The first article was about how a teacher became converted to online learning. I really liked how he structured the online course and thought this would be beneficial for me to refer to again when I teach. To access the article click here.
The second article is about a virtual high school in Utah. I am so impressed with this school that I am heavily considering applying to this school after I graduate. To read this article click here.
Assignment:
Answer these questions to add your thoughts regarding online education. Remember to respond to your team members’ responses as well for full points.
- Does online education meet the purposes of education that we discussed?
- Why is online education a real option for so many students?
- Would I take a position as an online teacher? Why or why not?
- If a school was hiring a teacher and their grade level team or department was strong on blended or hybrid online learning would you want to take the job? Why or why not?
- Brainstorm- Share ways that you would/could use online education as a teacher to be more effective.
My Response:
1. Yes online education does meet the purpose of education. One of the purposes of education is to help children be prepared for real-life and business. Today businesses do almost everything online. As globalization becomes a bigger part of our economy future children will need to be knowledgeable about the internet, and being able to use online tools effectively. Online education teaches our children how to communicate effectively online, how to use the internet as a resource, and how to gain a valuable education. The only difference is that they are not sitting in a physical school in a classroom for 8 hours a day.
2. I have noticed that children today want things now and they do not want to waste time doing it. Online education can be an option for these students. I have seen firsthand where online education can be completed faster than in a physical classroom. Some courses allow you to work at your own pace and other courses are very structured. In some cases I think online education can be beneficial for children with autism and ADHD and ADD. I have a cousin who is autistic and he has one class a school year online. He loves it. It is very interactive and captures his attention. He is even required to use the web cam and upload videos to answer questions to the teacher. The interactive activities helps him learn things faster. It is another way of ensuring that special education children has an opportunity to learn.
3. I would take a position as an online teacher. I feel online learning can be as effective as learning in a physical classroom if done correctly. I have worked for the past seven years for Internet marketing businesses. I feel that I could provide new interactive ways of learning to students via online.
4. Yes I would take the job if the department wanted me to use blended or hybrid online learning. I have had courses at UVU that were hybrid and I enjoyed them a lot. If something came up and I didn't understand something I still had a class period once a week where the teacher could answer those questions and clarify anything. On top of that, tests and quizzes were done online and therefore did not take up as much of our time in class. It allowed more time to focus on stuff that we needed to learn.
5. Students can learn a lot from their peers. By having effective group discussions online the teacher is able to gauge how well each student knows and understandings the concept being taught. The group discussions allow students to work together but the individual assignments allow the students to work independently. There are tools available that I would use that would allow students to participate in both synchronous and asynchronous activities.
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