I'm so excited! I finally know what Moodle is! I have seen the name Moodle before, and always wondered what it was, but never bothered to investigate. After completing Assignment 1 (in which I chose to research Moodle for one of the applications) I know what Moodle is!
I had no idea that there were free learning management systems available out there. I learned that Moodle isn't really absolutely free, because there are maintenance costs associated with it (servers, using commercial companies to host it- if you want large scale capability), possible costs for training, etc. However, I was excited to learn that there is a free system that has minimal costs associated with it for training, etc.
Someday I'd love to teach part of an elementary school unit using a learning management system... maybe Moodle will be the one! Only time will tell, but it seems like a good option- it provides discussion areas, wiki areas, polling features- lots of asynchronous communication tools. Even though I would probably have my students accessing Moodle at the same time (i.e. during our computer lab slot) I think it would be a good way to ease 4th graders into distance learning. Something to think about for someday!
Sarah
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Net Generation
The Net Generation. A generation that I, apparently, am not a part of. First of all, it is kind of strange to not be in the youngest generation anymore. I guess for a while I was used to being part of the younger generation- the one that was familiar with computers, the internet, strange music, fashionable clothes, etc. But, according to Diana Oblinger, I missed the Net Generation by about 2 years. Oh well.
I definitely don't quite fit in the Net Generation anyways. I can remember life without the internet. I actually remember my first academic experience using the internet- being required to use the interent as a research tool for a French project in my junior year of high school- 1996-97. Seems like a long time ago.
I don't have a virtual life, or at least I don't really think I do. I don't dabble in virtual worlds, or have any avatars to my name. I don't play with my identity online, but all of this does sound kind of fun! Maybe I'll have to try it out sometime.
One way that I do fit into the Net Generation is my expectation that I can do everything on the internet. If I am trying to find information and I can't locate what I want on the interent, I get very frustrated. I get frustrated by that the hotel who doesn't show reservation availability online, or the restaurant who doesn't post their menu online.
I guess I don't totally fit into the Net Generation, but I can see hints of it in myself.
Sarah
I definitely don't quite fit in the Net Generation anyways. I can remember life without the internet. I actually remember my first academic experience using the internet- being required to use the interent as a research tool for a French project in my junior year of high school- 1996-97. Seems like a long time ago.
I don't have a virtual life, or at least I don't really think I do. I don't dabble in virtual worlds, or have any avatars to my name. I don't play with my identity online, but all of this does sound kind of fun! Maybe I'll have to try it out sometime.
One way that I do fit into the Net Generation is my expectation that I can do everything on the internet. If I am trying to find information and I can't locate what I want on the interent, I get very frustrated. I get frustrated by that the hotel who doesn't show reservation availability online, or the restaurant who doesn't post their menu online.
I guess I don't totally fit into the Net Generation, but I can see hints of it in myself.
Sarah
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Learning or Communication?
I am starting with a post from a blog found at http://www.distance-educator.com/blog/saba/?p=6. The blog considers the meaning of asynchronous and synchronous learning versus asynchronous and synchronous communication.
The blogger posed a question regarding students who experience delayed interaction due to a number of reasons. I can only imagine the reasons the blogger was thinking of...
...the student is late for a F2F class session, and struggles to catch up when he arrives, asking his friend what page, what chapter is being discussed, etc.
...the student who sits in a F2F class session, obviously not engaged by the activity taking place around her, doodling on a sheet of paper, or writing a to-do-list for after class.
...the students working in a chemistry lab, who experience a delay in their interaction with the content due to a series of equipment malfunctions with their microscopes.
Are these students considered asynchronous learners?
I don't think so. The delay in interaction wasn't planned for by the instructor or course designers when planning the course. There was no careful consideration of the activities that would be taking place, and no conscious decision to select an asynchronous technology to use to maximize the potential of the activity. If I were going to revise line 1 of the definition, I would revise it in the following way:
Line 1: Asynchronous learning- any learning event where interaction is planned to be delayed over time and use appropriate asynchronous technologies.
Having reached the end of the blog, I can see that the blogger is advocating for the use of the term asynchronous communication instead of asynchronous learning, and likewise, synchronous communication rather than synchronous learning. The blogger claims that they are not forms of learning, but forms of communication, which I guess would connect them to the technologies used.
I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree with the blogger. I'll have to do some more reading and check back again later.
Sarah
The blogger posed a question regarding students who experience delayed interaction due to a number of reasons. I can only imagine the reasons the blogger was thinking of...
...the student is late for a F2F class session, and struggles to catch up when he arrives, asking his friend what page, what chapter is being discussed, etc.
...the student who sits in a F2F class session, obviously not engaged by the activity taking place around her, doodling on a sheet of paper, or writing a to-do-list for after class.
...the students working in a chemistry lab, who experience a delay in their interaction with the content due to a series of equipment malfunctions with their microscopes.
Are these students considered asynchronous learners?
I don't think so. The delay in interaction wasn't planned for by the instructor or course designers when planning the course. There was no careful consideration of the activities that would be taking place, and no conscious decision to select an asynchronous technology to use to maximize the potential of the activity. If I were going to revise line 1 of the definition, I would revise it in the following way:
Line 1: Asynchronous learning- any learning event where interaction is planned to be delayed over time and use appropriate asynchronous technologies.
Having reached the end of the blog, I can see that the blogger is advocating for the use of the term asynchronous communication instead of asynchronous learning, and likewise, synchronous communication rather than synchronous learning. The blogger claims that they are not forms of learning, but forms of communication, which I guess would connect them to the technologies used.
I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree with the blogger. I'll have to do some more reading and check back again later.
Sarah
Opening Day!!
Today is a very exciting day..... opening day for my MDE blog! If you are reading this, you probably already know that MDE stands for Masters of Distance Education. If not, now you know about the graduate degree that I am pursuing at the University of Maryland University College!
We are required to create a blog to record our reflections on course readings for one of my courses this fall, OMDE603, Technology in Distance Education. This seems like a great hands-on way for me to learn about blogging!
Our current course module covers synchronous and a-synchronous distance education (DE) technologies. Check back soon for my reflections!
Sarah
We are required to create a blog to record our reflections on course readings for one of my courses this fall, OMDE603, Technology in Distance Education. This seems like a great hands-on way for me to learn about blogging!
Our current course module covers synchronous and a-synchronous distance education (DE) technologies. Check back soon for my reflections!
Sarah
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