Policies and Planning Online Learning Post #1

The readings for this week were interesting, especially the Teaching and Learning Online reading. I found it contained a thorough examination of the principles of eLearning and readers will hopefully learn from it that eLearning is more than having readers just read and interact online. If done effectively, eLearning can be an extremely powerful and engaging tool. Although, as pointed out in the DE article, eLearning is a relatively new concept with widely ranging results of success. It is not a perfect concept, but it is also a new one. Distance education, as the article suggests is a concept that has been around for quite some time. However the methodologies and means that the learning is presented in have changed substantially.

As the TALO article discusses, it is critical to have the Learning Tasks, Supportss and Resources to make an online learning setting work. While having all three is important, it is also important to provide a variety of all three. It is important to remember that even as the learning takes on new mediums for instruction, any learning environment is supported best through good, engaging instruction.

While the debate is present for asynchronous versus synchronous learning, it is and always will be an unanswerable question about which is best as all learners will learn in different methods. No one way is going to always work for everyone. Just as some will engage in lively debates in a classroom, the same can be done online. Granted the medium allows for the quieter students to more easily speak out, it still requires bravery and thought to put your words out there. Unlike in a traditional classroom, words are often permanently documented and can be re-read more easily by those seeking to review. This is a big brave step to take for anyone to make a comment. I often find myself writing "If this makes sense" at the end of any discussion thread as a disclaimer of sorts that my words may not be cohesive after all.

Week 2 Message Design- ooVoo, TalkShoe and more(oo)

I checked out ooVoo tonight as a new site recommended by Joni. It is interesting how much develops and how little we sometimes know. I was familiar with free online chatting based on experience with Skype, which has made family conversations a lot different. My in-laws are big into Skyping with us now, especially surrounding grandkids. This seems like another great tool to use for that, as Skype can sometimes be touchy during high usage times. It's good to have alternatives, and I'm surprised I'd never heard of it.

Jott I had heard of before, but haven't always used it. It's neat because it's free, but I think it will take a while to get used to before I really make use of it. I had heard of it from a David Pogue vidcast (vodcast?) where he discussed it as a tool. I definitely can benefit from a "to do" list, but it's part of the adjustment to get used to. It also seems like just when you get used to a tool, another better bigger faster one comes out. Man I am getting old for 29.

I also have never heard of TalkShoe. Another interesting new idea. The community chats make it like a call in radio show run by the listeners. I really like the potential there, but a big concern becomes reliability. I love the push towards chatting online more where it is free and you can view those you are talking to. We're heading towards what we've seen in all of those "futuristic" movies with the video conferencing. It reduces a lot of walls, and makes communicating more authentic.

Relevance and meaning also come to mind when thinking about many of the Web 2.0 features like this. I love the potential, but am scared of the current use. I think of how many postings I have read attached to numerous news stories, YouTube videos and the like that contain something like "U R gay" or "Obama sux" or something equally mind numbing. I think over time the conversations will improve, but I can only hope.

I was thinking about the use of these materials in my job. It would be hard to push too hard for the use of these, as I'm still very new, but I think there is a lot of potential. I don't like VPs being able to see my face though after 70 minutes of an ongoing conference call.