[Air-l] Technology Transforming Education--EE-Learning

[Rhiannon Bury]

Just to say I've been following this thread with great interest and have 
come out of "lurking" mode (another great thread) simply to say that I 
agree that such technologies enable and enhance certain types of 
practices but disable or take away from others. I take Steve's  point 
about crtically examining the reasons for any big push from university 
administrations. If it's assumed to be a cost-saving measure, then don't 
expect improved education. I also agree with Nancy that unmotivated 
students and distance ed are a very bad combination. Distance ed and 
online courses in particular at UW are becoming very central on on 
campus students. I was told by the Director of the unit that half the 
students enrolled are now regular students who are working alot and 
prefer to take electives via DE. 

Rhiannon Bury
University of Waterloo

Mark D. Johns wrote:

>Charles Ess wrote:
>  
>
>>...
>>While there are clear advantages to online learning environments - one of
>>the best teaching moments in my life occurred during a brief stint with
>>WebCT - because, like Mark Johns, I'm privileged to teach in a private,
>>liberal arts place with classes ranging between 8 - 20 students each, I'm
>>also profoundly convinced of the many sorts of teaching excellences that I
>>can do only in f2f environments.
>>    
>>
>
>Thanks for the mention, Charles, and your willingness to be seen in the 
>company of one who commits the abominable sin of (gasp!) taking 
>attendance in his classes.
>
>This, and Nancy's point a little further downstream about unmotivated 
>students, are what I was attempting, less articulately perhaps, to state 
>earlier. Some things work better online, some things don't work well 
>that way at all. It depends on the situation, the subject matter, the 
>temperament, motivation, and learning styles of the students, etc.
>
>Yes, as Nancy points out, being able to use the technology and 
>understand how these various technological and F2F environments affect 
>communication are crucial for students (and professors) to learn in 
>order to be successful in our technical world. But using technology for 
>technology's sake is not always productive. And what we teach is often 
>more than the subject at hand, but the "wisdom," as you say, to live 
>life well.
>  
>