Prior to this course, I was familiar with learning management systems, YouTube, podcasts, and social media. However, I gained insight into using RSS readers. I didn't actually know that this was a technology that I was already using, by subscribing to others and having updates consolidated into one site. I always saw the RSS logo and Facebook's newsfeed serves to display who I follow, so I gained insight into how RSS sites worked and the convenience of that technology.
Although I have used blogs in the past, it was not a tool I kept up with or tracked statistics of. I gained insight into formatting the blog and that it is important to post often. By blogging, I read other blogs outside of this course and saw that it isn't just opinions and rants. We actually had to provide references. We can also customize and format the settings so that it is easy for viewers to see who we follow and what they blog.
As an online teacher, I know that students are nontraditional, adults who have various reasons as to why they take courses online. I gained insight into how my online presence influences them, such as if I don't reply to emails, give feedback on assignments, send out announcements, then they will reflect what I portray. If my teacher is online, giving advice, then I have to rise to the occasion and improve my work. I also gained insight into how just advising to buy a textbook and read the notes does not help students. Yes, andragogy is about self-directed learning but if someone doesn't learn by just reading, then what does text on a screen or in a book help? I have to verbalize or explain more via supplemental notes to better prepare students for exams.
In the future, I will ask my deans and authority figures about what podcasts, blogs, and videos are appropriate, or in general, what company or people are appropriate to reference information from. I do have a blog for my course, I just don't use it aside from the first day's information. So, I can use it more for posting helpful study links, this way the information is reusable for subsequent classes. Upon discovering that there's YouTube EDU, Glogster EDU, and TeacherTube, which are classroom-appropriate, I will use those types of sites to share media with my students. This avoids the privacy or inappropriate content I fear will pop up with regular social media and open access sites.
Shivanie, great post! I like your comment that you gained insight into how your online presence influences your students. This is something that as educators we think we may be doing a good job at, however in most cases it can most likely use some improvement. I have enjoyed your blog posts and you have enlightened me on technologies that I never knew existed or how to properly use them in my teaching.
ReplyDeleteBefore this course, I only used YouTube, Khan Academy, and some online video for teaching and learning. My institute prohibited students watching YouTube or other video in the classroom. The administrator began to allow students watch YouTube and educational websites since last year. I would like to use the podcasts, blogs, and videos for teaching and learning. Thanks a lot for sharing so much information!
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