Well, the reading side of this course has been fine, but I did feel I needed to add a comment to the TGF, which is self-explanatory -
'On the subject of online teaching being more difficult and more time consuming, I would like to bring in the student's perspective and make the perhaps controversial note that this may also be the case for students. I use VLEs and firstclass/TGFs in my work and regularly use the internet; not a 'techie', but quite okay with my level of proficiency. I have taken a number of 'traditional' OU courses at degree and PG level and have always studied the course books (highlighting and making margin notes where required), attended tutorials where I could manage and submitted all TMAs on time, without a problem.
Now, this course poses a complete mindshift for me...the readings themselves, fine, but - I am expected to find the time for entries into some sort of learning log (okay - a blog, if I can ever get access to it); I need to access other's blogs and read these AND I have to find additional time to comment on these blogs, as well as participate in the TGFs.
Also, I am 'missing' having 'real' books - is it just psychological that I don't want to look at everything on a screen, as I feel it takes longer? - the use of the highlighter pen doesn't 'feel' quite the same in a virtual world! There is a lot of 'jargon' in other's postings, which I am having to look up, whereas for a 'taught' course, a glossary would be provided.
Help!
I have not posted this to be negative or just have a good old moan, I wanted to point out that I am probably experiencing exactly what some students experience at the start of their course. And perhaps a student viewed is also that online learning can be '...more work, stressful and more time consuming too'
We are to develop a 'technology timeline' -
1. When did different technologies become avaliable?
2. When did their use become widespread in education?
Hmmm...without going back to cave paintings, as I noted some have, I would think along the lines of the following (but not sure of dates)
Television - 1950s (re governemtn education/advertising) - 1960s in schools (but not widespread?)
OHTs - when?
PCs - 1970s - 1990s
Internet - 1980s - 1990s
Whiteboard/SMART board - not sure when available, but only noticed in last 5-7 years
VLEs - not sure again, but notice in last 5 years or so
Will check the wikki and see what others have noted.
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Oh Carole I do feel for you. I agree that starting an online course can feel completely different to anything you've done before. If it's helps - you comments are very similar to many other people's I've tutored through online courses at the course start. People often find that the study strategies they've used (successfully!) previously don't transfer instantly to online courses and they need to think explicitly about how to study in way they haven't done for years.
You do say the readings are going fine, so that's a good place to start. This course is based around readings (which you can print - I do). I see the study as a series of cycles around each paper. Something like:
1. read a paper and make notes
2. post those notes onto your blog, even if half formed at this stage
3. read two or three other people's blog posts about that paper (you don't have to read everything)
4. If you have time, dip into the TGF discussions.
5. Revise your original thoughts about that paper.
I will summarise and highlight important postings, so if you read my blog and my TGF messages, you shouldn't miss too much.
Does that help?
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