Our readings this week were focused on two main topics related to educational practices
I found the second topic more interesting from the perspective of considering the kinds of things that I would prefer to learn independently through tutorials versus what I would prefer to learn in person. Obviously everyone has different learning styles and what is most effective for me, may not be effective for someone else.
The two readings focused on specific case studies where online learning was employed one to teach individual how to use a specific system and one to teach more general skills in information literacy. At a personal level I prefer to learn more abstract skills from an instructor, in person, so that I can easily ask questions to help me understand the mechanics of what I'm learning. However, for more straight forward tasks like navigating specific web-based interfaces such as the one covered in the Yelinek et.all. reading I think that the screencasts are a great solution, which can allow users to not only test out the steps as they go along, but also pause, go back, and repeat sections that they may have found confusing.
It seems to me that using instructional screencasts can be a very powerful and effective method for teaching one time things like how to navigate a library's search interface, how to request books through ILL, familiarizing students with specific software, or teaching students how navigate and use a course website. I am less convinced by the effectiveness of online learning when it comes to more abstract concepts or learning over an extended period of time. It is not that I think it doesn't work or shouldn't be done, but simply that I think there are greater challenges to overcome when it comes to trying to teach something like an entire course or mini course with preset online materials. I also recognize my personal bias against longer term distance learning because I know that I personally do not like to learn in that kind of environment. However, for one shot learning which I often actively seek out online tutorials and screencasts to gain a better understanding software that I want to use or a specific procedure task that I want to know how to perform.
- Effective methods for developing workshops/educational material, in person or online.
- Effectiveness of online learning, and tools/software for creating online educational materials.
I found the second topic more interesting from the perspective of considering the kinds of things that I would prefer to learn independently through tutorials versus what I would prefer to learn in person. Obviously everyone has different learning styles and what is most effective for me, may not be effective for someone else.
The two readings focused on specific case studies where online learning was employed one to teach individual how to use a specific system and one to teach more general skills in information literacy. At a personal level I prefer to learn more abstract skills from an instructor, in person, so that I can easily ask questions to help me understand the mechanics of what I'm learning. However, for more straight forward tasks like navigating specific web-based interfaces such as the one covered in the Yelinek et.all. reading I think that the screencasts are a great solution, which can allow users to not only test out the steps as they go along, but also pause, go back, and repeat sections that they may have found confusing.
It seems to me that using instructional screencasts can be a very powerful and effective method for teaching one time things like how to navigate a library's search interface, how to request books through ILL, familiarizing students with specific software, or teaching students how navigate and use a course website. I am less convinced by the effectiveness of online learning when it comes to more abstract concepts or learning over an extended period of time. It is not that I think it doesn't work or shouldn't be done, but simply that I think there are greater challenges to overcome when it comes to trying to teach something like an entire course or mini course with preset online materials. I also recognize my personal bias against longer term distance learning because I know that I personally do not like to learn in that kind of environment. However, for one shot learning which I often actively seek out online tutorials and screencasts to gain a better understanding software that I want to use or a specific procedure task that I want to know how to perform.
I felt similarly when I was reading the chapter outlining ADDIE. It all seemed straightforward and I wasn't really getting anything out of the chapter. However, the more I thought about how I planned for things, it occurred to me that I don't really do any of those steps, particularly the first and last steps. After going through the other readings, it becomes more clear how important outlining the real goals of a project and consciously evaluating that project afterward really are. The Johnston article is a good example of how not keeping the goals in mind throughout the process can weaken the results. The evaluation of that tutorial did not match with the goals, so the survey they created did not answer their questions.
ReplyDeleteI had thought about the limitations of screencasts, but after reading your post, I can see several reasons for their effectiveness as well. I had not thought about how important being able to go back and fix problems easily would be to the kinds of experiments outlined in the readings. It seems to be an obvious thought, but I took that aspect for granted when thinking about the readings.
I do agree with you about the limitations. I have had classes in undergrad that used web-based lectures and they were horrible. Trying to explain subjective concepts over the internet is very difficult. There is no real way to ask questions or have discussions. Professors tried to incorporate a forum, but no one took it seriously. I think there is something to be said about the classroom environment. That seriousness gets lost when class means sitting on your couch in your pajamas.
I think you both raise very important issues about web based classes and making sure students are receiving adequate support during the learning processes. I happened to go to a university that offered a lot of for credit online classes that were successful and very popular among students. There were forums and message boards that supported the class and allowed for class discussion. The downside of many of the classes is that (from my experience and observation) students put off a lot of the material until a day or two before an exam or assignment. My impression is that the students hope to reduce the amount of time they spend studying by learning the material all at once. Obviously this drastically reduces the ability for students to monitor their learning. In contrast, I know a few people who take free online courses, like those available through Coursera, that do not receive any formal credit or certification. What I take away from the distinction is that the learners value the material and activities involved differently. As librarians, our goal should be to find ways to present our tutorials or workshops in order to increase our learners' commitment to the material we teach.
ReplyDeleteYour distinction between learning straightforward skills and abstract concepts helps me understand what we mean when we say that some things lend themselves to screencasts better than others. I'm interested in classical Greek philosophy and also knitting. If I want to know how to do a new knitting technique, I'll go to YouTube, but if I want to know about the theories of Democritus, I would probably consult a (printed or online) book; and YouTube would not be on the radar. We've been saying that certain things are better taught in different situations, but I think you've made a helpful step toward identifying the distinction. Thanks!
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