Part 1 – Blogs
Benefits of blogging
According to Bonk, when students are taking an online class, they have a greater opportunity to “think more deeply about an in idea and for a longer time”. (Bonk, p. 67) This is one advantage students have who takes online classes. They can study and work on their assignments on their own time. By being able to work on blogs on their schedule, they have the opportunity to think about their responses before they post. They don’t feel rushed into writing down an answer. The same would apply for responding to others blogs. Sometimes students would like a little more information before they respond. There are often times where students will find additional resources and post those resources for other students. Many times I have seen where one student has investigated a little further and found helpful websites for those wanting a little more information. They will post these for all of the students.
Blogging in building a virtual learning community
By collaborating in this fashion, this allows students to have a dialogue with each other even though it may be at different times. Students have time to reflect on their own experiences and understanding of the material. Once they understand the material, they may use stories from their own experiences to help others understand their way of thinking or why they answered a question a certain way. This can be beneficial to everyone.
Class observations
In this class we can see where “videostreamed talks, and Webinars allow those learning at remote locations opportunities to learn that previously did not exist.” (Bonk, p. 74). We see this by being able to have online discussions with Saudi Arabia. We are able to read his blogs and respond. He is able to do his work at a time that is more conducive to his time zone. It is also refreshing to see other student’s opinions. All of the graduate classes I have taken have been in the department of nursing. It is interesting to see others way of thinking. Not to say that nurses all think the same. But it seems that computer people see issues differently, more analytical.
Blogging used in learning
Blogging can be used to help enhance critical thinking. If an instructor poses a question, you can see if the students understand by the way they respond. Occasionally you can see true learning taking place. For example, when one student does not entirely understand a concept, other students will make suggestions for the student to think about the issue in a little different light. By doing this, the student is becoming a teacher is essence.
Students also have the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other. If they are stuck on an issue, others will post different perspectives or even further references. A student may post a simple answer. Those responding to that post may delve deeper into that issue. Some students have very strong opinions on certain topics and it is interesting to see how a simple statement can cause controversy. By that I mean that students, respectfully, will discuss the pros and cons of an issue. This can give you a good idea of how the students are thinking and how they are processing information. By looking at both sides, this can lead to collaborative learning and maybe even helping students see that not all issues are black and white. Learning can certainly take place in these instances as long as the students stick to the facts. “These controversies will foster critical reflections as well as collaborative knowledge sharing and construction.” (Bonk & Zhang, p. 257)
Part 2 – Emerging technologies
First Impression/experience
I was interested in the Yugma site. The opening page had enough information on it to let people know what its purpose is and who could benefit from their services. You could also sign into the forums or FAQ section. It also had sections that would show you how to host a meeting or join a meeting. All of this information was presented before you signed in. This is a benefit. It allows you to access information prior to spending/wasting your time creating a sign in and downloading the program if you found out it wasn’t what you wanted.
Your search or creation activities
Yugma was easy to download. It offered versions for macs as well as pcs. My attempt was to have a conference with my father. It had the some of the same characteristics as the adobe we have been using in class. You needed to have the meeting ID number in order to join with the meeting. As the host, one thing I did not like was that in order to share your desktop, you needed to invite contacts. When I clicked on this, it kept going to my .mac account. I don’t use that account as my email. I have no idea how to change the default on my computer. I was able to use the IM feature with my father anyway.
Educational Use
This would be beneficial for small classes. This would be a class with less than 20 students. It would allow for a more intimate meeting/conversation. As with our class, it would allow students in different parts of the country, or different countries to meet and talk at the same time for free. The main difference between this and adobe is that you do have to download this to your computer or computers you will be using for the meetings. The host/presenter can show desktops and even change presenters so someone else can show their desktops. This would allow for each student to have the opportunity to show their desktops if they needed to share.
Bonk, C.J. & Zhang, K. (2006). Introducing the R2D2 model: Online learning for the
diverse learners of the world. Distance Education, 27(2)., 249-264.
Bonk, C.J. & Zhang, K. (2008) Empowering online learning: 100+ activities for
reading, reflecting, displaying, & doing. San Fransisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
