Distance Education

Before enrolling this particular course I tough it would be very helpful for me which has been. I´ve learned a lot from the course and it has been a nice experience, I feel very happy because the course is almost done and because of the fact that we did plenty of activities that helped us reflect and understand how to teach on-line. The course provided plenty of tools that also helped us identify and visualize the importance of the student´s participation in an on-line course.

Reflection Unit 3

So far the activities have been very constructive and useful for me, even though I was a bit confused in the last 2 activities I think I learnt a lot from them. Being able to express our points of view towards something motivates us and keeps us engaged and interested in the topic. I wish that by the end of this course I could be able to manage and on line course like my teacher does. :)

Personal development plan

• development needs: identify how challenging students developmental needs can be and which are the most helpful for them.
• development objective: to manage students´s performance, seek improvements and increase participation.
• Strategy: achieve a goal in particular, motivate students.
• Actions:
• - respond within 12 hours to students´contributions.
• - contact students if they haven´t made a contribution for a week
• - positive feedback for each participant to make a contribution
• - be polite

2.- Can you think of appropriate actions for the squirrel, the stag, and the magpie?  

Squirrel

 Advise him/her not to disappear for too long. Suggest other activities and/or e- games to keep him/her busy and always try to make it fun.

 The stag

Congratulate. Advise him/her to always keep in touch and to share different points of view. Tell him/her to reply on students´ comments.

 The magpie

Advise him/her to be creative and stop worrying too much about the answer, Tell him/her that that his ideas will be as brilliant as their classmates. And will have credit for them.

 3. Look at this example of a response to a conference by an e-learner. How would you respond to him as an e-Tutor?

 I think everyone has a different learning style which is good, learners don't choose to learn in a way they just adapt themselves. Of course it also depends on the teaching style and how the teacher engages his/her students and how teachers try to adapt the different teaching methods according to student's needs.

I think that being able to teach online is a very important thing for the teachers, because of the variety of activities that can be done. Technology offers a new way of teaching and what better way for teachers to take advantage from. Once teachers are engaged with technology Students will be able to learn languages though so many creative online courses.

General Principles of an e-tivity

• Are cheap and easy to create

   

• Are usually text based, take place online

   

• They are motivating, engaging and purposeful

   

• They are based on interaction between learners

   

• They are designed and led by an e-moderator

   

• They include participants contributions´

   

• Give feedback from an e-moderator

   

• They are designed for efficiency

   

• It can replace all kinds of other learning and teaching methods

   

• Facilitates tasks and supports the use of learning materials

Rachel and Rosa.

Part of this learning takes place electronically so I think a part of a combination of video conferencing and e-mail would be the most important for me because it is easier and we encourage students to explore and try new things such as video conferencing. In a way increases students skills and concern about learning online.

Concepts of Distance Education / On-line education

Definition #1

•   The Garrison and Shale definition of distance education (1987a, p. 10-11) offers a minimum set of criteria and allows more flexibility. They suggest that:

• Distance education implies that the majority of educational communication between teacher and student occurs non contiguously

•  Distance education involves two-way communication between teacher and student for the purpose of facilitating and supporting the educational process

•  Distance education uses technology to mediate the necessary two-way communication.

 Garrison & Shale (1987) IPSE Research in Distance Education by Michael Jeffries. Assistant Director of Educational Services, IHETS. Available in: 

 http://www.digitalschool.net/edu/DL_history_mJeffries.html

 Definition #2

•  The separation of teacher and learner during at least a majority of each instructional process.

•  The use of educational media to unite teacher and learner and carry course content.

•  The provision of two-way communication between teacher, tutor, or educational agency and learner.

 Task Force on Distance Education, 1992. "Report of the Task Force on Distance Education," The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, November. Published electronically in DEOSNEWS 3:7 and 3:8 (July 1993, August 1993) Available in: http://www.studyoverseas.com/distance/distance1.htm

 Definition #3

 Is a learning experience delivered via a computer and the Internet. Course work is conducted through electronic forums, discussion groups, external resources, quizzes, social rooms, and online submitted assignments. Learning activities also include pairwork, small group work and project work and throughout the course you have the guidance of one of our professional online tutors.

 British Council Available in:

 http://www.britishcouncil.org/turkey-english-teacher-training-online-what-is-online-learning.htm