Blended Learning: Combining Face-to-Face and Online Education | Edutopia
· Internet
courses are ineffective, and face to face courses are ineffective if used
improperly. Internet courses do not eliminate the responsibility of the
teacher, nor the importance. It will not allow the teacher to become lazy, nor
will it allow the teacher to expect the student to take on the sole
responsibility of his/her education. If used properly and responsibly
the exact opposite will happen. If the teacher keeps in mind that the sole
purpose of the Internet , or any technology, is to be a tool, and a very
effective tool, to be used in education.
· The
article was written by Heather Wolpert-Gawron, who is an award-winning
middle school teacher who was a California Regional Teacher of the Year in
2004. She is also a Writing Project Fellow at the University of California at
Irvine and a member of the Teacher Leaders Network, and a staff blogger for The
George Lucas Foundation’s Edutopia.org. She has drawn upon her experience and
knowledge as a teacher herself to help other schools realize the opportunity of
Internet courses working alongside face to face courses.
· I
was impressed with the article Ms. Wolpert-Gawron wrote stating that it
shouldn't be a discussion on if Internet versus Face to Face is better than the
other, but should be a discussion on how we could draw upon the strength of
both aspects of learning. I am not of the opinion that one trumps the other,
and neither am I of the opinion that the days of the teacher are obsolete. The
teacher is the transfer of knowledge from one generation to another and with
that belief I am of the opinion that Internet learning in of itself is
ineffectual compared to face to face.
- The video presents the future class rooms becoming a blended course, meaning Internet and face to face courses. This will create a compromise between digital natives and digital immigrants playing on the strength of both parties. It allows teacher interaction, supervision, guidance, and discipline while still allowing the student express individuality, freedom, creativity, and lets the student become the expert. This video presents many options for a teacher to integrate technology into their student's courses. And remember like they said in the video "you can start small", you can not teach your students something if you have not learned it first.
- This video was made byDesire2Learn http://www.Desire2Learn.com. As stated in its YouTube channel description it "is the largest provider of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) eLearning solutions for education. Desire2Learn supports hundreds of clients and more than 8 million learners worldwide in higher education, K-12, healthcare, government and corporate (including the Fortune 100). Desire2Learn has built a complete suite of learning technology that enables organizations to create learning environments that engage and inspire learners lifelong."
- I believe that this is the best solution now for students of today and the future. It allows students to move forward in their education built on experiences they have learned from their first awareness of their surroundings. It allows teachers to be in control of an increasingly attention deficit era. It builds upon their knowledge and wisdom they have accumulated in their job experiences.
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