For Blended Learning 3: Why Online? my perception of online learning has changed. In many ways, especially since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have felt that online learning has been a lifeline for teachers and students alike. In March of 2020, for many students across the country online learning (or "remote learning" as it is known in many districts) was a way for them to stay connected to not only their classmates, but also to their teachers. As the pandemic went on, many schools began using a hybrid model to offer instruction; some in-person, and some online. While I do feel that there are many positives to online learning, I see that there are also some setbacks.
One benefit that I have found with online learning is the flexibility for both teachers and students. With asynchronous teaching, teachers are not held to as strict of timelines (i.e. they don't have to be "teaching" at specific times). It also gives students the flexibility to complete the work on their own time, when they are able to. Course materials are available 24/7, so they don't necessarily have to wait for the instructor to present new information or respond to an email before continuing their work (https://www.worldwidelearn.com/articles/benefits-of-teaching-online/).I myself have taken advantage of asynchronous teaching opportunities throughout the pandemic as both a teacher and a student.
Another benefit to online learning is the ability to collaborate with peers more freely. Thanks to the internet, you are no longer bound to work with the people just inside your school. You can now collaborate, in real time, with anyone from all over the world. This offers students the chance to gain a unique perspective on subjects and issues that they would normally not have. There are many programs currently available that allow students to participate in Problem Based Learning, which allows students to be at the forefront of the lesson rather than the teacher. Some of these technologies are Zoom, Dropbox, Google Doc, OneDrive, etc. (https://elearningindustry.com/technology-is-changing-collaborative-learning).
However, as with most things in life, where there are positives there are also negatives. One such negative is the communication without visual cues. Many times, when communicating online certain aspects are lost and things can be taken the wrong way, especially constructive criticism. Another issue is that online learning allows procrastinators to continue to procrastinate, and students who have formed bad habits do not have the ability to see an example of good habits being set (https://elearningindustry.com/online-teaching-challenges-a-z).
While I still feel that there are many benefits to online teaching, I do also feel that there are some setbacks. I think that in order for an online program to be successful, teachers should have a checklist to make sure that they are providing their students with the best possible education. The checklist should be distributed to the class so that students can anonymously fill them out without fear of repercussion. A great example of one can be found at https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/tls/sites/rit.edu.academicaffairs.tls/files/docs/OCQC_v2.3.pdf.
Sources Cited:
Benefits of Online Teaching
https://www.worldwidelearn.com/articles/benefits-of-teaching-online/
The A-Z of Online Teaching
https://elearningindustry.com/online-teaching-challenges-a-z
Online Learning
https://elearningindustry.com/technology-is-changing-collaborative-learning
Online Course Quality Checklist
https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/tls/sites/rit.edu.academicaffairs.tls/files/docs/OCQC_v2.3.pdf
One benefit that I have found with online learning is the flexibility for both teachers and students. With asynchronous teaching, teachers are not held to as strict of timelines (i.e. they don't have to be "teaching" at specific times). It also gives students the flexibility to complete the work on their own time, when they are able to. Course materials are available 24/7, so they don't necessarily have to wait for the instructor to present new information or respond to an email before continuing their work (https://www.worldwidelearn.com/articles/benefits-of-teaching-online/).I myself have taken advantage of asynchronous teaching opportunities throughout the pandemic as both a teacher and a student.
Another benefit to online learning is the ability to collaborate with peers more freely. Thanks to the internet, you are no longer bound to work with the people just inside your school. You can now collaborate, in real time, with anyone from all over the world. This offers students the chance to gain a unique perspective on subjects and issues that they would normally not have. There are many programs currently available that allow students to participate in Problem Based Learning, which allows students to be at the forefront of the lesson rather than the teacher. Some of these technologies are Zoom, Dropbox, Google Doc, OneDrive, etc. (https://elearningindustry.com/technology-is-changing-collaborative-learning).
However, as with most things in life, where there are positives there are also negatives. One such negative is the communication without visual cues. Many times, when communicating online certain aspects are lost and things can be taken the wrong way, especially constructive criticism. Another issue is that online learning allows procrastinators to continue to procrastinate, and students who have formed bad habits do not have the ability to see an example of good habits being set (https://elearningindustry.com/online-teaching-challenges-a-z).
While I still feel that there are many benefits to online teaching, I do also feel that there are some setbacks. I think that in order for an online program to be successful, teachers should have a checklist to make sure that they are providing their students with the best possible education. The checklist should be distributed to the class so that students can anonymously fill them out without fear of repercussion. A great example of one can be found at https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/tls/sites/rit.edu.academicaffairs.tls/files/docs/OCQC_v2.3.pdf.
Sources Cited:
Benefits of Online Teaching
https://www.worldwidelearn.com/articles/benefits-of-teaching-online/
The A-Z of Online Teaching
https://elearningindustry.com/online-teaching-challenges-a-z
Online Learning
https://elearningindustry.com/technology-is-changing-collaborative-learning
Online Course Quality Checklist
https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/tls/sites/rit.edu.academicaffairs.tls/files/docs/OCQC_v2.3.pdf
