EDUC 8842 Module 4

Tools for engaging students are just like any other tools. It is important to have the right tool for the job, but the right tool is different for everyone. For example to tighten a screw, someone might use a power drill, electric screwdriver, old fashioned screwdriver, and some may just use a kitchen knife. All of these tools will work and do the job effectively for that individual. As graduate students in Ed Tech, we more likely to use the power drill because it is the most efficient and the newest type of technology for the job. However, someone older or not comfortable with the tools may use the old fashioned screwdriver or knife because it is what they know. As educators, we have to remember this as we build our classes. Online learning is a growing part of the education world, so often times we will get students who "just getting online" is as technologically advanced as they get. Having too many bells and whistles in the classroom could be overwhelming to a new online student and thus their learning opportunities are diminished.

I teach at the local community college, and many of our students are non-traditional students returning to school for either retraining or new career paths. We still have our fair share of traditional age students who have grown up in the world of technology and enjoy the bells and whistles. The challenges I face are finding ways to merge the different generations into one learning community and incorporating "just the right amount" of technology into the courses. I would love to be able to use virtual worlds more than I do because of the many opportunities they offer, but the feasibility of this is minimal at this time. The obstacles include hardware issues and user skills. Anderson says that in order to be able to a meaningful learning experience, there must be a social presence where students feel comfortable enough to be able to engage. If I introduce a whole new world, some students will become overwhelmed and shut down completely. This is definitely not conducive to a positive learning environment. The same is true for collaborative learning. Some students enroll in online classes to avoid social interactions. If the course has too many group projects, then these students who are not comfortable in group settings will not succeed. There has to be a balance of learning activities to encourage students to explore outside their comfort zone for different learning opportunities, but still have enough content in their comfort zone for them to adequately learn the material.

The diagram below shows my vision of the elements critical to creating an engaging learning environment. I provided some examples of tools I use in the classroom, but these tools will vary based on the subject matter. An article in the Chronicle of Higher Education by David Glenn (2009), poses the argument that matching teaching styles to learning styles isn't always right. I agree with Glenn that content will drive many of the tools necessary for the course delivery. For example, a computer programming class may have more group projects than a theory class. The theory class will have more discussions about various topics to stimulate critical thinking and analysis.

 

References:

Anderson, T. (2004). The Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Edmonton, AB: AU Press.

Glenn, D. (2009, December 15). Matching Teaching Style to Learning Style May Not Help Students. The Chronicle of Higher Education .