|
In the last decade, much has been learned about how to conduct online education (defined as more than 80% online or less than 1/5 face-to-face). Interactivity, material organization, technology delivery methods, cost containment and the impact on student and faculty satisfaction have been studied intensely.
This column asks how we can bring what we have learned in the online world to the face-to-face world. Sloan-C wishes to impact as many learners as possible within the next ten years. To accomplish that goal our methods will need to become pervasive throughout academia. Toward that end, this column presents some initial thoughts about what types of things online education learning can facilitate in the face-to-face world. Our objective is to create a list of things that can not easily be done in a traditional classroom, but can be done using online methodologies. The listing below is just a start to get the membership thinking. So we solicit your ideas in the textbox below and will report the results in a subsequent column.
| Teaching and learning activities made possible or improved through use of online technology |
Technology implementation method |
Student teams collaborate across multiple institutions |
Internet and multiple tcp/ip enabled technologies, both synchronous and asynchronous |
| Robust game-playing simulations and real-time case studies [1] across institutions.
[2] |
Simulation software |
| Remote laboratories and instruments |
Remote control via the web |
| Tracking of student work |
Course management systems track student work |
| Organization, archiving and display of student work, discussions, portfolios |
Discussion boards, chats, VOIP systems, Web-based portfolios |
Remote experts |
Use of synchronous tools for bringing experts live to a class |
| Courses delivered from one college to another |
Web-based courses |
| Providing courses to distant and distributed learner populations |
Synchronous and asynchronous communications tools on the web. |
| Self-paced modules, including shared modules (e.g., Merlot, Carnegie, EdNA, LON-CAPA) |
Various technology tools are available for self-paced courses and for inclusion in instructor-led courses |
| Capturing of lectures and discussions for asynchronous delivery |
Streaming video, audio |
Click here, to enter your suggestions for online methods that can provide improvements for the traditional classroom. Include references to supporting research, if possible.
[1] Theroux, J., and C. Kilbane. The Real-time Case Method: The Internet Creates the Potential for New Pedagogy. In Elements of Quality Online Education: Engaging Communities, Vol. 6 in the Sloan-C Quality Series. In press, 2005.
[2] Bisson, B. et al. A Case Study in Blended Learning: Leveraging Technology in Entrepreneurship Education. In Elements of Quality Online Education: Engaging Communities, Vol. 6 in the Sloan-C Quality Series. In press, 2005.
|
PDF
version