Instructional Design for Online Learning
1. What is the nature, of the dichotomy between use of the Internet as a content delivery mechanism or as a communications medium?
The internet is used in a variety of different ways. It can be seen as a tool of convenience in our society. Many people access the internet to find information about certain topics they are researching. It’s easy to log on and have the World Wide Web at our finger tips. Educators use the internet to delivery content to their students. They can post assignments, set-up bulletin boards for discussions, have lectures for students on pod casts, and have streaming media that explains the content. The internet can also be used as a form of communication. Many people send out e-mails daily to friends, family, and co-workers. It is a form of communication that is right at our finger tips and we are able to access the internet whenever we need to. The convenience of this media makes communication simple, easy, and fast.
2. The strategy that I choose to look at is called self-directed learning. Self-directed learning is an individualized program that is set up between the instructor and the student. The student is able to work that their own pace to complete certain activities within a time frame. This strategy makes learning the content a more valuable experience for the student so the information will be retained longer and will be more meaningful to them. The technology that I would use for this strategy would be e-mail. It would give direct contact between the student and the instructor. It would be an easy media to use to monitor progress, ask questions, and submit assignments.
There are a few strengths that are related to the self-directed learning strategy. I would say that the biggest strength would be the convenience factor. The students can complete their work at a pace that is good for them. The freedom of completing assignments from a location of your choice and a time that is great for you. There may be a few weaknesses that go with this strategy too. If the student is not motivated to complete assignment then the work may not be done. Also if e-mail is the main media being used there could be some technology problems that could occur. If the e-mail server is down or if the internet is not working it could impact the student in a number of ways. Assignments may not be received by instructor, questions might not be answered in a timely manner, or delayed actions.
In a way self-directed learning is already in place in this class. We have assignments that we have to complete within a certain time. We are able to do them from a location of our choice and at a pace that is convenient for us. The way that I would incorporate this strategy into this class would be by setting up an individualized plan for each student to complete. A timeline would be set into place and there would be certain activities that would have to be completed by the end of the quarter. The student would be able to retain the information for a longer period of time and make a more meaningful connection to the content.
3. The purpose of evaluation of student performance in online classes is the demonstration of skills being mastered in different ways. There is not one way to assess student’s knowledge. There are a variety of activities that can be used to see if the student has a proficient understanding of the concepts being taught. It is important that the instructional designer use different types of activities to assess for mastery because not all students learn through the same leaning modalities. It can be a challenge for the instructional designer because he may not be aware of the needs of the students in the class. When evaluating the students work the designer may not be aware of the modalities that are strong for the student, so he/she may score well with those types of activities; or the modalities are the student is weak in, so he/she may not succeed with the task and not show mastery of that content.
The instructional designer should follow the ADDIE process when they want to create effective assessments for online courses. The designer needs to analyze the needs of the assessment, create a design template that will fit the needs of the students in the class for assessment, Do alpha and beta testing to see how the assessment works; if weaknesses are found they must be corrected and then retested, and the instructional designer needs evaluate the whole process of creating the assessment.
The internet is used in a variety of different ways. It can be seen as a tool of convenience in our society. Many people access the internet to find information about certain topics they are researching. It’s easy to log on and have the World Wide Web at our finger tips. Educators use the internet to delivery content to their students. They can post assignments, set-up bulletin boards for discussions, have lectures for students on pod casts, and have streaming media that explains the content. The internet can also be used as a form of communication. Many people send out e-mails daily to friends, family, and co-workers. It is a form of communication that is right at our finger tips and we are able to access the internet whenever we need to. The convenience of this media makes communication simple, easy, and fast.
2. The strategy that I choose to look at is called self-directed learning. Self-directed learning is an individualized program that is set up between the instructor and the student. The student is able to work that their own pace to complete certain activities within a time frame. This strategy makes learning the content a more valuable experience for the student so the information will be retained longer and will be more meaningful to them. The technology that I would use for this strategy would be e-mail. It would give direct contact between the student and the instructor. It would be an easy media to use to monitor progress, ask questions, and submit assignments.
There are a few strengths that are related to the self-directed learning strategy. I would say that the biggest strength would be the convenience factor. The students can complete their work at a pace that is good for them. The freedom of completing assignments from a location of your choice and a time that is great for you. There may be a few weaknesses that go with this strategy too. If the student is not motivated to complete assignment then the work may not be done. Also if e-mail is the main media being used there could be some technology problems that could occur. If the e-mail server is down or if the internet is not working it could impact the student in a number of ways. Assignments may not be received by instructor, questions might not be answered in a timely manner, or delayed actions.
In a way self-directed learning is already in place in this class. We have assignments that we have to complete within a certain time. We are able to do them from a location of our choice and at a pace that is convenient for us. The way that I would incorporate this strategy into this class would be by setting up an individualized plan for each student to complete. A timeline would be set into place and there would be certain activities that would have to be completed by the end of the quarter. The student would be able to retain the information for a longer period of time and make a more meaningful connection to the content.
3. The purpose of evaluation of student performance in online classes is the demonstration of skills being mastered in different ways. There is not one way to assess student’s knowledge. There are a variety of activities that can be used to see if the student has a proficient understanding of the concepts being taught. It is important that the instructional designer use different types of activities to assess for mastery because not all students learn through the same leaning modalities. It can be a challenge for the instructional designer because he may not be aware of the needs of the students in the class. When evaluating the students work the designer may not be aware of the modalities that are strong for the student, so he/she may score well with those types of activities; or the modalities are the student is weak in, so he/she may not succeed with the task and not show mastery of that content.
The instructional designer should follow the ADDIE process when they want to create effective assessments for online courses. The designer needs to analyze the needs of the assessment, create a design template that will fit the needs of the students in the class for assessment, Do alpha and beta testing to see how the assessment works; if weaknesses are found they must be corrected and then retested, and the instructional designer needs evaluate the whole process of creating the assessment.
posted by Cassandra @ 8:18 PM
4 Comments:
At 11:05 PM,
dflores1972 said…
I think that your comments were insightful.I like that you discussed self directed learning. Which is crucial in online learning. Without self direction the online student can not succeed.
At 3:32 PM,
Lisa H. said…
This statement stood out to me....
This strategy makes learning the content a more valuable experience for the student so the information will be retained longer and will be more meaningful to them.
Self directed learning is key in the online learning enviroment. Student can only get out of an online class what they put in. Being motivated and on task helps a student to succeed. Good Read!
At 7:42 PM,
ramon said…
Cassandra,
I agree with your comment on the fact that the Internet makes communication “simple, easy, and fast,” for instructors and learners. At the rate that technology is developing, it's not hard to imagine that one day this medium will also serve as a transporting device that will send virtual representations of the students and the instructor into a classroom in cyberspace. I suppose that this will broaden the Internet continuum on a different level.
The strategy you selected for section 2a (Self-directed Learning), shares one interesting aspect with the strategy I chose to write about which is that of using Learning Contracts. Both strategies place a great emphasis on the role that the learner plays in the actual learning and teaching process. I think that this particular characteristic makes ordinary instruction very effective because the student has to be engaged in the teaching process and in doing so great internal self-evaluation takes place. Another thing that was appealing about the strategy you chose is the convenience factor which permits students to complete a task at any particular time during the course. As a first year first grade teacher I would really like to have such flexibility in this ETEC 674 Course because I often feel pressured into completing the assignments.
I enjoyed reading your blog for this assignment. Good job and good luck with the rest of the quarter.
At 10:41 PM,
Anonymous said…
The self-directed learning strategy is one of the best for it does make the learner responsible for their learning. However, teaching inmates at a prison, I have found that there is so much they did not learn in elementary school, enabling them to work totally independently. Therefore, direct instruction has been working for me and the students.
When a child departs this life, I am reminded of what the minister said at my daughters going home ceremony "sometimes God wants a rosebud, to watch it bloom". My prayers are with you and your family.
P.S. If I looked as good as you I would post my picture (smile).
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