As I look back on the way I studied in college in the 80's I know that technology has influenced the way I learn dramatically. I was always one to take plenty of notes. I didn't read a whole lot of textbook due to the type of notes I took from the professors. Reflecting now I see that the way I learn has changed for the better. Learning online has made me more aware of the subject matter that I study and I do a lot more research for facts. With the influx of the internet I can see how too much information can be detrimental to learning. Not only does it affect my learning but it has affected the way I teach my classes. I want them to know as much as possible but I want it to be accurate. Checking and re-checking resources has been a time consuming matter but it makes the learning experience for me all the more interesting. I never knew there were so many theories on learning out there. If there's one thing I 've learned it's not only to cite the source but verify the source.
Looking back on face to face to environments which for me was not to long ago, I see the need for it in undergraduate courses. Students need to see the professor and believe what they are saying and trust them to give them correct information. With an online class its hard to trust someone you can't see. Also, learning for me has become more in depth. By that I mean that I take the time to understand everything and not just the parts that are pertinent to me. I did that a lot in college. Face to face environments, while purposeful, has its limitations. My attention span is not long so I can't sit and listen to anyone talk anymore. I love learning at my own pace and getting information that I want out of the lesson. The biggest difference in the two is collaboration. I have communicated more with online students than I ever have in a F2F classroom and I have this new technology to thank for it. My communication skills have been increased and I express myself more online. Is online better that face to face, I don't know but online sure is convenient.
Responded to http://minerclass.blogspot.com and http://edtheory7105.blogspot.com
Toney, I think that online learning has also made me inpatient when it comes to listenoing to someown lecture for a long period of time. I have to join in the lecture by making it a discussion or I just shut down and miss most of what is being said. I can also vouch for the increase in written communication skills.
ReplyDeleteHow do you think your students learn best in reference to the different theories?