Why Online Teaching/Learning
What is online
learning?
With easy-to-use
software, you'll retrieve lectures, questions and assignments from your
instructor, then review them off-line. Because the information is all in
text form, you'll never miss an important point. You'll have access to a
full range of online resources. You'll also interact with your classmates,
sharing ideas, and learning from their experience. Throughout the class,
your instructor will provide assistance, guidance and feedback.
Most interaction is conducted asynchronously, like e-mail, so you
participate at your convenience. Some provide interaction in real-time
streaming audio and/or video. You never have to rush from home or work to
a night class or miss a lecture because of a scheduling conflict. All
courses are offered one at a time, so you can explore each subject in more
depth. The length of courses vary depending on the institution and the
course.
While convenience and flexibility are unsurpassed, online learning does
require a high level of discipline. You need to decide if online learning
is for you.
How is taking an
Internet course different from classroom instruction?
One of the
primary advantages of online learning is that you can "attend class" in
the comfort and convenience of your own home. All you have to do is log
into your online classroom when you are ready to read your lessons,
complete your quizzes and assignments, or communicate with your instructor
and fellow students.
Online learning
is not for everyone. Although you will remain in constant contact with
your instructor and your classmates through the course discussion areas,
learning over the Internet is essentially a solitary activity. If you
prefer face-to-face interaction or find it difficult to complete your
lessons in a timely manner, you will probably fare better in a classroom
environment.
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Why are we doing this?
We know that Online
teaching/Learning offers several educational advantages:
- It offers us a tool to
extend ourselves and our course beyond the limits of the
traditional classroom and the traditional textbook
- It makes information
retrieval easier. Furthermore, students have access to handouts
and class notes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Students prefer
networked computing as a way to learn. Several studies
demonstrate students' affinity for this technology. Furthermore,
by interacting with the course content, students become active
learners.
- Networked computing
promotes critical thinking: students need to evaluate the
validity and the reliability of the information they find.
- Networked computing
provides students with a greater variety of resources and
extends the resources of the traditional classroom. It can
function as a library at our fingertips.
- Networked computing is
interactive and provides students with assessment feedback,
sometimes instantly, as they work through course materials.
- Students can review
the materials at any time. They can review what they feel is
most important to help themselves learn as often as they wish.
- Students develop
valuable computer literacy skills just by learning how to use
the machine and the software to access your materials. And since
the vast majority of any web page is text, students develop
conventional literacy skills as well.
- Networked computing
offers quick access to the latest news and data in just about
any field.
- Networked computing
allows professors to model learning behaviors for their
students: students see their professors review, revise, and
learn better ways to express themselves just as students
themselves are learning to express ideas within a discipline.
It is the right
thing to do. |
VISION
FOR
THE
FUTURE
