Online Experience

After reading the Michigan Merit Curriculum Online Experience Guidelines, I think that it is very interesting to see our state requiring online education. I also thought it was interesting to see so many Web 2.0 technologies qualify as online experience towards graduation. Maybe this means more and more schools will be able to receive updated technology so that students can meet those requirements.

I currently "teach" 3 sections of online classes using a program called Compass Learning. I put teach in parentheses there because during those class periods I hardly get to teach at all. Students come in, put on a set of headphones, and watch a tutorial/video that already has teachers delivering the instruction. Most days, the only teaching I get to do is when I help students with difficult assignments. When my building first began the online classes, I was idealistic, believing I would teach one general, broad lesson that would compliment the tutorials. But since I have as many as 5 different courses going on in one class period, I found that became simply impossible. Now I have begun creating new assignments to accompany the online tutorials. Whenever possible, I have tried to incorporate Web 2.0 technology into those assignments, though I am finding that difficult as many of them are blocked in my computer lab.

If I were able to incorporate more technology into the classes, I would like to incorporate a learning management system into the online classes. I began to experiment with Blackboard as part of my CEP810 class, but I have found that learning the system is difficult and time consuming. I have heard great things about Moodle, but it is blocked in my computer lab. I really feel that being able to create assignments and have discussion forums would add the interaction that is currently lacking in the Compass Learning program. Right now students have limited interaction with me and limited interaction with each other. Adding a course management system or perhaps using blogs would help students feel more connected.

Finally, I have learned the hard way that some technologies should be avoided with my Alternative Ed students. For example, I introduced my students to skrbl as a way to brainstorm and collaborate for a creative writing assignment. I turned my back to help a struggling student and someone had drawn an inappropriate picture on the whiteboard. I was not at my computer to see which student had done it, so I had no way to punish those responsible. Of course, we then had a discussion about appropriate use of technology at school, but I am still wary of using the site again.