Kane says: we all freezing today? Dinah says: it's sunny in manitoba today Fredvw says: it is snowing and blowing in toonronto Kane says: always sunny there :) Moiram says: not in Sudbury...snow...snow and more snow! Gretchen says: manitoba - c-o-l-d! Dinah says: remember, it's a dry cold here though Lindak says: how long before we start Kane says: I'll wait for a minute then we shall have to get started Warrenw says: are we waiting for a fixed number, point in time or is this the interaction advertised? Ray says: hi Warrens Ray says: " I agree Warrens, is there any content? Warrenw says: hi ray, did you get my question before you left bank Kane says: Well, hi everyone. My name is Jeff McLaughlin Ray says: Warrens "no I didn't get the question' Gretchen says: as instructors, do you havew to type this in real time? Kane says: I would like to make 10 comments and observations concerning the student -teacher experience using internet teaching systems Warrenw says: for me thios is real time Kane says: I would ask that you save your questions until the end of each comment and save any general questions, or questions to issues I don't raise for the end Kane says: I will also be putting KEY POINTS in capitals for ease. Kane says: My talk will be about the varius things that I have learned while teaching on the Internet. I have taught courses in Philosophy so far by means of real classroom lecture, interactive television, email, audiconferencing, the MAUD and to a lesser extent the Web Kane says: Point 1: Technology is a tool and your institution's focus should be on the instructor, the student, the course, and NOT on the educational telecommunication. Too often I have heard of course topics being mangled to fit with the latest technological trend. ASK: CAN WE MAKE THIS COURSE BETTER BY USING THE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES. IF NOT, DON'T DO IT. Kane says: comments? questions? Gretchen says: But isn't the Interenet an ideal medium for delivering distance courses? Mum says: How do you know at the Mum says: how do you know at the beginning whether a technology is appropriate for a subject or not? Lindak says: so far my attention is focussed totally on the technology and boy am I frustrated! It moves so lslowly! Why are we doing this in readl time? Moiram says: maybe we should be looking at whether the technology suits the method of delivery rather that the actual subject? Kane says: Gretchen: Yes it CAN be but there are many facets to the Internet, lists, email, etc. some of these work better than others given the topics, (e.g. are their graphics, is there group work etc.) Gretchen says: I believe the greatest barrier is grading and evaluation Kane says: Mum: you need to have an overview of what your course entails, in terms of what you want the student to get out of it, and how you want them to do that. Kane says: Lindak: your point is well taken and it's one of my later points. Gretchen says: I can see one disadvantage to this technology! The instructor has to talk to 66 people at the same time :-) Kane says: Point 2: In trying to figure out 'what will work' I find that the need for a hybrid approach is crucial. Don't rely on just one method of transmitting information as you will a) be placing all your eggs in one basket (and risk tech. problmes and delays) and b) you will isolate those students who don't learn the same way you do: some need to hear information, others need to see it, others need to ahve it demonstrated Lindak says: isnsay does anyone know of any research on the use of the new technologies other than BATES book? Kane says: Gretchen: but we have to talk to 66 people at one time in the classroom, of course that is not managable so you need to set some ground rules no matter where you are Lindak says: Technology, Open Learning and Distance Education Moiram says: I think the comments so far illustrate your point number 2. Some people are finding this process very frustrating...I on the other hand am enjoying having the time to ponder on what everyone has to say. Ray says: 'Robin Mason, Computer Conferencing: The Last Word Beach Holme Press, 1993 is greatSo is Collaborate Learning Through Computer Conferenceing by Anthonly Kaye, NATO ASI series, 1991.And there's a good one from a woman at Simon Fraser, but I forget her name. Kane says: Point 3: DONT LET THE COURSE CONTENT BE TRANSFORMED INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DELIVERY. e.g. don't let students turn the history course into a course about 'how to learn and master the internet'. I learned this lesson quickly. Set aside time and a place for those 'technical' or 'how to' questions Gretchen says: couldn't you make the Internet a prerequisite course first? Mum says: Another good reference is Classrooms with A Difference; A Practical Guide to the Use of Conferencing Technologies, EJ. Burge and J.M. Roberts Lindak says: or perhaps a university prep course Ray says: Kane, I'm not geting anything through Kane says: Point 4: What many of you are now experiencing for the first time is what it is like for your students. Dont think that just because you are comfortable with one thing that everyone will be. Students, like faculty, need orientation, training, and reassurance. This can be done with study guides, trouble shooting handbooks, lab demos, peer tutors, and the like. Here the MAUD offers a automatic tutorial unlike most other Muds or Moos. Students need to realize that this is an important form of communication. Kane says: any other ways to help students? Gretchen says: I can see where this would be a very effective format with the excpetion that you cannot control threads Jo says: I'm lost Kane says: one way Gretchen is to have people go off into group discussions. Threads develop and you can pull people in here the same way as in a class: e.g., tell them to save their comments or use: tell player message instead of 'say Mum says: for me the pace of this is very slow and I don't have any clues as at what is going to happen next most of the time. Kane says: I am purposely going slow because this is the first time for many of you Mum says: This is to be a half hour session - will we be able to cover all 10 points in that time? Kane says: often the discussion can be quick and you may lose your place so to speak Warrenw says: I understand your concern mum, it is similar to my own, what greatly concerns me is that if i were one of my students i would fall asleep Kane says: Next, YOU SHOULDN'T EXPECT PERFECTION. Don't wait until someone else has perfected the technology or the delivery. They won't. But if you think that your students will benefit, go for it. Other institutions will...and will make progress...into your market Jo says: say we need some content to discuss Kane says: Next, technology requires you first to learn it. Here you tend to focus on the method not the content. Jusst like when you first learned how to drive a car. you were more concerned about the brake and gas, and the speed than getting from A to B. Having the fanciest technology will not make getting from A to B easier if the person in the drivers seat has not been trained properly or if it breakdown. One will get beyond this stage quickly howeever. Raymodd says: "I am Raymond but have changed my name to Raymodd in a desperate attempt to fool the computer into giving me more information. Kane says: POOR COURSE DESIGN, INAPPROPRIATE TECHNOLGOY AND EVEN BAD ATTITUDES WILL BE A BARRIER. PROVIDING OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES WILL HELP THE STUDENTS OWN LEARNING. Kane says: On the maud we ahve classrooms, boards, social areas etc. all so that the student can come and go at their will and spend time learning. Let the classroom then, be but one part of the learning experience Margareth says: I came late, so perhaps you've already discussed this. What advantage is there to a MAUD for student-teacher interaction? Kane says: This experience should not be passive as say in simply reading Web pages. You need a place for synchronous and aysnchronous interaction. Margareth says: I agree, but conferencing systems such as First Class offer that as well. Kane says: This interaction finally, entails that YOU will become more interactive with your students. The on line system forces students to interact rather than be passive Margareth says: Kane, when you use it for teaching, do you have regular times that your students must meet on the MAUD Jo says: to die of boredom Kane says: You will find that you will become more accessible to the student as both the instructor and as a person. Its not just a matter of lecturing for an hour and leaving but saying hi to someone on the system, answering email, reading board postings etc Kane says: I hold regular meetings where students come on to discuss issues, then they can freely do one of the role playing simulations, post responses and replies to questions on boards etc...I see them on at all times of the day. Kane says: It makes the education student centered rather than classroom centered Mum says: do students have particular tasks they are logging on to complete? I'd really like a concrete example of what students would do in a specific course. Thanks Kane says: or institutionally centered Margareth says: but what are the advantages of a MAUD over a conferencing system such as First Class or Lotus Notes? Kane says: Mum: for ex. I will post a message on a board, the student will have to reply to it and other student postings to develop threads of discussion. They will also have to do various tutorials based on readings and respond. Kane says: this is not just a conferencing system Kane says: it is that and more, in that it permits the development of interactive packages to fit with a course. Kane says: students can interact with each other or with the computer Margareth says: tell me more about the interactive packages. Kane says: for e.g., I have areas where they have to decide whether to perform euthanasia on a 'patient' or not...their action carries them to a new scene or room.. Lindak says: lets see a sample Margareth says: I'd like to discuss this more, I'm beginning to see the possibility of develping simulations, but I would like to know more about how they work. Kane says: you can try out a tutorial if you wish later Mum says: Yes, please, how do we do that? Kane says: I can give you directions, or you can take the mini-tour (where you can go and play in one) Mum says: I'm going to attend another session, so could you give the directions. Kane says: I think the key to all of this is that the MAUD provides a variety of ways to interact, some will be more suitable than others, but it nicely extends the classroom into a community of learning. Kane says: I will put a posting up on the board for those of you who wish to try one of my tutorials. Kane says: Thanks. Dinah says: thanks kane Mum says: Thank you Margareth says: thanks, Kane Fredvw says: merci Lindak says: thanks Sunshine says: thank you Kane Sharonm says: how many students in a class? One advantage to the MAUD remote are Jo says: how do I get to be somewhere else Nan says: how do you get to the plenary room? Nan says: yes I'm in South Porcupine. How did you know? Nan says: Jane Blackwell, of course. Logging has been disabled. MENU | SEMINARS