Posted by
in
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Dec 18th, 2005
An article from the Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, found here, details positive findings about online education, namely that it can ensure better success for women in the classroom:
Distance education has the potential to contribute to the enhancement of women's development by overcoming not only temporal and spatial barriers but familial commitments as well. It brings education to their home and allows women to learn at their individual pace, seek skills for individual development and at the same time, enables them to fulfill family responsibilities. An important element of distance education is the provision of the learner support system that provides students the ACCESS to learning resources and means of communication that would facilitate the array of educational activities and exposure to various other guidance and advisories.As an instructor who teaches online classes, I can testify that it is absolutely true that many of my students who are mothers would not be able to take college courses if they did not have the online option.
Though these same benefits can apply to anyone, and every student deserves the best opportunities, I believe that women, especially single mothers, are a group deserving more studies of this kind. I look forward to developments in this area.
Posted by
in
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Dec 18th, 2005
Battle lines have always been deep between those who are either pro- or con- online education.
But the pro side may be gaining an edge, if the recent rash of positive news stories and research findings are any indication.
A three year study conducted by Kingston University reported that online learning opportunities may well improve a student's chance for college admission, and college graduation.
The complete press release is available at webitpr.com:
E-learning can encourage students from a diverse range of backgrounds to apply for university as well as improving overall student success rates, according to a research report published today by Kingston University.
Researchers investigated how the use of Kingston University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) from Blackboard, which supplies on-line software to HE institutions, could boost the numbers of students from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education. They also looked at whether e-learning could improve undergraduates' chances of achieving a good degree. Funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies the GBP340,000 project has taken three years to complete.
In reviewing how Blackboard could help increase applications to university, the researchers interviewed 18 staff and 320 students in seven local FE colleges.
83% of the students surveyed were aged 25 or over and the first in their families to consider higher education. As well as having access to 24-hour on-line resources such as lecture notes and handouts, they were able to find out about the experiences of current Kingston undergraduates from similar backgrounds through a mentoring programme.
Blackboard also enabled students to make virtual tours to universities around the country and provided step-by-step guidance on how to apply to higher education institutions.
The researchers found that the majority of students had misconceptions about workload, style of courses and the nature of assignments. VLE-based mentoring and course support were invaluable in negotiating the HE application procedures.
Dr Larry Roberts, Director of academic Development at Kingston University said: " Many students were concerned about how they would balance their studies with family life and fitting in with younger students. The Blackboard resources proved particularly useful for students who had to miss classes to look after their children while access to mentors helped alleviate many of their anxieties."
Posted by
in
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Dec 15th, 2005
Online education continues to evolve.
The Tempus Project EQIBELT: Education Quality Improvement by E-Learning Technology began last week, through the University in Zagreb. The three year project aspires to " improve the quality of university education through application of e-learning methodology and technology.&lrquo;
One World reports:
Zoran Bekic, Director of University Computer Centre and coordinator of the Project, stressed the importance of e-learning methodology and technology for the improvement of quality of education and elaborated on the goals of the project, with special emphasis on the complete e-learning strategy which would be adapted to Croatian conditions.
"It is beyond any doubt that the new technologies, especially e-learning technologies introduce many new possibilities in the process of learning, provide for new quality and new forms of communication and cooperation between teachers and students. The main challenge remains the proper definition of the educational goals of the new technology and to identify those forms of application of technology that are best suited to the true needs of a given context and environment&lrquo; , said Bekic.
It is inspiring to see online education move out of the confines of the computer screen to help the world of education at large.
Posted by
in
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Dec 15th, 2005
Say what you will about online education, its benefits become apparent in times of crisis, when it is inconvenient or impossible for a student to travel to a university or college.
After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of students were left in the wake, with no resources to continue their education. Then online education stepped in.
The Chronicle of Higher Education offers an excellent article on distance education:
One possession Ms. Morris made sure to bring along when she evacuated was her laptop computer. And that has become her college classroom.
She took a full load of courses online at no charge during the fall semester, thanks to the Sloan Semester, an effort by 153 colleges to use distance education to keep hurricane-displaced students on track academically. The innovative relief effort was set up with remarkable speed and urgency.
Within days of the storm's devastation, a catalog of courses was up and ready for registration, through the leadership of the Southern Regional Education Board, which has 16 member states, and the Sloan Consortium, which promotes standards for online learning (The Chronicle, September 6). The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation gave $1.1-million to support the project.
Many of the participating colleges had to make emergency pleas to their governing boards to let them waive tuition for the online programs. The courses were delivered on an accelerated schedule that began on October 10 and is scheduled to end on Friday.
Stories like this make even traditional-minded professors like yours truly grateful for modern technology.
Posted by
in
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Dec 14th, 2005
Opinions on the benefits of online education are split: some feel it has revolutionized the industry, while others believe it has hurt the value of a college education.
Some people only complain, while other people do something about the problem. DePauw University in indiana belongs to the latter category.
With goals to both enrich the liberal college experience with technology and to serve as a model for other universities, DePauw's 361° Initiatives has blended the traditional values of a liberal arts communication with the possibilities of modern technology.
Educause Quarterly reports:
From the beginning, the programs focused on alignment with the institution's historic culture, values, and mission-a dedication to effective teaching and learning and to a liberal arts education designed to prepare students for life's work. There would be no technology for technology's sake at DePauw.
Over the past four years, the 361° programs have done much to extend, enliven, and enhance teaching and learning at DePauw. To borrow the words of one recent graduate, DePauw's initiatives " have fostered student and faculty use of, and facility with, computers and other digital technologies to develop the skills and languages needed to learn, live, and work in an increasingly technological world.&lrquo; In recognition of its successes, DePauw received the 2004 EDUCAUSE Award for Systemic Progress in Teaching and Learning, and the university was recently named the Third Most Connected University in the country by Forbes.com.It is truly inspiring to see this kind of concern for making a student's college experience the absolute best it can be. Here's hoping that others follow in DePauw's footsteps.
Posted by
in
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Dec 14th, 2005
Many college and university students have operated a blog (short for ' weblog') at some point, or are at least familiar with the concept.
More and more professors are adding them to course requirements, requiring students to create and maintain blogs over the semester. I have seen this trend exploding at the university where I teach, in subjects ranging from computer science to English Literature.
A journalism professor explains his motivation in this BBC News article:
It's useful for my students to understand how things get online, since most online publications these days insulate the content creators – whether journalists or not – from the detail of website creation by offering content management systems of more or less sophistication.
And of course having to write a blog entry as part of their coursework forces students to read the papers, look around websites and generally take an interest in what is happening with new media, something I want to encourage.
But the real point of getting a journalist blogging at this early stage in his or her career is that the bloggers, in all their variety, with all their different skills and abilities and interests and biases, are reshaping the world in which professional journalists operate just as much as the telephone shook up the profession in the first half of the 20th Century.
Posted by
in
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Dec 14th, 2005
It can't be denied that online education is a driving force in colleges and universities today. Even high schools are getting in on the trend.
The Michigan State Board of Education recently approved a new graduation requirement requiring students to complete at least one online education class, the first requirement of its kind in the U.S.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports:
The new requirement would appear to be the first of its kind in the nation. Mike Flanagan, the Michigan state superintendent of public instruction, said he proposed the online-course requirement, along with other general requirements, to make sure students were prepared for college and for jobs, which are becoming more technology-focused.
"We don't want our kids left in the global dust," Mr. Flanagan said. "It's an experience we need to have."
Posted by
in
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Dec 14th, 2005
With so much emphasis on online education these days, good communication is essential. Often, intentions and attitudes are misconstrued due to the limits of a typed ' conversation.'
Educause Quarterly has published an interesting study on methods to improve non-verbal education.
The study is quite fascinating, with thoughts and tips both educators and students should consider:
Nonverbal communication adds nuance or richness of meaning that cannot be communicated by verbal elements alone. Given time and experience, some of the same richness of real-time, face-to-face communication can occur in a virtual, text-based medium. The following actions can foster this virtual communication.
• Encourage the use of nonverbal elements. More encouragement and use of nonverbal support in the orientation and emergence phases of group building can aid in building rapport in groups.
• Consider size when designing an online support group. In smaller groups, more students take an active part. They tend to want to express feelings as well as content.
• Develop incentives to encourage participation. Because of the voluntary nature of this course's chat, we could encourage participation but not give any incentives for taking part. This could have affected the nature of the contributions.
• Consider providing help for those new to the environment. A number of students logged on but took little or no part. Perhaps just as in real-time conversation, it is sometimes easier to wait and listen. However, it can also signify an unwillingness to enter unfamiliar territory.
Posted by
in
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Dec 8th, 2005
The trend of ' podcasting' college lectures has been all over the news lately, usually when a ' big' name school participates. But colleges and universities everywhere are taking advantage of this new technology: one of the latest to hop on the high-tech bandwagon is Anne Arundel Community College.
Some schools, like Duke University, provide iPods to students who don't have one. But students are more often required to provide their own, much like a textbook.
Professors cite the portability factor as only one asset in podcasting lectures. Many feel it will improve the learning process, as The Capital Online reports:
&lrquo; The first time a student hears something is not necessarily when it sinks in," said Dr. Patrick Jackson, a self-described tech geek and assistant professor of international relations at American University's School of International Service. "By recording these and making them available as MP3s, they can Actually get what you're saying."
Dr. Jackson uses an iPod in courses covering theory, research methodology and the philosophy of social science. He said the "hip factor" of the technology allows teachers to connect with their students, but it also has practical applications.
"iPods are very cool," he announced during a recent faculty forum on digital audio at the University of Maryland, College Park. "Now how can we use them to fulfill some of the basic foundations we're supposed to as university professors?"
For starters, Dr. Jackson says sending lectures or clips from other sources to students via the Internet allows him to devote more class time to informed discussions, readings and one-on-one student assistance. He finds that allowing students to decide how they'll listen to a file – at the computer, downloaded on their own iPod or burned to CD – and where – at their desk, at the gym or in the car – gets them more excited about learning.
Posted by
in
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Dec 6th, 2005
There's a new trend in online education: custom-made degree programs for employees of large corporations.
Termed " the Mercedes of the education industry,&lrquo; programs like the one designed for General Motors technology managers are finding favor both in the classroom and the boardroom.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports:
Instead of taking time off to attend classes and complete their projects in Pittsburgh, the GM employees viewed lectures delivered on campus via CD-ROM disks that were sent to Michigan, and communicated with CMU faculty and fellow students via e-mail, telephone and Internet sites. At test time, the students went to sites near their homes or offices where a proctor supervised the exam.
"For universities, it's a huge, growing and lucrative market because if they can partner with a corporation, then the corporation Actually agrees to underwrite the program. It's very expensive for a college to go out and try to recruit students one by one."
"Particularly in the business schools, faculty like to partner with a large corporate brand because it reflects better on their [school] brand," said Ms. Phillips. "Whether it's GM or Intel, it's brand affiliation."As the lines between business and education grow more and more blurred, we have to ask: where are we heading?
