There are quite a few tools which can facilitate the way an instructor can deliver the content of the coarse, all of which have pros and cons. When the instructor becomes skilled in the use of each tool, he of she may use them with great effect.
It,s also exciting to know that there are ways to combine more than one of these tools to create an interaction between teachers and students as well as student to student.
In this module I learned the different technology tools available for effective communication for the online environment. I learned that there are three categories 1) small group or one to one meeting software, 2) large group meeting software and 3) social networking sites and I learned the various technologies that sit in each of the categories and the pros and cons associated with each technology. The module discussed the importance of ensuring you choose the right technology for the course you are teaching and to assess each component, only using those that are needed for the communication to be effective. Finally, I learned about the importance of assessing the effectiveness of the tools used with the students.
As the instructor I must maintain that all technology tools used enhance S2S, S2I & I2S communication. The appropriate tool must be employed to enhance, not hinder, communication.
I have learned the importance of being deliberative in choosing which types of technology to utilize to communicate and the importance of establishing clear guidelines for when students should check their various interfaces and when they should expect a response from the teacher.
It was also interesting to hear about the importance of utilizing formative and summative feedback to further assess the most effective methods of communication.
Definitely check to make sure the technology works correctly, and that all parties are able to use it with out problems. These types of problems only discourage students, but also causes them to either perform below par or quit.
There are many technology tools that can be used to communicate with students, but there must instructors must properly evaluate those fools to ensure that they are the most effective tools.
I plan on evaluating the current tools I use to communicate with students and see if there are more effective tools.
I'ts important to make sure the tool you use is beneficial and easy to use for the students. Also, they mention Facebook as a platfrom and many of our high school students don't use this platform because they think it's for old people (LOL) so using this platform may not be the best idea for them.
I found that there are many technology-based tools out there to help in more efficient communication with students. Additionally, I found that social media is also a valid tool which is often overlooked in student-to-teacher communication.
Teachers should make sure and evaluate all tools available before choosing the best ones. They should also provide a variety to help meet the different modes of learning. To evaluate effectiveness teachers should survey students and if their attitudes match up then they probably have an accurate picture.
I learned how to evaluate different communication tools for online teaching before, during, and after the course. It's imperative that I familliarize myself with the tools that I have only used on a limited basis or not at all.
It is important to set rules and regulations for email communication and note that email may also function as a one-to-many type of communication tool.
I realized that there are so many technology tools I need to review and know how to use effectively. In choosing what technologies to implement and for what purposes the instructor can make or break a course. Planning is essential for effective communication to happen.
I learned a little bit more about some of these tools that I am not very familiar with such as blackboard collaborate, google hangouts, zoom, Flickr, Instagram, Linkedln, Tik Tok, and Twitter. I also learned that students should be checked on every 3 to 5 weeks to ensure the technology is working. I will be sure to use this timeframe when checking on students throughout the course.
Chosen technology communication tools should be evaluated both formatively and summatively. This should also include input from both students and the teacher. I plan to use this to ensure that I (and my students) are evaluating the tools used in courses throughout the course term and at the end of the course. This way communication has the best opportunity to be of high quality.
As with any job, to get it done right you have to have the right tools. With Online learning, the right technology tools are essential for communication and learning outcomes. As an instructor/facilitator I need to assess technology tools, know the functions,pros and cons of the tools, identify with the students what tools we will be using, get student feedback on the effectiveness of the tools.
From this module, I have learned that I need to do some reserach on TikTok and Flickr. I didn't know anything about that until this class.
We, as teachers, have the opportunity to use different tech tools to enhance comunication with our students. Also that we have to study which one best fit to our goals. Always ask for feeback to redesign the strategy.
I have learned more communication tools than email and texting that enhances learning.
I learned that we must understand and use the correct form of communication when dealing with online courses. It is vital to understand which form of communication is suitable for the topic at hand.
With the ever increasing numbers of communication tools, the first step is to evaluate the tools available and choose carefully the ones most appropriate to the goals for the class. The formative assessments froquently throughout the class are beneficial because immediate change can be implemented if necessary with the sumative assessment at the end of the course providing an overall evaluative of the communication tools used in the course.
