complex admin set-up processes can be avoided
- Platform compatibility and versions of software are not an issue- enabling collaboration across institutions, with parents, employers etc.
- Privacy settings controlled by teachers and students rather than admin users
Web 2.0 challenges:
- We often need to manage learners’ access manually
- Different websites, passwords and logins can be a challenge for all involved
- Institution doesn’t have access to the data
- Institution may not provide technological support
A more integrated approach that draws on the benefits of both can be beneficial.
We need to decide which technologies will fit the learning outcomes for our learners the most. Speaking to colleagues to discover what has worked well for them and their learners is advised.
LMS or the Open Web? from a range of experts (Video 2)
Learning Management System/ Virtual Learning Environment- secure and centralised
Free Open Access Environment- web 2.0 technologies and mobile technologies- available to anyone
LMS Benefits:
- Assignment management is easy
- Gives learners an identity without any pressure from the public
- Provides data about learning
- A larger amount of support from the institution
LMS challenges:
- Licence fee- not free
- You need to pay for staff to support the technology
- Artificial piece of software- doesn’t reflect the normal way of working online
Web 2.0 benefits:
- Implement easily and quickly yourself
- Learners are already familiar with it
- Students feel comfortable in these arenas
- Learners are used to the structure of different websites
- A wider range of opportunities for communication and collaboration
Web 2.0 challenges:
- Tracking by the university becomes a challenge
- Even if it’s free, running it effectively may have a hidden cost
- What’s seen as being innovative today, in a year’s time, won’t be- I think this is applicable to the use of either an LMS or Web 2.0 though.
Blending the basics of an LMS with the real software at the right time
Safe, structured environment, with lots of scope for creativity within it
Blogs, wikis, real-time video interaction…into the mix- don’t just rely on the LMS. We can’t keep up with the likes of what Google are able to develop so we should instead integrate with things they can provide.
Using Google sites to build online portfolios (video 3)
Project work is the main focus at this school. A design portfolio has always been maintained and this had always been paper-based.
The purpose of using more online approaches was to enable learners to think outside of the square. Tactile handling of materials is the focus in the classroom and they make their learning visible via the online sites in their own time so the duration of lesson times isn’t solely used for reflection and portfolio creation.
Google sites was flexible, adaptable and could easily share with one another. They can also embed other aspects of the Google platform. Google sites allows the school to give complete control over the e-portfolio to the student.
Their final evaluation is conducted more as a 360 review so they offer evaluative comments to one another.
Pre-flight checklist for staff in creating the e-portfolios for their projects:
- What is the purpose?
- What are we trying to achieve?
- Ensure we have the time to plan and prepare
- The pedagogy is supported by the tools and not the other way around
- Secure help that’s needed at an early stage so that solutions are there from the start
Marking on the screen instead of on paper can be an added complication and something they’ll need to get used to.
A flipped learning approach is used so that learners come to the lesson to problem solve. Others use lesson time to demo/model the online learning aspect in order to build learners’ understanding of what this looks like and what the expectations are.
Technology shouldn’t get in the way of learning but should support and enable it.
Student views:
- Gives confidence to learners who don’t like the face-to-face aspects too much
- Feedback from peers is valued
- Time can be taken to reflect and evaluate properly
- The teacher is helpful when she briefs us about what to do and how to do it. When she knows what all the apps do, that helps us to navigate projects effectively.
Teachers: you can see the progress that’s being made, rather than waiting to view a portfolio that’s remained unseen at home for weeks.
It’s been a worthwhile experience to see staff work in new ways with their students and new thoughts about ways of approaching teaching & learning. Teachers value the opportunity to continually develop their skills.
Activities
Image available from here
Activity 1- This activity allows you to assess your own understanding and confidence about the use of open and institutionally supported (e.g. closed) technologies. The questions in the activity involve critical thinking helping you extend your understanding of how open and institutionally supported technologies work and what institutions require from their teachers in terms of following their policies to use technology. Based on your responses, you will be recommended suggested resources, modules and forums.
- Some technologies I want to use do not have a free version available
- Having to learn new technologies (more from a time perspective as I do enjoy it!)
These were the recommended resources to explore:
Discussion Forums
Image available from here
In the thread about using Google, I replied with the following:
I am a huge fan of Google. The work they have done with Google Classroom is the most interesating for me.It will soon be a fully-fledged VLE platform. Here’s a summary of my Google journey.Recently, my colleague has created a staff development record using Google forms and a couple of add-ons, which will means we can track the data from all of their entries to the appraisal, 1-1s and development log- for free! This kind of work excites me and makes me think there will soon be no reason for an institution to buy an LMS in the traditional sense.
In a thread on getting the most from your LMS, the following two sites were referenced:
Articulate (which was also mentioned at this event I recently attended)
CourseSites (which looks very interesting indeed)
One thread introduced some considerations when designing a website for learners to access. This is something I will return to as I tweak my own class website over the summer but this article suggests what affects the time users may spend on a webpage.
Some of the comments on the forum threads are about student reaction when faced with learning online: they disengage because they’d rather be given the information by their teacher than explore/create/curate it for themselves. I think a great disservice is being done to our learners’ development for future life if we give into this. We are not here to make things easy for them; we are here to educate them and learning is often difficult and challenging.
In the end, I couldn’t find what I wanted on the forums: real, solid examples of effective Moodle or Blackboard courses that have all of the great open technologies there too. I’d love to hear from you if you can help with this!
8 Responses