1. What content could this help you teach?
My biology classes have a lot of diagrams where they have to identify structures and list their functions. Sometimes with the book and paper, it is hard to tie it all together. I can see online PowerPoints would allow them to jump back and forth to make it come all together. Actually, I could use this in most science courses. Online simulations are great but my students need still diagrams to grasp a clearer understanding before they can truly comprehend it.
2. What type of pedagaogical strategies might you use with your students?
My students, usually coming from a troubled background, learn better with collaboration. They work well in pairs or small groups. I could see a lot of online research and investigation. I could definitely use scaffolding so they do not get overwhelmed by all the science material. Science is easier for my students to learn in little chunks to build on. Teacher-led and blended instruction would work best. WebQuests, blogs and Wikis would also involve teacher involvement. I am looking forward to using some of these. The biggest problem is many students do not have computers and/or internet in their homes.
3. What technologies do you think would harder to use your students? Why?
Self-Paced online learning would be quite difficult. They are not mature enough with their own capabilities to be self motivated. There are some students who are 19 years old that are able to handle a Plato-based course. However, they still come to the instructor for supplemental instruction. The Self-Pace method was proposed in a neighboring school district. A students investigated and said they had no one to keep on top of them.
We did a self-paced lab style instruction model in an adult correctional education program I worked in. Student curriculum was entirely online (we used a Plato competitor called Aztec), and we incorporated a feedback loop of assessment-instruction-targeted assessment. But -- we always had the teachers available to work directly with the students -- it was not at all possible to have the students work entirely independently. They would become frustrated and unmotivated very quickly.
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