In the Virtual Classroom, lectures are short and few. With
this being the case, where are the students going to get the information
they need in obtaining the learning objective?
The curriculum of an online course
should be designed to cause dialogue among the students. During
online discussions, the participants collect information and send
it to the virtual classroom for comments, critiques and more discussion.
In order to generate this type of information, students must actively
seek out the required material. The synergy of the discussion is
itself a learning tool. With that in mind, much of the information
presented to the class can come from the participants themselves.
Methods of information dissemination
that can be used in an online environment are listed below. Ways
that each method can be used have been listed, as well as the benefits
and possible drawbacks associated with each one. Facilitators need
to be aware of problems that can arise as they use these technologies.
For example, while the "lecturette" can be an effective
online tool, long lectures are not recommended as well as exercises
that don't require students to comment on each other's work.
Textbooks:
They are used for the following purposes
- Assign a segment of a chapter to an individual.
- Assign a segment of a chapter to a team.
- Provide discussion questions that require students
to summarize the reading, or ask students to come up with their
own discussion questions.
- Provide discussion questions that require students
to synthesize the material.
- Provide an activity that requires students to
apply the information from the reading.
Benefits:
- They are relatively inexpensive.
- Students do not need any additional equipment
to use the material.
- Students can go back and retrieve information
when they need it.
-
Some learners need the hardcopy
for reading and studying.
Drawbacks:
- They can only be distributed by mail or
retailing network.
- They can convey information only by written
language and figures.
- It is impossible to give direct feedback
to or ask questions of the author.
Video
tapes / TV Programs:
Basic concept of the course content subject or resources for
the virtual classroom discussion can be provided through video. Whole
films can be used in online courses in ESL, literature, any foreign
language, creative writing, etc. Students can watch the film outside
of "class" and then discuss/critique it in the virtual
classroom. During online discussions, students can compare the film
to the book, discuss character profiles, plot, theme, symbolism,
historical context, etc.
Benefits:
-
Facilitator can distribute
information such as visual or procedural concepts that are
hard to express in textbooks. For example: in a class of manufacturing
management, a short film showing a real factory is effective
for understanding certain concepts and for making discussion
questions.
-
Supplemental video may help
learners whose basic learning style is not text-based.
-
If all the students view the
same material, discussion questions or projects can be assigned
to generate discussion on the topic and the information will
be presented equally as well as using a textbook or related
articles.
-
If broadcasting through web,
wave or satellite is available, the information can be distributed
asynchronously, and each student can view the material at his
or her convenience.
-
TV broadcasts can be recorded
for later study or review.
Drawbacks:
- Students are required to have a TV set and/or
a VCR.
- Some programs are only available at certain
designated times.
- VCR tapes can only be distributed by mail
or retailing network.
- When distributed via the WWW, video files
are extremely large, require long download times, and use substantial
memory.
Audio
Tapes / Radio Programs:
Basic concept of the course content subject
or resources for virtual classroom discussion can be
provided.
Benefits:
- The cost and technical requirements are
less than for video and/or TV.
- Audio files can be downloaded from the Internet.
- If all the students listen to the same material,
then discussion questions or projects can be assigned to generate
discussion on the topic, the information will be presented
equally as well as using a textbook or related articles.
- Radio broadcasts can be recorded for later
study.
Drawbacks:
- Audio files lack a visual component.
- Although much smaller than video files,
audio files are quite large and slow to download.
Guest
Speakers:
Guest speakers can be invited to hold either a synchronous chat session
with the class, or post a lecture and be available for 2-3 days to answer
questions from the group.
Benefits:
- Students can learn about what is happening
today in the real world pertaining to the course content subject.
- The guest speaker is able to bring outside
resources to the course.
Drawbacks:
- It may be difficult to find an appropriate
person to invite as a guest speaker because he/she must know
the basic system and flow of online learning.
- For synchronous chat sessions: (see drawbacks
below)
Interactive
CD-ROM’s /
Interactive PC software
Benefits:
- The material can be used in a self-paced
manner.
- As with video, material which is not easily
adapted to text format can still be covered in the course.
- Programs can contain short tutorials for
specific skills/information that students need to know, then
require them to apply that knowledge in exercises.
- Software can be distributed through the
Internet.
Drawbacks:
-
Students must have the software
in hand to use it (download or purchase on CD)
-
Learners must know HOW to
use the software.
Articles
from Web Sites:
Each participant finds outside, related articles on the Internet; reads,
summarizes, and critiques the article. Other participants can choose to
access the article themselves, and/or comment on their classmate's critique.
Students can then comment on other people's comments. A lot of valid information
can come from this activity.
Benefits:
- It allows students to choose what to focus
on and take control of their own learning experience.
- The number of articles and amount of information
which students can access is unlimited.
- It brings outside resources into the course.
- It provides participants with an extensive
list of summaries of related resources that they can choose
to read, or archive for later use.
- Students are learning and practicing research
skills--searching, summarizing, demonstrating what has been
learned, integrating new information into already-learned material.
Drawbacks:
- The information at some Web sites may not
be reliable.
Newsgroups:
This includes subscribing to or even just browsing newsgroups on topics
related to course content.
Benefits:
- There is a large quantity of material generated
every day.
- Most newsgroups have excellent archives
of previously posted material.
Drawbacks:
- There is often a high percentage of "noise" (garbage)
to sift through.
Listservs:
These are focused email discussions on topics supplemental to course work.
Benefits:
- Discussion lists exists on virtually every
academic subject and/or related field.
- Discussion provide an exchange of ideas
with people not enrolled in the class who are, nevertheless,
good resources on a given topic.
Drawbacks:
- Extra reading time is required due to the
large number of messages generated by a busy discussion list.
Interactive
Web Sites:
These include web sites where users can read information updates, view
stills and video, and listen to audio related to their course work. For
example, the ESL Cafe <http://www.eslcafe.com> puts
ESL students in touch with other language learners around the world as
well as offers expert help in grammar and vocabulary and a chance for students
to publish their writing online.
Interactive, Online Writing Labs
(OWLs) , such as the one offered by Purdue University http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owls/introduction.html,
can be resources for students in online ESL classes or undergraduate
English and writing courses. Also, http://www.arcana.com/shannon/reference/writing.html is
a list of Writer's Resources, including online workshops.
Benefits:
- Students have direct contact with other
learners
- Students have direct contact with a variety
of teachers and are exposed to different teaching styles.
- Students have "real-life" communication
through email and chat with other learners and teachers.
Drawbacks:
- This activity may distract learners from
other study tasks.
Chatting:
These are online discussions
held by two or more participants synchronously.
Benefits:
-
A weekly chat added to a course
could provide a forum for lively interaction among participants.
-
Instructors can hold "office
hours" online and students can get immediate feedback.
Drawbacks:
- With more than two people chatting, it can
become confusing for those who cannot follow several streams
of thought at once.
- It is difficult to coordinate a session
where all students can participate (time differences, inflexible
schedules, etc.).
Off-line
Interview:
Students are assigned to interview a professional, expert, or some other
individual who has a meaningful relationship to the material begin discussed,
and then relate the information gained from the interview to the group.
Benefits:
- Students can talk about people already involved
in the field they are studying, and then broaden their knowledge-base
about the subject even more.
Drawbacks:
- Not all the students may have access to
an appropriate interviewee.
