this is about media and how different types of media create different perceptions of identical things just because of the natures of different forms of media.
I took an introductory astronomy class this term in which the professor posted his video-recorded lectures online along with the PowerPoint. The class moves very quickly, so this was great. But I knew that I would understand better and learn better if I went to class, and used the videocasts as a reviewing tool. That’s what the professor wanted as well -- but then he was faced with the dilemma of students misusing the videocast, as an excuse to skip class.
So he devised this system of “unannounced quizzes” -- every now and then, he would announce at the beginning of the class that there would be a quiz at the end of the class, to cover all the material from that class alone. The quizzes were optional, but if you took them and did well you would be able to replace your lowest regular quiz score with the higher score from the unannounced quiz.
Not too surprisingly, students came to class. And probably learned a lot more astronomy than they would have otherwise.
It's interesting: although I teach this media class and try to keep up as best I can with technological innovations in teaching, I've never watched an online lecture, nor "attended" an online class. I suppose I should. The drawbacks of this kind of instruction seem obvious to me: I don't lecture; I like to share responsibility for learning with my students; I believe in teaching via a learning community; I haven't yet found the technology that allows me to teach the way that I want to teach. I also suspect that online learning is best in classes where the students are asked to absorb material, not to ask questions, or to develop (with the professor's guidance) a particular line of inquiry.
And yet. It seems to me that online classrooms can provide a very important service: it can open up the university to everyone. For free. And how cool is that? BUT. (And when something is free, there always seems to be a "but.") BUT. You can take the course, get an education, but not receive credit from the institution that offers the course in the first place. In other words, to get a degree, you have to pay. So the gates remain closed, and the barriers between the educated and the uneducated remain, for practical purposes, in tact. Boo.
I think that there are definitely positives and negatives about posting video-recorded lectures online. If students use them as a way of reinforcing what they learned in class then they are beneficial. For example, if someone missed something that their professor said in class, they could re-listen to it. Or it could also be helpful to refresh themselves before a test. However, if a professor posts their lectures online, students may not attend class. Its difficult to focus when listening to a podcast and this could potentially distract from learning.
I like your vlog post. It's far less efficient for me to watch online lectures than going to actual classes. But I think it's a tendency that education is becoming digitalized and it's very likely, maybe in 20 years from now, kids don't go to school any more, and instead, take online classes at home. When watching your video, I was thinking about another thing -- the intellectual property of professors. Are professors happy that the university decides to upload his/her lectures online, to benefit the public?
This Online Uni thing is sometimes really sketch. A uni professor in Jamaica spent weeks trying to prove that many of the sites offering online degrees were in fact shams, as their criteria for entry were ridiculously low, and many could guarantee the completion of degrees in ridiculously short times.
I hate lecture classes (I try hard not to take them), and I certainly wouldn't appreciate learning material from a video. It's hard for me to stay focused when I'm not learning in a formal, structured environment. I don't see traditional methods of conveying knowledge dying anytime soon as well, despite this new use of technology.
I took an introductory astronomy class this term in which the professor posted his video-recorded lectures online along with the PowerPoint. The class moves very quickly, so this was great. But I knew that I would understand better and learn better if I went to class, and used the videocasts as a reviewing tool. That’s what the professor wanted as well -- but then he was faced with the dilemma of students misusing the videocast, as an excuse to skip class.
ReplyDeleteSo he devised this system of “unannounced quizzes” -- every now and then, he would announce at the beginning of the class that there would be a quiz at the end of the class, to cover all the material from that class alone. The quizzes were optional, but if you took them and did well you would be able to replace your lowest regular quiz score with the higher score from the unannounced quiz.
Not too surprisingly, students came to class. And probably learned a lot more astronomy than they would have otherwise.
It's interesting: although I teach this media class and try to keep up as best I can with technological innovations in teaching, I've never watched an online lecture, nor "attended" an online class. I suppose I should. The drawbacks of this kind of instruction seem obvious to me: I don't lecture; I like to share responsibility for learning with my students; I believe in teaching via a learning community; I haven't yet found the technology that allows me to teach the way that I want to teach. I also suspect that online learning is best in classes where the students are asked to absorb material, not to ask questions, or to develop (with the professor's guidance) a particular line of inquiry.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet. It seems to me that online classrooms can provide a very important service: it can open up the university to everyone. For free. And how cool is that? BUT. (And when something is free, there always seems to be a "but.") BUT. You can take the course, get an education, but not receive credit from the institution that offers the course in the first place. In other words, to get a degree, you have to pay. So the gates remain closed, and the barriers between the educated and the uneducated remain, for practical purposes, in tact. Boo.
I think that there are definitely positives and negatives about posting video-recorded lectures online. If students use them as a way of reinforcing what they learned in class then they are beneficial. For example, if someone missed something that their professor said in class, they could re-listen to it. Or it could also be helpful to refresh themselves before a test. However, if a professor posts their lectures online, students may not attend class. Its difficult to focus when listening to a podcast and this could potentially distract from learning.
ReplyDeleteI like your vlog post. It's far less efficient for me to watch online lectures than going to actual classes. But I think it's a tendency that education is becoming digitalized and it's very likely, maybe in 20 years from now, kids don't go to school any more, and instead, take online classes at home.
ReplyDeleteWhen watching your video, I was thinking about another thing -- the intellectual property of professors. Are professors happy that the university decides to upload his/her lectures online, to benefit the public?
This Online Uni thing is sometimes really sketch. A uni professor in Jamaica spent weeks trying to prove that many of the sites offering online degrees were in fact shams, as their criteria for entry were ridiculously low, and many could guarantee the completion of degrees in ridiculously short times.
ReplyDeleteI hate lecture classes (I try hard not to take them), and I certainly wouldn't appreciate learning material from a video. It's hard for me to stay focused when I'm not learning in a formal, structured environment. I don't see traditional methods of conveying knowledge dying anytime soon as well, despite this new use of technology.