Post 6 Online Learning

Online Learning – Facilitating Interaction Online

All students learn differently and as an educator we have to address this. People take online classes for different reasons as well. Whether it is face to face or online you have to have content to be learned. That is the most important. The class was chosen for a reason. Some times you choose a class for the instructor, but most of the time you have to take the class no matter who is teaching it. Distance learning does have its disadvantages due to the fact that you are not all sitting in a classroom meeting face to face. If you have a question you can not just ask or ask your class mate sitting next to you. You do not get to know your class mates so it does have its disadvantages. But it has its advantages as well. If you are a person that can learn on your own and do not need that interaction with others and like doing things on your time then distance learning is for you.

Yes I have taken all my class but one online and have enjoyed them all. I think that you get out of them what you put into them. I have made friends through taking classes on line and have met some outside of class and still stay in touch with them. I have not walked away from a class yet that I have not learned something that I will be able to use. I also believe that if you are the type to sit back and not ask then the instructor is going to think everything is going ok with you. But that would be the same even if you were meeting face to face. You have to ask if you don’t understand and they will help.

How does this align with my educational technology philosophy, well you have to have all three types of interactions to be a successful teacher. In a classroom you have to be there for your students, you have to provide a good learning content for them to buy into and you have to have learning going on from each other. We can all learn from each other if we just take the time to listen.