In topic one, we read different articles regarding distant education. The use of online education in different school settings was described as well as a comprehensive review of most aspects of online learning. I thought the Guides to Distance Education at a Glance was the most educational for my needs. The article concerning students' needs made me really think about my student's needs and difficulties they might encounter. For instance, I had never considered that students might not realize that the demands of an online course are high, and one reason being, that they don't have the support of a peer group. I normally think of the students peer group as a social oulet, however, the peer group also provides explanation of assignments, help with assignments and even help with the technology. Since the online instructor isn't present, the lack of a peer group, and difficulty with technology can all lead to student stress and perhaps withdrawal from a course. I need to evaluate the students' ability to use technology and offer some type of technology instruction should they need it.
About Me
- Kitty Partin
- I started this blog my first semester at U of Al. in 2007- I had to withdraw from the program and now I'm back--
1 comment:
I completed the online course evaluation using the Medline Plus as an example course and the CSU evaluation form as my evaluation tool. I really think the exercise helped me to understand what should be included in an online course. I also was glad to see that there is an actual tool that instructors can use to evaluate their online courses. So much of the time, faculty are left to decide and try to decipher what should and shouldn't be included in the course. The tool was and will be a definate asset when planing for online instruction. One thing I was curious about was the fact that the CSU form included the requirement for special needs of the student. Since you are online teaching there is no need for wheelchair access or having to place certain ADD students up front, however, the need for translation for foreign language students and blind students, etc., how do we know if we are meeting state requirements for these students. I was somewhat surprised when I saw that the course I evaluated provided for 70 different languages- is there software that can be bought by the student to change English into another language?
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