WEEK 21 – POTCERT – WEB-ENHANCED, HYBIRD AND OPEN CLASSES

I always gain so much from the Ko and Rosen material.  Reminded me how much fun you can have just recording bits of your lecture and adding it to your online course content.  My class consists of a lot of form completion type of work and this lends itself to a screencast presentation quickly and easily.  I have been making some videos with this presention style and think I will be making quite a few more. With the readings this week I need to also create a student directed learning environment with more exploration of the digital material available for evaluation.  I need to introduce more discussion about the massive amount of information available to the public about the medical health field.  I have used the discussion board for students to post websites they have explored, but I need to engage more actively in that area.

I perused Michael Wesch’s Digital Ethnography course page and really enjoyed watching some of the videos his students made. It was also interesting to note how technology has changed in the two years since the videos were made. The presentations are less sophisticated then they would be now with the free access we have now to technology. I really enjoyed a video created in 2011 by a student that explores the idea that we are to Entertain, Engage and Educate.

George Siemen’s post on theory and MOOCs was extremely informative. Loved the comment that we need to decide between the transfer of information online educational style or the transformation of information online educational style. Certainly we want to give our students the chance to explore and evolve with education instead of just regurgitation of the information we spoon feed them.

George Siemen states, “The connectivism approach and creationism approach gives the power to the student to grab onto the information that helps them on their educational path. MOOCs foster not only a particular type of knowledge in a particular area of inquiry; they also foster a self-regulated, motivated, and autonomous learner. When an instructor does for learners what learners should do for themselves, the learning experience is incomplete. Developing capacity for learning and the mindsets needed to be successful learners is a central attribute of our MOOCs. We are not only concerned with the epistemological development of learners (knowing stuff) – we target ontological development (being a certain type of person) as well.”

So, once again great information, lots to think about and always better ways to engage and educate.  Love this class.  I keep on having to reexamine my teaching style and ways I want to use technology to provide a better platform for life long learning.  I leave this week with more ammunition to build a better learning experience for my students.  I am currently having my students create eportfolios and have more ideas to enhance this experience for them and me.

Create your education