Old school vs New school
Being 65 years old I find this type of learning very difficult. My learning style is hands on, learn by doing not reading about something and nothing to touch.
On the other hand my son is very good at this type of learning. He can visualize the content where I have no imagination and it's just a bunch of words.
Lauren,
The next generation of students will certainly be more accustomed to this type of learning and will expect schools and teachers to use the technology through online or blended classrooms. If you are more hands on then there are strategies to help you still connect in an online class. Instructor need to be very aware that students still have different learning styles and we need to design our courses to meet all students needs. Such as add more hands on projects for learners like yourself and provide textual, video, and audio elements of course materials to connect with learners.
Herbert Brown III
Just like everthing else, things change and we have to be ready for these changes. remember the
atri 2600 know it's ps3 Change.
mohammad ,
I agree we all need to be ready to change. So how do we do it? How do we stay up on the latest technologies and how to integrate them in to the online learning environment.
Herbert Brown III
We live in a technical gadget world. The Students of today use computers and phones like we used to use rulers typewriters and pencils. It is a more stimulating world and the mind can process more information. The problem is the images have to keep the attention span there for the students to learn. Computers have enhanced our lives greatly and we have been able to become more creative with the information and how it is delivered. We can also reach a broader market from our neighborhood to half way around the world.
Technology has changed, and is continuing to change the way students learn. Technology capability is comparable to literacy today. The world is changing.
Sharon,
The partnership for 21st century learning agrees and includes information literacy and basic technology literacy in their framework for ALL students. This framework is being adopted by many public schools as a model to integrate in all of their education programs. North Carolina requires all K-12 teachers to demonstrate how they are integrating 21st century skills in their classrooms. What would you consider to be the "core" technology all students need?
Herbert Brown III
Hi Lauren:
I currently am an online instructor, but I came from the brick and mortar school environment and had to make some "new school" adjustments that I admittedly didn't like. However, after teaching in the online environment for nearly 4 years, I have adapted my teaching techniques and find my students to be very engaged in my classroom.
Joseph,
What are some things that you found that you had to do with your online students that was different from when you worked with a brick and mortar school? I agree there is typically an adjustment period, I still prefer aspects of both environments myself.
Herbert Brown III
Hi Herbert,
I totally agree with you. I teach in online, hybrid, and seated courses. Most of my younger students love technology and do not have a hard time with transitioning to online courses. I try to just stick to catering to all learning styles in all classes. By the mid-point of each course all students are usually acclimated to the learning environment.
Veronica Hodges
Veronica,
I think that sometimes we (in general) forget that students still have different learning styles regardless of whether they are in online courses or face to face. Many people believe online courses are putting their static content in a learning management system, like Moodle or Blackboard. Post the written content and have students complete traditional quizzes and tests. Students need to spend more time engaging the content in meaningful and creative ways to address their learning styles. It is so critical that we create courses with content and assignment diversity to meet these needs.
Herbert Brown III
It is important in the online environment to stay interactive with your instructor. Some of the online courses are 10 weeks in length which make it easier to digest the material. Try and have an arrangement with your instructor to access by phone along with email. Many of my students find it easier to clarify an assignment or requirement by simply calling me. Within a few minutes we get on the same page and they feel more confident. Remember that online learning is a collaborative process and that the instructor is your guide to program not just an assigner and grader. Good luck. You're never young enough to learn even at 65yrs.
Hi Lauren: I also taught a brick and mortar school for 14 years and I and thought the adjustment to teaching on-line was going to crazy hard. To my delight I found it to be almost just as rewarding, grant you can’t see their faces but you can still see and feel when they get excited over a subject matter. When you get those special emails and they thank you for going over the material so thoroughly and how they enjoyed the class makes it all worth it.
